The bean sprouts, peanut sauce, cilantro, and cucumber are staples in several Asian cuisines, but today we are enjoying a salad from Malaysia.
Peanut Sauce (see below)
About 3 cups shredded green cabbage
4 oz. thin green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 small cauliflower, broken into small flowerets
About 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cucumber
Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
Peanut Sauce:
1/3 cup unsweetened grated coconut
2/3 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
To prepare Peanut Sauce, place coconut in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Let soak for 15 minutes. Pour mixture through cheesecloth into another bowl, pressing to extract liquid (discard coconut). Add remaining sauce ingredients; mix well. Set aside. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add cabbage, beans, and cauliflower; boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain vegetables thoroughly; arrange them on a platter or 4 individual plates. Scatter bean sprouts over vegetables. Score sides of cucumber deeply with a fork or cut strips of peel from sides with a vegetable peeler. Slice cucumber; arrange around salad. Spoon Peanut Dressing onto the center of the salad or serve separately.
Garnish salad with cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
(Source: The Book of Salads, HPBooks)
