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The MoPho Som Tam

by

Photo by Brenda Maitland

The MoPho Som Tam
from MoPho Executive Chef-Partner Michael Gulotta
Read our review of MoPho here

Yield: 6 servings 

Ingredients: 

For the vinaigrette:

3 Louisiana dried shrimp, lightly toasted in a hot pan
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 slices Thai chili
1 tbsp. palm sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1/4 cup tamarind water
2 limes, split 

For the salad:

4 cups peeled, seeded, and julienned cucuzza squash, 
 reserved in chilled water
2 peaches, largely diced with pits removed
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup cooked black-eyed peas, fresh if possible
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup blanched green beans, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, minced
1 link Vietnamese sweet sausage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted peanuts 

Method: 

  1. Using a mortar and pestle*, pound dried shrimp, garlic, sliced chili, and palm sugar until it forms a paste. Gently work in the fish sauce, tamarind water, and juice of two limes.  
  2. Drain the cucuzza squash from the chilled water and add it to the mortar and pestle. Bruise the squash lightly with the pestle, allowing the vinaigrette to penetrate the cells of the squash. 
  3. Pour the squash and vinaigrette into a large bowl and toss in the remaining salad ingredients. Serve immediately.

 

*Alternatively, the vinaigrette can be made with a blender if no mortar and pestle is available. Once the vinaigrette is made in the blender, mix it with the drained cucuzza squash and allow to marinate for 10 minutes, and then toss in the remaining ingredients.

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