1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (or vegetarian substitute)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 t ground cumin
1/4 t crushed red pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 limes, cut Thai-style
Instructions
Trim artichokes, by trimming the stem, removing the small tough leaves on the outside, trimming the top of the artichoke and the pointed tips on the leaves. Immediately squeeze a lemon half over the knife cuts to prevent the artichokes from oxidizing.
Put the artichokes cut-side-up in a covered pot or a slow cooker fit with a vegetable steamer. Fill the bottom of the pot with water to just below the level of the steamer. Add a splash of olive oil and squeeze the remaining lemon over the artichokes. Add the squeezed lemon half to the pot. Bring the water to a boil, cover securely and steam for 25 – 35 minutes, until just tender. Remove the artichokes from the steamer and set aside to cool.
While the artichokes are steaming, make the sauce by mixing the ginger, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, cumin and crushed red pepper together in a small bowl.
When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half from stem to stern. Using a spoon remove the artichoke heart. Place the artichokes in a zip-lock plastic bag and pour half of the sauce over the artichokes. Remove the air and seal, turning the bag to ensure the artichokes are well-covered with the sauce. Refrigerate overnight. If you don’t have that much time, even half an hour in the marinate will help.
Add the sliced green onions to the remaining sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Grill the artichokes over a medium-hot grill, cut-side down for 5 – 6 minutes. Flip over and grill another 3 – 4 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with the dip. Garnish with lime squeezes.