Het Paa Naam Tok (Isaan-style Forest Mushroom Salad)
A vibrant Thai mushroom salad featuring grilled mixed mushrooms tossed with aromatic herbs, citrus, and traditional Isaan seasonings including toasted rice powder and chile powder. This vegetarian adaptation of the classic naam tok combines smoky, sour, spicy and umami flavors.
Ingredients
- •1 piece charcoal grill
- •10 ounces meaty mixed mushrooms
- •2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- •1 to taste Kosher salt and black pepper
- •1½ tablespoons lime juice
- •1½ tablespoons Thai thin soy sauce
- •1 tablespoon mushroom stock
- •1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- •1 teaspoon Phrik Phon Khua
- •14 grams lemongrass
- •1 ounce shallots
- •¼ cup mint leaves
- •¼ cup cilantro
- •1 teaspoon Khao Khua
- •1 pinch Khao Khua for finishing
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Prepare a grill, preferably charcoal, to cook with medium heat. Or preheat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat.
10 min
- 2.
Toss the mushrooms in a bowl along with just enough oil to lightly coat them. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss again. Grill the mushrooms, turning them over occasionally, until they're cooked through and deep golden brown in spots, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the mushrooms, transferring them as they're cooked to a cutting board. Cut any large mushrooms into bite-size slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Leave any small mushrooms whole. You should have about 1 cup of chopped, cooked mushrooms. Let them cool slightly as you make the dressing.
15 min
- 3.
Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, mushroom stock, sugar, chile powder, and lemongrass in a wok or medium pan, set it over medium heat, and heat the mixture just until it's warm to the touch, 15 seconds or so. Turn off the heat.
2 min
- 4.
Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the shallots, mint, cilantro, and rice powder, toss well, and transfer to a plate in a low heap so that most of the herbs end up near the top. Sprinkle on another pinch or two of rice powder, and serve.
3 min
