Yum Pla Meuk ยำปลาหมึก Spicy Calamari And Pork Salad

This has to be one of my very favourite Thai salad, there are no hard to get ingredients here but the different textures and flavours will sure to make it your favourite too. Omit the pork if you are a non-pork eater or not a big fan of "turf and surf".

Apart from having the freshest ingredients you can lay your hands on, the key to success for this dish is not to overcooked the pork and the calamari. If you are unable to get any young ginger, omit it altogether as the old ginger will be too harsh for this dish. Do spend an extra 5 minutes to prepare the fried garlic, it will add the extra nuttiness to your salad. I serve this with Green chicken curry and plenty of steamed rice. If you are a fan of Thai salad don't forget to check out all previous posts, click HERE.

P.S Do have a taste of the chilies before you start the dressing, adjust the amount as you see fit!

serves 4 as part of a Thai meal

you'll need;

2 calamari/squid (400g) cleaned, scored, sliced

1 pork fillet (350g) poached, sliced

100g of young ginger, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup of mint

1/2 cup of coriander leaves
3 spring onions, diagonally sliced

5 shallots, sliced
1 red chili, sliced

fried garlic (optional)

for the dressing;

5 coriander roots, chopped

5 to 8 bird chilies, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3  tbs of castor sugar

3 tbs of fish sauce

6 tbs of lime juice

pinch of salt

pound wet spices with a little salt the add in the rest of the ingredients, it should taste hot, salty, sour, and sweet.

Prepare the dressing and have herbs and aromatics ready

Place the pork fillet in a pot of boiling water, turn off the heat with the cover on for 25 minutes. Rest and cut into thin slices. Return the poaching water to a boil and blanch the calamari for 15 to 20 seconds.

Combine everything in a bowl and mix well

Serve right away as a beer snack

Add fried garlic if using. Serve as part of a Thai meal.

Pla Muek Phat Phrik ปลาหมึกผัดพริก Calamari In A Fragrant Hot Sauce

A rather pedestrian dish one might say but it's no different to the the everyday steam pork with egg or ginger chicken that bring us comfort without fail everytime. The calamari and the long beans mustn't be overcooked, the sauce has to be sweet, sour, hot and salty at the same time of course!!

There are many different version of this but as long as you get everything right (as mentioned above) you are on the path to enlightenment!!

I served this as part of our Thai dinner.

serves 4 as part of a Thai meal or for 2 with rice as a one dish meal;

you'll need;

2 calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into bite size pieces (browned)

10 long beans, cut into 2" pieces

2 red chilies, cut into slices

1 bunch of Thai basil, picked

3 cloves of garlic and 3 bird chilies, chopped

2 tbs of Thai chili jam

dash of fish sauce

3 kaffir lime leaves

half a lime

Have everything ready, it will take 5 minutes ...

Fry chopped garlic and chilies follow by onion, sliced chilies, kaffir lime leaves and long bean pieces...

Add seasonings and continue to fry for 5 minutes..

Add calamari, heat through, turn off the heat and add the Thai basil. Mix well, squeez of lime and serve immediately.

This was served as part of our Thai dinner together with son in-law eggs and beef salad with sour mango.