Yam talay (Thai seafood salad)
Yam talay (ยำทะเล): poached prawns, squid and mussels with celery and onion in a sharp lime-chilli dressing
Beach shacks on Koh Samet and along the Pattaya coast bring yam talay out in a heap, the seafood still warm, glistening with lime and fish sauce, and scattered with Chinese celery and onion. It is light and very sour, eaten with ice-cold drinks before the grilled fish arrives, or with rice for lunch. Use whatever is freshest; the mix below is easy to find. Chef's tip: poach each type of seafood separately and briefly; tipping everything in together overcooks the squid into rubber bands before the mussels open.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the seafood
- 10 ½ oz musselsscrubbed and debearded
- 7 oz raw prawnspeeled and deveined
- 7 oz squidcleaned, bodies scored and cut into pieces
For the salad
- 3 Chinese celerystalks with leaves, cut into 3 cm lengths
- ½ onionthinly sliced
- 6 cherry tomatoeshalved
- 2 spring onionscut into 3 cm lengths
For the dressing
- 3 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 5 bird's-eye chillieschopped
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Check 10 ½ oz mussels: tap any open ones on the counter and throw away those that don't close, and any with broken shells.
Step 2: Mix 3 cloves garlic, 5 bird's-eye chillies, 4 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 2 tsp sugar in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3: Put the mussels in a pan with 3 tbsp water, cover and steam over a high heat, shaking, until they open, 3–4 minutes. Throw away any that stay shut. Shell most of them and add to the dressing.
4 minStep 4: Bring a pan of water to the boil. Poach 7 oz raw prawns until pink, curled and opaque, 1½–2 minutes, then lift into the dressing.
2 minStep 5: Poach 7 oz squid in the same water for 30–45 seconds only, until it turns white and the scored pieces curl. Lift into the dressing.
1 minStep 6: Add 3 Chinese celery, ½ onion, 6 cherry tomatoes and 2 spring onions and toss while the seafood is still warm. Taste for sourness and salt and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yam talay (Thai seafood salad) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of chinese celery?
- Fennel bulb, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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