Burma Superstar Ginger Salad
Adapted from Burma Superstar by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy, this may be the most refreshing salad in the universe, and it’s definitely one of the most crave-able. The original recipe doesn’t specify what type of cabbage to use; we used red cabbage because we had some on hand, but any kind of cabbage will work. Nor does it say whether to use raw or toasted sunflower seeds; we used raw unsalted. The amount of pickled ginger called for may look excessive, but trust us; it’s perfect.
For the garlic chips, you can either purchase them in an Asian grocery, or make your own (the recipe follows the salad recipe). Extra chips and oil can be used in salads or noodle dishes. It may seem like a lot of steps to make them, along with the Fried Yellow Split Peas, but both keep a long time — and we bet you’ll want to make the salad again soon.
The authors suggest serving it with Burma Superstar Chili Lamb — a delightful pairing indeed!
Serves 4 as part of a larger meal, or 2 or 3 as a generous lunch.
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea flour
4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (about 1 romaine head)
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
3 heaping tablespoons thinly slice pickled ginger (sushi ginger), chopped
2 tablespoons Fried Garlic Chips (purchased in an Asian grocery, or see the recipe below)
3 tablespoons Fried Yellow Split Peas (recipe below)
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (shelled)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted peanuts
2 tablespoons minced jalapeños (seeds removed)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons juice from the ginger pickling liquid
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
1. Toast the chickpea flour: Spread it in a small skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the flour has deepened to a light caramel color. Set aside.
2. In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, pickled ginger, fried garlic, split peas, cilantro, sunflower seeds, jalapeños and sesame seeds.
3. Sprinkle the chickpea flour over the top and drizzle with the canola oil and ginger pickling liquid. Add the fish sauce and salt. Squeeze one or two lime wedges over the top. Using your hands, mix well and taste, adding more salt or lime juice if needed.
Fried Garlic Chips
Makes about 1/3 cup fried garlic chips and about 1/2 cup garlic oil.
Ingredients
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh garlic (about 8 medium-large cloves)
1/2 cup canola oil
Instructions
1. Place a strainer over a small heatproof bowl. Line a plate with paper towels.
2. In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat for a minute or two (the oil shouldn’t be scorching hot). Add the garlic and gently stir into the oil. When bubbles start to form rapidly around the garlic, decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is an even golden color and nearly completely crisp, about 3 minutes. If the garlic starts to darken too quickly, remove it from the heat and let it continue to fry in the oil. If the garlic needs more time to fry, return the wok to low heat and continue to fry.
3. Pour the contents of the wok into the strainer-lined bowl. Lift the strainer up and shake off excess oil. Scatter the garlic onto the lined plate. The garlic should crisp up as it cools. The chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month. Store the oil in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Fried Yellow Split Peas
Makes about 1/2 cup.
Ingredients
1/3 cup yellow split peas
1/2 cup canola oil
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Cover the split peas with about 1 inch of water. Soak at least 4 hours, or overnight.
2. Drain the split peas through a fine-mesh strainer, shaking off the excess water. Line a plate with paper towels.
3. In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the split peas. Once the oil starts to bubble rapidly around the split peas, lower the heat slightly and continue to fry, stirring often, until they begin to crisp up and turn slightly darker, about 5 minutes.
4. Drain well. Scatter the split peas on the lined plate and season with salt to taste. The split peas should be crunchy but not rock-hard once cooled. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.
Burma Superstar Ginger Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (about 1 romaine head)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
- 3 heaping tablespoons thinly slice pickled ginger (sushi ginger), chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fried Garlic Chips (purchased in an Asian grocery, or see the recipe below)
- 3 tablespoons Fried Yellow Split Peas (recipe below)
- 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (shelled)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeños (seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons juice from the ginger pickling liquid
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh garlic (about 8 medium-large cloves)
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup yellow split peas
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Toast the chickpea flour: Spread it in a small skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the flour has deepened to a light caramel color. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, pickled ginger, fried garlic, split peas, cilantro, sunflower seeds, jalapeños and sesame seeds.
- Sprinkle the chickpea flour over the top and drizzle with the canola oil and ginger pickling liquid. Add the fish sauce and salt. Squeeze one or two lime wedges over the top. Using your hands, mix well and taste, adding more salt or lime juice if needed.
- Place a strainer over a small heatproof bowl. Line a plate with paper towels.
- In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat for a minute or two (the oil shouldn’t be scorching hot). Add the garlic and gently stir into the oil. When bubbles start to form rapidly around the garlic, decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is an even golden color and nearly completely crisp, about 3 minutes. If the garlic starts to darken too quickly, remove it from the heat and let it continue to fry in the oil. If the garlic needs more time to fry, return the wok to low heat and continue to fry.
- Pour the contents of the wok into the strainer-lined bowl. Lift the strainer up and shake off excess oil. Scatter the garlic onto the lined plate. The garlic should crisp up as it cools. The chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month. Store the oil in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- Cover the split peas with about 1 inch of water. Soak at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Drain the split peas through a fine-mesh strainer, shaking off the excess water. Line a plate with paper towels.
- In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the split peas. Once the oil starts to bubble rapidly around the split peas, lower the heat slightly and continue to fry, stirring often, until they begin to crisp up and turn slightly darker, about 5 minutes.
- Drain well. Scatter the split peas on the lined plate and season with salt to taste. The split peas should be crunchy but not rock-hard once cooled. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.
