brianna

I'm in a great little cooking club where we focus on a different theme every month and everyone cooks something in the theme -- this month is thai and i have no experience... does anyone out there have any great (perferably authentic) recipes to share?

Jay Francis

Here you go. I teach a beginner's cooking class:

Woodland Heights Cooking School

Beginning Thai Cooking


























Satay Sauce

Note 1: A teflon coated pot or sauce pan is recommended.

Note 2: This sauce improves if made the day before. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating and serving to bring out the full flavors.

Note 3: By using unsalted peanut butter, you may adjust the saltiness with the fish sauce.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola, or, peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemon grass

6 double kaffir lime leaves
2 "2 inch" cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves

1/2 cup water
2 cups coconut milk (1 can)
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce, or to taste
6 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

2 cups chunky peanut butter (unsalted if available)

Instructions:

In a medium skillet or pot, heat the oil on medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the lemon grass and garlic cloves and sauté for an additional 2 minutes or until the garlic gives off its aroma. Add the lime leaves, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a blender, process the water, coconut milk, milk, tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown sugar and lemon or lime juice.

Add the liquid to the skillet or pot, heat at medium for 5 minutes, stirring to keep from sticking.

Using a strainer, strain the liquid into a large Pyrex or other container.

While the liquid is still hot, stir in the peanut butter.

Serve with grilled meat, shrimp crackers, or stir fried vegetables.
Satay Sauce - Another Way

Note 1: A teflon coated pot or sauce pan is recommended.

Note 2: This sauce improves if made the day before. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating and serving to bring out the full flavors.

Note 3: By using unsalted peanut butter, you may adjust the saltiness with the fish sauce.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chopped Thai chile peppers
3 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (Malaysian preferred)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon grass
1 2 inch cinnamon stick

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice or lime juice

1 cup chunky peanut butter

Instructions:

In a medium skillet or pot, heat the oil on medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the lemon grass and garlic cloves and sauté for an additional 2 minutes or until the garlic gives off its aroma. Add the lime leaves, cinnamon sticks, curry powder, and bay leaves, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a blender, process the water, coconut milk, milk, tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown sugar and lemon or lime juice.

Add the liquid to the skillet or pot, heat at medium for 5 minutes, stirring to keep from sticking.

Using a strainer, strain the liquid into a large Pyrex or other container.

While the liquid is still hot, stir in the peanut butter.

Serve with grilled meat, shrimp crackers, or stir fried vegetables.

Thom Kha Gai

Note 1: This recipe is from the Golden Room on Montrose. It is a favorite. This recipe benefits from 24 hour storage in the refrigerator before serving. If not serving immediately, do not add the kaffir lime leaves until you are ready to heat and serve.

Note 2: The raw chicken breasts may be sliced or chopped Thai style (to be demonstrated in class).

Ingredients:

6 cups water
1 cube chicken bouillon
6 tablespoons coconut powder
3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
8 teaspoons sugar
6 slices Kha (galanga)
1 teaspoon red curry paste (Maesri brand)
6 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
3 Thai chile peppers, or to taste
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (the breast portion from one chicken)

6 kaffir lime leaves

Instructions:

In a large pot, add all of the ingredients except the chicken breasts. Over medium heat, stir until coconut powder and bouillon have dissolved.

Add the chicken breasts and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through. Add the kaffir lime leaves and remove from heat.

Serve in a soup bowl over 1/2 cup of jasmine rice.

Variation 1: Slices of fresh lemon grass may also be added.
Variation 2: One can of drained, well rinsed (to get rid of the salt brine) can of straw mushrooms may be added.



Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce

Note: This is very pungent so be sure to have good ventilation during the cooking phase.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
10 drops Sriracha red chili sauce, or to taste

In a small pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil and continue boiling until the temperature reaches simple syrup stage, 230-240 F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add additional chili sauce to taste.

Serve with shrimp crackers or spring rolls.

Red Thai Curry

Note: Please consider this recipe a starting point. You may adjust the curry paste, sugar, and coconut milk to suit your own preferences.

1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola
1/2 can red curry paste (Maesri brand) or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
1 packet powdered coconut milk
1/2 cup water or more if required

1 boneless skinless chicken breast (the breast meat from one chicken), chopped Thai style

1 cup sweet basil leaves

Fish sauce, if desired

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil and add the chopped chicken, stirring for 5 minutes or until cooked. Add the curry paste and stir thoroughly until blended. Add the coconut powder and stir thoroughly until blended. Add 1/2 cup of water to create a nice slightly thick sauce. Add the tablespoon of sugar. Reduce heat and simmer. Taste and adjust flavor with fish sauce if desired.

Add the basil leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with jasmine rice.

Serves 4 with rice.

Variation: Add 1/4 cup, chopped, unsalted, dry roasted peanuts

Red Thai Curry with Chicken and Mushrooms

Note: Please consider this recipe a starting point. You may adjust the curry paste, sugar, fish sauce, and coconut milk to suit your own preferences.

1-tablespoon neutral oil such as canola
2 tablespoons red curry paste (Maesri brand) or to taste
1-tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste
8 kaffir double lime leaves
2 Thai green chiles, sliced or to taste
3 cups coconut milk (1 1/2 cans)
1-cup water or chicken stock

1 pound fresh mushrooms, halved
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (the breast meat from one chicken), chopped or sliced

1-cup sweet basil leaves

In a large pot over medium high heat, heat the oil and add the red curry paste, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the coconut milk and stir thoroughly until blended. Add the remaining ingredients except the basil leaves and cook over medium to medium high heat until the chicken is cooked and the mushrooms are tender. Just before serving, add the basil leaves.

Serve with jasmine rice.

Variation: Reduce the liquid volume and mushrooms, and increase the quantity of chicken as desired.

Serves 4 people

Cynthetiq

http://importfood.com/recipes.html

and a great place to SEE the stuff you can buy locally at the Oriental Food market or via the web.

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