Egg Noodle in Chicken Curry ( Kaow Soi Kai)

Egg Noodle in Chicken Curry ( Kaow Soi Kai) This is the special dish for Chiangmai and should not be missed if you make it to Chiang Mai. It is served in road side stands to 5 star hotels very cook makes it a little different but always a treat.

Ingredients
50 g. Egg Noodle
200 g. Coconut Milk
50 g. Chicken Meat
30 g. Chili Paste
20 g, Ginger
10 g. Curry Powder
White Sugar
Fish Sauce

Garinish
1. Spring Onion
2. Pickled Lettuce
3. Shallot
4. Lemon

Method

1. Boiled Egg Noodle in about 5 minute wash in cold water.
2. Boiled Coconut Mill and put Chili Paste stirred until it oily and put Curry Powder.
3. Put Chicken, sugar, fish sauce and taste it.

Serving

1. Put Gravy on Egg Noodle and Deep Fried Egg Noodle on Top.

2. Served with Pickle Lettuce, Shallot, Lemon and Chili Oil.

Muslim curry - Musamun Kai

500 g (1 lb) chicken fillets
Ingredients
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamon seeds
1 l (1 3/4 pts) coconut milk
2 ts chili paste
2 onions
2 bay-leaves
3 tb brown sugar
3 tb fish-sauce
3 tb tamarind sauce
50 g (2 oz) unsalted peanuts

Method
1. Slice chicken, dice onions.
2. Roast cardamon seeds and cinnamon stem in a wok or a pan for eight minutes.
3. Add chilli paste and half of the coconut milk. Bring to boil and boil for three minutes. Add chicken and simmer for ten minutes.
4. Pour in rest of the coconut milk and bring to boil.
5. Stir in all other ingredients and simmer for ten more minutes. Remove cardamon seeds, cinnamon stem and bay-leaves before serving.

more information www.allthaifood.com

PORK CURRY (Kaeng Hung Ley Muo)

PORK CURRY (Kaeng Hung Ley Muo)

Ingredients2
Tablespoons curry powder
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1/3 cup ginger root, cut into thin strips
1 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup cooking oil
6 Pork drumsticks
2 Tablespoons black soy sauce
1/2 cup pickled garlic
1/4 cup tamarind juice
2 1/3 cups water

Curry paste

3 Tablespoons shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 l/2 Tablespoons lemon grass, chopped
2 Tablespoons garlic
1 Tablespoons shrimp paste dried large hot peppers

For making curry paste, ground all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside

Mix the pork drumsticks with black soy sauce and curry powder. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Using saucepan or wok, add cooking oil and place over medium heat. Stir - fry curry paste for a minute add pork. Stir 2-3 times.

Pour in water and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add ginger root, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and tamarind juice, a minute Stir 2-3 times. Cover. Simmer for l0-15 minutes, Remove from heat.

more information www.allthaifood.com

Traditional Red Curry

This traditional red Thai curry recipe takes a lot of patience and time, so if possible, prepare with a friend. There are 3 main steps to follow:

1. Making the coconut milk
2. Making the curry paste
3. Preparing the dish

Homemade Red Curry Paste

A very small electric blender or electric coffee grinder makes this a quick job. If available, a very heavy stone mortar and pestle with at least a 2 cup bowl is traditional and makes a better textured paste.

* 25-30 dried hot red chile peppers (up to 70 if you really like it hot, hot)
* 1 tbsp sea salt
* 4 cloves garlic, peeled
* 2-3 stalks of fresh lemon grass
* 2 1/2-3 tbsp shrimp paste ("ka-pee" in Thai)
* 1/4 inch piece fresh tumeric or 1/8 tsp. dried tumeric

mortar and pestle Buy a granite mortar & pestle for this recipe

In the mortar and pestle or electric blender, grind together the dried chiles and salt. Allow at least 20 minutes by hand, or a couple of minutes with a blender. It should be smooth with just a hint of chile pieces. Add the garlic cloves and pound until smooth.

Cut off the very root end of the lemon grass. Remove outer leaves and discard. Cut the lemon grass crosswise into 1/8-inch pieces with a very sharp knife. Add to the ground chiles, along with the tumeric. Grind again until smooth. Your arm will tire, so take a break.

Last of all, add the shrimp paste and blend together, mashing it into the chilies gently if you are using the mortar and pestle.

Preparing the Dish

more information www.allthaifood.com

* 1 lb of pork riblets (excellent); or 3/4 lb. fresh pork with some fat (cut into approx. 1x1/2x1/8 inch pieces)
* 1 small pumpkin or kabocha squash; cut in half and peel off the rough spots with a cleaver; cut the peeled flesh into 3/4 inch cubes
* 2-3 tbsp fish sauce (Golden Boy brand is preferred)

Cook the pumpkin in boiling water to cover until al dente (still firm in the middle), about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Pour the coconut milk into a medium-sized pot. Add the curry paste to and stir to blend. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pork. Boil 3 minutes until the pork is partially cooked. Add the squash. Bring to a boil again and cook until the squash is soft, about 4 minutes. Add fish sauce to taste. Garnish with cilanto leaves if desired. Serve with Thai jasmine rice.

Thai Crab Curry (Boo Paht Pong Karee)

This Thai recipe for stir-fried crab in curry sauce is unique in Thai cuisine, as it is prepared with dry curry powder and fresh milk. Usually Thai curries are cooked with a curry paste of fresh spices and coconut milk.

Almost every recipe for this classic dish adds oyster sauce, nam prik pao, white pepper, egg, fresh chilies, Chinese celery and spring onions.
Thai Crab Curry

Ingredients

* 1 large (Dungeness) crab (or 1 1/2 lbs. smaller crabs)
* 1 white onion
* 2 Chinese celery
* 3 spring onions (scallions)
* 2 fresh red 'spur' chilies (or Jalepeno peppers)
* 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
* 2 tsp. Thai curry powder
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 tbsp. roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
* 1 egg
* 2 tbsp. oyster sauce, Mae Krua

Preparation

1. Wash the crab, remove the shell, chop into pieces, and crack the claws and legs (by hitting with the blunt edge of a heavy cleaver).
2. Heat 2 tbsp. oilk in a frying pan. When it is hot, put in the crab, fry until done and then add the curry powder.
3. Mix the milk and the chili paste and then beat in the egg. Pour this into the pan and add the oyster sauce.
4. Chop the onion, celery, spur chilies, and spring onion, add these to the mixture in the pan, sprinkle with pepper, and continue cooking until done; then dip onto a dish and serve.

more information www.allthaifood.com

Pad Pet Gai Prik Thai On (THAI GREEN PEPPER CHICKEN)

Ingredients to serve 4 people

350gms chicken, 100gms krachai, ½ an onion, 100gms prik kee noo, 100gms fresh green peppercorns, 10 black peppercorns, 6 cloves garlic, 2 spring onions, 1 large green chili, 1 large red chili, 2ml oyster sauce, 2gm sugar, 1 pinch salt, 5ml Thai whiskey, 2gms nam prik pau, 3 bai makrud, 50ml peanut oil, 5ml nam pla, 15ml Carnation evaporated milk, a couple of sprigs of bai horapa.

Debone and cut up the chicken. Mix the oyster sauce, the whisky, the salt and the sugar and then stir them together with the raw chicken. Put in the fridge to marinate.

Pound the prik kee noo, the black peppers and the garlic together using a pestle and mortar.

Slice up the krachai, the onion, the spring onions, the large chilies and the bai makrud.

Heat the oil and add the pounded contents of the mortar and the nam prick pau, fry while stirring for one minute. Whenever you fry nam prik pau you will need to have very good ventilation.

Add the marinated chicken from the fridge and continue frying gently for three more minutes.

Add the nam pla, the remaining sliced ingredients and the green peppercorns and continue frying for a further two minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in the evaporated milk, before emptying onto a serving dish.

Finally garnish with fresh bai horapa and serve

more information www.thai-food-recipes.com

Gaeng Keow Wan (GREEN CHICKEN CURRY)

Ingredients to serve 4 people

Chicken 500gm deboned and chopped into bite sized pieces, coconut milk 750ml, large makur 500gm, krachai 50gm, 1 stalk bai horapa, 2 large red chilies, 2 large green chilies, prik kee noo 100gm, garlic 50gm, kaffir lime zest 2gm, 10 white peppercorns, 5 shallots, coriander seeds 2gm, 3 coriander roots, kapi 3gm, chicken stock 750ml, bai makrud 5, 2 lemongrass stems, 2 pinches salt, sugar 15gm, nam pla 20ml.

Remove the stalks from the makur and cut each one into quarters and then put them in a bowl of cold water to soak.

Cut the krachai up finely. Cut the large green and red chilies into strips. Cut up the bai horapa and the bai makrud.

Put the prik kee noo, the peeled whole shallots and the peeled garlic cloves and the coriander seeds in a wok with no oil. Heat and move around.

Remove from the heat and pound together with the lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, the coriander roots and salt, in a pestle and mortar, finally add in the kapi and pound that as well.

Reduce half of the coconut milk in a wok until it starts to thicken, add in the contents of the mortar and cook for 10 minutes.

Add in the chicken and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Add the remainder of the coconut milk and the chicken stock.

Add the nam pla, the sugar, the krachai the sliced chilies, and bring back to the boil and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Now add the makur and cook for five more minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the bai makrud and bai horapa.

Pour into a deep bowl and serve.

Tom Yum Talay (SPICY SEAFOOD SOUP)

Ingredients to serve 4 people

1 chicken carcass, half a kilo of squid, half a kilo of prawns, 100gm straw mushrooms, 2 medium sized tomatoes, 5 shallots, 1 spring onion, 3 coriander roots, 2 stalks of lemon grass, 10 bai makrud, 1 root of kha (about 150gm), 100gm prik kee noo, 25ml nam prik pau, 50ml nam pla, 75ml fresh lime juice, 2 large red chilis, 25ml Carnation evaporated milk, 4ml sugar, a handful of coriander leaves (optional).

The first task is to start the stock. Make it by boiling a chicken carcass with a large pinch of salt, in a liter of water for 20 minutes.

While this stock is boiling, clean, peel and chop the other ingredients. Discard the outer layer of the shallots and the sheaf of the lemon grass.

The Straw mushrooms are normally halved and the tomatoes and shallots cut into quarters. The single spring onion is chopped up into very small pieces.

Remove the stalks and seeds from the red chilis and cut them lengthways into strips.

Discard the chicken carcass and any bits of bone or gristle which may have become detached.

Put the kha, lemongrass, half of the bai makrud, shallots and coriander root into the stock and boil for two minutes.

Add the prawns, squid, mushrooms, tomatoes and red chilis and boil vigorously for a further five minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the nam prik pau, nam pla, prik kee noo, lime juice, sugar, evaporated milk, spring onion and remainder of the bai makrud.

The soup can be served in an ordinary soup bowl, but it is more fun to use a mor, which has a paraffin wax candle to keep the soup warm, while the diners help themselves.

Finally you can optionally garnish it with coriander leaves.

Pad Thai

Pad Thai - This Pad Thai recipe is how you actually find it in Bangkok and comes from testing hundreds of different variations from food carts all over the city. Pad Thai is the ultimate street food. While "street food" may sound bad, food cart cooks are in such a competitive situation, with such limited space, ingredients and tools they need to specialize in a dish or two just to stay in business. The best of these cooks have cooked the same dish day-after-day, year-after-year, constantly perfecting it.

Great Pad Thai is dry and light bodied, with a fresh, complex, balanced flavor. I've never actually seen the red, oily pad thai in Thailand that is common in many western Thai restaurants.

The ingredients listed below can be somewhat intimidating but many are optional. If you would like to make authentic Pad Thai, just like in Thailand, use all the ingredients.
Pad Thai is another perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. Add more tofu if you like.

2-3 Servings

1/2 lime
1 egg
4 teaspoons fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground dried chili pepper
ground pepper

1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon tamarind
1/2 package Thai rice noodles
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2-1/4 lb shrimp Optional
1/2 banana flower Optional
1/3 cup tofu - extra firm Optional
1-1/2 cup Chinese chives - green Optional
2 tablespoons peanuts Optional
1-1/3 cup bean sprouts Optional
1 tablespoon preserved turnip Optional

Tips and substitutionsBy far, the trickiest part is the soaked noodles. Noodles should be somewhat flexible and solid, not completely expanded and soft. When in doubt, undersoak. You can always add more water in the pan, but you can't take it out. Shrimp can be substituted or omitted. In this recipe, pre-ground pepper, particularly pre-ground white pepper is better than fresh ground pepper. For kids, omit the gound dried chilli pepper. Tamarind adds some flavor and acidity, but you can substitute white vinegar. The type of extra firm tofu called for this recipe can be found at most oriental groceries in a plastic bag, not in water. Some might be brown from soy sauce, but some white ones are also available. Pick whatever you like. If you decided to include banana flower, cut lengthwise into sections (like orange sections). Rub any open cut with lime or lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark. The original Pad Thai recipe calls for crushed roasted peanuts. Many people in Thailand avoid eating peanuts because of its link to cancer.
Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 5-10 minutes. Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks. When cut, the extra firm tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. Cut up Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together

A One Dish Deal or Lunch

Pad See Ew

Pad see ew is a standard lunch fare among Thais and is very popular here in the US. My sister's favorite too. It is not difficult to make and tastes great.

As kids, we loved pad see ew. It is a comfort food; nice and warm. Normally people make it spicier at the table (not in the wok) by adding red pepper sauce.

2 Servings

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup pork, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb fresh flat rice noodles
1 egg
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 lb Chinese broccoli

If your fresh flat rice noodles are not pre-cut, cut them into strips of 3/4 inch wide. Cut Chinese broccoli into 2 inch long pieces. Halve the stems lengthwise because thick stems take longer to cook. You are going to want to cook them at the same time.

Heat a wok to high heat and then add 2 tablespoons of oil. Drop in the chopped garlic and stir. Add the sliced pork. Stir to cook the pork. When the pork is somewhat cooked or turned from pink to light brown, add rice noodles. Stir to break up the noodles. Add light and dark soy sauce and sugar.

Stir to mix the seasonings into the noodles and pork. Open a spot in the middle of the pan, and drop the egg in. Scramble the egg until it is almost all cooked (not watery any more). Fold in the noodles and mix them all. Add the Chinese broccoli, stems first. I usually add half of the Chinese broccoli and stir until it wilts and then add the rest. But if you have room in your wok, you can cook all the Chinese broccoli at once. As soon as the Chinese broccoli is cooked, turn off the heat.

Put on a serving plate and sprinkle white pepper on top. Serve with the usual noodles condiments; sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and dried ground pepper. I usually like mine with ground chili peppers and vinegar.

Pad see ew that you find in Thailand is little sweeter than mine because many street vendors add more sugar than I prefer.

Tips and substitutions

For a vegetarian version, skip the pork. Add firm tofu if you like. I often enjoy pad see ew with just the egg.
Dark soy sauce gives the noodles the color while light soy sauce seasons the dish.

If Chinese broccoli is tough to find where you live, try kale or regular broccoli.

more information http://www.thaitable.com/

Choo-Chee Goong (Red Curry Shrimp with Kaffir Lime Leaves and Basil)

Choo-Chee Goong (Red Curry Shrimp with Kaffir Lime Leaves and Basil)

Recipe from: Dancing Shrimp: Favorite Thai Recipes for Seafood by Kasma Loha-unchitServings: 4 to 5

My mother has a soft spot in her heart for choo chee curries - those red hot curries with a rich, thick sauce cooked in a pan so hot that it pops and sizzles, making a swishy sound, like choo chee. Just enough of the concentrated sauce coats the pieces of seafood cooked with it, or is spooned over seafood cooked separately. Although excellent with shrimp and prawns, America's favorite seafood, Mother is first and foremost a fish lover and, now that she is advanced in years and no longer cooks, she, without fail, orders choo chee fish whenever we take her out to dine at her favorite restaurants.

So, after you've tried this recipe and enjoyed enough choo chee with shrimp, make the spicy and aromatic sauce to spoon over crispy fried fish. Mother's favorite fish for choo chee is a small, flat fish called bplah neua awn ("soft-flesh fish"), which fries to a delightfully crunchy crispiness and can be eaten almost entirely, bones and all. When it comes to eating crispy fish fins, heads, and bones, Mom beats us all. People from her generation know no waste and, from her, I've learned that food is sacred, and a life that has been sacrificed to keep us nourished should not be dishonored by throwing out any of its parts. Watching her enjoy every small bit of her crispy fish, even at a ripe old age, is a heartwarming sight.

1 pound medium shrimp

3 orange or red serrano, jalapeño, or fresno peppers

1 cup rich unsweetened coconut cream (preferably Mae Ploy or Chao Koh brand-spoon the thickest cream off the top of an unshaken can of coconut milk)

2 to 3 tablespoons red curry pastenam plah, as needed (some packaged curry pastes are already heavily salted)

2 teaspoons palm sugar, or to taste

8 kaffir lime leaves, very finely slivered

½ to 1 cup Thai basil leaves (bai horapa)

1 to 2 short sprigs of Thai basil (bai horapa) with purple flower buds, for garnish

Shell, devein, and butterfly the shrimp; give them a saltwater bath to freshen. Rinse and drain well, and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.

Cut two of the three red peppers into thin rounds, including seeds, and pound with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Cut other pepper with seeds into fine inch-long slivers.

Heat 2/3 cup coconut cream in a wok or skillet over high heat. When it has warmed to a smooth consistency, spoon out 1 tablespoon and reserve. Reduce remaining cream for a few minutes until it is thick and bubbly and the oil begins to separate from the cream. Add curry paste, mushing it into the cream and fry, with stirring, over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until it is aromatic and darker in color; and the mixture is very thick.

Increase heat to high and add the remaining 1/3 cup coconut cream, stirring to make a thick, well-blended sauce. Season to taste with fish sauce and palm sugar: Stir well to melt sugar and blend seasonings. Toss in shrimp and cook in the sauce, stirring frequently. When most of them have lost their raw pink color on the outside, stir in the crushed chillies and kaffir lime leaves. Stir-fry 10 to 15 seconds before adding basil and slivered chilli. Stir well to wilt basil and, when shrimp are just cooked through, turn off heat.

Transfer to a serving dish and dribble reserved tablespoon of coconut cream over shrimp. Garnish with a sprig or two of basil.

Notes:

To make the sauce, follow the instructions to the end, simply skipping the shrimp. Try the sauce over crispy fried, whole small or flat fish, such as pompano, butterfish, sole, white perch, smelts, and anchovies. The sauce is also good over pan-fried or grilled mackerel. Or, if you prefer, smother over grilled halibut, salmon, albacore, tuna, mahi mahi, jumbo prawns, lobster, or whatever else you like to toss on your charcoal grill. Top with the coconut cream and garnish with basil sprigs. For strong-tasting fish, about 2 tablespoons of fine inch-long slivers of fresh rhizome (qkrachal) can be added to the sauce at the same time as the basil and cooked until both are wilted.

Besides cooking with shrimp, as in this recipe, substitute squid, scallops, shelled clams, and mussels, or a combination of shellfish and mollusks.

more information http://www.allthaifood.com/

THAI FISH CAKES (Tod Man Pla)

THAI FISH CAKES (Tod Man Pla)

1.Place the fish in a food processor and process for 20 seconds or until smooth. Add the cornflour, fish sauce, beaten egg, coriander leaves, curry paste and chillies. Process for 10 seconds or until well combined.
2.Transfer the fish mixture to a large bowl. Add the sliced green beans and chopped spring onions and mix well. Using wet hands, form two rounded tablespoons of the mixture at a time into flattish patties.
3.Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Cook 4 fish cakes at a time until they are dark golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately, with a dipping sauce.

Ingredients :

1. 450 g firm white fish fillets
2. 3 tablespoons cornflour or rice flour
3. 1 tablespoon fish sauce
4. 1 egg, beaten
5. 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
6. 3 teaspoons Red Curry Paste or commercial paste
7. 1-2 teaspoons chopped red chillies, optional
8. 100 g green beans, very finely sliced
9. 2 spring onions, finely chopped
10. 1/2 cup oil, for frying

11. Basic Dipping Sauce or commercial sauce

more information http://sunsite.au.ac.th/thailand/Thai_food/page1.html

Laab Bped Tod Grob

Laab Bped Tod Grob
(Crispy Mandarin Duck in Isaan Sour and Spicy Salad)


Prepare:
1 mandarin duck (1kg.)
5 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup sliced lemon grass
1/2 cup kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp. chili powder
3 tbsp. lemon juice2 tbsp. fish sauce
3 tbsp. fried or roast peanut
7 dry chili peppers (fried)
1/4 tsp. sugar
4 tbsp. roasted uncooked rice (ground finely)
Any vegetables you like


Cooking Instructions:
1. Clean the duck very well. Cut the meat part that attached to its skin. Boil it in boiling water cut it a bite size and rest them drain in a filter.
2. Heat the pan on medium flame. Fry red onions, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, one after each one. When they get crunchy, remove from the pan and leave it drain in the filter.
3. Next, in the same pan, fry the boiled mandarin duck. When it turns gold and crunchy, remove and leave it drain.
4. Now, in a big bowl, add chili powder, lemon juice, fish sauce and mix well. Add fried red onion, lemongrass, kaffir lime leave, peanut, fried dry chili peppers and roasted uncooked rice.
Making it taste more or less sour and spicy are up to you. Balance the taste with sugar. Arrange fried mandarin duck on the plate and dress the spicy and sour salad on top.
Put fresh vegetable on a side, any kind that you like. I would love to have cucumber, long string bean, cabbage, winged bean for sure, and eggplants. Laab Bped Tod Grob is one of my favorite recipes from Sisaket. :) You can either grill the duck or fry before you mix with Isaan spicy and sour salad.

Rice recipeThai Pineapple Fried Rice

Rice recipeThai Pineapple Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดสัปปะรด Kao Pad Sub-Pa-Ros )

This Thai recipe serves: 2
Serving rice in a pineapple shell is a charming tradition that brings a festive atmosphere to the simplest meal. If you prefer, serve it in a medium-sized serving dish, mounding it high. Although Jasmine is the prized rice in Thailand, I believe its delicate flavor is lost when cooked in a dish like this.This dish comes from the south of Thailand, an area which has been influenced greatly by the foods of India and Malaysia.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 fresh pineapple (cut in half,remove fruit)

1/2 cup(s) pineapple pieces

1 cup small shrimp peeled and deveined

2 tablespoon(s) oil

1 teaspoon(s) finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup diced carrot

1/3 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup sweet peas

1/3 cup raisin

Seasoning sauce ingredients

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

For the garnish

fried cashewnuts

Cooking Instructions

1. In a wok at medium-high heat, add the garlic and oil and stir until golden brown. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Follow with carrot and onion, stirring for 2 minutes

2. Add rice, butter, salt, sugar, white pepper, sweet pea, raisin, soy sauce and fresh pineapple and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat, place in hollowed-out pineapple halves and top with cashewnuts before serving.

Herbs often used in Thai cooking

Herbs often used in Thai cooking
Many herbs and spices used in Thai cuisine have beneficial medicinal properties.Here are some examples.

Chili: "Phrik" in Thai Chili is an erect, branched, shrub-like herb with fruits used as garnishing and flavouring in Thai dishes. There are many different species. All contain capsaicin, a biologically active ingredient beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. Other therapeutic uses include being a , carminative and anti flatulence agent, and digestant.



Cumin: "Yi-ra" in Thai Cumin is a small shrubbery herb, the fruit of which contains a 2-4% volatile oil with a pungent odour, and which is used as a flavouring and condiment. Cumin's therapeutic properties manifest as a stomachic, bitter tonic, carminative, stimulant and astringent.

Garlic: "Kra-thiam" in Thai Garlic is an annual herbaceous plant with underground bulbs comprising several cloves. Dried mature bulbs are used as a flavouring and condiment in Thai cuisine. The bulbs contain a 0.1-0.36% garlic oil and organic sulfur compounds. Therapeutic uses are as an antimicrobial, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, anti flatulence and cholesterol lowering agents.

Ginger: "Khing" in Thai Ginger is an erect plant with thickened, fleshy and aromatic rhizomes. Used in different forms as a food, flavouring and spice. Ginger's rhizomes contain a 1-2% volatile oil. Ginger's therapeutic uses are as a carminative, antinauseant and antiflatulence agent.

Galanga: "Kha" in Thai Greater Galanga is an erect annual plant with aromatic, ginger-like rhizomes, and commonly used in Thai cooking as a flavouring. The approximately 0.04 volatile oil content has therapeutic uses as carminative, stomachic, antirheumatic and antimicrobial agents.

Hoary Basil: "Maeng-lak" in Thai Hoary Basil is an annual herbaceous plant with slightly hairy and pale green leaves, eaten either raw or used as a flavouring, and containing approximately 0.7% volatile oil. Therapeutic benefits include the alleviation of cough symptoms, and as diaphoretic and carminative agents.

Kafffir: "Ma-krut" in Thai The leaves, peel and juice of the Kaffir Lime are used as a flavouring in Thai cuisine. The leaves and peel contain a volatile oil. The major therapeutic benefit of the juice is as an appetizer.
(No Common English Name): Krachai in Thai This erect annual plant with aromatic rhizomes and yellow-brown roots, is used as a flavouring. The rhizomes contain approximately 0.8% volatile oil. The plant has stomach ache relieving and antimicrobial properties, and therapeutic benefits as an antitussive and antiflatulence agent.

Lemon Grass: "Ta-khrai" in Thai This erect annual plant resembles a coarse gray-green grass. Fresh leaves and grass are used as flavouring. Lemon grass contains a 0.2-0.4 volatile oil. Therapeutic properties are as a diuretic, emmanagogue, antiflatulence, anti flu and antimicrobial agent.

Lime: "Ma-nao" in Thai Lime is used principally as a garnish for fish and meat dishes. The fruit contains Hesperidin and Naringin , scientifically proven antiinflammatory flavonoids. Lime juice is used as an appetizer, and has antitussive, anti flu, stomachic and antiscorbutic properties.

Marsh Mint: "Sa-ra-nae" in Thai The fresh leaves of this herbaceous plant are used as a flavouring and eaten raw in Thai cuisine. Volatile oil contents give the plant several therapeutic uses, including carminative, mild antiseptic, local anesthetic, diaphoretic and digestant properties.

Pepper: "Phrik-Thai" in Thai Pepper is a branching, perennial climbing plant from whose fruiting spikes both white and black pepper are obtained. Used as a spice and condiment, pepper contains a 2-4% volatile oil. Therapeutic uses are as carminative, antipyretic, diaphoretic and diuretic agents.

Sacred Basil: "Ka-phrao" in Thai Sacred Basil is an annual herbaceous plant that resembles Sweet Basil but has narrower and often times reddish-purple leaves. The fresh leaves, which are used as a flavouring, contain approximately 0.5% volatile oil, which exhibits antimicrobial activity, specifically as a carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant and stomachic.

Shallot: "Hom,Hom-lek,Hom-daeng"in Thai Shallots, or small red onions, are annual herbaceous plants. Underground bulbs comprise garlic-like cloves. Shallot bulbs contain a volatile oil, and are used as flavouring or seasoning agents. Therapeutic properties include the alleviation of stomach discomfort, and as an antihelmintic, antidiarrhoeal, expectorant, antitussive, diuretic and anti flu agents.

Sweet Basil: "Ho-ra-pha" in Thai Sweet Basil is an annual herbaceous plant, the fresh leaves of which are either eaten raw or used as a flavouring in Thai cooking. Volatile oil content varies according to different varieties. Therapeutic properties are as carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, digestant and stomachic agents.

Turmeric: "Kha-min" in Thai Turmeric is a member of the ginger family, and provides yellow colouring for Thai food. The rhizomes contain a 3-4% volatile oil with unique aromatic characteristics. Turmeric's therapeutic properties manifest as a carminative, antiflatulence and stomachic.

More information www.northernthailand.com

SANGKHAYA FAKTHONG custard pumpkin

SANGKHAYA FAKTHONG custard pumpkin

small pumpkin
5..............chicken eggs
1/3...........cup palm sugar pinch of salt
1..............cup coconut cream

Cut a slice off the top of the pumpkin, remove the seeds and most of the soft pulp. In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, add the sugar, salt and coconut cream and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture into the pumpkin and cook in a steamer (for approximately 20 minutes) until the custard is set. Make 4 servings.

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PANAENG KAIdry chicken curry

PANAENG KAIdry chicken curry

2..................chicken thighs and 1 whole chicken breast, sliced
1/4..............cup curry paste
1..................cup coconut cream
1/4..............cup roasted peanuts, crudely Pounded
2..................tablespoons palm sugar
2..................tablespoons fish sauce fresh basil leaves

Put the chicken in a saucepan over a medium heat. Pour in the coconut cream. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down. Simmer on a low heat until the chicken is almost tender. Remove the chicken but leave the coconut cream on a very low heat. Stir from time to time. Blend the curry paste into the boiling coconut cream over a low heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Return the chicken to the saucepan, then add peanuts, sugar and fish sauce. Stir well until most of the liquid has been absorbed, then transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Make 4-5 servings.

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ROAST CHICKEN(Kai Yang)

ROAST CHICKEN(Kai Yang)

1.............chicken, cut into 4 portions
3.............cloves garlic
1.............slice ginger root
1.............teaspoon minced coriander root
1.............teaspoon salt
1/2..........teaspoon of sugar
1/2..........teaspoon ground pepper
1.............tablespoon vegetable oil

Pound the garlic, ginger root slice, minced coriander root, salt and pepper together. Rub the mixture onto the chicken portions. Brush with oil. Leave the chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours in a refrigerator. Then remove from the fridge and charcoal grill until cooked and brown. Serve with papaya salad and steamed glutinous rice.

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Fried Rice

There are a few varieties of Fried Rice across Asia; Thai fried rice starts goes in a much different direction than most. In Thailand, Fried Rice is a good lunch dish, served with cucumber and a wedge of lime. The most popular fried rice is crab fried rice. But for me, fried rice is a good way to clean the refrigerator since most any vegetables and meats you have in your fridge will do. For meats, I use everything - bacon, canned crab, ham, tofu hot dogs - your name it. Any vegetables will do too. Have fun! Thai fried rice gets much of its unique flavor from the mix of fish sauce, soy sauce, chili peppers and lime. The cilantro and a dusting of pre-ground white pepper gives the flavors a clean, rounded finish.

2 Servings
3.........tablespoon............vegetable oil

1.........tomato, thinly sliced

2.........teaspoons.............soy sauce - mushroom

...........pinch..............ground pepper

1.........teaspoons...........fish sauce

1.........cup.................cooked rice

3.........Thai chili pepper Optional

1/3......cup.............pork Optional

1/2......onion, chopped Optional

1.............lime Optional

1............green onion Optional
2............cloves .........garlic , minced Optional

2............eggs Optional

When the pan is extremely hot (smoking hot), pour in the oil and follow with meat. Stir quickly. It can get real smoky. If you see that there is juice coming out from your meat and pooling on the bottom and not evaporating, your pan is not hot enough. When the meat is cooked, set it aside or just put it on the side of the pan if you can. Add the egg and scramble the egg until the egg is all cooked. Put the egg aside or just push it aside and make some room on the bottom of the wok. Add the fish sauce and soy sauce and stir. Keep stirring and mixing the rice with ingredients. Add all vegetables. Stir for 1 or 2 more minutes. Sprinkle ground pepper.

Some people like to add a fried egg on top of the fried rice. If you do, add 2 teaspoons of oil, crack the egg and fry until the egg white is crispy. Put the egg on top of fried rice.

Serve hot with a 1/4 wedge of lime and whole green onion.


Tips and substitutions: Making great fried rice requires a number of tricks:
- A wok - it is the best tool for fried rice. If you don't, it can be tricky but still manageable.
- High heat - you want your pan as hot as possible. That's why it frequently tastes so much better at a restaurant. - Dry rice - Making your rice a little drier than normal or using day
-old rice keeps the rice from clumping together and turning into wok-concrete.
- Ground black or white pepper and lime
- You'll be surprised how much flavor the ground pepper and lime can bring to fried rice.


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Pad Thai

Pad Thai - This Pad Thai recipe is how you actually find it in Bangkok and comes from testing hundreds of different variations from food carts all over the city. Pad Thai is the ultimate street food. While "street food" may sound bad, food cart cooks are in such a competitive situation, with such limited space, ingredients and tools they need to specialize in a dish or two just to stay in business. The best of these cooks have cooked the same dish day-after-day, year-after-year, constantly perfecting it.

Great Pad Thai is dry and light bodied, with a fresh, complex, balanced flavor. I've never actually seen the red, oily pad thai in Thailand that is common in many western Thai restaurants.

The ingredients listed below can be somewhat intimidating but many are optional. If you would like to make authentic

Pad Thai, just like in Thailand, use all the ingredients. Pad Thai is another perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy

sauce for fish sauce. Add more tofu if you like.2-3 Servings

1/2..............lime

1................egg

4................teaspoons..................fish sauce

3................cloves.........................garlic, minced

1/2............teaspoon....................ground dried chili pepper, ground pepper

1.................shallot, minced

2.................tablespoon...............sugar

2.................tablespoon...............tamarind

1/2.............package...................Thai rice noodles

2.................tablespoon................vegetable oil

1/2-1/4........... lb.........................shrimp Optional

1/2.............banana flower Optional

1/3.............cuptofu - extra firm Optional

1-1/2..........cup...................Chinese chives - green Optional

2................tablespoons peanuts Optional

1-1/3..........cup...................bean sprouts Optional

1................tablespoon.......preserved turnipOptional

Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 5-10 minutes. Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks. When cut, the extra firm tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. Cut up Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.

Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok. Add shallot, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce, chili pepper and preserved turnip. Stir. The heat should remain high. If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point. Turn up the heat, if it is the case. Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles. Add shrimp and stir. Add bean sprouts, chives. Stir a few more times. The noodles should be soft and very tangled.

Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve hot with the banana flower slice and a wedge of lime on the side and raw Chinese chives and raw bean sprouts on top.

As always, in Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste. Some people add more pepper or sugar at this point.

Tips and substitutions: By far, the trickiest part is the soaked noodles. Noodles should be somewhat flexible and solid, not completely expanded and soft. When in doubt, undersoak. You can always add more water in the pan, but you can't take it out.

Shrimp can be substituted or omitted.

In this recipe, pre-ground pepper, particularly pre-ground white pepper is better than fresh ground pepper. For kids, omit the gound dried chilli pepper.

Tamarind adds some flavor and acidity, but you can substitute white vinegar.

The type of extra firm tofu called for this recipe can be found at most oriental groceries in a plastic bag, not in water. Some might be brown from soy sauce, but some white ones are also available. Pick whatever you like.

If you decided to include banana flower, cut lengthwise into sections (like orange sections). Rub any open cut with lime or lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark.

The original Pad Thai recipe calls for crushed roasted peanuts. Many people in Thailand avoid eating peanuts because of its link to cancer.

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