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Het Paa Naam Tok (Isaan-style Forest Mushroom Salad)

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Het Paa Naam Tok (Isaan-style Forest Mushroom Salad)Austin Bush

Flavor Profile: Spicy, tart, aromatic, salty, umami-rich

Try it with: Any Som Tam (Papaya salad and family) and/or Phat Khanaeng (Stir-fried Brussels sprouts). Needs Khao Niaw (Sticky rice).

The recipe for steak salad is a classic, but naam tok made with mushrooms is less common. Yet mushrooms are everywhere in Thailand and echo the texture and even the umami-rich flavor of animal flesh. Thailand has a long history of vegetarian food, for strict Buddhists and those celebrating Buddhist holidays. And while I rarely spend time considering the needs of vegetarians, I figured that if I swapped out the fish sauce in the original for thin soy sauce, then they'd have something to eat at Pok Pok.

Note

If you'd like, briefly grill the mushroom trimmings, put them in a pot with enough water to cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Spoon out 1 tablespoon of the liquid for the dressing.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 2 to 6 as part of a meal; the recipe is easily doubled

Ingredients

Special Equipment

A charcoal grill (highly recommended), grates oiled

Mushrooms

10 ounces meaty mixed mushrooms (such as oyster, king oyster, cremini, and/or wild mushrooms), tough stems trimmed and any large mushrooms halved through the stem (trimmings reserved; see NOTE)
A generous drizzle of vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (preferably from Key limes or spiked with a small squeeze of Meyer lemon juice)
1 1/2 tablespoons Thai thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon mushroom stock (purchased or homemade; see NOTE) or water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Phrik Phon Khua (Toasted-chile powder)
14 grams thinly sliced lemongrass (tender parts only), from about 2 large stalks (about 2 tablespoons)

Salad

1 ounce peeled small shallots, preferably Asian, or very small red onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced with the grain (about 1/4 cup, lightly packed)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves (the smaller the better), lightly packed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (thin stems and leaves), lightly packed
1 heaping teaspoon Khao Khua (Toasted-sticky rice powder) , plus a few pinches for finishing

Preparation

  1. COOK THE MUSHROOMS

    Step 1

    Prepare a grill, preferably charcoal, to cook with medium heat. Or preheat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat.

    Step 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.

  2. MAKE THE DRESSING

    Step 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.

  3. ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

    Step 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.

Reprinted with permission from Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand by Andy Ricker with JJ Goode. Copyright © 2013 by Andy Ricker; photographs copyright © 2013 by Austin Bush. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. ANDY RICKER is the chef and owner of Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge, Pok Pok Noi, and Sen Yai in Portland, plus Pok Pok Ny and Whiskey Soda Lounge Ny in New York City. The winner of a 2011 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest, Andy splits his time between Chiang Mai, Thailand; New York City; and Portland, Oregon. JJ GOODE is a Brooklyn-based food writer, and the coauthor of the books A Girl and Her Pig with April Bloomfield, Morimoto with Masaharu Morimoto, and Truly Mexican with Roberto Santibañez.
TagsSaladThaiSoutheast AsianAsianMushroomVegetableLimeCitrusFruitLemongrassHerbs & SpicesShallotStarterDinnerVegetarianVeganNut FreeDairy FreeGluten FreeWeeknight MealsGrillingSummerCookbooks

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