Special Equipment:

1 Thai granite mortar and pestle

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

14 g / 4 peeled garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
6 g / 4 stemmed fresh Thai chiles, preferably green
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, preferably from Key limes or from regular (Persian) limes spiked with a small squeeze of Meyer lemon juice
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
4 g / 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 (2 1/4-ounce / 60 g) package instant ramen-style noodles, flavor package discarded
4 medium-size shrimp, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 (2-ounce / 55-g) piece Vietnamese pork roll (see Note), halved lengthwise and cut into slices 1/8 inch / 3 mm thick
8 g / 1 tablespoon thinly sliced (with the grain) peeled Asian shallots
55 g / 1/4 cup thinly sliced (with the grain) peeled white onion
2 ounces / 55 g cherry tomatoes (about 4 tomatoes), halved, or quartered if very large
3 g / 1/4 cup small mint leaves
10 g / 2 tablespoons sliced (1/4 inch / 6 mm) green onions
3 g / 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Chinese celery (thin stems and leaves)
2 g / 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro (thin stems and leaves)

Note on Vietnamese pork roll: Vietnamese pork roll (muu yaw in Thai) is a slightly spongy, cold-cut-like pork product sold at Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian markets, typically in the refrigerated section. Most likely, it will be labeled cha lua, giò lua, or another approximate spelling of the Vietnamese.

Preparation:

Bring a small pot filled with water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, pound the garlic and chiles in the mortar to a very coarse paste, about 15 seconds. Transfer 12 g / 1 tablespoon of the mixture (or more to taste) to a saucepan and add the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar.

When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully tender (not al dente), about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and pork roll, stir to mix, and then drain well.

Set the saucepan with the garlic-chile mixture over medium heat and heat the mixture just until warm to the touch, 15 seconds or so. Turn off the heat and add the noodles, shrimp, pork roll, shallots, white onion, tomatoes, mint, green onions, celery, and cilantro and toss well.

Transfer the salad (including all of the dressing) to a plate in a low heap. Serve right away.

Reprinted with permission from POK POK The Drinking Food of Thailand by Andy Ricker with JJ Goode, copyright © 2017. Photography by Austin Bush. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.