'Yum Mama' Instant Noodle Salad With Lime and Fish Sauce Caramel
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Deau Arpapornnopparat, chef-owner of Holy Basil Thai restaurants, makes his favorite snack: a salad of instant ramen-style noodles, ground pork (you can also use chicken), cabbage, herbs, onion, shallot and a tangy dressing of fish sauce caramel, lime juice and the seasoning packet from the noodles. He uses Thai brand Mama, but you can use any instant ramen noodles in your favorite flavor. The fish sauce caramel is made with equal parts palm sugar (which come in 2-ounce tablets) and fish sauce, both available at Thai markets; you also can substitute brown sugar. The caramel can be made in advance, stores for months in your fridge, and you can use it in curries, stir-fries and dressings. It’s key to the big flavor in this salad, along with the bright burst of lime juice; adjust the balance of flavors to your preference for sweet, salty and tart-tangy.
Watch Arpapornnopparat make the noodles in the “Chef That!” video below:
Holy Basil chef Deau Arpapornnopparat makes a tangy, sweet, salty, spicy instant noodle salad with lime and fish sauce caramel, a classic Thai snack that’s easy to prepare.
Cook the noodles and cabbage: Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the noodles (reserve the seasoning packet); after 1 minute, add the cabbage and boil until the cabbage just tender and the noodles al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Make the fish sauce caramel: In a small saucepan, gently heat the sugar and fish sauce over low heat until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes a thick syrupy caramel, about 5 minutes.
Cook the ground meat: In a pan over low heat, cook the ground pork or chicken, stirring often so that it doesn’t sear and allowing its juices to release, until just done, about 8 minutes. Add a little of the pasta and cabbage cooking liquid if you need to loosen it. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine a couple tablespoons of the fish sauce caramel and the juice of a couple limes, tasting as you go to adjust the balance as you like it — sweet, salty, tangy. Add another spoonful of caramel and/or lime juice to your taste. Stir in the seasoning packet from the noodles and the chiles until well combined.
Add the cooked ground pork (or chicken), sliced onion and shallot, and mix well. Add the noodles, celery, tomatoes and cilantro. Toss to combine, and adjust seasoning if needed with more lime. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
