This Thai Vinaigrette features all the fresh, vibrant flavours of Thailand. With tangy lime juice, fish sauce and fragrant Thai herbs, this vinaigrette will please every palate.
What are Thai Flavours?
Table of contents
Authentic Thai cuisine strives for a balance between hot, sour, salty and sweet.
Hot
- Thai Chillies/Bird’s Eye chilli, with a fruity taste and extreme spiciness.
- Dried Chillies, drying intensifies their flavour, so use sparingly.
- Peppers (you may use both white and black).
- Ginger with a spicy, slightly sweet, peppery taste.
Sweet
- Palm sugar is milder in sweetness than brown sugar.
- Brown sugar may be substituted for palm but reduce the quantity slightly (approximately 20%).
- Coconut Sugar has an intense caramel-like flavour.
- White sugar with a sharp sweetness that will not change the colour of
Salty
- Sea Salt, while Fish Sauce is the traditional ‘salty’ element in Thai cooking, salt may be used sometimes.
- Light soy sauce has a thinner consistency than regular soy sauce. Do not be confused with low-sodium soy sauce as it is made with extra chemicals (it is better if you dilute your soy sauce with some water rather than use low-sodium soy).
- Thai fish sauce ( nam pla ) has a strong salty taste.
- Shrimp paste has an incredible pungent flavour and a fishy aroma.
Sour
- Tamarind is a sticky, brown pulp from a tree pod. Used to add a superb sharp and sour flavour.
- Lime juice gives a sharp sour flavour.
- Kaffir lime leaves for pungent lime flavour.
- Lemongrass gives a fresh citrusy flavour to Thai food.
- Galangal has a sharp citrusy, almost piney flavour.
- Coriander (cilantro), you either like coriander or hate it. Those that like it say it has a fresh lemony lime taste, while those who hate it say it tastes soapy or mouldy taste.
"Thai food is the juggling of disparate elements
to create a harmonious finish."
David Thompson, author of Thai Food
What Can I Use It On?
- Tomato salads with fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Fresh green salads with avocado
- To add a Thai twist to your noodles
- Marinating beef for a Thai Beef salad (How to Cook a Perfect Steak)
- Marinating chicken fillets
- Marinate salmon or tuna wrapped in baking paper and then steam
- Brushed on eggplant and then roasted
You Will Need
How to Make It
- Put all the dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender or small food processor. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper, blitz until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings according to your liking.
- Pour into a glass container that can be tightly sealed and store in the fridge for a couple of days or pour it over your salad.
How to Chiffonade Your Lime Leaves
Chiffonade is a slicing technique where leafy green vegetables and herbs such as spinach, basil, sorrel, etc., are cut into long, thin strips.
To do this stack the leaves on top of each other, gently roll them into a cigar, and then use a sharp knife to slice them into thin ribbons.
How Much Does It Make?
This Thai Vinaigrette recipe makes approximately half a cup or 8 tablespoons, the nutritional information has been calculated per tablespoon.
This is enough dressing for one salad that serves four people.
How Long Can I Store It For?
Thai Vinaigrette can be stored in a tightly sealed glass container in your fridge for approximately 4-5 days.
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A great dressing featuring the fresh, vibrant flavours of Thailand.
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* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Servings: 8 tablespoons*
Calories: 70kcal
Equipment
- Small Food Processor or High-Speed / Bullet Blender
Ingredients
- 3 tbsps olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tbsps lime juice
- 1 small Thai chilli (chopped)
- Zest of 1 lime (approximately 1 tablespoon)
- 2 kaffir limes (chiffonade*)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
- ½ stalk stalk lemongrass (approximately 1 tablespoon, chopped finely)
- 1 teaspoon Palm sugar (¾ teaspoon brown)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a small food processor or high-speed blender and blitz until combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.
- You can store it in the fridge for a few days or pour it over your salad.
Notes
- This Thai Vinaigrette recipe makes approximately half a cup or 8 tablespoons, the nutritional information has been calculated per tablespoon.
This is enough salad for one salad that serves four people. - Chiffonade is a slicing technique where leafy green vegetables and herbs such as spinach, basil, sorrel, etc. are cut into long, thin strips.
To do this stack the leaves on top of each other, gently roll them into a cigar, and then use a sharp knife to slice them into thin ribbons.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
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Wendy says
Too salty and made the salad soupy.
Anastasia says
That's a shame Wendy, the saltiness was probably due to the soy sauce brand that you used. It is always a good idea to taste your dressing before using it in your salad. I also like to toss my salads in a mixing bowl and then transfer it to a serving bowl and leave the excess dressing behind to avoid them becoming soup. Thank you for the feedback and I will amend the post with some additional suggestion.s