Miang (filled leaf wraps)

Bold, fresh and bursting with flavour, this plant-based one-bite salad wrap from Adam Liaw is popular in Laos and Thailand. Wrapped in a variety of crisp lettuces, the filling combines mixed vegetables with a fragrant sauce infused with miso paste, palm sugar and aromatic lemongrass.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 lime, cut into 1 cm dice
• 4 kumquats, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 2 - 3 small Thai eggplants, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled, cut into half moons
• Red and green Thai chillies, sliced
• 2 red eschallots, finely chopped
• 6 mixed cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece young ginger, peeled, cut into 1 cm dice
• Betel leaves, butter lettuce, Vietnamese perilla, Korean perilla, Chinese broccoli leaves, to serve

For the miso miang sauce

• 1 eschallot, finely chopped
• 1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tsp finely grated galangal (optional)
• 2 tbsp red miso
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ cup coarsely grated dark palm sugar

Instructions

1. In a dry saucepan, toast the coconut until golden-brown. Remove to a plate and allow to cool. Add the peanuts to the pan and toast for 1-2 minutes, until warmed through. Finely chop 2 tbsp toasted peanuts and 2 tbsp toasted coconut for the sauce, then reserve the remaining coconut and peanuts to serve.
2. To make the sauce, return the saucepan to the heat, then add the eschallot, lemongrass, ginger and galangal. Add 1 cup water, then stir through the miso paste, soy sauce and palm sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook to a thickened paste, then stir through the finely chopped peanuts and coconut. Set aside.
3. Assembled all the prepared elements for the miang on a large serving platter and bring everything to the table. Choose a leaf and wrap with fillings of your choice with a little dollop of sauce and enjoy.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up? Stream all the seasons here and for free at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.