side dish ideas

[nan]

I'm usually a lurker, but enjoy everyone's expertise here. I hope this is an appropriate forum for this question...

I'm not very good with figuring out good menus, and am struggling with what to serve with tonight's main dish of choice.

It's Tilapia with a coconut, chive, and mint relish - see the recipe here.

Any ideas? I am trying to get back on track with eating more healthy, so nothing too extravagant. But we're all fairly adventurous eaters. I don't want to spend too long on it though as I'm also trying to get dinner on the table before my son's bedtime, which is usually a challenge. :) Anyway, I was thinking I should do something red or orange since the main dish is green and white.

I'd appreciate any ideas you all can provide! And I'll try to take reasonable pics and report back!

thanks!

nan

[Bob Musa]

rice biryani. tumeric to give the rice a nice yellow color. throw in some peas and slivered almonds for crunch.

or sauteed red and yellow bell peppers with mushrooms.

[Chris Amirault]

I was thinking of a rice side dish, too, but more along the rice and mint approach.

I also think that a grated mango salad (peanuts, lime, some more coconut, cilantro or mint, touch of fish sauce, maybe a shallot minced) would be swell and would fit with your quasi-southeast Asian theme.

Let us know what you choose!

[nan]

Thanks Bob & Chris!

I really like both ideas, but am leaning towards the mango salad - it sounds really different and would help use up some of the extra coconut and mint/cilantro... Chris, what kind of fish sauce would I look for? I'm normally a recipe type of girl, but am trying to break out of that... I know I've seen fish sauce before but want to make sure I pick up the right stuff.

[Pan]

Another thought is Som Tom (Thai unripe papaya salad), but of course it requires an unripe papaya, and that might or might not be difficult for you to find where you are.

Edited June 24, 2005 by Pan (log)

[nan]

Another thought is Som Tom (Thai unripe papaya salad), but of course it requires an unripe papaya, and that might or might not be difficult for you to find where you are.

←

I'm in Omaha, NE. The trouble probably would not be in finding one, but rather in determining which one is unripe. Sounds interesting though! I'll certainly have to try it, though perhaps not tonight.

thanks!

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks Bob & Chris!

I really like both ideas, but am leaning towards the mango salad - it sounds really different and would help use up some of the extra coconut and mint/cilantro... Chris, what kind of fish sauce would I look for?  I'm normally a recipe type of girl, but am trying to break out of that... I know I've seen fish sauce before but want to make sure I pick up the right stuff.

←

Sorry for the shorthand! I was referring to Thai fish sauce, nam pla, which is ubiquitous in Thai cooking. Click here for a supplier -- who has a mango salad recipe! The trick is to use it very sparingly; it adds depth of flavor against the spice of chili and the tang of lime.

Given what you just said about shopping in Omaha, I think that you should grab whatever you can find! There are, of course, obsessive discussions about fish sauce here on eGullet somewhere (oddly, I'm having a hard time finding them...), but Three Crabs, Tiparos, and Golden Boy are possibilities.

[nan]

Okay, reporting back in - I did make the mango salad as suggested. However, grating the mango seemed to result in a big mushy mess, so I chopped up the rest. It was really tasty and everyone else at the table seemed to like it as well.

So thanks very much, Chris! And thanks to everyone for their ideas... I'm still going to try the rice biriyani one day.

Here's my pic - I'm still working on my food photography skills...

nan