Love a leaf

Miang kam, a Thai leaf-wrapped, multiflavored snack, is like a blind date.

You might never meet it unless someone introduces you. And then it could be love at first bite.

The combination of ingredients —dried shrimp, lime, red onion, ginger, peanut, coconut and chili — might seem an awkward mix. But place them together on a heart-shaped cha plu (wild pepper) leaf, top with a sweet-savory sauce, and it dances in your mouth, each bite bringing forth a different flavor — the saltiness of shrimp, aromatic heat of ginger, fresh tang of lime, sweet-salty combination of the sauce.

Miang kam is not included on menus at Hono­lulu Thai restaurants, so "nobody knows about this dish," said Chai Chaowasaree, chef-owner of Chai’s Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine. "This is more like Anthony Bourdain. You have to be adventurous."

A Thai friend introduced me to miang kam. At the Waikiki restaurant where she works, the kitchen crew sometimes makes it for employees.

She grabbed a leaf, filled it with various ingredients, wrapped it and handed it to me.

"Try this," she said.

At first I thought it was a betel nut chew, something I’ve had in India.

Instead, the little package offered vibrant, interesting contrasts with each bite — crunchy peanuts, savory shrimp and spicy chili paired with the cooling, refreshing combo of lime and ginger.

"Either you love it because there’s so many flavors in it, or you think it’s weird," Chaowasaree said. "I love it."

Chaowasaree said there are a couple of reasons why miang kam doesn’t have a place on menus here: the extensive prep work and unfamiliarity of the dish.

But if you want to make miang kam at home, it’s not difficult. Just approach all the chopping as a labor of love.

An Internet search turned up several recipes and some interesting variations. Adding jabong, or pomelo, for example, gives the dish a tangier flavor. Use fried fish instead of dried shrimp, or add lemon grass or watercress, for different flavors and textures. The ingredients are limited only by your imagination.

BITE INTO A MIANG KAM BUNDLE

This recipe for miang kam is my version of the dish based on a combination of recipes I found on the Internet, and some trial and error.

The key ingredient, cha plu leaf — la lot in Vietnamese — is usually available in the Mauna Kea Marketplace at stalls that cater to Lao, Thai or Vietnamese customers. It’s also sometimes available in Lao Market on Bethel Street. If you can’t find it, substitute large spinach leaves or lettuce.

A few variations on the basic recipe follow.

MIANG KAM

2 dozen cha plu leaves (wild pepper leaf, sometimes called wild betel leaf; substitute with large spinach leaves, lettuce, collard green or Chinese broccoli leaf)
1/2 cup dried shrimp
1/2 cup chopped ginger
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped red onion or shallots
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 to 6 sliced Thai chilies, to taste (remove seeds for less spiciness)
1 lime
>> Sauce:
1 to 2 tablespoons ground fresh ginger
1 to 2 tablespoons ground fresh Thai ginger (optional)
1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut (see note)
1 to 2 tablespoons ground onions or shallots
1 to 2 tablespoons ground peanuts
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 cup palm sugar (or substitute brown sugar, molasses or white sugar)
1 teaspoon shrimp paste (or replace with more fish sauce and less water)
1 teaspoon ground, dried shrimp
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional)
1/4 cup coconut milk (optional)

Separate cha plu leaves from vine and wash, cutting off browned edges.

Chop other ingredients into 1/4-inch-square pieces. (Dried shrimp can be left whole if desired.)

Cut lime in half, remove white fiber and slice into 8 to 12 pieces lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch pieces. Do not remove rind.

To make sauce: Using a coffee grinder, separately grind ginger, Thai ginger, coconut, onions and peanuts.

In sauce pot, warm gingers and onion to release flavor.

Add water and fish sauce to pot. Add sugar (don’t worry if palm sugar is chunky; it will dissolve).

Making sure heat is at medium, stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium low and reduce sauce and/or add more sugar until it has consistency of heavy corn syrup. Stir every few minutes to prevent burning.

Taste for a good balance of sweet and savory, with the flavor a bit more on the sweet side. Add more sugar, fish sauce or other ingredients, as needed.

Remove from heat, transfer to container and refrigerate at least an hour or so. Sauce will further thicken as it cools.

To serve: Take a leaf, add a little bit of each ingredient, top with sauce, wrap leaf. Serves 10 to 12.

Note: To toast coconut, spread a thin layer of shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Place in a 300-degree even until brown, turning every few minutes (dried coconut will toast faster than fresh). Or toast in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: (based on 12 servings and not including optional coconut milk): 110 calories, 2 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 2 g protein

MIANG PLA TU (MACKEREL)
templeofthai.com

12 cha plu or lettuce leaves, trimmed into bite-size pieces
1 grilled mackerel, de-boned and sliced into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup diced young
ginger
1/4 cup diced shallot
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup cubed lime
1 to 2 chili peppers, sliced
>> Sauce:
1/4 cup palm sugar or other  sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup lime juice

To make sauce: Heat, palm sugar and fish sauce over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and liquid coats back of spoon. Remove from heat and cool, then add lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Place leaves on serving tray and top each with remaining ingredients. Serve sauce in a bowl with miang. Drizzle each portion with sauce and fold. Makes 12.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 100 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, less than 1 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 8 g protein

MIANG VIETNAM (PORK)
templeofthai.com

12 bite-size pieces cha plu or lettuce leaves
1/4 cup cooked rice vermicelli, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1/4 cup roast pork, grilled chicken, shrimp or tofu, chopped into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup diced cucumber, seeds removed
1/4 cup diced shallot
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup bean sprouts, top and ends removed
1/4 cup young Thai basil leaves
>> Sauce:
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 red long chili, puréed

To make sauce: Combine ingredients in saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar and salt. Taste for balance of sweet-sour-salty-spicy and adjust seasonings as necessary. Cool.

To serve: Top leaves with vermicelli, meat or tofu, cucumber, shallot, peanuts, bean sprout and basil. Serve with sauce. Makes 12.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 35 calories, 2 g fat, no saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, less than 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 11 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.