THAI STYLE SHRIMP SALAD ON SPINACH

By Sube

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 3 tbsp. thinly sliced garlic
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, or large shrimp, halved lengthwise, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• Half stalk lemongrass, sliced, or 1 strip lemeon rind
• 8 cups (2L) lightly packed baby spinach leaves
• 1-1/3 cups thinly sliced cucumber
• 2 to 5 Thai (bird’s eye) peppers, minced or 1 to 2 other hot peppers, minced
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander and/or mint leaves

Preparation

Step 1

In small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; add shallots and fry, stirring and separating occasionally, until golden brown. Through sieve over heatproof bowl, drain and set aside. Return oil to pan. In same manner, fry and drain garlic. (Keep oil, covered for other use such as seasoning vegetables or soup noodles for up to 2 weeks)
Toss shrimp with salt. In saucepan, bring peppercorns, lemongrass and 1/3 cup water to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer covered, for 3 min. Increase heat to high; add shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp are pink about 2 min. Reserving cooking liquid, drain; let shrimp and liquid cool. Remove and discard peppercorns and lemongrass.
Arrange spinach on serving platter, shallow bowl or 4 plates; top with cucumber and shrimp. Whisk together hot peppers, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and 1/3 cup of the shrimp cooking liquid; po0ur over shrimp. Top with shallots and garlic; sprinkle with coriander or mint leaves.