Spicy Seafood Salad

Name: Spicy Seafood Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 267 g Shrimp (prawn) cleaned and deveined; 267 g Squid bodies washed well, sliced into 1/2-inch rings; 3 stalks Lemongrass sliced very thin; 2/3 Brown or yellow onion sliced thick; 7 Red shallots sliced thin; 3 Green onions cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 3/4 tablespoons Coriander/cilantro leaves large stems removed; 2 3/4 tablespoons Spearmint large stems removed, a few leaves reserved for garnish; 7 Thai hot chilies lightly cracked to release flavor; 3 Garlic cloves finely chopped; 3 Kaffir lime leaves sliced into thin slivers, for garnish; 1 1/3 tablespoons Thai roasted chili sauce (nam prik pao); 4 tablespoons Fresh lime juice divided (some for marinating the seafood); 2 tablespoons Fish sauce; 1 1/3 teaspoons Sugar

Plah Talay

Blanched shrimp and squid tossed with lemongrass, mint, and a smoky chili dressing

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Serves: 4
Heat: hot

Plah Talay leans much harder on fresh herbs than most seafood salads found outside Thailand, tossing quickly blanched shrimp and squid with thin-sliced lemongrass, shallot, mint, and cilantro in quantities that make the herbs as central as the seafood itself. A dressing built on smoky roasted chili paste rather than a simple lime vinaigrette gives the whole dish an earthy depth, while a short lime marinade before blanching keeps the seafood from tasting flat. Slivered kaffir lime leaf scattered on top at the very end adds a final citrus note that ties the whole herb-heavy salad together.

Ingredients

267 g Shrimp (prawn) (cleaned and deveined)
267 g Squid (bodies washed well, sliced into 1/2-inch rings)
3 stalks Lemongrass (sliced very thin)
2/3 Brown or yellow onion (sliced thick)
7 Red shallots (sliced thin)
3 Green onions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
2 3/4 tablespoons Coriander/cilantro leaves (large stems removed)
2 3/4 tablespoons Spearmint (large stems removed, a few leaves reserved for garnish)
7 Thai hot chilies (lightly cracked to release flavor)
3 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
3 Kaffir lime leaves (sliced into thin slivers, for garnish)
1 1/3 tablespoons Thai roasted chili sauce (nam prik pao)
4 tablespoons Fresh lime juice (divided (some for marinating the seafood))
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
1 1/3 teaspoons Sugar

Directions

Clean and devein the shrimp. Wash the squid bodies thoroughly and slice into 1/2-inch rings.
Marinate the squid and shrimp together in a tablespoon or two of the lime juice for about 15 minutes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the squid and shrimp and stir for about 30 seconds, just until barely cooked — as soon as the shrimp turn pink, remove and rinse in very cold water to stop the cooking.
Slice the onion thick. Slice the shallots and lemongrass very thin. Finely chop the garlic. Pull the large stems from the mint and cilantro. Cut the green onion into 1-inch pieces. Lightly crack the chilies with a knife handle or pestle to release their flavor without fully breaking them open. Slice the kaffir lime leaves into thin slivers.
In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, remaining lime juice, sugar, and roasted chili sauce.
Combine all the fresh ingredients, except the kaffir lime slivers, with the blanched seafood in a large bowl.
Add the dressing and toss everything until well coated.
Serve on a shared plate. Garnish with the kaffir lime slivers and fresh mint leaves.

Notes

Rinse the seafood in very cold water right after its brief blanch — stopping the cooking abruptly is what keeps the squid tender and the shrimp plump rather than rubbery.

Substitutions

Clams or firm white fish can be added alongside or in place of the shrimp and squid. Leave the roasted chili sauce for a milder dressing based more on lime and fish sauce.