Royal Lilies

บัวหลวง

In Thailand, there are two variations of royal lily, namely white and pink. They both have the botanical features shared by other water plants, marked with giant round leaves of dark green. Long stalks that rise above the surface of the water support the leaves, while the flower comprises different layers of petals.

The cone-shaped buds contain seeds that grow into fruits or lily cones. 

In the meantime, the roots grow deep into the soft soil. In general, royal lilies propagate using seeds; only a few species propagate using stalks.

Almost all parts of the royal lily are useful. Lily buds are used as religious offerings; leaves hold food; petals are used to roll tobacco and as raw material for other handicrafts; shoots and stalks are edible whether boiled, stir-fried or curried; seeds are used both in savories and desserts and the roots boiled with sugar are refreshing.

Royal  lilies also boast medicinal properties. Stamens from lily buds reinvigorate the body, help urinary discharge and heal wounds.

The roots are sweet and scented and can be used to treat diarrhea. Bulbs and seeds are effective for quenching thirst and cooling the body, aiding mucus discharge and healing fresh wounds. And the bitter kernel of lily seeds helps enlarge arteries and nourish heart muscles. A water plant such as the royal lily is thus beauty with value.

Tom Jubchai

ต้มจับฉ่าย
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
6 garlic cloves (kratiem), minced
1 lb (500 g)chicken
1/2 cup minced cilantro/coriander leaves (bai pak chee)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
4 cups (1qt/1 l) water
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) light soy sauce
1/3 cup (3 oz/90 g) sugar

Vegetables:

4 oz (125 g) bok choy
4 oz (125 g) cabbage
4 oz (125 g) Chinese broccoli
4 oz (125 g) napa cabbage
4 oz (125 g) celery
4 oz (125 g) green onions/scallions/spring onions
4 oz (125 g) sweet chard
4 oz (125 g) swamp cabbage
4 oz (125 g) carrots
4 oz (125 g) spinach

Preparations:

1. Heat a large pot and add the oil and garlic. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the vegetables. Heat to boiling, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Slice all the vegetables, add them to the pot and cook for 10 minutes longer. Serve in a large soup tureen.

Thai Food Recipe: เต้าหู้ทรงเครื่อง Tao Huu Song Krueng (Fried Bean Curd Dressed with Oyster Sauce)

เต้าหู้ทรงเครื่อง
Tao Huu Song Krueng
(Fried Bean Curd Dressed with Oyster Sauce)

Prepare:

1 cup bean curd
1 group scallion (cut 1 inch)
1 group Chinese celery (cut 1 inch)
1/2 cup minced pork
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup shitake mushroom
1/4 cup asparagus (cut 1 inch)
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 sweetbell pepper (sliced)

1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
vegetable oil



Cooking Instructions:

1. Dissolve corn flour with 1/4 cup of water.

2. Dip bean curd in mixed corn flour. Fry it until it has yellowish color.

3. Put fried bean curd in a strainer.

4. In the pan, put 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry minced garlic and then put mince pork. Cook for 5 minutes.

5. Next, add fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce. Put carrot, scallion, chinese celery, asparagus, shitake mushroom. Pour the mix 1/2 cup corn flour with 1/2 cup of water in the pan. Stir until the sauce get thick.


6. Turn off the fire. Dress the sauce mixed from number 5 over fried bean curd.

By:http://trythaifood.thaipulse.com

Stir-fried Vegetables

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off
1 tb sp oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
3 tsp chopped red chili
2 sticks celery, cut into 3 cm pieces
100g green beans, cut into 3 cm pieces
1/2 red capsicum, cut into thin 3 cm pieces
1/2 tb sp chili sauce
1-2 tb sp fish sauce
1 tsp Golden Mountain Sauce
100 bean sprouts
1/4 cup roasted chopped peanut, optional
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method

Cut the asparagus in 3cm pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the garlic and lemon grass in to the wok and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chilies, celery and beans, stir-fry for 1 minute. Add asparagus and capsicum
to the wok, toss well, cover and steam for 1 minute.

Add the sauces to the wok and toss well. Add bean sprouts, toss again.

Serve with peanuts and coriander leaves scattered over the top.

(Serves: 4-6)


By:www.thaicookinga-z.com

Guide to vegetables, herbs and roots used in Thai cooking.2

Water Chestnuts (Haew) are very crunchy and delicious. They're used in many different dishes.


Taro Root (Pueak) is primarily used in making Thai desserts. Taro also comes in a purple variety. Boniato (Mun Tet) is primarily used in making Thai desserts. Boniato, as well as taro, is available at many Asian markets. Yucca Root (Mun Sum Pa Lunk) is primarily used in making Thai desserts. Yucca is also called tapioca or cassava.


Boniato (Mun Tet) is primarily used in making Thai desserts. Boniato, as well as taro, is available at many Asian markets.


Yucca Root (Mun Sum Pa Lunk) is primarily used in making Thai desserts. Yucca is also called tapioca or cassava.


Yanang leaves are used in Gang Naw Mai and other dishes from Northeast Thailand featuring bamboo shoots.


Edamame are edible young soybean seeds and are steamed and eaten as a snack. They're available frozen and can sometimes be purchased fresh at farmers markets.


Lotus Root (Hua Bua) is the root of the water lotus plant and is most often used to make desserts or drinks.


Mayom Leaves (bai mayom) are leaves of the Otaheite Gooseberry. They're eaten with Laab or Nam Prik.


Pak Van is eaten with Laab or Nam Prik and grows like a ground cover in Thailand near rice paddies.


Chayote (Mala Waan) tastes like fuzzy gourd and is used in Red Curry with Chicken, Clear Hot Soup with Fish and other stir-fried dishes.


Sugar Cane stick (Oye) Thai people eat sugar cane as a candy and it's added to soup broth for sweet flavoring. Sugar cane is also used as a skewer for grilling.


Bitter melon Leaves (Yod Mala) have a bitter taste and are very good in the Issan dish Beef Om. They're also steamed and eaten with dipping sauce. Bitter melon leaves are often available at farmers markets.


Dok Kare is an edible flower of the Kare tree. They're white and light green in color. Dok Kare is often steamed and eaten with fish dipping sauce. It's also good for Hot and Sour Soup with Mud fish (Gang Som Dok Kare Pla Chon)


Edible Fern (Pak kood) In the Northern region of Thailand this fern is well known as pak kood and is used in Bamboo Soup (Gang Naw Mai), Om and is cooked in a salad called Soob Pak Kood. It's also steamed and eaten with fish dipping sauce.


Kee Lek leaves have a strong bitter taste and have to be boiled in hot water and drained several times before they're used to make Curry with Beef Tendon (Gang Kee Lek Sai En Voaw). It is a most unique curry!


Pak Kadon is a wild vegetable that grows in rice fields. It has a unique taste that's similar to hairy bean (tua hair). Kadon is usually eaten raw with meat salad (Laab) and the leaves are similar to bai ma muang himapaan (cashew nut leaves)


Pak Waan has very plain taste and is good for steaming and serving with dipping sauce. Pak Waan is also used to make soup with smoked fish or ant's eggs.


Pak Thew is a wild vegetable like Kadon and Kee Lek. It has a sour taste like Young Tamarind leaves and is good for Hot and Sour Fish Soup. Pak Thew is also eaten raw with meat salad (Laab) and Kao Tod Nam Klook (Rice Curry Salad).


Pak Kaat is well known in Northeast Thailand and is used for fish curry and beef. Both the leaves and the flowers are added to the curry and it has a smell like raw beef.


Pak Kaat is well known in Northeast Thailand and is used for fish curry and beef. Both the leaves and the flowers are added to the curry and it has a smell like raw beef.


Satoh bean is similar in appearance to a lima bean and is used in stir-fries and curries and is also eaten raw with dipping sauce. Satoh is well known in the south of Thailand and tastes like Katin and Chaom.


Tamarind Leaves (Yod Makaam On) are sour and are eaten with salt as a snack and used to replace lime or lemon in chicken and fish soups.


Hairy Bean (Tua Hair in Isaan) is eaten raw with meat salad (Laab) and tastes like Kadon leaves. It's mostly found in Northeast Thailand


Sesame Leaves (bai nga) are used to wrap up beef for grilling (they can substitute for Beefsteak Plant (Shiso leaves) and taste similar to chapoo leaves.


Drumstick Tree Fruit is often called Malunggay in Asian markets as that is what it's called in the Philippines. The pods are about 6 inches to 1 foot long.


Tindora (Luuk Tum Loong in Thai) is boiled and eaten with dipping sauce or stir-fried. They resemble cucumbers, but are only 1-2 inches long. They can be found in Indian markets.


Thai Edible Flower (dok grah-geow) tastes similar to ginger and can be purchased frozen imported from Thailand.

Guide to vegetables, herbs and roots used in Thai cooking.1

Green Papaya (Malagaw) is shredded to make the famous spicy Thai salad called Som Tum! Green unripe papaya is available in most Asian markets.

Culantro (Pak Chee Farang) is usually eaten raw and can also be cut up and added to Laab (Isaan Meat Salad).


Krachet is grown in water and the foam-like material covering the stem must be removed before eating.


Kowtong is eaten raw or can also be used in salads. It has a fish-like flavor.

Kayang is an herb that is eaten raw (in Northeast Thailand) or used to make Om. Kayang has a very unusual flavor.


Katin is eaten raw with Nam Prik and tastes somewhat like Cha-om. It comes in bunches of strings about 4-6 inches in length.


Chive Flowers (Dok Gui Chai) are the flowering tips of chives and are used in stir-fries.

Lin Fah (Dragon Tongue) is usually steamed and eaten with Nam Prik. It's available frozen at some Asian markets

Okra (Makuea Sawanh) is steamed and eaten as a vegetable or used in stir-fries.

Sadao flowers and leaves are very bitter and are eaten with Nam Prik or Laab (Isaan Meat Salad).

Samek leaves are very sour and are eaten with Laab or Nam Prik.

Opo Squash (Nam Tao) is also called bottle gourd or calabash. Opo is used in soups and stir-fries and is also steamed and eaten with Nam Prik.

Banana Flower (Hua Plee) is eaten with Kanom Jeen Namya and Pad Thai. Only the tender inside part is eaten.

Bamboo Shoots (Naw Mai) are used in some Thai curries and a special Isaan curry called Gang Naw Mai.

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.