Easy Tossed Green Salad

This easy tossed green salad recipe can be put together in a matter of minutes. Thai green salad makes a wonderfully cooling side dish to spicy Thai curries and other Thai recipes, but is equally excellent for everyday meals. This tossed salad includes a very simple salad dressing recipe that's delicious, fresh, and slightly creamy but also low in fat and calories. And it can be made as mild or as spicy as you like. Tip: double the salad dressing recipe and keep any extra in the refrigerator for a quick & scrumptious tossed salad anytime!

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• SERVES 4 (as a side dish)
• 1 small head romaine or leaf lettuce, or the equivalent in mixed garden greens, rinsed and dried in a salad spinner
• 2 green (spring) onions, sliced
• handful of fresh basil
• 1/2 cucumber (see cutting instructions below)
• optional: edible flowers to garnish, such as pansies (pictured here), nasturtiums, or rose petals
• SALAD DRESSING:
• 3 Tbsp. coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (OR vegetarian fish sauce, available at Vietnamese food stores)
• 1/2 tsp. minced or pureed garlic
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• optional: 1/2 fresh red chili, finely minced

Preparation:

1. Place lettuce in a salad bowl along with the spring onions and basil.
2. If you're in a hurry, simply slice the cucumber as you would for a regular salad. For more formal occasions: Use a vegetable peeler and peel the cucumber into long, thin slices (see photo). If the slices turn out too long to eat easily, cut them in half or in thirds, OR cut them again lengthwise into long, thin strips.
3. Add the cucumber slices or strips to the salad bowl and toss together.
4. To make the dressing, simply stir the salad dressing ingredients together in a cup until the sugar dissolves. Tip: If you're making a larger salad, consider doubling the dressing recipe (you can keep any extra in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks - just place it into a covered jar).
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

Serving Tips:

• When I make this salad for dinner parties, I prepare the dressing and bowl of greens an hour or two ahead of time, keeping them separate. When ready to eat, I toss the salad with the dressing right at the table. For more formal occasions, I toss the salad in the kitchen and plate it up, adding one or two edible flowers to each plate or bowl.
• Note that thicker coconut milks will become somewhat solid when refrigerated. If you've refrigerated the salad dressing, simply take it out and let it sit while you prepare the rest of your meal, allowing it to come back to room temperature before serving. ENJOY!

User Reviews