Hoi Nang Rom Sod (Fresh Oysters with Side Serving)

หอยนางรมสด


Ingredients

Prepare:

10 fresh and cold oysters (throw away the shell and pick only the fat one)
1 handful the horse tamarind tree top

Sauce:

1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced chili pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

1. Mix the sauce ingredients altogether.

2. Serve the fresh oyster and arrange horse tamarind tree top and the sauce on a side.

3. More fresh garlic, 2 pieces lemon and chili peppers serving on a side is your choice.


I'm thinking about seafood today as I saw them at the market. The shrimps, squids and oysters were really fresh as I can see they were shining under the early morning sun. Well, I already posted many recipes for shrimps and squids. I think today is the best day for oyster recipe.

If you like to eat fresh oysters, the recipe above is the way Thai people eat. The horse tamarind tree top can make the fresh and cold oysters unbelievably sweet.

Eating the uncooked oysters, you should be very careful and make sure they are clean. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that the uncooked oysters can bring you Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, which will cause stomach ache and diarrhea.

Kao Niao Sung Khaya (Sticky Rice and Egg Custard)

ข้าวเหนียวสังขยา


Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cup sticky rice
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt


3 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1/8 cup concentrated pandanus juice


Directions

1. Soak sticky rice in the water for 3 hours. After that, drain it and steam on boiling water for 20 minutes.

2. While we're waiting for the rice to be cooked, prepare coconut milk to mix with it.

3. Add sugar and salt into the coconut milk cook until it's boiling.

4. Remove when the sugar is dissolved. Pour it over cooked sticky rice. Make sure the rice is still hot when you pour coconut milk.

5. Now, mix it very well and keep it in closed container for 10 minutes. After that, stir it again and leave it close for another 10 minutes

6. Beat the eggs very well. Add concentrated pandanus juice, coconut milk and sugar. Mix it very well.

7. Steam the mixed eggs for 20 minutes

8. Prepare cut banana leaves (5x10inches). Place sticky rice and eggs on it. Then, wrap it as in the photo.


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Gang Jued Bpla Muek Yud Sai (Stuffed Squids in Plain Soup)

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แกงจืดปลาหมึกยัดไส้

Ingredients

10 squids (small size)

1 cup minced pork

3 cucumbers (peeled and cut horizontally 4 times)

2 group scallion (cut 1 inch long)

1 group coriander (cut 1 inch long)

1/4 cup minced carrot2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. pepper

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 cups stock from pork or chicken bone

Directions

1. Clean the squids very well.

2. Mix minced pork with 1 tbsp. minced garlic, pepper, minced carrot and light soy sauce.

3. Stuff the squids with mixed pork and close the hole with its tentacles.

4. Peel the cucumbers and clean.

5. Fry 1 tbsp. minced garlic until it has aromatic smell.

6. Heat the stock. When it is boiling, add stuffed squids and cucumber. Cook for 8 minutes then remove from the stove.

7. Add scallion, coriander and mix well. When you serve, don't forget to sprinkle fry garlic in the soup. It will give the nicest smell that makes your stomach cry.

8.When I was writing this recipe, I was thinking about the time I studied at primary school, Anuban Yasothon. It was also where my aunt taught.

9.This Anuban School, I will call it a brand name school because in every provinces all over Thailand has this school located. They have the same pattern of rules and food, characteristic of teachers and students. I can compare it because I went to this brand name school to study in Yasothon and work in Ubon Ratchathani, where I first met my husband. :p hehe

10 years after I finished grade 6, I can't believe they have the same food and same taste to serve their students. The good thing is the food, stuffed cucumbers in plain soup, reminded me of the time in the passed 10 years.

However, the plain soup with cucumber in it always tastes so good. It has a little sweet taste from cucumber and great fragrance.

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Khanom Taan(Sugar Palm Cake)

ขนมตาล

Ingredients
4 and 1/2 cup rice flour
1 cup ripe sugar palm fruit (squeeze the meat)
4 and 1/2 cup coconut milk
3 cup sugar
3 cup scraped coconut (overripe)
1 tsp. salt

Directions
1. Crush the sugar palm fruit with water in a bowl. Put all of juice in a filter cloth bag and squeeze. Leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2. Boil coconut milk with sugar. When it's boiling, turn off the fire and leave it cool off.
3. In a big bowl, mix sugar palm meat from step1 with rice flour and coconut milk from step2.
4. Knead well. Make sure it is really soft. Leave it outside for 4 hours. Put wet white cloth over top.
5. Cut banana leave and make a small cup from it. Pour the mix in banana cups or ceramic cups if you can't make one.
6. Mix scraped coconut with salt and dress it over top the cake.
7. Steam on boiling water for 15 minutes.

Tips:
When the dough is ready, you will see bubbles on it. Make sure you don't leave the dough outside too long because it will be sour after you cook. Add 1 and 1/2 tbsp. baking powder to safe time and make it fluffy, with this amount you can make 130 small cups of sugar palm cake.

Luuk Chuup (Fruity Dessert)

Ingredients
150 gm mung beans, washed and soaked overnight

1 ½ cups coconut milk

1 cup sugar

For the coating:

1 tablespoon gelatin

2 cups water, with

1 drop of jasmine extract

½ cup sugar

20-30 bamboo sticks, 10cm-12.5cm long, satay sticks or long toothpicks

For preparation:

Foam base measuring 15cm x 20cm (holds 20-30 pieces of look choop) 3 small paint brushesfood colourings: red, yellow, green, and purple

Directions
Boil the mung beans until soft then drain thoroughly.

Use the same pot to mash the boiled beans with the coconut milk and sugar. Stir over low heat until thoroughly blended, and until dry. Set aside to cool.

For the fruit shapes, take about 2-3 teaspoons of mung beans and use your hands to shape them into the form of the fruit desired - mangoes, oranges and cherries are popular choices. Use the bamboo sticks to lift the fruit pieces and place them on the foam base.

In a pan, mix the gelatin, water (with jasmine added) and sugar. Bring to the boil over low heat. Allow about one third of the water to evaporate so the jelly thickens.

Coat the beans, paint with the food colouring so they represent the selected fruit. Leave to dry.
Once dried, dip each fruit in the jelly at least three times and leave to dry on the foam base.
Sharpen the forms with a small kitchen knife.

Kanom Chan

Ingredients

1 ½ cup mung bean starch (paang tao)

½ cup rice flour

3 cups paang mun (similar to corn starch)

4 ½ cups thick coconut milk2

½ cups thin coconut milk

4 ½ cups white sugar

¼ cups pandan extract

Directions

Cook sugar in thin coconut milk over medium heat until sugar dissolved set aside to cool.
Mix all 3 types of flour together.

Knead flour with thick coconut milk by adding coconut milk in a small quantity at a time, then added the dissolved sugar in thin coconut milk.

Divide the mixture into two equal parts then add pandan extract to one part of mixture.
Heat pan in steamer until hot then add flour mixture (about ¼ inch) cook the first layer until done, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Continue the same process for the rest of the mixture. Cool and cut into small pieces.

Kai Dtoon (Steamed Eggs with Pork)

ไข่ตุ๋น

Ingredients

2 eggs1 tablespoon of thinly sliced shallot

3 prawns, deveined and shelled

2 tablespoons of light soy sauce

3 tablespoons of ground pork

1 cup of chicken stock

¼ teaspoon of pepper

¼ teaspoon of salta few cilantro leaves

Directions

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl and add the shallot and the stock. Add salt, light soy sauce and the pepper and then beating the mixtures with a fork. Divide the mixture onto 3 small glass bowl.

Wrap each prawn with 1/3 of the pork. Boil water in the steamer and place the cups and steam until the egg mixture start to cook. Place a prawn on top of the mixture in each cup and keep on steaming for about 15 minutes until the pork and prawn meats are cooked.

Remove the cups from the steamer and sprinkle with chopped spring onion and cilantro leaves.

Kai Look Kuey ("Son-in-law's Eggs") ไข่ลูกเขย

Stuffed Nutria’s Omelets - ไข่ยัดไส้

Kanom Jeeb (Siu Mai Dumplings)

ขนมจีบ

Ingredients

3 dried Chinese black or Shiitake mushrooms

6 ounces peeled deveined large shrimp

1 green onion

1 teaspoon minced ginger

¾ cup ground pork

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon granulated sugarabout

20 gyoza wrappers (or won ton wrappers cut into circles).

Directions

Soften the mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water. Cut off the stems.

Soak the shrimp in warm, lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Pat dry. Mince the mushrooms, shrimp, and green onion.

Combine with the ginger and pork. Stir in the seasonings. Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly.
Lay a gyoza wrapper in front of you. Wet the edges. Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling in the middle, taking care not to get too close to the edges. Gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently pleat so that it forms a basket shape, with the top of the filling exposed.

Steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through (5 to 10 minutes). Serve with nam jim kanom jeeb (Dumpling Dipping Sauce).

Kanom Tuay Foo (Jasmine Sponge Cakes)

ขนมถ้วยฟู

Ingredients

¾ cup rice flour

1/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 drop of red or yellow food coloring

½ cup scented jasmine water

Directions

Combine the rice flour, sugar and baking soda thoroughly in a bowl. Add the food coloring to the jasmine water and stir to combine thoroughly, then add to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

Arrange eight tea cups in a large steamer or use a muffin pan that fits into the steamer.
Steam the cups uncovered for 2 minutes to heat them then pour in the batter and cover the steamer. Steam on high heat for 15 minutes.

Remove them from the steamer and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the steamed cakes out of the cups and serve warm or cool.

Kai Look Kuey ("Son-in-law's Eggs") ไข่ลูกเขย

Ingredients

24 quail's eggs

4 tablespoons of shallots, (purple onions), thinly sliced

3 tablespoons of fish sauce

1 tablespoon dark sweet soy sauce

2 tablespoons of honey

½ teaspoon of prik phom (ground red chilies) (approx)

Directions

The eggs are hard boiled then shelled. If you are using hen's eggs, cut them in half. They are then stir fried in a little oil on medium heat until they are beginning to crisp, and then removed from the pan and placed on the serving platter.

Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until they are beginning to crisp. Remove about half of the shallots and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients of the sauce, and add them to the wok or skillet, and stir until the sauce thickens. Pour the sauce over the eggs, then sprinkle the reserved shallot flakes on top.

Kai Dtoon (Steamed Eggs with Pork)

Stuffed Nutria’s Omelets - ไข่ยัดไส้

Gluay Tod (Fried Bananas) กล้วยทอด

Ingredients

1 pound bananas about, 6 small Asian bananas

1 cup rice flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water½ cup coconut milk

½ teaspoon salt¼ cup sesame seeds

3 tablespoons sugar

¾ cup shredded coconut

4 cups oil for deep frying

Directions

Peel and slice each banana lengthwise into four slices. Combine all the batter ingredients and stir just to mix together. Heat the oil in a wok to 375°F. Dip each piece of banana into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain. Serve with Thai ice cream.

Gluay Chueam (Caramelized Sweet Banana) กล้วยเชื่อม

Gluay Chueam (Caramelized Sweet Banana) กล้วยเชื่อม

Ingredients
2 cups peeled ripe bananas, cut 1 inch by 2 inch slices -- Note: banana should not be overripe or it will be too soft when cooked

2 cups sugar¼ teaspoon salt1

teaspoon lime juice

3 cups water

1 cup thick coconut milk

Directions

Bring water to a boil and dissolve sugar, salt, and lime juice. Simmer until reduced to approximately 2 cups. Submerge pieces of banana in the syrup.

Continue to simmer until the banana is cooked. Quickly reduce the coconut milk with a pinch of salt. Be careful not to separate it. Use it for a topping over the sweetened banana pieces. Serve hot or cold.

Gaeng Jued Tang-gwa (Stuffed Cucumber Soup)

แกงจืดแตงกวา

Ingredients
3 cucumbers, peeled and cut into

1 ½ inch lengths

1 ½ cups minced pork or chicken1 egg, lightly beaten

3 /12 ounces bean thread noodles

1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1 sprig fresh cilantro, roughly chopped6 cups chicken stock

Directions

Scoop out the center of the cucumber pieces, taking care not to cut through the skin. Set the cucumbers aside. Mix the minced meat with the remaining ingredients, except the chicken stock (reserve some of the cilantro for garnish).

Stuff the cucumbers with the meat mixture, then steam over high heat for about 20 minutes. Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the steamed cucumber sections and cook until heated through. Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.

Dtap Waan (Sweet Liver)

Ingredients
1 pound beef liver, thinly sliced

¼ cup nam pla

¼ cup lime juice

½ teaspoon ground chili (prik khee noo pon)

1 tablespoon ground roasted sticky rice

4 shallots, thinly sliced

¼ cup lemon grass (ta-krai), lower

1/3 of stem, thinly sliced

¼ cup mint leavesselection of raw vegetables

Directions
Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Blanch the liver slices in the boiling water for 30 seconds or until they are almost cooked. Drain and set aside.

Place the liver slices in a large frying pan, add the fish sauce and lime juice and cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the chili, rice, shallots and lemon grass. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with the mint leaves and remove the contents of frying pan to a serving plate. Arrange the vegetables around the liver slices.

Soop Naw Mai (Bamboo Shoot Yum)

Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Kanom Krok (Coconut-Rice Pancakes)

Ingredients
3 14 ounce cans coconut milk, or 1 ¾ cups coconut cream with 3 ½ cups lighter coconut milk¼ cup plus

1 tablespoon sugar

2 ½ tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot flour

3 tablespoon uncooked white rice

1/3 cup finely shredded fresh coconut, or ¼ cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut

2 cups rice flour

2 teaspoon sea salt

2 to 3 tablespoon peanut or corn oil

optional filling ingredients:
¼ cup green onions, cut in thin rounds

¼ cup fresh corn kernels

2 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Directions

If using canned coconut milk, spoon into a small saucepan 1 ¾ cup of the creamiest part from the top of three cans of coconut milk. Heat just enough to melt and smooth out the lumps. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Allow to cool before mixing in 2 ½ tablespoon. of tapioca or arrowroot flour. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Combine the remaining coconut milk from the cans and stir until smooth, heating if necessary to melt the coagulated parts. Allow to cool.

Grind the uncooked white rice in a food mill or clean coffee grinder as finely as possible. Do the same with the shredded coconut. Combine the two with the rice flour, salt and coconut milk. Stir and mix until well blended and smooth.

Heat a well-seasoned kanom krok griddle (or substitute with an Ebelskiver pancake griddle) on the stove, in a hot oven or over a small round barbecue kettle with medium-hot charcoals. When the griddle is hot, brush the surface indentations with peanut or corn oil. Wait a few seconds before spooning the salty rice mixture into each indentation to about two-thirds full. The batter should sizzle when it hits the hot metal. (If you have a teakettle with a spout, you may find it helpful as a container from which to pour the rice batter onto the griddle.)

Before the batter sets, add a dab of the sweet coconut cream mixture over the top to fill and sprinkle the center of each cake with a little bit of one of the toppings, or leave plain. Cover with a round lid and allow to cook for a few minutes, or until the pancakes are firm and crispy brown on the bottom. Remove gently with a rounded spoon. Re-grease the griddle before making the next batch. Because rice flour tends to settle, stir the coconut mixture well before pouring onto the griddle. Serve warm.

Kanom Paeng Na Moo (Pork Toast)

Ingredients
6 slices of bread

½ cup cooked crab meat

½ cup cooked pork meat, chopped

½ cup mushrooms, raw, finely chopped

Toast bread, cut off the crusts and cut the pieces of bread into four. If the crusts aren't quite dry, pop them in the oven or a dry skillet, and warm them until dry, then in a mortar and pestle or food processor, convert them into bread crumbs.
Prepare half a cup each of cooked crab meat, cooked, chopped pork, and raw, finely chopped mushrooms.

Prepare a paste consisting of:
3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

3 tabelspoons prik phom(ground red chilis)

3 tablespoons crushed toasted peanuts

3 tablespoons khao koor (ground toasted rice)

Sauté the ginger and garlic, discarding most of the oil, and combine the ingredients, adding two medium sized duck eggs to the mixture (or three smallish hen's eggs).
Divide this mixture in three, and combine each portion with one of the half cups of mushrooms, crab or pork, to form three topping pastes.

Directions
1. Put about two teaspoons of paste on each of the toast pieces, and then take 2 dozen prik chi fa (a chili about finger length and as thick as your finger, that is the Thai equivalent of a jalapeño - you can use jalapenos instead if you wish), Cut off the tops of the chilis and discard the seeds. Put about two teaspoons of the paste mixture in each chili.

2. With a melon-baller prepare 16 balls of melon, 16 balls of mango, and 16 balls of fresh pineapple. [if you are using jalapeños, slice the fruit and use a sharp knife to cut plugs for the tops of the chilis). Place a ball of fruit on each piece of toast and secure by piercing it through with a tooth-pick. Plu each of the chilis with a fruit ball, and secure by piercing through the sides of the chili and the fruit ball with another tooth pick. Prepare another batch of fruit balls, and wash 16 prik ki nu (birdseye chilis), and pat them dry.

3. Mix two tablespoons of powdered peanuts, one tablespoon of khao koor, one tablespoon of prik phom, and a little rice flour (or cornstarch), to make a dusting powder. Dip each of the pieces of toast, each of the stuffed chilies, each of the fruit balls, and each of the birdseye chilis in maple syrup, and then dredge them in the dusting powder.

4. Prepare a batter by beating an egg yolk, and adding about a cup of ice cold water to it, then add a cup of sifted plain [all-purpose] flour, and mix to a thin batter. Add a teaspoon of prik phom and a teaspoon of freshly groung prik Thai (black pepper). Dip the canopes in the batter a few at a time, and deep fry until crisp.

Serve on a platter with the dipping sauces used for satay, and some uncooked fruit balls, and cucumber slices.

Star Fruit

also called carambola, is a star-shaped fruit that has a subtle, citrusy flavor.

Here, it is both common and popular because of its high water content and is a refreshing treat in our tropical heat.
The juicy fruit is a good alternative to water as it has a relatively higher water content than most fruits.

It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C. A small whole fruit will contribute to one-third of the recommendeddaily Vitamin C intake. It is also high in dietary fibre and naturally sodium-free.
When buying starfruits, choose those that are skinny, firm and evencoloured.
If only unripe fruits are available, all you need to do is to place them in room temperature and turn them often until they turn yellow.

The starfruit is also popular because it is convenient to eat. Simply wash the fruit, remove the blemished areas and slice them across.

Custard Apple (Noi-na )

Also known as sugar apple, this fruit has a lumpy green skin covering masses of sweet, scented white flesh: in most varieties the fruit can easily be divided into two pieces by hand and the creamy flesh eaten with spoon. Custard apples also form the base for a delicious ice cream, served in Thai restaurants. The main growing areas are the north - central provinces such as Phetchabun and Nakhon Ratchasima, and the peak fruiting season lasts from June to September.

Durian Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:
4 to 6 segments fresh, frozen or canned durian, as needed to make 4 ounces durian paste
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup light cream
1 cup whole milk

Directions:

INGREDIENTS:
4 to 6 segments fresh, frozen or canned durian, as needed to make 4 ounces durian paste
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup light cream
1 cup whole milk

Directions:

Remove the seeds from the durian. Use an electric mixer to mix the flesh into a paste. Press the paste through a fine sieve. You should have 4 ounces durian paste at this point. (If not, use more durian).
Chill the durian paste until ready to use.In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla essence and sugar.Bring the milk and cream to a near boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the egg mixture, stirring constantly to thicken. Take care not to let the mixture boil, or the milk will curdle (if you see bubbles forming at the edge of the saucepan, take it off the stove element).Allow the custard to cool. Chill the custard in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes, until it is just beginning to harden. Gradually stir in the durian paste, a tablespoon at a time.Either continue freezing, stirring several times throughout, or finish the ice cream in an ice cream maker.

Durian (Thurian)

Durian, the King of Fruits

Beginning in May and extending through August, the durian announces its presence in Thai markets with a distinctive, highly pervasive aroma. To Thais, as well as to many other Asians, the stin k is a welcome odor for they regard durian as the king of fruits, a delicacy that is well worth the comparatively high price it commands. Some visitors, on the other hand, are deterred by the potent smell and never actually sample the creamy golden flesh hidden within the spiny exterior - thereby missing one of the truly great pleasures of fruit eating. "The more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop," wrote Alfred Russell Wallace, after eating his first durian on Borneo in the 19th century, and most of those who follow his example are likely to agree with him. Thai durians are noted for their subtle flavor and smooth texture, often winning over gourmets who have failed to respond in other countries where the fruit grows. Three of the most popular varieties (and there are several dozen to choose from) are cha ni, kan yao, and, perhaps the most prized of all, monthong.

Durian Ice Cream

Guava (Farang)

No one seems to know how the Thais came to call the guava by the same name used for Westerners, but perhaps the fact that the fruit originally came from Spain had something to do with it.In any event, the guava is one of the most popular fruits for snacks, eaten either ripe or when still green dipped in a bit of salt or sugar. In addition to the usual one with white flesh, another variety is bright red when peeled.

JACKFRUIT (Ka-noon)

The jackfruit is the shape of a large melon. The fruit has a grey skin, and contains a great number of pips or kernels which are about the size of a pigeon's egg. These, when roasted, taste like chestnuts. The fruit is yellow and succulent, of a sweet taste and powerful smell. Thus wrote Simon de la Loubere, a French visitor to Thailand in the 17th century, and his description of the popular jackfruit still holds true. Thais eat the yellow flesh alone, with ice cream or mixed with other fruits and coconut milk in a compote. The cooked seeds find their way into many dishes.

Crispy Snack (Khao Taang na Taang )

Khao Taang is typically served along with crisp fried bread or melba toast and any of a variety of tasty Thai dips. This month, we share the recipe for Khao Taang Na Taang (Crisp Rice Sheets with Savoury Sauce).

Always remember that a true Thai snack follows several important codes: It must be served in a way that includes more than one person. It must be easy to eat, not requiring extra plates and utensils. Of course, it must be delicious enough to tempt somebody away from whatever they happen to be doing for a few minutes between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner. The ingredients must be fresh and unprocessed. And it must be quick and easy to prepare and arranged in an attractive way.

Ingredients:
½ cup minced pork
½ cup minced prawn (about 7 oz. fresh prawns)
¾ cup ground roasted peanuts
1 ¾ cups coconut milk
1 dried chili, seeds removed and soaked in water
1 teaspoon sliced coriander root
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon thinly sliced shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Crisp Rice Sheets :
1 pound rice-pot crust
3 cups cooking oil

Directions:
1. In pre-heated cooking oil, fry the pot crust a few pieces at a time in a deep wok over medium heat, turning as necessary until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the oil and drain.
Pound the coriander root, pepper, chili and garlic well in a mortar. Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a wok.
2. When some oil surfaces from the coconut milk, add the coriander root pepper garlic mixture and stir. Next, add the prawns and pork, stir well and season to taste with the sugar and fish sauce. When the dip has come to a boil once again, add the peanuts and shallots, remove from the heat, and sprinkle in a little chopped fresh coriander.

Serving: Pour the dip into a decorative sauce bowl and arrange on a platter with the crisp rice sheets. Fried bread or melba toast can be served in addition to the Khao Taang. This recipe serves three to four people.

Eating: Just take a rice sheet in your fingers, dip it into the savoury sauce and enjoy!

THAI FISH CAKES (Tod Man Pla)

Ingredients :
450 g firm white fish fillets
3 tablespoons cornflour or rice flour
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
3 teaspoons Red Curry Paste or commercial paste
1-2 teaspoons chopped red chillies, optional
100 g green beans, very finely sliced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup oil, for frying
Basic Dipping Sauce or commercial sauce

Directions

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.

Noodles In Thick Sauce

Ingredients
pork loin, thinly sliced, and cut into bite sized pieces 1 cup
wide rice noodles, soaked until soft in warm water (10 minutes). 1 cup
broccoli or pak kana 1 1/2 cup
sstraw mushrooms –hed fang 1/4 cup
water or pork stock 1 cup
fish sauce 3 tbs
sweet soy – see eu dam 2 tbs
palm sugar 2 tbs
tapioca starch, mixed in a little water 2 tbs
garlic, thinly sliced 1 tbs
MSG (optional) 1 tsp
freshly milled black pepper 1 tsp

Directions
1. Combine the fish sauce and soy sauce
2. add the pepper and MSG, and marinade the meat for about one hour
3. drain, and reserve the marinade.
While the noodles are soaking to soften them, prepare the broccoli and peeling then slicing the stems, and chopping the leaves to form three quarters of a cup of thinly sliced stems and leaves. Or pak kana

1. In a large skillet or WOK over medium heat
2. sauté the garlic in a little oil
3. then stir fry the noodles until they begin to turn brown.
4. Stir continuously to avoid the noodles sticking together.
5. Remove from the wok retaining the liquid, and turn the heat to high6. briefly stir fry the pork to seal it.

1. In a large saucepan, heat the water or stock,
2. boil the marinade briefly
3. Add the tapioca starch to thicken
4. add the meat and other ingredients.
5. Stir occasionally until the meat and vegetables are nearly cooked to your taste.
6. Add the noodles and continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes to complete the dish.

Noodles in Fish Curry Sauce

Khao Soy(Chiang Mai Noodles)

Broiled pork with lime sauce ( MU MA NAO)

Ingredients

pork tenderloin 200 g

lettuce leaves 3

slice of green lemon 1

red chilies 5

peeled small garlic cloves 2 tb

sugar 1 tb

fish sauce 3 tb

lemon juice 3 tb

Directions

1. Wash the lettuce and arrange on a serving plate.

2. Wash the pork and cut into slices about 1 cm thick.

3. Broil until done then cut crosswise into thin slices.

4. Arrange the pork over the lettuce on a serving plate.

5. Chop the chili and garlic well and put in a mixing bowl, add the sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice, and stir to mix, pour over the pork on a bed of lettuce on a serving plate, garnish with the lemon slices, and serve.

Fried rice with prawns ( Khao Pad Gung)

Ingredients

prawns, peeled 400 g (13 oz)

soy sauce 2 tb

pepper 1 onion

tomato 1

spring onions 2

rice 300 g (10 oz)

oil 2 tb

fish sauce 2 tb

soy sauce 2 tb

sugar 1 ts

Directions

1. In a pot bring water to boil and add rice. Cook for ten minutes and pour off water. Let rice cool down.

2. Marinade prawns with soy sauce and pepper.

3. Dice onions and tomatoes, cut spring onions into 2 cm long pieces.

4. Heat oil in a wok or a pan and add prawns. Stir-fry prawns until they turn red.

5. Add onions and continue to stir-fry. Add tomatoes and spring onions and stir-fry for one more minute.6. Stir in rice and heat.7. Season with fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar.

Sticky rice with fruits

Ingredients:

400 ml (13 fl oz) coconut milk

300 ml (10 fl oz) water

250 g (8 oz) sticky rice

3 tb sugarsaltfruits

Directions

1. In a pot bring half of the coconut milk and the water to boil. Reduce heat and add sticky rice, sugar and salt.

2. Cover the rice and let simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Pour in rest of the coconut milk and stir. Serve with fresh fruits

Pandanus Jam

Kao Niao Sung Khaya (Sticky Rice and Egg Custard)

Khanom Taan(Sugar Palm Cake)

Luuk Chuup (Fruity Dessert)

Kanom Chan

Kanom Jeeb (Siu Mai Dumplings)

Kanom Tuay Foo (Jasmine Sponge Cakes)

Gluay Tod (Fried Bananas) กล้วยทอด

Gluay Chueam (Caramelized Sweet Banana) กล้วยเชื่อม

Kanom Paeng Na Moo (Pork Toast)

Durian Ice Cream

Crispy Snack (Khao Taang na Taang )

KANOM MOR KAENG( Thai taro custard )

THONG YOT(Golden drops)

King prawn tom yam soup (Tom yum Koong)

Ingredients

Chicken stock 2 cups

Fresh mushrooms, quartered 5 oz.

Fish sauce 4-5 tbsp.

Fresh prawns ,peeled 8 oz.

Kaffir lime leaves 2 leaves

Bird's eye chili peppers 4 whole

Fresh coriander leaves 4 springs

Fresh lemon grass, sliced thin 3 tbsp.

Fresh lime juice 5-7 tbsp.

Directions

1.In a pot, bring to the boil the chicken stock, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.

2.Allow the stock with the herbs to boil for one minute to allow herbs to impart their scent to the stock. Add fresh mushrooms and boil until done (one minute).

3.While the liquid is still boiling add the prawns and season with fish sauce and lime juice. Garnish with bird's eye chili peppers and coriander leaves, serve immediately. Do not over cook the prawns once the prawns turn while, turn off the heat

Noodles in Fish Curry Sauce

When you eat noodles in Thailand, it is usually eaten dry or with a clear soup to which you add your own condiments. However, there is another noodle called khanom jeen which is quite different in look and taste. These distinctive white noodles are almost spaghetti like. They are made from rice flour and are best bought freshly made. I have never seen them being made, but they are apparently produced by forcing the rice flour through a sieve into a pot of boiling water. They are sold in nest like batches in the market.

The name khanom jeen is a little misleading. It can literally be translated as "Chinese pastry", however it is neither pastry nor Chinese. Some cookery books say that this dish comes from Southern Thailand. However, it would seem that just about every region of Thailand has their own version of this curry. When you are out on the street, you will see noodle shops that specialize in khanom jeen. The tables will be laid out with trays of vegetables which you can help yourself to. In the shop where I took these pictures you had the choice of four different curry sauces.

In the above picture you can see the sauces for three soups that go with khanom jeen noodles. The larger one on the right is "nam ya ga ti" which is sometimes shortened to just "nam yaa". It is the famous version for the central region. In the top left is "nam ya ba" and bottom left is "nam ngiaw". The missing sauce is "nam prik". The first two I mentioned have fish balls (look chin pla) but nam ngiaw is served with chicken pieces. The recipe does vary as you travel around the country but the following should give you an idea of the ingredients.

ขนมจีน น้ำยา - khanom jeen nam yaa

The fish curry sauce is made with fish, ginger, garlic, shrimp paste, shallots, galangal, lemon grass, peppers, coconut milk and fish sauce.

ขนมจีน น้ำเงี๊ยว - khanom jeen nam ngiaw

This curry is made with garlic, red curry paste, yellow bean sauce, diced tomatoes, turmeric, fish sauce, spring onion and coriander. You can use either chicken (as in the picture) or pork ribs.
The sauce is poured on top of the noodles. You then have a selection of vegetables which you eat with it. These include: basil, quail eggs, pickled mustard greens, shredded cabbage and beansprouts. It is a bit unusual but worth your time in trying them out. You can also eat khanom jeen with green curry instead of rice. Try something new the next time you are in Thailand!

Fried Quail Eggs

One of my favourite hawker food snacks are the fried quail eggs. You don't always see them around. When I do I usually go straight for them. It costs about 10 baht for a tray. The vendor sprinkles some soy sauce on top and black pepper. You will notice on the picture below that she uses the same hot plate as for khanom krok.

Sticky Rice with Bananas

The other day, when I was with Steve and Jit, I watched some villagers making a large batch of khao tom mat. This is basically sticky rice, bananas and black beans wrapped in banana leaves. This is then steamed though it could also be grilled. You may remember me talking about Khanom thian before which is quite similar. Though that one uses sticky rice flour instead.

To make khao tom mat you first dissolve some sugar and salt in a pan of coconut milk. You then add the sticky rice and stir slowly over a low heat until the liquid has dissolved. Next you need to tear up some banana leaves into lengths of about 8 inches long. Spread some of the sticky rice mixture in the middle and then place a halved banana on top. Complete the sandwich with another layer of sticky rice and press in a few black beans. Tie up the banana leaves with a long strip of bamboo. You then place it in a steamer, like the one above, and steam for about an hour or so. The results will look like below. Delicious.

How To Cook with Banana Leaf

1. Buying Banana Leaves
Banana leaves are very inexpensive to buy - roughly $3.00-4.00 for a large pack. Buy banana leaves fresh or frozen in large, flat plastic bags at your local Asian supermarket (check the freezer if you can't find them on the shelf or in the produce section).

2. Cooking with Banana Leaves
Banana leaves can be used for baking anything "wrapped" - in the same way you would use tin foil or parchment paper. However, note that banana leaves are porous (unlike tin foil), so some of the "sauce" or juices from your food item may seep through. It's therefore a good idea to place your banana leaf "packets" in a glass cassarole dish, or a tray that has "sides" on it, so that the juices don't drip to the bottom of your oven.

3. Banana Leaves for Barbecuing:
You can also use banana leaf as a kind of "mat" for barbecuing fragile fillets of fish, smaller shrimp, or vegetables that have a danger of falling through the grill. Simply lay a piece of banana leaf on your barbecue (grill), then cook your food items on top of it (as you would with tin foil). The banana leaf will turn bright green at first, then brown as you cook. It will also give a hint of flavor to your food that is very pleasant.

4. Banana Leaves for Serving:
Banana leaf also makes a beautiful background on which to serve various Asian dishes - excellent for party platters or finger foods. Tip for Party Platters: If you're using banana leaves for serving rather than cooking, you can make the leaf even more attractive by heating it. Turn on the burner of your stove (or use the barbecue), and simply hold the banana leaf low over the heat. Rotate it slowly so the heat reaches all of the leaf - this will release the oils from the leaf and cause it to turn a beautiful bright green.

5. Eating on Banana Leaf!
This is perhaps the "funnest" part of using banana leaves in cooking - eating off of them! Any dish that has been cooked in banana leaf can also be served in/on it - in fact, this makes the dish even more beautiful to serve and to eat. It also makes for a wonderful conversation-starter at dinner parties! For an example of a good recipe to do this, check out my : Thai Pineapple Chicken- a Yummy&Exotic Thai Treat

6. Storing Banana Leaves:
Usually you will have leftover leaves after you've finished making your recipe or serving your food, as they are sold in large packs. To keep the rest for use later, simply wrap up in plastic (a plastic bag will do, secured with elastic), and keep in the freezer. Banana leaves only require about 30 minutes to thaw, so this is a convenient way to keep them fresh. If using within a week, store them (wrapped in plastic) in the refrigerator.

Tips:
1. Use scissors to cut banana leaves into the size you need, depending on your recipe. For wrapping and baking food items, you will need a large "sheet" or leaf. Place enough for one serving in the center of the leaf, then fold like a handkerchief to make a square packet.

2. Banana leaf is also excellent for steaming, as it allows the steam to penetrate the food inside or on top of it. You can use banana leaf to line a steamer, or to wrap your food and then steam it.
3. Scure banana leaf "packets" with toothpicks inserted and woven through the leaf. Or simply place the packet "seam-side" down to keep it from opening.

4. Ideas for Baking with Banana leaves: Try wrapping up some chicken, fish or seafood, or other meats in banana leaf and baking them in the oven. First, mix in a little Curry Paste, , then wrap up in the leaf (square-shaped packets are easiest to make). Secure the packet with toothpicks, or simply place the packet "seam-side" down to keep it from opening while baking. For recipes that use banana leaf

5. Banana leaves can be composted when you're finished using them.

Frying Tips

Stir Frying Tips
The most important cooking tip I have learned in terms of Thai cuisine is this: make sure adequate time is taken to prepare all ingredients before heating up your wok or frying pan. In Thai cooking, preparation is everything. You’ll find that once all the necessary ingredients are sliced, ground, and ready to go, the actual cooking time required is minimal. Most Thai stir-fries (including many noodle dishes) are cooked at high heats and for only a few minutes, which is what makes them particularly fresh, delicious, and nutritious.

When stir frying, start with a well-oiled wok. Spread a good frying oil (like sunflower or canola) around your wok, including up the sides. Add ingredients when the wok is hot so that not too much oil will be absorbed by the food. When the wok gets too dry, I add a little water, broth, or cooking wine instead of more oil. This is a healthier option and works just as well. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. at a time as needed.

Stir-frying Rice
To achieve restaurant-quality stir-fried rice, it's important to start with left-over boiled or steamed rice - preferably at least 2 days old. It should be fairly dry and hard to the touch. To achieve this type of rice in a shorter time, place a pot of cooked rice in the refrigerator with the lid off.

When you're ready to fry the rice, first pour a tablespoon or two of oil into the rice and work it through with your fingers, gently separating the grains. This will make the rice nice and fluffy once it's fried - plus this way it won't clump or stick together.

Stir-frying Vegetables
Stir fried vegetables are done when the colors are enhanced (bright green for broccoli). Do not overcook, as this is one of the greatest health benefits of Southeast-Asian foods - the fact that vegetables retain most of their essential nutrients.

Find a Balance of Salty, Sour, Spicy, and Sweet

In Thai cooking, taste-testing is a complete necessity. Following a Thai recipe is a good start, but because tastes vary from person to person, you will need to find your own balance of seasonings with each dish you make. Here are some tips to help you achieve that balance:

· To tone down a dish that is too spicy, add coconut milk or yoghurt. A little sugar may also diminish some of the fire.

· To tone down a dish that is too salty, add lime juice, lemon juice, or tamarind water (made from a little tamarind paste mixed with water).

· When you find a dish not salty enough, add fish sauce instead of salt—or soy sauce if you are vegetarian. This way you will get more flavor as well as the saltiness you’re seeking.

· To sweeten Thai dishes, you can use plain white sugar, although brown sugar is closer to the rock sugar most Asian chefs use. Since I prefer not to use sugar in my cooking, I substitute with xylitol—a sweet, sugar-like ingredient that does not raise blood glucose levels (available at health food stores). This is also an excellent substitute for diabetics.

· If you find your dish not sour enough, a little lime juice or tamarind water will suffice nicely (for tamarind water, see above).

· Not spicy enough? That’s easy! Add more fresh (or dried) chillies, cayenne pepper, chilli powder, or a teaspoon of Thai chilli sauce (available in Asian stores).

vegetable springrolls(Po Pia Thod)

Ingredients:

300 grams spring roll sheets
25 grams bean noodles
1 cup mashed, boiled, hulled mungbeans
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup bean sprouts (remove root tips)
1 1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 tbsp. of boiled flour-water mixture
vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Soak the noodles in water to soften them; then cut them into short lengths and mix with the mashed mungbeans, cabbage, bean sprouts, pepper and soy sauce.
2. Fry the garlic in 1 tbsp. vegatable oil on low heat. When it yellows, add the noogle-mungbean mixture and stir fry it until it's dry. Remove the pan to cool.
3. Spread outa springroll sheet, place about 1 1/2 tsp of the filling in the middle, fold the end over the filling, roll to vorm a cylinder and use some of the flour paste to stick the end close.
4. Fry the spring rolls in hot oil on low heat until they are golden brown.
5. Drain the PoPia Thod and serve with spring roll sauce.

Khao Soy(Chiang Mai Noodles)

Ingredients:


4 ounces fresh egg noodle


1 tablespoon chopped garlic


1 tablespoon red curry paste


1/2 cup of coconut milk


4 ounces of ground pork


1 cup chicken stock


1 tablespoon curry powder


1 pinch of turmeric powder


2 tablespoons of fish sauce


1 teaspoon lime juice





Note:


The egg noodles should be fresh. If you cannot find fresh egg noodles, you may substitute almost any other noodle you desire. However if you intend to use dried noodles, remember to soak them first for 20 minutes.





Directions:


Here is the two step plan. You should be doing these simultaneously.





1Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil.Cook the noodles for roughly 20 seconds.Strain the noodles, and put them on your plate



2In a medium sized saucepan, heat the coconut milk on low heat, and slowly stir in the curry paste. When it begins to simmer, add in the remaining items, except for the pork. Wait about 1 minute, then add in the pork, and cook until the pork is done (not pink in the middle)Pour the sauce over the noodles, and voila!

Satay Pork in Peanut Sauce

I was walking through Paknam Market this afternoon when I came across a hawker selling moo sateh, otherwise known in English as Pork Satay. I love this snack though I must admit that, for me, the main attraction is the sauce!

If you want, you can also buy satay beef or satay chicken, but in Paknam Market they only seem to sell satay pork. You might be wondering at this stage why the pork has a yellow tinge. Well, that is to do with the turmeric. Actually, turmeric is a deep orange colour originally, but it turns curries, soups and some rice dishes yellow when cooked with them.

In this case, the cook pounds together galangal, lemon grass and turmeric until it is a fine paste. (You might remember the first two ingredients from the Tom Kha Gai (chicken coconut soup) recipe that I talked about the other week.) Other ingredients are then added which include roasted coriander seed, roasted cumin seed, ground pepper, salt and the ever present sugar. Then it is mixed in with the pork and left to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

There is now one sauce and one relish to prepare. You can see these in the photograph below. On the left hand side are the ingredients for the cucumber relish. This is made up of (from top left) cucumber, shallots, chili and a generous amount of vinegar. This vinegar has been pre-cooked with a pinch of salt and a generous helping of our friend sugar until the latter two dissolve. This is then left to cool.

On the right of this picture is a bowl of the very delicious satay sauce. This is also prepared in advance before the hawker sets up her stand. This is made with coconut milk, red curry paste and ground roast peanut. This is cooked together and then seasoned with sugar (again) tamarind juice and salt. (You probably guessed by now that Thai people have a sweet tooth!)