Burmese ginger salad (gin thoke)

Ingredients

• 14 g (½ oz; about a 2.5 cm/1 in piece)fresh ginger
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)lime juice
• 45 g (¼ cup)yellow split peas
• 8 g (1 tbsp)chickpea flour
• 2 cloves (about 22 ml/1½ tbsp sliced)garlic
• 60 ml (¼ cup), approximately, for fryingvegetable oil or peanut oil
• 150 g (2 cups), shreddednapa cabbage
• 1 smalltomato
• 15 ml (1 tbsp), or more to tastepickled ginger
• 30 ml (2 tbsp), choppedcoriander
• ½, minced; optionalThai chilli or a milder chilli
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)toasted sesame seeds
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
• 5 ml (1 tsp)fish sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Pickle and soak

   At least 2 hours ahead, preferably the night before, peel and finely cut the ginger into very thin batons. Put it in a small bowl, cover with the lime juice, then cover the bowl and refrigerate. In a separate bowl, cover the yellow split peas with plenty of water and leave them to soak.

2. 2

   Toast the flour

   Toast the chickpea flour in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring so it colours evenly. Watch it closely once it begins to brown, as it can darken quickly. When it is evenly light brown, take the pan off the heat and transfer the flour to a plate to cool. You can do this ahead and keep it at room temperature in a sealed container.

3. 3

   Prepare the garlic

   Peel and finely slice the garlic. Set kitchen paper on a plate for draining it after frying. Drain the soaked split peas and dry them as well as you can, for example on separate kitchen paper.

4. 4

   Fry the garlic

   Clean the frying pan, set it over a medium-high heat and add enough oil to make an even layer. Once the oil is warm, add the garlic slices and fry until lightly browned, watching carefully because they can burn quickly. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on the prepared kitchen paper so they crisp as excess oil drains away.

5. 5

   Fry the toppings

   Use fresh oil for the split peas if you prefer, or add them to the garlic oil in batches so they are easy to remove promptly. Fry for a few minutes until light golden, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on fresh kitchen paper. If the sesame seeds or peanuts are not already toasted or roasted, fry them too. These fried ingredients can be prepared ahead and kept at room temperature in sealed containers; reserve the garlic oil.

6. 6

   Prepare the vegetables

   When ready to assemble, shred the napa cabbage and thinly slice the tomato. Finely slice the pickled ginger, chop the coriander and mince the chilli if using.

7. 7

   Combine the salad

   Put the cabbage in a bowl and add the tomato, coriander, ginger pickled in lime, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, peanuts (crush them slightly if whole), and chilli if using. Keep the ginger's lime juice aside for the dressing. Add some of the fried split peas, using about 45 ml (3 tbsp) for this recipe quantity; save any extra for a snack or another batch.

8. 8

   Dress and serve

   Stir the fish sauce into the reserved lime juice, then add 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the garlic-frying oil. Drizzle the mixture over the salad, toss gently and serve.

What is gin thoke?

Gin thoke is a Burmese ginger salad, or a salad made with ginger. Its appeal comes from contrasting crisp vegetables with punchy pickled ginger and crunchy fried or toasted additions.

This version pairs napa cabbage and tomato with coriander, lime, chilli, peanuts and sesame. Soaking the ginger in lime gives the dressing a bright base, while chickpea flour and split peas add distinctive toasted, savoury notes.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 345 calories, 12g protein, 30g carbs, 22g fat.

The split peas, chickpea flour and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrates, while the frying oil, peanuts and sesame contribute much of the fat. The peas, peanuts and chickpea flour also contribute protein. To make a more substantial plate, serve it alongside rice and a protein-rich main rather than increasing the oily toppings.

Give the ginger time

Thin ginger batons pickle more evenly than thick pieces and are easier to mix through the cabbage. The method calls for at least 2 hours in the fridge, though leaving them overnight gives the lime time to permeate.

Keep the lime juice after draining the ginger: it becomes part of the dressing, so the salad gets both the pickled pieces and their sharp, gingery liquid.

Toast the chickpea flour gently

Dry-toasting the flour builds a deeper, nutty flavour without adding oil. Stir it continuously over medium heat and take it off as soon as it is evenly light brown.

It can go from browned to too dark quickly, so have a plate ready to tip it onto and stop the cooking as soon as it is done.

Fry for crispness

Garlic and split peas both need close attention in the hot oil. The garlic colours fast, while the peas should be taken out once light golden; frying the peas in batches makes them easier to lift out promptly.

Drain each topping on kitchen paper and keep the garlic oil. That flavoured oil is used in the dressing, bringing the fried garlic's aroma into the whole salad.

Build contrasting textures

Shred the cabbage and slice the tomato thinly so they are easy to toss with the smaller ingredients. Slice the pickled ginger finely, and crush whole peanuts slightly so they spread through the bowl.

Add the fried split peas near the end and toss gently. This helps keep their crunch against the juicy tomato and lime dressing.

A quick assembly, with prep ahead

The salad comes together quickly once the ginger has pickled and the toppings are ready. The chickpea flour and fried ingredients can be made ahead and stored at room temperature in sealed containers.

For the freshest crunch, shred the cabbage and assemble the salad just before serving. Dress it at the end so the vegetables and toppings do not sit in the lime mixture.

What to serve alongside

Serve gin thoke as a light lunch or as a fresh side alongside rice and a savoury Burmese-style meal. Its sharp lime, ginger and chilli flavours work well with plain, gently seasoned dishes.

If serving it as part of a larger spread, keep the salad undressed until close to eating and bring the garlic oil and lime dressing to the table separately.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the ginger into very fine batons so it pickles evenly and distributes easily through the salad.
• Dry the soaked split peas as thoroughly as possible before frying to limit splattering.
• Fry the garlic in a single layer and lift it out as soon as it is lightly browned.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the split peas quickly when they turn light golden.
• Crush whole peanuts lightly so a little reaches each serving.
• Add the dressing just before serving to help the cabbage and toppings stay crisp.

Variations

• Adjust the chilli: leave it out for a milder salad or use a milder chilli instead.
• Use peanut oil: swap it for the vegetable oil for frying.
• Add more pickled ginger: increase it to taste for a sharper, more gingery salad.
• Keep the toppings separate: serve the fried peas, garlic, peanuts and sesame at the table for extra control over crunch.
• Make extra fried peas: save any that are not used for snacking or another batch.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Thick ginger pieces: cut them into fine batons so the lime can pickle them evenly.
• Over-toasting the flour: watch closely and transfer it to a plate as soon as it is light brown.
• Burnt garlic: stay by the pan and remove the slices as soon as they are gently browned.
• Crowding the peas: fry them in batches so they can be removed quickly once golden.
• Wet split peas: dry them well before frying to reduce splattering.
• Soggy salad: wait until just before serving to add the dressing.

How to store

Store any undressed salad components separately in sealed containers in the fridge; the assembled salad is best eaten straight away. Prepared fried toppings can be kept at room temperature in sealed containers as directed, and the pickled ginger should stay covered and refrigerated. Reassemble with the dressing just before serving; the fried toppings may lose some crunch over time.

Frequently asked questions