Pan Asian gets light and flavourful

Vietnamese raw papaya salad
Ingredients
150 gm raw shredded papaya
50 gm raw shredded carrot
50 gm raw sliced onion
10 gm golden fried onion (shallots)
6 nos Thai basil chopped
2 nos fresh red chilly (cut into diamonds)
10 gm crushed peanut (salted and roasted)
Salad dressing
50 ml vinegar                                                                    
50 ml water
50 ml light soya sauce
25 gm sugar grain

Method
Combine water, sugar, vinegar and light soya sauce. Mix well to dissolve sugar. Bring it to boil once. Taste and adjust balance of flavours. It should be fairly sweet and tangy. Let the dressing cool. Just before serving, combine the dressing with the papaya, and rest of the ingredients. Garnish with crushed peanuts. Served on a bed of lettuce.

Tom kha phak - Thai coconut soup
Ingredients
200 ml water
20 gm lemon grass
10 gm Thai ginger
1 nos red chili
5 gm Kafir lime leaf
100 ml coconut milk
25 grams roasted curry paste
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Lime juice to taste
2 nos mushroom
25 gm red pumpkin
20 gm broccoli
10 gm baby corn
10 gm asparagus
10 gm carrot

Method
For making stock add lemon grass, Thai ginger, chilli, kafir lime leaf, in water.
Boil stock well cook and then keep it to simmer for 30 minutes. Keep aside for cooling.
For soup: boil coconut milk add carrot, baby corn, asparagus, broccoli, and red pumpkin and cook well. Add seasoning salt, sugar, lime juice, and roasted chilli paste in the soup. Garnish it with chopped coriander and chilli oil.

— Recipe courtesy executive chef Sandeep Narang, Blue Ginger, The Taj West End