Lunch

Meang Nem

Name: Meang Nem
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 50g dried shrimp; 40g rice; 100g coconut, shredded; 20g orange, zested; 3 chili peppers; 50g peanuts, roasted; 100g pickled scallion heads, finely chopped; 30 ml pickled scallion head brine; 25g galangal, finely chopped; 30g shallots, thinly sliced lengthwise; 20 ml orange, juiced; 50 ml lime, juiced; 50 ml fish sauce; 50g palm sugar

A bright Thai-style salad of dried shrimp, toasted coconut, roasted rice powder, pickled scallion heads, and a sweet-sour citrus dressing.

35 min
250 kcal
Pescatarian
Salad
Seafood

Mellowpan tip: Makes 4 servings, so there’s room for leftovers. Plan them into your week.

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

Steps

Step 1:
Rinse the rice, soak it in water for about 10 minutes, then drain well.
10 min
Step 2:
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat.
Step 3:
Add the rice and stir constantly until evenly dark golden brown and very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
5 min
Step 4:
Transfer the rice to a bowl to cool.
Step 5:
Grind the cooled rice finely using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Step 6:
Sift the ground rice through a fine-mesh strainer to remove large pieces, then set aside.
Step 7:
Thinly slice the shallots lengthwise.
Step 8:
Finely chop the galangal, pickled scallion heads, chili peppers, and orange zest.
Step 9:
Coarsely grind the roasted peanuts.
Step 10:
Heat a frying pan over low heat, add the shredded coconut, and toast, stirring, for 2–3 minutes.
2–3 min
Step 11:
Set the toasted coconut aside.
Step 12:
In a large bowl, combine the lime juice, orange juice, palm sugar, pickled scallion head brine, and fish sauce.
Step 13:
Stir until the dressing is fully dissolved and well mixed.
Step 14:
In a mixing bowl, combine the dried shrimp, toasted coconut, chopped aromatics, and dressing.
Step 15:
Mix well, add the roasted rice powder, and stir again.
Step 16:
Top with the coarsely ground roasted peanuts.
Step 17:
Place the salad on a large plate. Let each guest spoon a little onto a small plate, wrap it in leafy greens with vegetables, and enjoy in bite-size portions.
Step 18:
For a vegetarian version, omit the dried shrimp and fish sauce. Season to taste with soy sauce and a pinch of sea salt, keeping the sweet-sour balance.