1 bunch fresh cilantro with roots
1 bunch fresh mint
1/2 small head white or green cabbage (about 1 pound)
2 small shallots
10 ounces lean ground pork
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 to 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Cut off and reserve roots from cilantro for Broiled Red Snapper with Tamarind
Sauce. Chop enough cilantro and mint leaves to measure 2 tablespoons each.
Discard tough stems from remaining cilantro and mint and arrange sprigs on
a platter. Cut cabbage lengthwise into 4 wedges and cut out core. Arrange
wedges on platter. Thinly slice shallots lengthwise.
In a small saucepan with a fork stir together pork and 2 tablespoons lime juice
and cover with cold salted water. Bring pork to a simmer, stirring with
fork to break up meat, and gently simmer until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.
In a sieve drain pork well and in a bowl toss with shallots, chopped herbs,
bread crumbs, fish sauce, cayenne, and remaining lime juice to taste.
Transfer pork salad to a serving bowl and put on platter. Have guests serve themselves: Arrange sprigs of cilantro and mint on pieces of cabbage and spoon some pork salad on top. Close cabbage around mixture to eat.
Serves 4 as part of a Thai menu.