Are you tired of my salads yet? This Malaysian Fish & Herb Salad, aka Ulam, will change that sentiment.
I’m sorry but you’ll have to oblige me just for a few more weeks as I hold onto summer veggies and freshness and all the things that disappear come fall and make way for heartier eats. Not only am I still trying to embrace all that is green, but the last few weeks from mid-August on have been a whole lot of eating nothing green, with birthday treats and company and road trips where A&W was the popular rest stop restaurant option each way of my five hour drive to Toronto. That plus my ice cream addiction has made a push for clean eating so necessary- I just can’t handle it any other way right.
This salad, you’ve seen it before. Many, many years ago under bad lighting and stifled writing, I cooked the flavors of Malaysia with this fish & herb salad. It’s so good and perfect for a number of reasons I shall enumerate presently:
1) Smoked fish. I get so stuck in a smoked salmon groove that I don’t give whitefish or trout proper play. This salad does and oh, my, it does it well.
2) Rice. Salads in my house don’t typically include rice because…well, they don’t. I take my salad carbs with added protein in the form of beans, so this basmati rice does for a nice change
3) Herbs. Not just parsley or cilantro, but mint, basil and whatever other freshness you want to add. It’s your salad, so you do you.
4) Coconut. You know I’m a fiend for texture and I love toasted coconut. This adds so much niceness to boring greens.
5) Dressing. I’ve never quite figured out what is in the ‘green goddess’ dressing, but I’m guessing it’s not fish sauce. In any case, this delicious avocado based dressing with island/Asian flavors complements the fish so splendidly, you’ll probably be wondering exactly what else you can put it on!
So do as I do, and keep the salad train alive just a bit longer.
Fish and Herb Salad
Smoked fish, fresh herbs, coconut and rice come together in this traditional Malaysian fish and herb salad, also known as Ulam.
Ingredients
- 2 packages (7 ounces or so total) smoked whitefish, skinned and finely chopped
- ½ cup flaked coconut, toasted
- 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked and cooled
- ½ cup (about a handful) chopped mint
- ½ cup (about a handful) chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup sliced basil
- Sliced almonds, for crunch
- For the dressing
- 1 TB chopped cilantro
- 2 cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 red chili, finely chopped
- 1 TB lemon grass, white part only, chopped
- 2 TB fresh basil, preferably Thai
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 2 TB fish sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼- ½ cup vegetable, coconut or peanut oil (depending on how oily you prefer your dressing)
Directions
- Step 1 Place the fish, coconut, rice, mint and cilantro in a large bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Step 2 Make the dressing: Throw all the ingredients into the food processor and process until creamy.
- Step 3 Toss the dressing with the rest of the ingredients. Serve and be happy.
