Mieng Kum
Today I 'm going to share with you one of the most renowned royal Thai cuisine dishes' recipe, Mieng Kum (เมี่ยงคำ).
In Thailand, Mieng Kum is popular appetizer during rainy season, when wild betel leaves the main ingredient, are abundant and at their best. Betel leaves are fragrant nutritious heart shaped leaves using in many Thai dishes : Khao Yam, Spicy Blue Mackerel Salad, etc.
Searching for Betel leaves outside Thailand can be tough. I heard that they are consumed in other Asian countries, too. However, Asian here, maybe not include Japan.
Actually, I have never seen any in Tokyo.
Therefore, today I decided to use spinach in its place.
Mieng Kum, is extremely exotic dish in my foreigner friends' eyes. It's because, unlike Pad Thai or Tom yam, Mieng Kum is not commonly sold by street vendors.
If you want to try this sublime appetizer, you have to go to sophisticated fine dining restaurants.
Or you can try making your own Meing Kum here!
Below is authentic and easy Meing Kum's recipe.
Ingredients for filling
spinach
dried shrimp
lime
ginger
toasted peanuts
shallots
chilies
Ingredients for sweet dip
toasted shrimp paste 1 tsp.
2 small toasted shallots
toasted peanuts 1 tbs
palm sugar 1/2 cup
fish sauce 1/4 cup
tamarind pulp 1/4 cup
Method
To make a dip,toast shrimp paste, shallots and peanuts until fragrant. Set aside.
With mortar and pestle, blend shrimp paste, shallots and peanut until form a coarse paste. Transfer to a pot, add in fish sauce, palm sugar. Bring to the boil, keep stirring until sticky. Let cool.
Notes:
Any green leafed vegetable goes well with this sweet dip. Toasted almonds, walnuts and sesame seeds are delightful alternatives for peanuts. Sweet dip keeps 10 days, covered and refrigerated.
To make a dip,toast shrimp paste, shallots and peanuts until fragrant. Set aside.
With mortar and pestle, blend shrimp paste, shallots and peanut until form a coarse paste. Transfer to a pot, add in fish sauce, palm sugar. Bring to the boil, keep stirring until sticky. Let cool.
To prepare the filling, dice shallots(not include in the picture), ginger and lime (with skin on). Slice chilies. Transfer them onto a plate with roasted peanuts and dried shrimp.
Take a leaf, and put a little of the following in it: shallot, ginger, chilies, roasted peanut and dried shrimp, top with aromatic sugar palm sauce, fold it up and pop it in your mouth. --- Wow!!
Notes:
Any green leafed vegetable goes well with this sweet dip. Toasted almonds, walnuts and sesame seeds are delightful alternatives for peanuts. Sweet dip keeps 10 days, covered and refrigerated.
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