This recipe uses normal chicken eggs but duck eggs can be used or even quail eggs.
Quail eggs make the dish look much prettier and you won’t need to cut these eggs up.

Ingredients – for 2 people
4 chicken eggs (8 quail eggs)
2tsp fish sauce
1tsp sugar
4tsp lime juice
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 small Thai chillies finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic finely chopped
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
2 tablespoon coriander, chopped

How to make Yum Khai Dao:
Mix the fish sauce, lime, sugar and soy sauce together in a bowl.
Chop the garlic and chillies very finely and mix into the sauce.
Fry the eggs in a pan with oil until cooked.
Once the eggs are cooked arrange them on a plate, if you are using chicken/duck eggs they can be cut into smaller pieces, quarters.
If you use quail eggs then these can be left whole.
Place the onion/shallot on the eggs then pour the sauce, garlic and chilli mix over the top.
Finally sprinkle with the coriander.
Serve immediately to avoid the eggs going soggy.

Eat and Enjoy!!

The noodles are made of mung bean or potato starch and are also known as ‘cellophane’ noodles because of their clear appearance. They only need about a minute in boiling water and they’re done.

The black fungus is commonly used in Chinese cooking. They look exactly like large, crinkly mouse ears and have a lovely, rubbery sort of crunch to them. While they don’t have much flavour themselves, ‘Cloud Ears’ absorb whatever flavours they are exposed to; so in this case it was a mixture of salty, sour and spicy.

Ingredients: 
3 bundles of mung bean noodles
300 gm of ground free-range chicken
A handful of dried Cloud Ear fungus
2 tbs of vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 tbs of fresh lime juice
2 tbs of fish sauce
2 stalks of lemon grass stalks(white part only), finely sliced
3 shallot onions, finely sliced
2 bird’s eye chilis, sliced
2 tbs of coriander (cilantro), chopped
1 tbs of mint, chopped
Several lettuce leaves

Method:
Soak the mung bean noodles in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. Drain and roughly chop.
Soak the black Cloud Ears in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain and roughly chop.
In a saucepan or wok, heat the oil over a medium heat and fry the garlic until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.
In the same pan/wok cook the ground chicken. Add a splash of fish sauce and stir fry and until the chicken is cooked. Add the mung bean noodles and Cloud Ears to the chicken and stir well. Remove from heat.
Add the 2 tbs of fish sauce and lime juice to the chicken and stir well. Add the mint, lemon grass, chili and coriander and stir well.
Line a serving plate with lettuce and then spoon the chicken mixture over the leaves. Sprinkle with fried garlic and garnish with coriander.

Ingredients:
10 – 12 oz. (400-450 g) fresh Asian-style noodles (available in most supermarket deli sections), OR fettucini-style noodles
1 cup small cooked shrimp, thawed and drained if frozen
1 zucchini, grated with a wide grater or peeled into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 red or green chili, de-seeded and thinly sliced
1 can baby corn, cut into 1-2 inch lengths
1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips
3 spring (green) onions, sliced
1 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, lightly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, lightly chopped
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts or cashews, unsalted, and left whole or lightly chopped
SALAD DRESSING:
1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 limes, juiced)
4 Tbsp. fish sauce (available at Asian/Chinese stores)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2-3 tsp. sugar (adjust to taste)
1-3 tsp. chili sauce OR 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper OR crushed chili (adjust to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:
Prepare noodles according to the directions on the package. Rinse noodles with cold water, drain, and set aside.
Prepare salad dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients together in a cup or small bowl until sugar dissolves. Taste-test for sour/sweetness, adding more sugar as desired. Note that the taste of the dressing will be very “zing-y” at this point because of the lime juice – it will taste milder when distributed among the noodles.
Prepare the vegetables and shrimp, and place them in a very large salad or mixing bowl. Add the herbs and nuts too.
Stir the dressing once more and pour over. Toss the vegetables, shrimp, herbs, and peanuts with the dressing.
Now add the noodles and toss again (note: This salad requires a lot of tossing to distribute the dressing, vegetables, herbs, shrimp and peanuts throughout the noodles). Once well-tossed, taste-test the noodles, adding more fish sauce if not salty or tasty enough.
You can serve this salad immediately, or cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to eat (this salad will keep for up to 5 days, and makes great workday lunches!). Serve right out of the bowl, or lift and place onto a serving platter or individual bowls. Garnish with a few extra sprigs of the fresh herbs, plus some chopped peanuts. For those who like it extra spicy, Thai chili sauce can be served on the side.

Ingredients:
YIELD: 1 large bowl of fruit salad
1+1/2 cups fresh papaya, cubed (for papaya instructions, see link below)
1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned (for fresh pineapple instructions, see link below)
1 banana, sliced
1 cup mango, cubed
1 cup strawberries, sliced or cut into quarters
1 cup other fruit, local OR exotic such as blueberries, melon, dragon fruit, lychees, longans, or rambutans
Garnish: starfruit slices
FRUIT SALAD DRESSING:
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp. brown sugar OR palm sugar

Preparation:
Stir fruit salad dressing ingredients together in a cup until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Place all the fresh fruit in a mixing bowl.
Pour the dressing over and toss well to mix.
Pour or scoop the fruit salad into a serving bowl, or into a prepared pineapple boat (as pictured). Garnish just before serving with a star fruit slice. For easy instructions, see: How to Make a Pineapple Boat.

Ingredients:
12-14 large or medium shrimp, shells removed (tails can be left on)
Optional: 1+1/2 cups pineapple chunks, OR 1 firm, nearly-ripe mango (see note below for fruit tips)
1 large bowl salad greens, enough for each person dining
generous handful of fresh coriander, basil, and/or mint
optional: 1 thinly sliced red chili for garnish
MARINADE:
4 Tbsp. oyster sauce (I use Golden Dragon Brand)
2 tsp. brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
COCONUT-LIME DRESSING:
1/2 cup good-quality coconut milk (not ‘lite’, as it is too thin)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1+1/2 to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (to taste) OR 1/4 to 1/3 tsp. salt (*see note below)
2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili flakes
2 tsp. brown sugar
optional: 1 tsp. grated lime zest

Preparation:
Place shrimp and fruit (if using) in a bowl. Stir marinade ingredients together in a cup and pour over. Toss gently and set aside to marinate while you prepare the salad and warm up your grill.
Stir together the salad dressing in a cup. Taste-test, adding more sugar if you prefer it sweeter, or more lime juice if too sweet for your taste. Add more chili or more fish sauce/salt to taste. About Using Fish Sauce: If you are offended by the smell of fish, you may want to use salt instead of fish sauce. I personally love fish sauce, and finds it also adds depth of flavor to this dressing.
Prepare the bowl of salad greens. Thinly slice the herbs and toss them in.
Skewer the marinated shrimp and fruit onto wooden satay sticks or stainless steel brochette skewers. Or, if you shrimp and fruit pieces are large enough, you can set them directly on the grill. Another option is to use a fish cage.
Before grilling, lightly brush you grill/fish cage with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Grill the shrimp and fruit 4-8 minutes per side, or until shrimp is pink and plump, and fruit has grill markings and is bright in color.
Serve the hot shrimp and fruit over the cool salad greens and top with a generous amount of the dressing. Add a sprinkling of sliced red chili for those who like it extra spicy. Pair with your favorite chilled white wine, and ENJOY!

Fruit Tips: I find fresh pineapple or a firm, nearly-ripe mango work beautifully for this recipe. For the mango, if you can easily indent the skin with your thumb, it’s too ripe and will fall apart on the grill. Choose one that is fragrant when you lift it to your nose, but still quite firm. For pineapple, if you want to use canned instead of fresh, I recommend buying the pineapple rings and slicing them into large chunks (this will give you firmer results than buying canned chunks). Fresh pineapple is always firm enough for grilling.

Ingredients:
approx. 8 oz. (225 g.) rice noodles
20 to 25 medium uncooked shrimp (tails can be left on)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
3 spring onions, sliced thinly
2 to 3 cups bean sprouts
1 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), lightly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, lightly chopped
1/3 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts, lightly chopped
2 Tbsp. veg. oil
DRESSING:
1/2 cup hot water
1 +3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1-2 Tbsp. chili sauce (OR/ 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper or dried crushed chili)

Preparation:
Lightly boil the rice noodles until cooked to al dente. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside to drain while you prepare other ingredients.
To make the dressing, pour 1/2 cup boiling water into a cup. Add tamarind paste, stirring until dissolved. Add the sugar, fish sauce and chili sauce, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Taste-test this concoction – it should taste first sweet, then sour, spicy and salty, more or less in that order. Add more sugar to make it sweeter, or more chili for a spicier salad. (Note that the sugar content must be quite high to balance out the strong sourness of the tamarind.)
Pour 1/4 of this dressing over prepared shrimp (make sure shrimp are well drained beforehand). Stir and set aside to briefly marinate.
Place the red pepper, celery, spring onion, bean sprouts, coriander and basil together in a large salad bowl (hold back a little of the coriander and basil for garnishing later).
Place a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 Tbsp. oil, then add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry to release the fragrance (1-2 minutes), then add the shrimp together with the marinade. Stir-fry 3 minutes, or until shrimp have turned pink and plump. Remove from heat and “pour” these delicious stir-fried shrimp into the salad bowl.
Now add the drained noodles and pour over remaining dressing. Toss everything well together. (Note: at first you’ll have dressing left in the bottom of the bowl, but gradually the noodles will absorb it.)
Do a final taste-test, adding a little more fish sauce if more flavor is desired, or more chili sauce if it isn’t spicy enough. Portion out into bowls or plates, adding a final topping of coriander and basil, plus the chopped peanuts. More chili sauce can also be served on the side.

Tamarind paste is sometimes difficult to find. Look for it at your local Asian grocery store OR East Indian food store. If you can’t find it, white vinegar can be used as a substitute. Another substition is lime juice. In this case, use the juice of 2 limes and reduce hot water by half.

Ingredients:
1 small green papaya, OR 1/2 large (your papaya should be very firm, the flesh white to light orange in color)
1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts OR plain roasted, or glazed cashews (see recipe link below)
1-2 cups bean sprouts
1 to 2 tomatoes, cut into long thin strips
1 red chili, minced (seeds removed if you prefer a milder salad)
3 spring onions, sliced into long matchstick-like pieces
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if leaves are large
handful of fresh coriander
DRESSING:
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (if vegetarian, substitute 1/2 Tbsp. Thai golden mountain sauce OR 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. good-tasting oil, such as olive
2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce for vegetarians
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. liquid honey, to taste

Preparation:
For a step-by-step version of this recipe (photo instructions), see my: How to Make Authentic Thai Green Papaya Salad.

Prepare the dressing by mixing together all dressing ingredients together in a cup. Make sure shrimp paste and honey dissolve fully (if using glazed nuts, you may only need to add 1/2 Tbsp. honey). Set aside.
Peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and remove all the seeds. Using the largest grater you have, grate the papaya (or you can use a potato peeler to create thin, ribbon-like strips). Place in a large bowl.

Add the sliced tomato, spring onion, chili, bean sprouts, and most of the basil. Add the dressing, tossing to combine.
Add the peanuts or cashews* (you can either leave them whole, or roughly chop them). Toss again. Taste-test the salad. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If too sweet or salty, add more lime juice. If you prefer it spicier, add more fresh-cut chili or dried crushed chili.
To serve, scoop the salad into individual bowls or onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining basil leaves plus fresh coriander.

Ingredients:
SERVES 2-3 (as a side dish)
1 small head romaine or leaf lettuce, or enough salad greens for 2-3 people
2 green (spring) onions, sliced
1/2 to 1 cucumber (see cutting instructions below)
1 cup fresh coriander /cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
optional: edible flowers to garnish, such as pansies, nasturtiums, violas, or rose petals
SALAD DRESSING: (double the recipe if serving 4 or more)
1/2 cup good-quality coconut milk
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR vegetarians: use 1 Tbsp. soy sauce plus pinch salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. brown sugar
optional: 1/4 tsp. dried crushed chili

Preparation:
Place lettuce in a salad bowl along with the spring onions and basil.
Slice the cucumber lenthwise into thick matchstick-like pieces, OR for more formal occasions: Use a potato peeler and peel the cucumber into long, thin ribbons (see photo). If the slices turn out too long to eat easily, cut them in half or in thirds.
Add the cucumber and coriander to the salad bowl and toss together.
To make the dressing, stir the salad dressing ingredients together in a cup until sugar dissolves. Tip: Any extra dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks – just place in a covered jar or container.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Top with the sliced green onion and basil. Edible flowers can also be added to dress up the dish. Serve immediately.

A Note About this Dressing, + Serving Tips:

Note: Not everyone likes the taste or smell of fish sauce (as one of the reviewers of this recipe found out). If you find it offensive while still in the bottle, chances are, you probably won’t like it when combined in the dressing. In this case, I recommend following the instructions for vegetarians as stated in the recipe. Personally I love fish sauce and even use it in my non-Thai dishes (it makes a terrific Ceasar salad!).
When making this salad for dinner parties, prepare the dressing and bowl of greens ahead of time, keeping them separate. When ready to eat, toss salad with the dressing and plate it up, adding the onion and basil on top plus 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 a few minutes early and let it sit at room temperature. Then give it a stir and it’s ready to use. ENJOY!

Ingredients:
1-2 boneless chicken breasts, OR 1-3 cups cooked chicken
1-2 ripe mangoes, cut into cubes (see link for preparation tips)
1 small red pepper, diced
1/2 to 1 medium cucumber, diced
2 cups bean sprouts or pea sprouts
1/4 cup dry shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 to 1/3 cup peanuts or cashews
3-4 spring onions, sliced, OR 3 Tbsp.finely chopped purple onion
1/4 cup fresh basil
optional: 1-2 cups cubed watermelon or star fruit
DRESSING:
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 to 2+1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar, to taste
1-2 tsp. Thai chili sauce, OR 1/3 to 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
MARINADE: (skip for cooked chicken)
4 Tbsp. Thai oyster sauce OR regular oyster sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Preparation:

(If using cooked chicken, skip to step 2.) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, or warm up your grill. Stir together the marinade ingredients and slather over chicken breasts. Set chicken in a baking dish or pan. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan to keep from drying out. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Alternately, grill chicken over a hot grill, basting with leftover marinade. When chicken is cool enough, slice into bite-size pieces.
Place coconut in a dry frying pan and stir continuously 2-3 minutes over medium heat, or until it turns light golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Set aside.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl or cup, stirring to dissolve sugar. This dressing should be a mingling of sweet, sour, spicy and salty, but an emphasis on sweet and spicy (note: it will taste strong now, but will be delicious when combined with the salad). Set aside.

To finish, place all salad ingredients together in a large bowl: mango, red pepper, cucumber, sprouts, onion, basil, and chicken.
Pour over the dressing and toss well. Add the toasted coconut and nuts and toss again. Do a taste-test. If you prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet, add more lime juice. Add more chili for more spice. Serve right in the salad bowl or portion out into individual bowls, and ENJOY!

This recipe may make more salad dressing than you need, depending on how large your salad is. Also note that it’s an oil-free dressing, like most Thai salad dressing, so it will naturally collect at the bottom of your salad bowl. This isn’t a problem – just be sure to re-toss before serving if the salad is sitting for any length of time.

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber OR 2 field cucumbers (if using organic, leave the skin on; otherwise, wash well or peel it off)
1 shallot, minced (OR substitute 1/4 cup minced purple onion)
2 green (spring) onions, finely sliced
1 fresh red chili, de-seeded and minced fine, OR 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup ground or roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts
DRESSING:
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (vegetarians: see alternate recipe link below)
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 to 1+1/2 tsp. sugar

 
Preparation:
For a ‘quick & easy’ version of this recipe, see my Even Easier Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe.

For a Vegetarian/Vegan version of this recipe, see my Vegetarian Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe (Vegan).

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then repeat with each half until you have a number of long strips. Now slice the other way to create bite-size rectangular chunks. Place in a salad bowl.
Add the shallot, green onion, chili/red pepper, and coriander to the salad bowl (keep back a little extra coriander for a garnish).
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve the shrimp paste. Taste-test it for sweet-sour balance, adding more sugar if it’s too sour for your taste. Tip: Note that the dressing will taste quite salty and pungent now, but will be perfect once combined with the salad.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss well.
To serve, scoop or slide salad onto a serving platter or place in a serving bowl. Top with the ground/chopped peanuts, plus extra coriander. If desired, garnish with a slice of lime. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

If serving this salad as the main course, add 1 cup cooked baby shrimp as a protein source.
Note that the longer this salad sits, the more liquid will gather at the bottom of the bowl or plate (some of this is juice from the cucumber – the rest is the dressing). If you want to make it ahead of time, just be sure to re-toss the salad before serving. This salad is best eaten the same day you make it. ENJOY!