Thai Herbal Salmon Salad (Phla Pla Salmon) Recipe

By
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabandhu
Leela Punyaratabanhu is a food writer, recipe developer, and award-winning author specializing in Thai cooking. She has written three cookbooks: Simple Thai Food, Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill, and Bangkok, which won the 2018 Art of Eating Prize.
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Updated April 01, 2025
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Leela Punyaratabhandu

A 20-minute salad that combines classic Thai flavors with gently poached salmon.

Recipe Details

Thai Herbal Salmon Salad (Phla Pla Salmon) Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 5 mins
Active 20 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 8 makrut lime leaves

  • 4 stalks lemongrass

  • 4 small shallots, peeled and sliced thinly lengthwise (about 1/2 cup)

  • 3 to 4 Thai bird's eye chilies, or 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 tbsp fish sauce, or more to taste

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh juice from about 3 whole limes

  • 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves

Directions

  1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, remove tough center vein from lime leaves. Stack trimmed leave together and roll tightly into a scroll. Slice as thinly as possible. Set aside. Remove tough outer leaves from lemongrass, trim off bottom, then thinly slice into rounds, stopping when purple inner leaves end and stalk starts to become fibrous.

  2. Lower heat to lowest setting (water should be barely quivering and register between 160 and 180°F on an instant read thermometer). Gently lower salmon into water and give a gently stir. Cook just until exteriors are opaque, about 1 minute. Immediately lift with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels to drain.

  3. Transfer salmon to a medium mixing bowl. Season to taste with fish sauce and lime juice. Salad should be predominantly sour, then salty. Add lemongrass, shallots, and chilies. Transfer mixture to serving platter. Top with lime leaves and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
458 Calories
22g Fat
27g Carbs
40g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 458
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 107mg 36%
Sodium 202mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 43mg 214%
Calcium 112mg 9%
Iron 8mg 46%
Potassium 1389mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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