To serve, place the mixture in a serving bowl and let guests use the lettuce and basil leaves to scoop out the mixture.
Serves 4
I remember the first time I went to an Ethiopian restaurant and was encouraged to eat using flatbread instead of utensils. This Thai dish is eaten using basil and lettuce leaves as utensils.
Skewered Thai Pork
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1 pound pork, thinly sliced into long strips
20–30 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar, salt, garlic, fish sauce, and coconut milk.
Toss the pork strips in the mixture to coat thoroughly. Cover the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
Thread the pork strips onto the bamboo skewers.
Grill the skewers for about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Serve with your favorite sauce or as is.
Using Bamboo Skewers
When using bamboo skewers for grilling, always be sure to soak them in water for at least an hour (to prevent them from catching on fire or charring badly). Another way to reduce charring of the skewers is to make sure as much of the skewer is covered by food as possible — leave only ¼–½ inch of space at the end.
Serves 2–3
This recipe is similar to satay, but the coconut milk in this dish infuses it with a certain tropical nuance, and it is rarely served with peanut sauce. Although, if peanut sauce is your thing, don't let me stop you.
Fried Won Tons
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ cup chopped white mushrooms
Pinch white pepper
½ pound ground pork
25 won ton skins
Vegetable oil for frying
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, mushrooms, white pepper, and ground pork.
To make the won tons, place approximately ½ teaspoon of the filling in the middle of a won ton skin. Fold the won ton from corner to corner, forming a triangle. Press the edges together to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining skins and filling.
Add about 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil to a deep fryer or wok. Heat the oil on medium until it reaches about 350 degrees. Carefully add the won tons, 2 or 3 at a time. Fry until they are golden brown, turning them constantly. Transfer the cooked won tons to drain on paper towels as they are done.
Serve the won tons with either sweet-and-sour sauce or the sauce of your choice.
Yields approx. 25 won tons
Although won tons and spring rolls often have similar fillings, their wrappers set them apart. Spring rolls use rice flour wrappers; won ton wrappers are made with wheat flour.
Fried Tofu with Dipping Sauces
1 package of tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
Vegetable oil for frying
Dipping sauces of your choice
Add about 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil to a deep fryer or wok. Heat the oil on medium until it reaches about 350 degrees. Carefully add some of the tofu pieces, making sure not to overcrowd them; fry until golden brown, turning constantly. Transfer the fried tofu to paper towels to drain as each batch is cooked.
Serve the tofu with a choice of dipping sauces, such as Sweet-and- Sour, Peanut, and Minty Dipping Sauce (see recipes in Chapter 2).
Serves 2–4
Although this recipe calls for frying, it is one of the healthiest dishes you can eat. Tofu, which is made from soybeans, is one of the best foods on the planet — low fat, high protein, no dairy, and no sodium.
Cold Sesame Noodles
1 pound angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons sesame oil
¼ cup creamy peanut butter or tahini
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
¼–½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1–2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (optional)
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, then set aside.
Vigorously whisk together the remaining ingredients; pour over pasta, tossing to coat.
Garnish with green onion if desired.
Serves 2–4
I first made this tasty, inexpensive dish back when I was in college, My roommates and I would make huge bowlfulls of sesame noodles and chase it down with a cold beer.
Chinese-Style Dumplings
¼ cup sticky rice flour
1 cup rice flour
½ cup water
¼ cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups chives, cut into ½–inch lengths
1 tablespoon soy sauce
In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together the sticky rice flour, the rice flour, and the water. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture has the consistency of glue. (If the mixture becomes too sticky, reduce the heat to low.) Remove the batter from the heat and quickly stir in the tapioca flour. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, add the vegetable oil to a skillet large enough to easily hold the chives, and heat on high. Add the chives and the soy sauce. Stir-fry the chives just until they wilt. Be careful not to let the chives cook too much. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once the dough has reached room temperature, check its consistency. If it is too sticky to work with, add a bit more tapioca flour.
To make the dumplings, roll the batter into balls 1 inch in diameter. Using your fingers, flatten each ball into a disk about 4 inches across. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the chives into the middle of each disk. Fold the disk in half and pinch the edges together to form a halfmoon-shaped packet.
Place the dumplings in a prepared steamer for 5 to 8 minutes or until the dough is cooked. Serve with a spicy dipping sauce of your choice.
Yields 15–20 dumplings
If you prefer your dumplings pan-fried, follow steps 1 through 6, then fry them in a sauté pan with a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until browned to your liking.
4
Soups
Tom Yum
Tom Ka Kai
Chicken Soup with Lemongrass
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Lemony Chicken Soup
Spicy Seafood Soup
Pumpkin Soup
Thai-Spiced Beef Soup with Rice Noodles
Vegetarian Lemongrass Soup
Chilled Mango Soup
Tom Yum
4–5 cups water
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 1-inch-long segments
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
20 medium-sized shrimp, shelled but with tails left on
1 can straw mushrooms, drained
2–3 teaspoons sliced kaffir lime leaves or lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice
2–3 Thai chili peppers, seeded and minced
Pour the water into a medium-sized soup pot. Add the shallots, lemongrass, fish sauce, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the shrimp and mushrooms, and cook until the shrimp turn pink. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and chili peppers.
Cover and remove from the heat. Let the soup steep for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Tom Yum Soup for Life
A joint study by Thailand's Kasetsart University and Japan's Kyoto and Kinki Universities has found that the ingredients in Tom Yum soup are 100 times more effective in inhibiting cancerous tumor growth than other foods. No wonder it's Thailand's bestselling soup!
Serves 4–6
You can substitute chicken for the shrimp in this dish. Cut up 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast int
o bite-sized pieces, add the pieces during step 2, and poach for about 8 minutes before proceeding.
Tom Ka Kai
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon sliced kaffir lime leaves
1 (2-inch) piece of lemongrass, bruised
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thinly
4 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
5 ounces coconut milk
2–4 Thai chilies (to taste), slightly crushed
In a medium-sized soup pot, heat the broth on medium. Add the lime leaves, lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, and lime juice.
Bring the mixture to a boil, add the chicken and coconut milk, and bring to a boil again.
Reduce the heat, add the chilies, and cover; let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the chilies and the lemongrass stalk with a slotted spoon before serving.
Handling Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a very popular ingredient in Thai and other Asian recipes. It can usually be found fresh in most well-stocked supermarkets and can be stored in the fridge for about 3 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months. Many recipes call for lemongrass to be “bruised.” This helps add more flavor to your recipe. If you like the strong flavor, feel free to bruise lemongrass even when not called for in a recipe.
Serves 4–6
This soup can be served as is or ladled over mounds of rice in individual serving bowls. I love it with some cooked noodles thrown in.
Chicken Soup with Lemongrass
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed, bruised, and cut into 2 to 3 pieces
2 teaspoons prepared Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1) or curry powder
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, cut into 6 pieces
3 lime leaves (fresh or dried)
4 cups chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups wild or domestic mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces (if necessary)
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the oil, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the lemongrass, curry paste, ginger, and lime leaves.
Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, then add the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook for 10 more minutes.
Add the coconut milk, the chicken pieces, and the mushrooms. Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is done.
Stir in the lime juice and fish sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove the lemongrass, lime leaves, and ginger pieces before serving.
Serves 4–6
This soup is an explosion of flavors — spicy from the curry paste and ginger, sweet from the coconut milk, and sour from the lime leaves. The mushrooms and the chicken let these vibrant flavors shine.
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups chicken broth
5 cups water, divided
2 star anise
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
3 ounces snow peas, trimmed
1 medium-sized sweet red pepper, seeded and julienned
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into long strips
4 ounces, cellophane noodles, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and drained
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Peanuts, coarsely chopped
Lemon or lime wedges
In a large saucepan, heat the oil on high. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the ginger, garlic, and cilantro, and sauté for 1 more minute. Stir in the broth and 2 cups of the water. Add the star anise. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover; simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
In another saucepan, bring the remaining water to a boil. Add the vegetables and blanch for 1 minute or until tender-crisp. Drain and run very cold water over the vegetables to stop the cooking process; set aside.
Strain the broth into a clean soup pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken strips and reduce heat. Poach the chicken over low heat until opaque, approximately 10 minutes. Add the cellophane noodles and reserved vegetables, and continue to simmer for 2 more minutes. Season to taste with fish sauce.
To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls. Sprinkle with peanuts and garnish with lime wedge.
Serves 4 to 6
No matter where you are, there's something comforting about chicken noodle soup. This soup is definitely Thai — together, the ginger, anise, and fish sauce create a delightful broth.
Lemony Chicken Soup
½ cup lemon slices, including peel
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1½ teaspoons fresh hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ cups coconut milk
2 cups chicken broth
3 teaspoons lemongrass, peeled and chopped
1 cup straw mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, poached and shredded
Combine the lemon slices, fish sauce, chili pepper, green onion, and sugar in a small glass bowl; set aside.
Combine the coconut milk, chicken broth, lemongrass, mushrooms, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the chicken and lemon mixture; heat through.
To serve, ladle into warmed bowls.
Serves 4–6
This soup is sure to make you pucker! The lemon and the chilies brighten the broth of this easy-to-make and oh-so-flavorful soup. If you like lemon, this soup is for you.
Spicy Seafood Soup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound medium-sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
2 quarts fish or chicken stock
1 quart water
3 stalks lemongrass, peeled and chopped
Zest of 1 lime, grated
6–8 kaffir lime leaves
10 (-inch-thick) slices fresh ginger
2 fresh serrano chilies, seeded and chopped
24 fresh mussels, cleaned
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Red pepper flakes to taste
¼ cup sliced green onions
Salt
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the shrimp shells and sauté until they turn bright pink. Add the stock, water, lemongrass, lime zest, lime leaves, ginger, and serrano chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a clean soup pot.
Bring the broth to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until the shells open, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels, discarding any that have not opened. Remove the top shell of each mussel and discard. Set aside the mussels on the half shell.
Add the shrimp to the boiling broth and cook until they are opaque, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Add the mussels to the pot. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and green onions. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4–6
This soup is a Thai version of the French classic bouillabaisse — although frankly I would bet that the Thai version has been around longer than the French one. Either way, it's a great way to serve seafood.
Pumpkin Soup
For the broth:
2
tablespoons butter
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into small chunks
1 medium-sized leek, sliced
1½ stalks celery, sliced
1 small banana, sliced
1 red chili pepper, cut in half and seeded
3 stalks lemongrass, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, halved
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
3¼ cups vegetable broth
cup half-and-half
cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon Green Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the chicken and vegetables:
2 tablespoons butter
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into strips
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 kaffir lime leaves, cut into strips
2 teaspoons prepared Green Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small Japanese eggplant, cut into 4 pieces
2 red chili peppers, cut in half and seeded (optional)
¾ cup cooked rice
Thai basil
Serves 4
This hearty soup makes a great dinner when served with a light salad and some crusty bread. I'm sure it will become one of your favorites.
To prepare the broth:
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pumpkin, leeks, celery, bananas, chili pepper, lemongrass, garlic, and ginger; sweat for 5 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth and heat until warm.
Add the half-and-half, coconut milk, and curry paste; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the chili pepper halves. Transfer the broth mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Strain if desired, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a clean pot and keep warm.To prepare the chicken and vegetables:
THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK Page 6