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THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK

Page 18

by Jennifer Malott Kotylo

1 teaspoon milk

  Put the sugar and sweetened condensed milk into a large glass.

  Place the tea leaves into a tea ball and place it in the glass.

  Add the hot water. Let steep until done to your preferred strength.

  Stir to dissolve the sugar and sweetened condensed milk.

  Add ice and top with milk.

  Yields slightly more than 1 cup.

  Thai like their tea milky and super sweet. If you prefer your tea hot, reduce the sugar and sweetened condensed milk by half. And, of course, don't add the ice!

  Thai Iced Tea

  6 cups water

  1 cup Thai tea leaves

  1 cup sugar

  Ice

  1–1½ cups half-and-half

  Bring the water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat and add the tea leaves, pushing them into the water until they are completely submerged. Steep approximately 5 minutes or until the liquid is a bright orange.

  Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee strainer.

  Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.

  Allow the tea to reach room temperature and then refrigerate.

  To serve, pour the tea over ice cubes, leaving room at the top of the glass to pour in 3 to 4 tablespoons of half-and-half; stir briefly to combine.

  Yields approx. 8 cups

  Similar to the previous recipe but without the condensed milk, this tea is slightly less rich, but certainly no less sweet.

  Super-Simple Thai Iced Tea

  2 tablespoons sugar

  1–2 tablespoons Thai tea leaves

  1 cup hot water

  Ice

  Put the sugar into a large glass.

  Place the tea leaves in a tea ball and place it in the glass.

  Add the hot water. Let steep until done to your preferred strength.

  Stir to dissolve the sugar and add ice.

  Yields approx. 1 cup

  After you have become addicted to tea Thai-style but you are rushing to that morning meeting, here is the brew for you. Add milk or condensed milk if you like.

  Fresh Coconut Juice

  1 young coconut

  Ice

  Sprig of mint for garnish

  Using a meat cleaver, make a V-shaped slice on the top of the coconut.

  Pour the juice over a glass of ice.

  Garnish with a mint sprig.

  Serves 1–2 depending on the size of the coconut.

  Exactly what the recipe title says, this recipe calls for whacking open a coconut and drinking the juice. Remember Gilligan's Island?

  Thai-Inspired Singapore Sling

  2 tablespoons whiskey

  1 tablespoon cherry brandy

  1 tablespoon orange liqueur

  1 tablespoon lime juice

  1 teaspoon brown sugar

  Dash of bitters

  ¼– cup pineapple juice Mint sprig (optional)

  Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake well to combine.

  Serve over crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint if desired.

  Pass on the Wine

  Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage served with Thai food. Three brands are domestically brewed—Singha, Amarit, and Kloster. In each case, the barley is homegrown, but the hops come from Germany.

  Yields 1 cocktail

  Created in 1915 by a Raffles Hotel bartender, the Singapore Sling was originally meant to be a woman's drink. Nowadays, no trip to Singapore, is complete without sipping this classic at Raffles's famous Long Bar.

  Tom's Thai “Martinis”

  1 whole ripe pineapple

  1 bottle dark rum

  1 bottle light rum

  1 bottle coconut rum

  3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths and tied in a bundle

  Remove the pineapple greens and then quarter the remaining fruit. Place the pineapple quarters and the lemongrass bundle in a container large enough to hold all of the liquor.

  Pour the rums over the fruit and stir to combine. Cover the container and let infuse for at least 1 week at room temperature.

  Remove the lemongrass bundle and discard.

  Remove the pineapple quarters and cut into slices for garnish.

  To serve, pour some of the rum into a martini shaker filled with ice; shake well. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a pineapple slice.

  What Not to Eat

  Lime leaves, lemongrass, and Siamese ginger are all great flavoring agents, but they are really difficult to chew. Don't eat them.

  Yields 3 quarts

  This is my brother's favorite cocktail to serve at his pool parties. If desired, you can easily reduce this recipe by using a third of a bottle of each rum, a third of a pineapple, and 1 stalk of lemongrass.

  Tropical Fruit Cocktail

  1 small mango, papaya, banana, or other tropical fruit, peeled and roughly chopped (reserve a bit for garnish if desired)

  4 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

  1 teaspoon grated ginger

  1 tablespoon brown sugar

  1∕ cups orange or grapefruit juice

  1∕ cups pineapple juice

  –½ cup (or to taste) rum

  Place the chopped fruit, lime juice, ginger, and sugar in a blender and process until smooth.

  Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and process until well combined.

  To serve, pour over crushed ice and decorate with fruit slices of your choice.

  Yields 3–4 cups

  When you think of fruit cocktail, you probably think of either the canned fruit you ate as a child or some kiddie cocktail. Well, this is neither. It is sophisticated, not too sweet, and very adult thanks to the rum.

  Mango Bellini

  2 tablespoons puréed mango

  1 teaspoon mango schnapps

  (optional)

  ½ teaspoon lemon juice

  Chilled champagne

  Place the mango purée, mango schnapps, and lemon juice in a champagne flute. Fill the flute with champagne and stir.

  Yields 1 glass

  Similar to the Royal Thai Kir, this Mango Bellini is a bit fruitier. The lemon juice helps to balance the fruit. Whichever cocktail you choose, you can't go wrong with a combination of mango and champagne!

  Royal Thai Kir

  1–2 teaspoons creème de mango or mango schnapps

  Chilled dry champagne

  Pour the creème into a champagne flute and fill with champagne.

  Wine Choices

  Pairing wine with Thai food is not an easy endeavor because of the complexity of flavors that appear in a single dish. Sparkling wine or champagne act to quell a bit of the fire. (As does a cold glass of beer!) Slightly chilled Alsacian-style Rieslings, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc can also do the trick. If you are absolutely set on drinking red, please do. Try a full-flavored, yet fruity, wine such as a Zinfandel. Or if you want a cold glass of red, chill a bottle of Beaujolais. Its low tannins help offset the heat of the chilies.

  Yields 1 glass

  In Paris, I was introduced to a cocktail that still remains a favorite, a Kir Royal. This is my Thai version, in toast to my wonderful friends in France, who forever changed my outlook on foodand wine. Merci!

  14

  Thai-Inspired Cooking

  Asian Carrot Sticks

  Spicy Shrimp Dip

  Cream of Coconut Crabmeat Dip

  Marinated Mushrooms

  Thai-Spiced Guacamole

  Asian-Inspired Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  Chicken Salad — 1

  Chicken Salad — 2

  Chicken Salad — 3

  Jicama, Carrot, and Chinese Cabbage Salad

  Peanut Potato Salad

  Asian Couscous Salad

  Asian 3-Bean Salad

  Crunchy Sprout Salad

  Many Peas Asian-Style Salad

  Thai Pasta Salad

  Thai Chicken Pizza

  Grilled Steak with Peanut Sauce

  Asian Marinara Sa
uce

  Thai-Style Grilled Pork Chops

  Southeast Asian Burgers

  Grilled Lobster Tails with a Lemongrass Smoke

  Thai-Flavored Green Beans

  Southeast Asian Asparagus

  Asian Ratatouille

  Pickled Chinese Cabbage

  Crazy Coconut Pie

  Lime Butter Cake

  Meringues with Tropical Fruit

  Asian Carrot Sticks

  1 pound thin carrots, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise

  4 tablespoons water

  4 tablespoons olive oil

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  –¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  ½–½ teaspoons paprika

  ½–1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

  3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Place the carrots in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably.

  Cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain the carrots and return them to the pan.

  Add the 4 tablespoons of water, the olive oil, and the garlic; bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender. Drain.

  In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients; pour over the carrots, tossing to coat.

  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  The carrots may be eaten immediately, but develop a richer flavor if allowed to marinate for a few hours.

  Serves 4–6

  Dinner parties at Tim and John's are always special. From Italian Summer Solstice parties to Chinese New Year's celebrations, they always do it up. I adjusted this recipe of theirs to give it a bit of a Thai taste.

  Spicy Shrimp Dip

  5 tablespoons butter

  1 tablespoon minced chives

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ serrano chili, seeded and minced

  ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

  8 ounces shrimp, cleaned and chopped

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  In a medium-sized sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the chives, salt, chili pepper, and lemon zest; sauté for 2 minutes.

  Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp; sauté for 3 minutes or until opaque.

  Transfer the mixture to a food processor and coarsely purée. Season with salt and pepper.

  Firmly pack the purée into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

  To serve, remove the shrimp dip from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the dip with an assortment of crackers and toast points or some favorite veggies.

  Yields approx. 1 cup

  There is no filler in this dip. It's shrimp, shrimp, and more shrimp. The butter binds it together and the rest of the ingredients give the shrimp a little zip.

  Cream of Coconut Crabmeat Dip

  ¾ cup cream of coconut

  1¼ pounds (10 ounces) crabmeat, picked over to remove shell pieces

  ¼ teaspoon salt 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

  2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

  1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

  Ground white pepper to taste

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the cream of coconut, crabmeat, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.

  Stir in the green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, jalapeño, and pepper. Pour into a serving dish and let stand at room temperature until cool.

  Serve with fresh vegetables and crackers.

  Yields approx. 2 cups

  In this knockoff of a typical crab dip, the coconut cream is essentially a substitute for mayonnaise. It is a bit sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and the jalapeño adds a nice contrast to the coconut.

  Marinated Mushrooms

  ¾ cup olive oil

  ½ cup water

  ¼ cup rice wine vinegar

  Juice of 1 lime

  3 cloves garlic

  1 whole serrano or jalapeño pepper

  2 stalks lemongrass

  3 (½-inch) pieces gingerroot

  1½ pounds whole small white mushrooms

  Place all of the ingredients except the mushrooms in a large pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

  Add the mushrooms to the pot, stirring to coat.

  Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

  Makes 25–35

  mushrooms I'm warning you, these marinated mushrooms are addictive. Serve them as part of a Thai antipasto, as a side dish for grilled meats, or as a super snack.

  Thai-Spiced Guacamole

  2 ripe avocados, pitted and chopped

  4 teaspoons lime juice

  1 large plum tomato, seeded and chopped

  1 tablespoon chopped onion

  1 small garlic clove, minced

  1 teaspoon grated lime zest

  1 teaspoon grated gingerroot

  1 teaspoon chopped serrano or jalapeño chili

  1–2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  Place the avocado in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lemon juice and coarsely mash.

  Add the remaining ingredients and gently mix together.

  Serve within 2 hours.

  Thai Mexican Similarities

  If you look through a Mexican cookbook, you'll find many typical Mexican ingredients that are also Thai staples — lime juice, chilies, cilantro, garlic, and onion.

  Yields 2 cups

  This recipe is a great example of how lime zest and ginger can give a Mexican favorite a Southeast Asian twist. Try serving the guacamole with some rice chips alongside the tortillas chips.

  Asian-Inspired Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into thin strips

  1–2 garlic cloves, minced

  2–3 teaspoons minced ginger

  2 tablespoons fish sauce

  6 cups low-fat, low-salt chicken broth

  In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the chicken strips and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

  Add the garlic and gingerroot and sauté for another minute.

  Stir in the fish sauce, broth, and rice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

  Add the green onions and snow peas; simmer to heat through.

  Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste.

  Wild Rice

  Wild rice isn't rice at all, but the seed of a native American grass. Processed white rice typically needs less water added than long-grain brown rice or wild rice, which can take up to 6 cups of water per cup of dry rice. Unlike its white and brown counterparts, wild rice is a very heavy and filling dish.

  Serves 6–8

  The chewy quality of the rice in this soup complements the crispy pea pods and delicate chicken, and its nutty flavor substitutes for peanuts.

  Chicken Salad — 1

  For the dressing:

  ¼ cup vegetable oil

  2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

  1 tablespoon soy sauce

  2 teaspoons grated gingerroot

  Pinch of sugar

  ½; teaspoon (or to taste) salt

  For the salad:

  2 cups chopped cooked chicken

  4 ounces snow peas, trimmed

  3 green onions, trimmed and sliced

  1 cup bean sprouts

  1 medium head of Chinese cabbage, shredded

  1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

  Place the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.

  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chicken, snow peas, green onions, and bean sprouts. Add the dressing and toss to coat.

  To s
erve, arrange the cabbage on a serving platter. Mound the chicken salad over the cabbage. Garnish with the sesame seeds.

  Serves 4

  This light, flavorful chicken salad is great for a summer lunch. Serve it with some slices of mango and papaya, some great bread, and a glass of Vouvray— and you are ready to go.

  Chicken Salad — 2

  3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided

  1 tablespoon soy sauce

  1 tablespoon dry sherry

  2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  4 tablespoons lime juice

  1 teaspoon sesame oil

  3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

  3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped

  cup sliced scallions

  ¼ cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

  Peanut oil for frying

  ¼ pound rice sticks

  Bibb or romaine lettuce leaves

  Combine 1 tablespoon of the hoisin sauce, the soy sauce, and the sherry in a medium-sized bowl. Add the chicken breasts and marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.

  Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, reserving the marinade. Brown the breasts on both sides. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 20 minutes.

  Let the chicken cool to room temperature, then shred it into bite-sized pieces; set aside.

  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the remaining hoisin sauce, the lime juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. Add the shredded chicken and stir to coat.

 

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