Som Tam

With steamed medallions of lobster and fine strips of papaya and carrot, served with a tamarind
vinaigrette marinade

by Michael Hoffmann

To serve approx. 4 people

Lobster

2pieces lobster
butter, olive oil

Step 1

Boil the lobster for approx. 3 minutes, remove from the water and cut off the claws. Cook the claws for another 5 minutes and then break off the shell. Cut the lobster into portions, drizzle with a little olive oil and cover with cling film. Warm it up gently a la minute in the oven.

Salad

approx. 50 gwide green bean
approx. 50gcarotts
approx. 80gChinese cabbage
approx. 80gpapaya
1piece chives
2stalkscoriander
2 tbsppeanuts (roasted)

Step 2

Slice the beans into long, thin (julienne) strips, blanch and put to one side. Peel the carrots, slice into long thin (julienne) strips, blanch and put to one side. Slice the Chinese cabbage into very thin, long (julienne) strips and put to one side. Peel the papaya, remove the seeds and cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop the chives into fine, diagonal slices and pick the coriander with small stalks. Mix all the vegetables and nuts loosely together and marinade with the tamarind vinaigrette.

Tamarind vinaigrette

100mlwater
4 tbsppalm sugar
4tbspfish sauce
2tbspchili sauce
2tbsplemon juice
60mlrice or vetable oil
10gtamarind paste
1pinch ofground coriander
1tbspginger syrup

Step 3

Bring the water up to the boil with the palm sugar and leave to cool. Then add the rest of the ingredients and emulsify in a mixer.

Garnish

  • Glass noodles fried briefly in hot vegetable oil
  • Coriander, picked with small stalks and ready to hand in ice-cold water
  • Chives chopped into long, diagonal strips and ready to hand in ice-cold water

Assembly

Assemble the salad in a mould. Arrange the lobster pieces around the salad. Scatter glass noodles, chives and coriander over the dish and drizzle with the vinaigrette.