Spicy Thai Tuna Salad. Yum Tuna is Such an Easy 10 Minute Light Lunch

Can’t take another tuna sandwich lunch? Hijack that can of tuna fish away from the everyday and bring a taste of Thailand to your lunch table using things you most probably have in your kitchen pantry anyway.

This dish may sound like some kind of tamed down Readers Digest take on Thai cooking, but read down the ingredient list to the part that calls for 5 Thai bird chilies and you'll feel more assured of its authenticity.

And it is the real deal, and it's certainly something that might make for a quick an easy lunch at any table in Thailand – and with a plate of Jasmine rice it makes for a very satisfying (and very healthy) light lunch or dinner.

Thai Spicy Tuna Salad

• 1 can of oil packed tuna
• ½ of a red or sweet pepper cut into a small dice
• ¼ cup of green peas (fresh or canned…or frozen)
• ½ of a small carrot, diced finely
• 1 green onion (slice it into half inch sections)
• 1 celery rib chopped
• 4 Tbls of fresh lime juice (you should try to use Key limes if you can – Key limes are smaller and rounder…)
• 3 Tbls of fish sauce
• 1 tsp of sugar
• Pinch of MSG
• 4-5 Thai bird chilies, finely minced (this will make it pretty spicy – if you don’t like hot food, use less)

1. Drain tuna from oil in can and flake into chunks in a bowl.
2. Add sweet peppers, peas, carrots, green onion, celery and chili to the tuna and mix gently (you want the tuna to retain a slight chunkiness – so don't stir too vigorously.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and MSG (optional) and pour over the tuna salad, mixing to coat gently.
4. Serve garnished with cucumber slices and sliced wedges of raw white cabbage. With steamed jasmine rice this makes a very easy light lunch for 2.

This can be made with water packed tuna, but is much better with oil packed.