Miang Kham Recipe (Thai Leaf-Wrapped Bites)
This authentic miang kham recipe features wild pepper leaf wraps that are easy to make and customizable with peanuts, coconut, chili, and your favorite fillings!
Ingredients
For the leaves and add-ins
- wild pepper leaves, called bai cha plu in Thai
- ginger
- shallots
- lime
- chilies, see notes
- roasted peanuts
- roasted coconut shreds
- dry shrimp
For the sauce
- 5 oz or 3/4 cup palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons shrimp paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tsp galangal, chopped
- 1 small stalk of lemongrass
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup roasted coconut shreds
Instructions
Prepare the fillings
- Finely chop the chilies, ginger, shallots, and lime (leave the peel on). Dry roast the coconut shreds in a skillet until golden brown, and roast the peanuts until slightly browned. If using dried shrimp, chop them into small pieces or leave them whole, based on your preference.
Make the dipping sauce
- Grill the shrimp paste, lemongrass, and galangal. If available, grill the shrimp paste wrapped in a banana leaf.
- Crush the lemongrass and galangal using a mortar and pestle. Add the peanuts and continue pounding until you achieve a fine mixture.
- Heat a saucepan over low heat and add the palm sugar, shrimp paste, and fish sauce. Cook until the palm sugar is fully dissolved, then add the pounded spices and roasted coconut flakes. Mix well and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the sauce reaches a dipping consistency.
Serve
- Arrange the wild pepper leaves on a flat surface and add the fillings around them. To assemble, place your desired fillings in a leaf, drizzle with the sauce, and enjoy in one bite. Serve as an appetizer, snack, or between meals.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- The number of leaves and fillings is completely up to you, so feel free to customize—no exact quantities needed!
- Chilies - I used prik kee noo chilies, which are spicy and small and perfect for wrapping in the leaves. You can use any type you like to make your next favorite Thai appetizer as spicy or mild you like.
Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
