Oral Fixation: Salad Search, Part 2 (Still Searching)

By Kate Blumm

Kate Blumm It goes something like this: the probable ingredients for Cambodian Cuisine’s chef’s salad.

When we left off, Oral Fixation was trying to track down Jerry Ley, the former proprietor of Cambodian Cuisine, which until it left its perch at South Elliott and Fulton in 2006 was the only Cambodian restaurant in Brooklyn and one of the only ones in the city.

Through secret negotiations and diabolical plotting, O.F. was able to find Mr. Ley, who graciously answered questions about, among other things, the destructive turn of events he’s experienced since moving his business out of Brooklyn; the best brand of bean curd skin; and — of course — a certain salad of special interest to some Local readers.

Mr. Ley, who has declared bankruptcy and is losing his home in Queens to foreclosure, is alternately furious and dejected over the $1 million he says he invested in the Upper East Side restaurant space that housed the short-lived Manhattan incarnation of Cambodian Cuisine. He said his financial troubles were exacerbated when his landlords failed to compensate him for the great deal of money he invested in improving the space. “By the time I learned, it was too late” to rescue the once-thriving business he had begun in 1993, Mr. Ley said.

Kate Blumm Place shredded ingredients on wooden pig.

The original restaurant polarized neighborhood residents. Several Local commenters said they wished they could chow down on one of the flavorful dishes Mr. Ley’s wife created on a daily basis: namely that Cambodian Chef Salad, hailed by commenter sweet baby jesus as “KILLER!!!!!!!!”, an evaluation seconded by several others.

Other Local readers, though, recall some disturbing experiences at the restaurant, citing bug problems and noting that “Cambodian Cuisine’s quality dropped precipitously in its last few years” (according to commenter 5L4M).

Debate notwithstanding, Oral Fixation sought to recreate the Cambodian Chef Salad to the best of our ability.

Sadly, we failed.

Mr. Ley was delighted by our inquiry and said the salad was very popular at the restaurant, as it is in Cambodia, where the heat often sends people in search of a cooling dish. But he said only his wife knew the exact recipe and he declined to pry it out of her for us.

Oral Fixation was able to procure a list of ingredients and vague instructions on assembly; a visit to a Chinese supermarket to seek out palm sugar and Mr. Ley’s preferred brand of bean curd skin (Ho Ho) yielded neither.

So with inexact instructions and improper ingredients, and without the experience of tasting the original and therefore lacking a culinary north star to guide us in our task, Oral Fixation made a few incarnations of the salad, ultimately settling on one that probably does not resemble the real thing even a little. (For those readers who recall the salad, note that Mr. Ley did not mention cabbage or lettuce as an ingredient, and we tried to stay true to his direction.)

Perhaps one day Mr. Ley and his family will be back around to check our work — the businessman is undaunted, despite his nightmarish financial fortune.

“To be honest, I am looking forward to coming back to the business,” he said, and is seeking an investor to help him get Cambodian Cuisine back on its feet.

Should that happen, there’s a good chance Fort Greeners would see him around: when asked if he had anything he wanted to say to the Fort Greene community, Mr. Ley affirmed his affection for the neighborhood, wistfully commenting that it is the home of “all my customers and my friends.”

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Cambodian Chef Salad

Loosely adapted from Jerry Ley/Cambodian Cuisine

Kate Blumm Sizzle sizzle sizzle.

Serves 2 as a main dish

1 10.5-oz package rice vermicelli
1 package bean curd skin
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded Kirby or Japanese cucumber
1 cup bean sprouts
2 shallots
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
½ cup sweet basil, cilantro or a mix
Peanut sauce*
Crushed roasted peanuts

Saute the shallot in the oil on low heat until it’s caramelized; about 10 minutes. Cut the bean curd skin into long strips, and add to pan. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until bean curd skin becomes bubbly, about 10 minutes.

While bean curd skin is cooking, boil a small pot of water. Add half the rice vermicelli, turn off heat, and let sit for three or four minutes before draining.

To assemble salad, toss vegetables in peanut sauce and divide between two bowls. Add the rice vermicelli atop vegetables, then top with bean curd. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and crushed peanuts.

Kate Blumm Peanut sauce, yum.

Peanut Sauce

1 1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp lime juice
3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp palm or brown sugar
1/2 tsp Thai chili sauce (cayenne pepper can be substituted)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till desired consistency, adding more chili paste to taste for spiciness and thinning with coconut milk or water if necessary.

Curious about the story behind a tantalizing foodstuff at a local restaurant or store? Let Oral Fixation know in the comments or at bklocal@nytimes.com, and our culinary detectives will get on the case.