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Yam hua plee (banana blossom salad)
Yam hua plee (ยำหัวปลี): shredded banana blossom with chicken and prawns in a coconut chilli-jam dressing
Banana trees grow in every back yard in central Thailand, and the purple blossom, shredded fine, turns into this crunchy, slightly astringent salad served at family gatherings and temple fairs. It is tossed with poached chicken and prawns in coconut cream, lime and nam prik pao, with toasted peanuts and crisp shallots, so it is creamy, sour and gently smoky. For a vegetarian version, use fried tofu instead of the meat, a vegan chilli jam and soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Chef's tip: drop each shredded handful straight into lime water as you cut; banana blossom left in the air turns black within a minute.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 banana blossomabout 400 g
- 2 tbsp lime juicestirred into 1 litre cold water
- 7 oz chicken breast
- 5 ½ oz raw prawnspeeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots
- 3 tbsp roasted peanutscrushed
- 1 handful coriander leaves
For the dressing
- ½ cup coconut cream
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugargrated
- 2 bird's-eye chillichopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Peel away the tough outer purple bracts of 1 banana blossom until you reach the pale heart. Slice it crossways as thinly as you can, dropping the shreds straight into the bowl of 2 tbsp lime juice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze dry.
15 minStep 2: Put 7 oz chicken breast in a small pan, cover with cold water and bring to a gentle simmer. Poach until the centre reaches 165°F and the juices run clear, 10–12 minutes. Lift out, cool slightly and shred.
12 minStep 3: Drop 5 ½ oz raw prawns into the same simmering water for 1–2 minutes, until pink, curled and opaque right through. Drain.
2 minStep 4: Warm ½ cup coconut cream gently for a minute without boiling, then whisk in 2 tbsp nam prik pao (Thai chilli jam), 3 tbsp lime juice, 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp palm sugar and 2 bird's-eye chilli. It should taste sour first, then rich and sweet.
1 minStep 5: Toss the banana blossom, chicken and prawns with the dressing. Pile onto a plate and scatter with 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots, 3 tbsp roasted peanuts and 1 handful coriander leaves. Serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yam hua plee (banana blossom salad) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of chicken breast?
- Boneless chicken thighs, same weight (a few minutes longer).
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