2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or green, in any combination), seeded and cut into 2-inch squares
1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch slices
1 summer squash, cut into 1-inch slices
12 whole mushrooms, approximately 1-inch in diameter
12 whole pearl onions or 12 (2-inch) pieces of white onion
1 recipe Asian Marinade (see recipes in Chapter 1)
Alternate the vegetables on 6 skewers (soak the skewers in water until soft if using wooden skewers).
Place the skewers in a pan large enough to allow them to lay flat. Pour the marinade over the skewers and let sit for approximately 1 hour.
Place the skewers in a lightly oiled grill basket and place on a hot grill. Cook approximately 5 minutes on each side or until vegetables are done to your liking.
Grilling Isn't Just for Meats!
Grilling vegetables may be my favorite way to prepare them. Even when I just baste them in a little olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper, grilling gives them this special taste you just can't get any other way. And if you burn them a little bit — who cares — the charring just adds a little more flavor!
Serves 6
If you are planning on serving your vegetables from a bowl, don't bother with the skewers. Simply place the vegetables in a pan, marinate them, and then place them in a grill basket to cook.
Pumpkin with Peppercorns and Garlic
30 peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups fresh pumpkin pieces, cut into 1-inch cubes
Using a mortar and pestle, crush together the peppercorns and the garlic.
Add the vegetable oil to a large sauté pan and heat on high. Add the peppercorn-garlic mixture and stir-fry until the garlic just begins to brown.
Add the pumpkin pieces, stirring to coat.
Add the water and bring the water to a simmer. After the water has been reduced by half, stir in the fish sauce and sugar.
Continue to cook until the pumpkin is tender but not mushy.
Serve as a side dish.
Thai Pumpkins
In Thailand, the differences between pumpkins and squashes are not very well defined — they basically treat them all the same. The Thai version of a pumpkin is Fug Tong, but almost any fleshy hard squash can be substituted (with different, but delicious, results).
Serves 4–6
Pumpkin? Really? Yes, really. The slightly sweet flavor of the pumpkin handles the strong flavors of the peppercorns and the garlic astonishingly well. I like to serve this as an accompaniment to simple grilled meats.
Gingered Green Beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 stalk lemongrass, minced (inner tender portion only)
1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
1–3 (to taste) serrano chilies, seeded and minced
½ cup coconut milk
¼ teaspoon salt
½ pound green beans, trimmed
In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil on medium-high. Stir in the lemongrass, ginger, and chilies; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and the salt until well combined.
Add the green beans, raise the heat to high, and cook for 3 minutes or until the beans are done to your liking.
Serves 2–4
This recipe goes well with grilled steak, especially if the beans have been soaked in an Asian marinade. They also complement seared tuna exceedingly well. Or try tossing them into a salad.
Curried Green Beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)
6 cups chicken or vegetable both
1 pound green beans, trimmed Steamed rice
In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Stir in the broth until well combined with the paste. Add the green beans and bring to a low boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the liquid.
Reduce the heat to maintain a hard simmer and continue cooking until the beans are very well done.
Serve the beans over steamed rice, ladling the sauce over the top.
Serves 4–6
I usually like my green beans like a really rare steak — just barely heated through. But in this instance, you have to cook the beans almost to a pulp. As the beans break down, they help form the sauce.
Green Beans with Macadamia Nut Sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
4 whole raw macadamia nuts, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup coconut milk
1 bay leaf
½-1 teaspoon salt to taste
1 pound green beans, trimmed
Place the onion, macadamia nuts, garlic, vegetable oil, and water in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and stir in the cayenne pepper, coriander, and cumin.
In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the macadamia nut paste, coconut milk, and bay leaf over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook until reduced by half.
Stir in the salt. Add the green beans and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the beans are done to your liking, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt to taste if necessary.
Serves 4–6
The macadamia sauce in this recipe is amazing. I love the complexity of tastes, and the nuts add flavor as well as texture. The sauce is also delicious over some pasta (without the beans).
Roasted Asian Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets (cut the florets in half if large)
Place the cauliflower florets in a large Ziplock bag and pour marinade over them; let rest in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Place the cauliflower florets in a roasting pan. Roast for approximately 15 minutes or until tender, turning after 7 to 8 minutes.
Serves 6–8
Roasting cauliflower? Yes, another strange idea, but it's actually quite good and it couldn't be much easier.
Spicy Stir-Fried Corn
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 stalk lemongrass, minced (tender inner portion only)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, minced
4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed are best)
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons fish sauce Tabasco to taste
2 tablespoons lime juice
Place the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the lemongrass. As soon as it begins to brown, add the garlic, butter, and onion. Continue to cook on high, letting the ingredients brown somewhat.
Add the corn kernels and cook until they brown. Stir in the vegetable stock; stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any burned-on bits.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for 30 more seconds.
Serves 6–8
This corn recipe can be addicting. So be warned! Try serving it with any grilled meat or fish dish.
Grilled Eggplant with an Asian Twist
4—8 Japanese eggplants (about 1½ pounds in all)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare a grill or broiler. Allow it to achieve high heat.
If the eggplants are relatively large, cut in half vertically. Toss them with a little olive oil just to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Place the eggplant either in a vegetable grilling basket or directly on the grill grate or broiler pan. Cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning midway through the cooking process.
Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with
lemon juice and fish sauce.
Garnish with basil leaves. Serve either hot or at room temperature.
Serves 4–6
I like cooking with Japanese eggplant because you don't have to go through the process of salting them in order to extract their extra moisture like you do with our larger, more familiar Western ones.
Japanese Eggplant with Tofu
4–6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2–3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups sliced Japanese eggplant, about -inch thick
¼ pound extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it turns golden.
Add the eggplant and tofu pieces; sauté, stirring constantly, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the eggplant is done to your liking.
Carefully stir in the remaining ingredients.
Serve immediately to avoid discoloration of the eggplant and basil.
Serves: 2–4
Both eggplant and tofu are extremely mild by themselves. The zest from this recipe comes from the garlic, serrano chili, and basil — all of which pack quite a punch.
Stir–Fried Black Mushrooms and Asparagus
1 ounce dried Chinese black mushrooms
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
3–4 tablespoons oyster sauce Tabasco (optional)
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, discard the stems, and slice into strips; set aside.
Heat the oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté until golden.
Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Stir in the oyster sauce and a few drops of Tabasco if desired.
Add the asparagus spears. Sauté for 2 to 4 minutes or until the asparagus is done to your liking.
Serves 4–6
The unique sauce in this dish is a far cry from the traditional, super-rich hollandaise sauce or butter and nutmeg traditionally served with asparagus in the West.
Thai-Style Fried Okra
cup all-purpose flour
½ cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup water
1 pound small okra, trimmed
1 cup vegetable oil
1 recipe chili dipping sauce of your choice (see recipes in Chapter 2)
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flours, the baking soda, and water to form a batter. Add the okra pieces.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok over high heat. (It should be hot enough that a test piece of batter puffs up immediately.)
Add the battered okra, a few at a time, and fry until golden.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the okra to paper towels to drain.
Serve hot with your favorite chili dipping sauce.
Yields approx. 20
If ever there was a way to eat okra, this is it. The tapioca flour creates a batter that fries up superlight. This dish make a fun appetizer or snack.
Tropical Vegetables
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)
½ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2½ cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
2 cups bamboo shoots
2½ cups baby spinach leaves
2 cups bean sprouts
To make the sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a small sauté pan on medium-high. Add the minced shallot and fry until golden. Transfer the fried shallot to paper towels to drain.
Using a mortar and pestle, crush half of the sesame seeds and half of the fried shallots together; set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the Red Curry Paste and the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the tamarind, brown sugar, fish sauce, and the reserved sesame seed? shallot mixture. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the green beans, the bell pepper pieces, and the bamboo shoots to the water and blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until done to your liking. Using a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from the water to a colander to drain.
Let the water return to boiling and add the spinach leaves and the bean sprouts. Immediately remove them from the water to drain.
Toss all of the vegetables together.
To serve, place the vegetables in the center of a serving plate. Pour some of the sauce over the vegetables. Pass additional sauce separately.
Serves 8–10
Not every ingredient used in Thai cooking is healthy. Coconut, coconut milk, coconut cream, and palm oil are all high in saturated fat. If you are watching your cholesterol, use “lite” coconut milk in this recipe.
Thai–Style Bean Sprouts and Snap Peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced Pinch of white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 pound bean sprouts, rinsed thoroughly and trimmed if necessary
Salt and sugar to taste
Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Add the onion and the ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
Stir in the white pepper and the soy sauce.
Add the sugar snap peas and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the bean sprouts and cook for 1 more minute while stirring constantly.
Add up to ½ teaspoon of salt and a large pinch of sugar to adjust the balance of the sauce. Serve immediately.
Serves 4–6
This recipe lets the peas shine without overpowering their sweet, delicate flavor with anything heavy or overly spicy. The bean sprouts add a nice contrast.
10
Noodle Dishes
Pad Thai
Fire Noodles
Rice Stick Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
Chiang Mai Curried Noodles
Pan-Fried Noodles
Clear Noodles with Baked Shrimp
Sesame Noodles with Veggies
Panang Mussels with Noodles
Flowered Lime Noodles
Poached Chicken Breast with Peanut Sauce and Noodles
Thai Noodles with Chicken and Pork
Spicy Egg Noodles with Sliced Pork
Curried Rice Noodles with Tofu and Egg
Broccoli Noodles with Garlic and Soy
Pad Thai
8 ounces rice noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5–6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
½ cup cooked salad shrimp
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
6–8 teaspoons Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18)
¼ cup chopped chives
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
1 medium egg, beaten
1 cup bean sprouts
Garnish:
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon Tamarind Concentrate
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ cup bean sprouts
½ cup chopped chives
½ cup coarsely ground roasted peanuts
1 lime cut into wedges
Soak the noodles in water at room temperature for 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots, and briefly stir-fry until they begin to change color.
Add the reserved noodles and all the remaining ingredi
ents except the egg and the bean sprouts, and stir-fry until hot.
While constantly stirring, slowly drizzle in the beaten egg.
Add the bean sprouts and cook for no more than another 30 seconds.
In a small bowl mix together all of the garnish ingredients except the lime wedges.
To serve, arrange the Pad Thai on a serving platter. Top with the garnish and surround with lime wedges.
Serves 2–4
Anyone who has ever eaten in a Thai restaurant has probably had this most famous of Thai noodle dishes. The actual sauce has a rather sweet taste offset by the garlic and peanuts.
Fire Noodles
15–20 (or to taste) Thai bird chilies, stemmed and seeded
5–10 (or to taste) cloves garlic
1 pound presliced fresh rice noodles (available at Asian grocery stores and on the Internet)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sweet black soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon white pepper
1½ tablespoons sugar
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
1½ cups loose-packed basil and/or mint
Place the chilies and garlic cloves in a food processor and process until thoroughly mashed together; set aside.
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place the noodles in a large colander and pour the hot water over them. Carefully unfold and separate the noodles; set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is quite hot, carefully add the reserved chili-garlic mixture and stir-fry for 15 seconds to release the aromas.
Raise the heat to high, add the chicken, and stir-fry until it begins to lose its color, about 30 seconds.
THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK Page 13