Thai Cuisine Recipe

Thai Rice Flour Muffins (Kanom Tui Fu)

2009-06-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

Thai Rice Flour Muffins (Kanom Tui Fu)

This is the Thai version of muffins, they are made with rice flour, scented very gently with rose or other flower water and steamed rather than baked. To cook this you will need foil or paper cups, the dough mixture is runny and needs to be held in a cup during cooking. You can see from the pink muffin sliced in half in the picture above, that the mixture forms light moist muffins.

Ingredients for 4 Muffins
125 gms Rice Flour
125 gms Sugar
125 ml Rose Water
1 Teaspoon Fresh Yeast
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
Food Colouring (Optional)

Preparation
1. Mix the yeast with the rice flour, add the rose water little by little and mix until the flour is soft.
2. Add sugar, and the remaining rose water and the baking soda.
3. At this point you can add 5 drops of food colouring. Or even divide the mixture into sections and colour each section separately.
4. Stir the mixture well and place in a covered bowl, leave for 1-2 hours for bubbles to form.
5. The mixture should be thick but still fluid. Fill each paper or foil cup to just below the top, the mixture will expand during cooking.
6. Place in a Chinese steamer for 10 minutes. You can check they are cooked by sticking a tooth pick or fork into the centre and if it comes out clean it is cooked inside.
7. Serve cold.

Chicken Rice Curry With Coconut ( Koa Mook Gai )

2009-06-17T22:14:00.001-07:00

Chicken Rice Curry With Coconut ( Koa Mook Gai )

This curry comes from the Muslim area of Thailand, the south, near the border with Malaysia. It is a chicken curry, made with rice and coconut milk, served with a spicy ginger side sauce. Imagine Paella crossed with Thai spices and that is very close to the style of this dish.

Ingredients for 2 People
200 gms Chicken Legs
350 gms Thai Rice
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
400 ml Chicken Stock

Preparation
1. Clean the chicken legs and score the meat with two or three deep cuts to help it cook.
2. Put the oil into a frying pan and fry the chicken legs until the chicken is part cooked and the skin is browned.
3. Add the coconut milk, salt, curry powder and cinnamon, into the pan and mix it together for a few seconds over the heat.
4. Turn off the heat.
5. At this point you should move the chicken and sauce into a pan suitable to cook the rice in. In Thailand we use automatic rice cookers, and we simply move the chicken and sauce into the rice cooker, however a boiling pan will work equally well.
6. Add the rice, add the chicken stock, the chicken stock must completely cover the rice and submerge it by 2cm or more, if it does not, add water or more stock.
7. Cook on a low heat until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is completely cooked.

Serve With
Ginger sauce
Cucumber
Tomato

Ingredients for Ginger Sauce
20 gms Ginger
5 Small Bird Chillies
3 Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoons Soya Bean Sauce
1 Teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

Preparation for Ginger Sauce
1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend until fine.
2. Serve, yes it's that simple.
3. This sauce can be kept in the fridge and will last months, it is a common condiment for several Thai dishes, so you may wish to make up a batch and store it.

Green Curry Chicken Mince ( Gang Khiewwan Kai )

2009-06-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

Green Curry Chicken Mince ( Gang Khiewwan Kai )

This is a green curry made with minced chicken and small green aubergine. Those green beads you can see in the photograph are the aubergines, but don't worry, large peas will work too. This dish is also made with fish mince, and served with hot cooked. A shared dish of the curry is placed in the center of the table and each guest takes spoonfuls of the sauce onto their rice. Note, you can eat the citrus lime leaves.

Ingredients for 2 people (Medium Hot)
200 gms. Chicken Mince
50 gms. Green Curry Paste
400 ml Coconut Milk
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Sugar
50 gms. Small Green Aubergine
5 gms Basil
2 Red Chilles
2 Kaffir (Citrus) Leaves

Serve With
Hot Rice
or Rice Noodle

Preparation
1. Put a medium sized pan on the heat, add the coconut milk and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the green curry to the pan and stir it untill mixed, bring to the boil.
3. When the curry is boiling, add the chicken mince using a teaspoon. The aim is to make round ball shaped mince balls.
4. Cook for 10 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
5. Add the fish sauce, salt, sugar, red chillis, aubergines, citrus leaves, basil (basically all the other ingredients) and stir it for a few seconds over the heat to warm them through.
6. Turn the heat off and serve it warm with hot rice or rice noodle.

Thai Fish Cakes With Spicy Sauce ( Todman Bla )

2009-06-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

Thai Fish Cakes With Spicy Sauce ( Todman Bla )

Thai fish cakes are made from soft meat fish, green beans and starch and cooked by deep frying. They are served as a side dish with a spicy dipping or pouring sauce. Any soft meat fish will do and it's a great way to use often ignored smaller and cheaper fish.
To remove the meat of the fish: remove the head, slice it down the belly, and remove any entrails. Pull out the backbone, in soft fish this will also remove the bones. Then remove the top and bottom fins. Finally hold the fish by the skin and scrape off the meat from the skin with a flat bladed knife.

Ingredient for 2 People
150 gms Fish Meat
2-3 Tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste
100 gms Long Green Bean
1 Tablespoon Cassava or Potato Starch
Oil for frying

Ingredient for Sauce
20 gms Cucumber
10 gms Peanut
2 Big Red Chillis
3 Tablespoons Sweet Chicken Sauce
(A sweet sauce normally used for chicken, it does not contain chicken!)

Preparation
Fish Cakes
1. Pre heat a deap fat fryer to 150 degrees celsius (Medium).
2. Add the fish meat, red curry paste, cassava starch, to a blender and blend it.
3. Cut the green beans into very short pieces and mix into the mixture.
4. Take a spoonful of mixture and form it into flat round 'cookie' shaped fish cakes.
5. Drop the fish cakes into the hot oil, when the fish cake is cooked it will float back to the surface.
6. Remove from the oil onto kitchen paper to dry out the excess oil.

Preparation
Dipping Sauce
1. Chop the cucumber and chilles, and mixed with sweet chicken sauce.
2. Pound the peanuts in a mortar into smaller pieces.
3. Top the sauce off with the peanuts.
4. Serve as a side dish, or you can pour it over the fish cakes as we've done in the top photograph.

Pork Mushroom Parcels - Chow Mei ( Khanom Jeap )

2009-06-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Pork Mushroom Parcels - Chow Mei ( Khanom Jeap )

Another Thai variant of a Chinese dish. These are pork mushroom and carrot parcels, we called them 'Dim Sum' but our Chinese friends say the correct name for this type of starter is 'Chow Mei'. Served as a starter or a snack, each parcel is approximately 3cms across.

Ingredient for Pastry

200 gms. Wheat Flour ( Enough for 40 )
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Eggs

Ingredient for Filling

100 gms Pork Mince
3 Shitake Mushrooms
2 Carrots
1 Spring Onion
30 gms Coriander Leaves
1 Egg
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
4 Garlic Cloves
2 Tablespoon Cassava Starch (Or corn starch)

Preparation for Pastry
1. Put the salt, sugar, and flour into a bowl and mix it.
2. Beat the eggs together and mix into the flour.
3. Knead it until it forms a dough.
4. Set the dough aside for 20 minutes, it should be covered with a damp towel to prevent a skin forming.

Preparation for Filling
1. Soak the shitake mushroom for 5-10 minutes.
2. Chop shitake mushroom, carrots, spring onions, coriander leaves, and garlic,into small pieces. It is easier to blend it in a food processor.
3. Add the blended mix into the pork mince and add the egg, salt, oyster sauce and cassava starch, and mix well.

Assembly
1. Cut the dough into very small balls.
2. On a slightly oiled or floured surface, roll the dough into small circles (approximately 6cms diameter).
3. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
4. Lift up the edges into of the dought to form the sides - this will squeeze the filling into the centre.
5. For best results pleat the edges of the pastry to form pleated sides of the parcels.

Cooking and Storing
Add this point you can freeze them on a floured tray, or cook them straight away.
To cook them, place them in a Chinese steamer and steam for 10 minutes.

Serve With
Mint
Coriander
Lettuce
Sour sauce

Suggestions
If you like hot spicy food, you can insert a piece of red or green chilli into the centre of the parcel before eating it.
Another recommended way to serve them, is drissled with fried garlic and bacon in its oil, this is shown in the photograph.

Northern Style Spicy Chicken Soup (Tom Yum Guy)

2009-06-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Northern Style Spicy Chicken Soup (Tom Yum Guy)

This version of Tom Yum soup (the popular Thai spicy soup) is eaten in the North of Thailand, it is made with chicken rather than the shrimp (tom yum gung) eaten in the south and coast. If you prefer chicken its a good spicy soup.

Ingredients for 2 People
150 gms Corn Fed Chicken
8 Bird Chillies
2 Garlic Cloves
20 gms Lemon Grass
20 gms Galanga
4 Kaffir Citrus Leaves
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
3 Tablspoons Tamarind Water
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
50 gms Straw Mushrooms
300 ml Water

Preparation
1. Put water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Chop the lemon grass and galanga into 3cm lengths and add to the pot to make a soup base.
3. Pound the garlic and bird chillies and add into the soup.
4. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, then add to the soup and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Cut the straw mushrooms into half and add to the soup.
6. Add the fish sauce, salt, tamarind water, lemon juice, and kaffir leaves into the soup and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Serve With
Hot fragrant Rice

Crispy Pork & Spring Onion Parcels ( Giew Toud )

2009-06-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

In China these are made using Wonton skins: a flour based dough processed with lye to change the texture of the flour. However at home in Thailand we make our own pastry without using Lye. This recipe is much better than the frozen Chinese parcels you can buy in the supermarket, the fresh spring onion and coriander really makes a big difference.

Ingredients for 2 People
100 gms Wheat Flour
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Oil
150 gms Pork Mince
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Garlic Cloves
20 gms Coriander Leaves (approx 2 sprigs)
20 gms Spring Onion (approx 1 spring onion)

Preparation
1. Whip the egg, put into flour and add the oil.
2. Mix this into a flour dough, it is better not to overwork it - knead it only enough to make a dough. Leave the dough for 5 minutes to rest.
3. Blend the pork, garlic, spring onion, light soy sauce, salt, pepper and coriander in a food mixer.
4. Take the dough, roll it into a sausage shape and chop off little pieces (approx 5 gms) from the end.
5. Roll each piece into a ball using your hands, then using a slightly oil rolling pin, roll the ball into a thin flat circle of pastry.
6. Put the meat filling into the centre, fold over the pastry and pleat the edges to form a parcel.
7. Pre heat a fryer or deep pan of oil to 190 degrees celsius (high).
8. Drop the parcels into the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes until the pastry has just browned and the meat cooked.
9. Remove and place on kitchen paper to remove any oil.

Serve with
Sukiyaki dipping sauce or chilli sour Chinese sauce and coriander, mint and chilli. Or you can just eat them plain.

Pork & Greens Stir Fry ( Pad Puk Bong Jeen )

2009-06-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Kang Kon Chinese is a popular green leaf vegetable of China, that has spread to Thai cuisine. This dish is essentially a stir fry of pork, seasonings and this Chinese vegetable. It is quite difficult to obtain in Europe, a suitable alternative is spring cabbage. In Bangkok it is often served with plain rice soup for the late night revelers coming back from the discotheques. This originates from neighboring China and is a mild dish.

Ingredients for 2 People
100 gms Kang Kon Chinese
200 gms Pork Meat
2 Cloves Garlic
A Pinch White Pepper
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 Teaspoon Salted Fermented Soya Beans
1 Teaspoon Sugar

Preparation
1. Slice the pork into strips.
2. Crush the garlic
3. Cut of the kang kon chinese into 4 cm pieces, clean it and put it on the plate.
4. Put the oil in hot pan until very hot. Stir fry dishes require a hot pan and short cooking time.
5. Fry the pork for a minute.
6. Add the garlic and other ingredients and fry it for few seconds. The aim is to flash fry the vegetables without letting them go soggy.

Serve With
Hot fragrant rice or rice soup.

Spicy Sardine Salad (Yum Bla Gapong)

2009-06-07T20:10:00.001-07:00

Thai food can be overwhelming, with lots of strange ingredients and foreign vegetables. So here we have a very simple and very tasty recipe using sardines! We used sardines in oil, but you can also use sardines in tomato sauce, in which case you don't need the tomato puré. This should be served with fragrant Thai rice, but can also be served along with salads.

Ingredient for 2 People
2 Cans of Sardines in Oil
2 Teaspoons of Tomato Puré
20 gms Lemon Grass
20 gms Coriander Leaves
50 gms Onion
2 Red Chillis
2 Bird Chillis
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

Preparation
1. Remove the sardines from the can.
2. Mix the oil from the can with the tomato puré in a small mixing bowl.
3. Slice the onion, lemon grass, and chilles, and add to the bowl.
4. Add the fish sauce and lemon juice and mix all the ingredients together well.
5. Pour over the sardines.
6. Chop the coriander put around the edge of the sardine plate.

Serve With
Hot rice or salads.

Pork Sticky Noodles (Rad Nah)

2009-06-07T06:42:00.001-07:00

This is a great 'gloopy' noodle dish. The noodles are drenched in a sticky salty, slightly sweet and very very delicious sauce. Use pork with a little fat for extra flavour.

Ingredients for 2 People
300 gms Flat Rice Noodle
1 Teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 Tablespoons Oil
150 gms Pork
300 ml Water
2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
1 Chicken Stock Cube
2 Tablespoons Cassava Starch (Use corn starch if you can't find it)
100 gms Broccoli

Preparation of Noodles
1. Soak the noodles in water for 20 minutes.
2. Put the oil, dark soy, sugar, and fry with noodle until the noodles are cooked.
3. Set aside on a plate.

Preparation For Soup
1. Boil the water and add the chicken stock cube, light soy sauce, and fish sauce to form a sauce.
2. Add the pork to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cassava starch to 70 ml of cold water and add to the sauce pan and stir to thicken the sauce.
4. Chop and clean the broccoli and add to the sauce pan. Turn off the heat.

Condiments to Serve With
Flaked Chilli Powder
Vinegar with Chopped Chillies
Sugar
Chopped or Pounded Peanuts

How to Serve
Place the noodles on a deep rimmed plate.
Spoon the sauce, broccoli and meat over the top.
The sauce should pool a under the noodles (which is why you need a deep rimmed plate).
Each guest can select which condiments to use on their dish.

Shrimp Green Pepper Stir Fry ( Gung Pad Prik Youk )

2009-06-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent side dish that adds lots of vegetables to a meat & rice or noodle main dish. The shrimp provides the flavour. You can use red or yellow peppers (capsicums) in place of the green, but green is the pepper most used in Thailand.

Ingredients for 2 People
100 gms Shrimp.
100 gms Green pepper.
50 gms Onion
50 gms Carrots
1 Garlic Clove
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
5 gms White Pepper

Serve With
Hot Fragrant Rice

Preparation
1. Clean the shrimp, cut them down the back and remove the intestine.
2. Chop the green pepper, onions, carrot and garlic.
3. Put the oil in the pan and heat it.
4. When the oil is hot add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.
5. Add the shrimp and fry it for 1 minute.
6. Add the green pepper, onion and carrot.
7. Add fish sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper fry it for 2 minutes.
8. For a stir fry the vegetables need to be cooked for a short time on a high heat.

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream (I-Tim Ga Ti)

2009-06-05T01:49:00.000-07:00

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream (I-Tim Ga Ti)

This is classic rich coconut ice-cream, served in a Thai style. Thai ice-cream isn't really iced cream, it's often made from non dairy products. This recipe contains taro, a root vegetable whose starchiness gives the ice-cream a soft smooth texture. You can also use sweet potato if you cannot obtain taro.
This recipe is much easier if you have a hand blender, during the preparation you will need to blend the ice-cream repeatedly as it freezes, this is done to break up the ice crystals that form. It is much easier to do that with a handheld blender or egg beater. Finally, the decoration is made from a gummy coloured mixture of cooked sticky rice flour, this is also very typical Thai, but you can use whatever toppings you like, although not strictly Thai, rum soaked raisins are popular in my house among the adults.

Ingredients
800 ml Coconut Milk
200 gms Sugar
5 gms Salt
100 ml Skimmed Milk
75 gms Taro or Sweet Potato
5 gms Corn Flour
Ice-water To Rapidly Cool the Mixture

Preparation
1. Chop the taro or sweet potato into large cubes and steam until cooked through.
2. Heat the coconut milk in a sauce pan on a very low heat (about 55 degrees celsius, this is nowhere near boiling, it is simply hot to the touch).
3. Mix the corn flour with 100 ml water and add to the coconut milk in the saucepan.
4. Add the sugar, salt, and skimmed milk, to the saucepan and stir until everything is dissolve.
5. Warm it to 65 degrees C and keep stirring it. Do not let it boil.
6. Mash the taro cubes with a fork and add into saucepan and using a hand blender blender the contents of the pan until the mixture is completely smooth and the taro has disappeared into the liquid.
7. Warm the pan a little higher to 80 degrees C for 4 minutes. Again it must not boil. This is to cook the flour through, without permitting it to become a thick sauce.
8. The mixture should be cooled quickly and then put in the fridge, the best way to do with is to empty it into a containing that is sitting in ice water.
9. Once it is cool enough, put it into the freezer until frozen.
10. While it is freezing ice crystals will form, every few hours you should remove it from the freezer and blend it with a hand blender to break up the crystals.

Sticky Rice Ball Topping (Ruam Mid)

These are used as the topping, they have a gummy texture and a rose smell, if you prefer you can use vanilla essence in water for a vanilla smell or other fruit essences. You can use coconut essence if you really want to emphasize the coconut taste.

Ingredients Red, Green and Yellow Food Colouring
9 Tablespoons Sticky Rice Flour (3 tablespoons for each colour)
4 1/2 Tablespoons Rose Water (1 1/2 tablespoons for each colour)
300 ml Cold Water
Water for boiling

Preparation
1. The colours need to be made up separately, steps 2 - 4 should be repeated for the red, green and yellow shapes in separate cups.
2. Drop the red food colorings into a cup and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of rose water.
3. Add 3 tablespoons of sticky rice flour to the cup and mix to a paste.
4. Pinch off small amounts of the paste and roll into tiny (corn sized) balls, or small sausages.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for yellow and for green food colouring.
6. Boil water in a saucepan and drop the balls and sausages into the boiling water.
7. They will swell slightly when cooked, it only takes a couple of minutes. One cooked, scoop them out with a sieve and drop into the cold water.
8. Mix a few with the ice-cream just before serving.

Pork in Young Coconut Sauce ( Mu Op Sauce Ma Prow On )

2009-03-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

This pork is filled with plenty of flavours, it is one of my favorite ways to serve pork. For this dish, you need either the flesh & juice of young green coconut or if you can't find that, get young coconut in a can in it's own juices. Old brown coconut won't work for this recipe.

Ingredients
300 gms Pork Meat
50 gms Young Coconut Meat With Juice
2 Tablespoons Ketchup
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
2 Tablespoons Chilli Sauce
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Red Wine
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon White Pepper
2 Tablespoons Water

Preparation
1. Clean the pork meat and slice it into 8x4 cm strips.
2. Mix the pork with all ingredients and marindate overnight in the fridge.
3. Empty the pork and sauce into a saucepan and simmer slowly until the pork is cooked through and the juice reduced to half it's volume.
4. Serve with Thai fragrant rice and chinese cabbage.

Bituoy & Pumpkin Dessert ( Won Fug Thong Bia Tai )

2008-11-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

This is a two layer dessert, a jelly bottom layer and a top creamy layer that comes from mashed pumpkin. It's the combination of the two textures that make this a nice dessert. The flavouring for the green one is Bi-Tuoy (the bubblegum flavouring made from Pandan leaves). You can also buy pandan essence in shops if you can't get the leaves.

Ingredients For Lower Layer
20 gms Bi Tuoy (Pandan) Leaves
300 ml Water
100 gms Sugar
5 gms Agar Agar Jelly Powder

Ingredients for Pumpkin Layer
230 ml Coconut Milk
100 gms Pumpkin
20 gms Sugar
A Pinch of Salt
5 gms Agar Agar Jelly

Preparation
1. Lower Layer: Blend the bituoy leaves with water, bring the mix to the boil and simmer for a minute. Strain into a second pan you keep the green liquid and throw away the leaf pulp.
2. Add the sugar and agar to the hot green liquid and stir until dissolved. Pour into a tray and leave to cool and set with the tray at a slant, it makes for a prettier effect.
3. Pumpkin Layer: Cut the pumpkin into large cubes and boil in water until soft. Drain and mash.
4. Mix the mashed cooked pumpkin, coconut milk, sugar, agar, and salt and heat while stirring till the sugar has dissolved and the mix is smooth.
5. Leave to cool a little and pour over the bituoy layer, but be careful, agar sets very quickly, you want it to be cool enough to pour on the bituoy layer, but not to let it set. If you are more use to using gelatin as the setting agent agar can be a surprise - it sets above room temperature.

http://www.khiewchanta.com/

Fish with Shitake Sauce ( Pa Tod Rad Sauce Had horm )

2008-02-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

Another way to eat friend fish, shitake mushrooms, especially dried ones, add a delicious flavour to the fish, the vinegar adds a little bite and the soy a little saltiness.

Ingredients
500 gms Fish Suitable for Frying
2 Tablespoons Flour
Oil For Frying
6-10 Shitake Mushroom ( soak overnight if dried )
1 Grated Ginger
3 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Corn Flour
Shredded Chinese Cabbage (For the base)

Preparation
1. Clean the fish, gut and scrape the scales off. Your fishmonger will usually do this for you.
2. Cut diagonal score marks over the fish, to increase the surface that touches the oil and make more crunch.
3. Dry it with a piece of kitchen paper, cover with the flour, then shallow fry until the fish has a crunchy skin and is cooked through.
4. Slice the mushrooms, add to a pan with soy sauce, vinegar, grated ginger and heat until boiling.
5. Mix the corn flour, with a few tablespoons of water, mix into the pan with the soy mixture and stir until it thickens.
6. Shred the raw cabbage, lay it in the base, put the fish on top and pour the source over the top.

Coconut Flower Biscuits (Ka Noom Ja Mong Gud)

2008-02-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

These biscuits have a plain base, the sweetness comes from the sweet flower shapes and a little crunch and sweetness comes from the sugared pumpkin seed, or you can also use sugared almonds or sesame seeds if you can't get the pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients Pai
240 gms Wheat Flour ( Cake flour )
1 Egg Tolk
100 gms Salty Butter
100 ml Water

Preparation
1. Mix flour and butter, and rub between your fingers to form a fine crumb.
2. Add egg and water slowly and massage until mixed to a soft dough.
3. Roll flat and very thin, and cut out 2cm diameter circles.
4. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees celsius and bake for 8 minutes.

Ingredients for Ton Aigg
6 Egg Yolks
240 gms Wheat flour
100 gms Sugar
220 ml Coconut Milk

Preparation
1. Heat a dry frying pan to make it hot.
2. Put the flour in and toast it by stirring it for a few minutes (don't let it brown, just toast it a little). Set aside.
3. Boil the coconut milk and add sugar boil until some of the liquid has boiled off and it's it's a slightly thick syrup. Leave to cool (it needs to be cooled enough before adding the egg yolks, warm is OK)..
4. Stir in the eggs yolks into the syrup one by one, stirring them in as you do.
5. Add the flour to this, stir it in and put on a medium heat.
6. Keep stirring, this will thicken to a firm paste. Keep stirring and cooking and stirring and cooking to cook through the paste. Leave to cool.
7. Form small balls of this paste in your hands, this forms the centre of your flour.
8. Make the leave pattern with a toothpick in each ball.

Ingredients for Nam Mong Gud
100 gms Pumpkin Seed (Almonds or Sesame seeds)
50 gms Sugar
50 ml Rose Water (Or water and vanilla essence)

Preparation
1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan.
2. Mix the water and sugar and heat until the sugar goes crystalized (at the fudge stage).
3. Mix in the pumpkin seeds and leave to cool.

Assembly
Take a base, place the seeds as leaves around the base, then place a ball of the yellow paste in the middle.

Guava Fruit Juice( Nam Farung )

2007-06-20T23:03:00.003-07:00

Spring is coming, well at least in the Northern hemisphere! As with previous years, I'll be doing lighter food and drinks for the coming summer like this one. If you can get fresh guava, this is one of the most delicious ways to use it. It is a juice, really a smoothy, made from the pulp of the guava fruit.
Use larger older guava for this recipe, it will give a sweet/sour taste to the drink.

Ingredients
120 gms Guava Fruit
5 Tablespoons Sugar Syrup (50-50 sugar & water solution)
236 ml water ( boil )

Preparation
1. Peel the guava, take only the outer flesh minus the seeds in the middle.
2. Mix the guava, syrup and water and blend in a food processor.
3. Pour over crushed ice.
4. Optionally a tiny pinch of salt over the top fills out the flavours.

Thai Basil Seed Drink (Nam Manglak)

2007-06-20T23:03:00.001-07:00

This is an unusual cold Thai drink available in cans, but here we make it fresh. It looks like frog spawn, but don't let that put you off, those little gelatin lumps with black centres are actually Thai basil seeds. Thai basil has a smaller leaf than you see in Italian cooking, but the seeds are widely available. When you add water the seed swells into small soft balls and these give an unusual texture to the drink. The traditional flavouring is rose water, but you can flavour it with vanilla or peppermint essence if you prefer, or try adding the seeds to Iced Tea for tea with texture!

Ingredients for 2 Drinks
5g Thai Basil Seeds
500ml Water
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
200ml Rose Water
Crushed Ice for Serving

Preparation
1. Using a tea strainer to hold them, rince the seeds under a tap to clean them.
2. Soak the seeds in 100ml water.
3. With the other 400ml of water, warm it with the sugar and honey until the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste it, you can adjust the sweetness to your own preference at this point, remember that the drink will be slightly more dilute once the other ingredients are added.
4. Leave to cool back to room temperature.
5. Once the water is at room temperature, and the basil seeds have swelled mix them all together, the rose water, the sweetened water and the water with the basil seeds.
6. Chill and serve over crushed ice.

Herb Infused Spirit ( Ya Dong )

2007-06-20T23:02:00.001-07:00

Ya Dong is a herb infused spirit, reputed to have many medicinal qualities. If you ask a Thai person what's in Ya Dong, they will tell you all sorts of strange stories of lizard penis' and narcotic herbs. The truth is rather more boring, there is no set ingredients for Ya Dong, each person makes their own blend and it's usually nothing more than regular herbs like ginseng, plaonoi, tree bark and vodka or whiskey.

I'm not sure what's in my jar (above), it has been handed down between my friends, and I just top it up with vodka every month or so. I drink it with lime to kill the flavours a little. I'll try to find out what the herbs are and update this blog entry. (Anyone?)

Lychees & Grape Juice ( Narm Lychee )

2007-06-20T23:01:00.002-07:00

Lychees on their own have plenty of taste, but little juice. To make a refreshing drink from them, we dilute it down with grape juice and a little lemon or lime juice to sharpen it up. Although I've photographed it with a lychee and lime slice, that's just to make the photograph a little more interesting. The drink itself doesn't look like much!

Ingredients per 100ml
80 ml Grape Juice
20 ml Lychee Pulp
A squeeze of Lemon

Preparation
1. Blend the lychee to a purée, add the grape juice and lemon and serve cold.

Papaya Drink ( Nam Maragor )

2007-06-20T23:01:00.001-07:00

Papaya smoothy drinks are easy to make, but it does need a little sugar syrup to sweeten it, otherwise it can taste like a health drink.

Ingredients
200 gms Fully Ripe Papaya or a Tin of Papaya
200 gms Sugar Syrup
100 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. I prefer to use a canned papaya for this, the fruit is already soaking in syrup and the syrup has it's flavour.
2. Chop the papaya into pieces, and the syrup from the can, and wizz in a blender until smooth.
3. Crush the ice, and pour the drink over the ice.

Tamarind Drink ( Nam Ma Kham Wan )

2007-06-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

Tamarind is a very sour fruit, you can see them in the left of the photograph. This drink is made from Tamarind pulp, the brown date like pulp used to add a sour taste to Thai food. It is a combination of sourness and sweetness.

Ingredients
40 gms Brown Sweet Tamarin Pulp
400 ml Boiled Water
A Pinch of Salt
100 ml Sugar Syrup
50 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. Mix the tamarind pulp and water together, in a blender.
2. Bring to the boil, add the salt and syrup, stirring as it warms up.
3. Leave to cool.
4. Sieve to remove any pulp.
5. Serve over crushes ice.

Roasted Young Coconut Juice ( Ma Praw Parw )

2007-06-20T22:59:00.002-07:00

One of the nicest ways to drink coconut juice is roasted over a fire or barbecue. For this you will need the young green coconut (not the brown husk older coconut). Cut off the outer husk as much as you can, then place it in the coals and keep turning it until its blackened and roasted all over.
It's very easy to open after it's roasted, you can simply push a knife into the eyes of the coconut and pour out the juice. Drink it while it's warm.

Yoghurt Soda

2007-06-20T22:59:00.001-07:00

I want to show you some of the many Thai drinks we have, and try to recreate the flavours of them. This one has a smooth cream soda like taste with a slight acidic after taste. The ingredients list says soda, sugar and a little drinking yoghurt, but when I tried that it didn't work. After some experimentation I found that full yoghurt is needed to get the creaminess, and that a squeeze of lemon juice adds the bite.

Ingredients
500 ml Soda Water
50 ml Sugar Syrup
4 Tablespoons Yoghurt
Squeeze Lemon Juice.

Preparation
1. Use a thick sugar syrup, you don't want to dillute the soda too much.
2. Chill all the ingredients.
3. Mix the yoghurt and sugar syrup, then stir it into the soda, then add a squeeze of lemon juice. Not too much lemon or the yoghurt will curdle.
4. Serve immediately.

Hales Blue Boy Ice Cone ( Nam Kang Siy )

2007-06-20T22:58:00.001-07:00

I wasn't sure whether to put this under 'drinks' or 'desserts'. It is a cone of shaved ice, with the Thai drink syrup known as 'Hales Blue Boy' (Helbruboy) poured over it and dressed with condensed milk. The taste is sweet and creamy, like an ice cream version of cream soda.

Ingredients
150 gms Shaved or Crushed Ice
2-4 Tablespoons Hales Blue Boy Drink Syrup
1-2 Tablespoons Condensed Milk

Preparation
1. Make a cone of crushed ice, I pack it into a beaker and upturn the beaker normally.
2. Pour some of the drink syrup over it.
3. Drissle some condensed milk over the top.

Serve With
Sunshine
Hot Summer Days

Bael Fruit Iced Tea ( Nam Matoom )

2007-06-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is considered a health drink in Thailand, it's supposed to be good for cleansing the stomach and helping digestion. You can see Bael fruit, it's available dried in packets from Asian grocers. Serve warm or cold.

Ingredients
4-6 Dried Matoom Pieces
4-6 Tablespoons Sugar
400 ml Water

Preparation
1. Boil the water in a pan.
2. Add the matoom and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, adjust the sweetness to your own tastes.
4. Leave to cool.
5. If you want iced tea, chill it in the fridge and serve over crushed ice. For iced tea, it is better to slightly over-sweeten it, as it won't taste so sweet when it's cold.

Bi Tua Drink ( Nam Bi Tua )

2007-06-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

Bi tua is a Thai green reed that can be purchased in asian grocers. When you pulp it in water, it makes the water green and releases a bubblegum like flavour. This drink is a completely natural taste without any of the artificial flavours of factory made drinks!

Ingredients
20 gms Bi Tua
250 ml Water
120 gms Sugar
50 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. Chop the Bi Tua into 2 cm lengths, put into a food processor together with the water and blend until the fibres are completely broken into the water.
2. Sieve the liquid to remove any pulp, and put into a saucepan.
3. Add the sugar, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then leave to cool.
4. To serve crush the ice, pile the ice in a glass and pour the drink over it.

Young Coconut Juice ( Ma Praw On )

2007-05-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

In Thailand we eat young coconut much more than old coconut. We use it to make desserts, we make drinks from the flesh and use it for many recipes. We also use it like this - we drink the juice from inside. If you have only drank the water from old brown coconut, then you are in for a very pleasant surprise, a young coconut is full of sweet delicious juice. To open, use a machete or Thai cleaver and make a few cuts around the top to open it, as in the photograph.

Creamed Young Coconut ( Nam Maprow Horm )

2007-05-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

This drink is made from the flesh of young coconut. It needs to be young coconut, old coconut (the brown fibrous kind you see in many western supermarkets) doesn't work for this. You can just scoop out the meat from the coconut with a spoon to make it, you can also drink the water inside which is delicious itself. For the photograph I kept some of the flesh to decorate it, you can see the soft coconut flesh in the side of the glass.

Ingredients
30 gms Young Coconut Meat
100 gms Sugar
200 ml Water
50 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. Boil the water with the sugar until it dissolves, leave to cool down to form a syrup.
2. Put the syrup into a blender, add the meat from the young coconut, and the crushed ice.
3. Blend for 30 seconds and serve when it's cold.

Citrus Banana Punch ( Nam Gluay Ban )

2007-05-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

Some echos of Thailand, this punch uses banana and Thai oranges to create a semi-thick non-alcoholic punch suitable for children. If you can find them, use a sour orange, with plenty of vitamin C.

Ingredients for 2 People
3 Bananas
1 Green Orange
100 gms Sugar
300 gms Water
100 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. Boil the water with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and leave it to cool to form a syrup.
2. Chop the bananas, put into a blender, add the syrup and crushed ice.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Put into the glass garnished with a slice of orange and slices of banana.

Lemon Soda ( Num Ma Now )

2007-04-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

I was shocked when I first visited Europe and when I asked for a lemon soda, I was given a fizzy clear sickly sweet drink that had never been near a lemon. That was my first brush with bottle lemonade (yuck). Here's how I make lemon soda in Thailand. If you've never made fresh lemonade, you may be suprised at the taste, just as I was suprised at the taste of supermarket bottled lemonade! Imagine a lazy summer day by the pool sipping lemonade when you drink it.

Ingredients for Family
3 Lemons
500 ml Soda Water (Fizzy Mineral Water)
200 ml Water
150 gms Sugar
200 gms Ice

Preparation
1. Boil the water with sugar until it has completely dissolved, then leave it to cool. This is your sweetening syrup.
2. Squeeze the lemons to get juice.
3. Then mix the syrup with lemon juice, soda-water and stir it together. Add the syrup slowly to adjust the sweetness to your own tastes.
4. Put ice it to the glass and pour the lemon soda over it, its nice to present with slices of lemon and orange in it.

Iced Condensed Milk (Num Yen)

2007-04-12T01:12:00.000-07:00

This drink is made in Thailand using 'Hellbruboy' (a contraction of it's full name 'Hale's Blue Boy' Brand Syrup) a brand name sticky sweet red syrup drink that is added to hot water to make a hot drink. It can be bought in Thai supermarkets, look for the Thai name เฮลซ์บลูบอย. You can substitute strawberry milk shake syrup, it has a similar look but a different taste, sorry there really is no suitable substitute.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Sweet Red Syrup Thai drink
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Condensed Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar
150 ml Water
100 gms Crushed Ice

Preparation
1. Boil the water
2. Add the HellbruBoy, milk and sugar into a cup, add the boiling water and mix with spoon.
3. Leave the 'brew' to cool.
4. Put the crushed ice into a serving glass, pour in the 'brew' and pour the condensed milk over the top.
5. Serve immediately.

Ice Tea Drink (Cha Dum Yen)

2007-04-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ice tea is popular in Thailand and this is a common sweet drink made from ice tea.
Ingredients
2 Teaspoons Black Tea Leaves.
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Condensed Milk
100 gms Crushed Ice
150 ml Water

Preparation
1. Boil the water.
2. Brew the tea for at least 2 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir.
4. It is a good idea to sieve the tea at this point, if you leave tea in the water too long it becomes bitter.
5. Leave to cool.
6. Put the crushed ice into a glass add the tea and pour condensed milk over the top.
7. Serve immediately.

Iced Watermelon Drink

2007-04-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite drinks in Thailand is a melon ice drink, similar to commercial drinks, however this one is made with fresh fruit rather than synthetic flavour and tastes all the better for it.

Ingredients
1-2 Kgs Sindria (Sweet Red Watermelon)
500 gms Ice
2 Thirsty People

Preparation
1. In a food processor blend the ice until it is finely broken up.
2. Chop the red part of the melon. Remove excessive seeds, but it isn't necessary to remove every one.
3. Add the melon chunks to the blender.
4. Blend a little more until the melon is puried and well mixed with the ice.
5. Serve in tall glasses with a straw.
A wondeful simple way to enjoy fresh fruit.

Liver Soft Rice Soup ( Jog Tup Mu )

2007-04-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

Soft rice soup is very common in Thailand, it's made by boiling rice overnight until it becomes soft, more like a fine pureé than a rice dish. There are many easier ways to make this dish though. In Thailand we have instant Jog in packets, you can also buy Rice Semolina in supermarkets in the west, this can be used to make Jog and another way is to make rice soup and liquidize it with a hand blender.

Ingredients for 2 People
100 gms Rice Semolina
1 Chicken Stock Cube
500 ml Water
1/4 Teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Tablespoon Chopped Celery
40 gms Pork Liver

Preparation
1. Clean the pork liver and slice it. Cook in boiling water for 3 minutes and set it aside.
2. Into a saucepan, place the rice semolina, 500 ml water and bring to the boil.
3. Add the chicken stock cube and salt. Boil and stir for 10 minutes.
4. To serve, place the rice into a bowl, add the pork liver, chopped coriander, celery and a dash of white pepper. This is served with the usual Thai condiments, of flaked dried chillies, some fresh soya beansprouts and thin slices of ginger. All of these add the flavours and if you can, it's best to add a little of each.

Serve With
Soya Beansprouts
Chop Ginger
Flaked Chillies
Fried Garlic

Pandan Pancakes ( Kanoom Crorg Sung Ka Ya )

2007-04-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

The green topping on these pancakes is made from Bi Tua (pandan), the sweet reed with the bubblegum like flavour used in many Thai desserts.

Ingredients
100 gms Rice Flour
230 ml Water
80 gms Cooked Thai Rice
50 gms Shredded Coconut
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Preparation
1. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.
2. Warm a mini pancake pan on a medium heat.
3. Rub oil onto the surface with a piece of oiled kitchen paper.
4. Pour a little mixture into each dimple and over with a lid for 1 minute. You want them nearly cooked.

Ingredients for Topping
200 ml Evaporated Milk
100 ml Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Wheat Flour
1/2 Salt
5 Tablespoons Sugar
2-3 Tablespoons Bi tua Water

Preparation
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and cook through very slowly until it thickens.
2. Spoon the mixture onto the pancakes, then finish cooking the pancakes with the mixture on top.

Boiled Chicken in Spicy Sauce ( Guy Op Sea Eaiw )

2007-03-30T00:39:00.000-07:00

Saying this chicken is boiled is not the full story, it is first pan fried to get some flavour from the browning, then simmered slowly in a stock, and finally served up with a delicions spicy dark sauce. It’s healthy chicken but with an unhealthy taste!

Ingredients
500 gms Chicken Breast with Skin
1-2 Coriander Root
2-3 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Peppercorns
3 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Butter
500 ml Water
1 Chicken Stock Cube

Preparation
1. Clean the chicken breast and add the light soy sauce.
2. Into a mortar, mix the garlic, coriander root, peppercorns and pound until ground up. Add this to the chicken, mix it well together so that the chicken is covered and leave to marinade for 30 minutes.
3. Put the butter into a pan, fry the chicken in this starting skin side down until the skin is browned, then turn it over and brown the other side. The aim is to just add some flavour, not to cook the chicken.
4. Place the chicken, water and stock cube in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to simmer. Simmer until the water has reduced by half.
5. During the last 10 minutes of cooking you can use this stock to cook side vegetables like baby corn, carrots or mushrooms if you are serving these too.
6. Remove the chicken, slice, place in a serving bowl with some of the stock and the following sauce.

Ingredients for Sauce
5 Chillies
1 Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

Preparation
1. Mix chillies, garlic, sugar and salt in a mortar and pound it until the mixture is ground up, then add the dark soy sauce.
2. You can spoon this sauce over the chicken, as I’ve done for the photograph, or if some of your guests don’t like spicy chilli, you can serve it as a side sauce.

Salty Bean Coconut Milk ( Lon Tow Jiew )

2007-03-28T00:42:00.000-07:00

There are several similar Thai recipes that consists of a salty thing added to coconut milk to make a rich salty sauce. The saltiness in this one comes from the yellow beans. Many of these recipes are popular in Thailand, but they don’t really translate to the west, I think it’s because the taste is nice but the sauce isn’t much to look at.

Ingredients
250 ml Coconut Milk
5 Tablespoons Yellow Bean Sauce
100 ml Tamarind Juice
2 Tablespoons Sugar
100 gms Pork Mince
50 gms Shrimp Mince
1 Tablespoon Sliced Red Onion
1 Tablespoon Sliced Chillies
1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander Leaves

Preparation
1. If you prefer a smooth sauce, blend the yellow beans to a smooth paste, I prefer to have some texture.
2. Boil the coconut milk over a medium heat, add the yellow bean sauce, add the pork mince and the shrimp mince and lower the heat.
3. Add the tamarind juice (tamarind pulp squeezed into water to make sour water), add the sugar and stir tomix.
4. Take off the heat, chop the chillies, coriander and onion and add to the sauce and serve.

Slow Cooked Pork Ribs & Pineapple ( Mu Op Sapparod )

2007-03-26T23:42:00.000-07:00

A wonderful dish of slow cooked pork ribs in a pineapple & wine sauce. The pineapple does more than flavour this dish, the acidity of the pineapple softens the ribs as they cook, so the meat practically falls off the bone. Mirin sake is a brand of japanese spirit, if you can’t get hold of it, use white wine.

Ingregdients

300 gms Pineapple

500 gms Pork Ribs

3 Tablespoons Oil

2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce

3 Tablespoons White Wine Or Mirin Sake

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 Tablespoons Ketchup

600 ml Water

Preparation

1. Clean the pork ribs, chop into 4-5cms pieces, if you don’t have a cleaver, get your butcher to do this.

2. Cut the pineapple into similar sized pieces.

3. Put the oil in a pan and preheat.

4. Fry the ribs just to brown the outside and make the fat a little crispy.

5. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat until the water has reduced by more than half. This takes an hour or so.

Bi Tua Sponge ( Cake Bi Tua )

2007-03-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

This sponge mixture is flavours with bi-tua leaves to give a green colour and bubble gum like flavour, so typical of bi-tua dishes. It’s better to use bi-tua flavouring for this because it’s concentated, but if you cannot get it, shred bi-tua in water and squeeze the leaves carefully to get as concentrated a flavour as possible into the water, then filter out the pulp so that only the green water is used.
To make a more interesting photograph, I’ve cut the sponge into cubes, but that is optional.

Ingredients
170 gms Unsalted Butter
170 gms Castor Sugar
4 Large Eggs
160 gms Cake Flour (With raising agent)
4-5 Drops Bi Tua Flavour

Preparation
1. Leave the butter to soften at room temperature.
2. Blend the butter with the sugar to form a smooth creamy mixture.
3. Add 2 of the eggs and whisk in until smooth, it’s better to use an electric whisk to get as much air into the mixture as possible.
4. Add the remaining eggs and whisk again.
5. Add the flour a little at a time, whisking in until smooth.
6. Finally finish by adding the bi-tua flavour. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more flour, you want a soft creamy paste at the end.
7. Line a cake dish with greaseproof paper, pour in the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes at 180 degrees celcius.

Khanom Phing

2007-03-09T23:38:00.000-08:00

One of Thai snack which often keep in your house

Ingredients

1. Tapioca flour 2.5 cup

2. Undiluted coconut milk 1 cup

3. Sugar 2.5 cup

4. Yolk 1

How to do “Khanom Ping”
1. Mix the coconut milk into golden pan, put on the stove and simmer it until sticky, then carry down from stove. Wait syrup warm.

2. Put tapioca flour into syrup and stir it, fast and strong until it combine together, then thresh it until supple. Ferment for 8-10 hrs.

3. Sculpt that ferment flour and put it on the tray which sweep with the lard.

4. Bake it at 325 F until it cooked, take it out and wait until it cool down

5. Keep it in closely jar.

Chilli

2007-03-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

Chilli (Prik) is the main spices of Thai food seasoning that make the tasteless of food become spice up and tasteful.

Chilli is one of spices which important for Thai cuisine for long time. Every meal always has chilli that seem it cannot separated from Thai foods so every household will keep it as dried chilli, chilli powder and fresh chilli.

Now, I make you known to chilli which often use in Thai cuisine.
1. Bird chilli (Prik Ki Noo)
It has both green and red everyone give a nickname to it “bantam chilli” because of its small shape but very very hot and spicy. Do you believe superman can cry!!. Bird chilli often put to papaya salad (Som Tam) and sometime put it on side dishes with sago ( Sa Koo Sai Moo).

2. Dried chilli (Prik Hang)
Dry chilli is bird chilli that dried by the sun, it has good smell and proper to make chilli sauce and put it on side dishes with Thai rice noodle. Sometimes we spinning it as chilli powder and use it for season in noodle.

3. Sweet chilli (Prik Whan)
Sweet chilli or jumbo chilli, like its shape. It has 3 color ; green, red and yellow. Taste of sweet chilli is little spicy so we often eat with vegetable salad or fried it like tempura. With the colorful of it, make it more appetizing.

4. Large chilli (Prik Chee Fah)
Large chilli has native land in tropical area of America, its shape round-long and sharp tail. It has many colors ; green, red and orange. We often use it in fired rice because it has little spicy and sometimes we grill it for make chilli sauce, it has good smell. Before use it should core its seed.

Chilli tips
1. Do not drink water immediately after chew chilli because it make you more hot. Should drink milk, hot tea or yogurt for stop hotness.

2. If you have a fever should eat spicy food for perspiring such as papaya salad (Som Tam), Spicy soup (Tom Yam) etc.

3. chilli top can be scald and eat with chilli sauce.

4. Capsaicin in chilli can help you relieve the pain, now medical profession use it in medicine for relieve the pain. Chilli will spicy more or less up to these Capsaicin which in the seed so you can make chilli less spicy by core its seed.

Pad Thai History

2007-03-02T18:24:00.001-08:00

What’s Pad Thai?
Pad Thai is fired Thai noodle if you ever come to Thailand; I believe you have a chance to try it sure!!

Why named Pad Thai?
Did you ever wonder why Pad Thai. It can be Pad Chinese or Pad India? No. cannot because Pad Thai belongs to Thai.

When Pad Thai birth?
You may think it birth in ancient times some think since 5th reign…some think since Ayutthaya….

But Pad Thai just was born in General P. Piboonsongkram government whose slogan is “Believe leader, Thai safe” that means Pad Thai belong to Thai about 50 years.

General P. Piboonsongkram government dominated in period 2482-2489 and he changed Thai come to nationalism and civilization such as
-Changed Siam to Thailand
-Don’t eat betel nut
-Wear a hat when go out
-Separated male and female by named if male has the name like female should change their name to true man like Som Chay. So this period Som Chay is the hottest name for male.
-Changed Thai Language by cut some word which not necessary because some alphabet it pronounce the same but different character so he cut it out. Many books have to edit and changed to be correct in his language but when it’s outdated of him everything changed as before.

Everything changed to nationalism so he did not forget to make foods of Thailand, Pad Thai.

Pad Thai is a new food and all the ingredients are Thai even pork which looks as a Chinese food no authority to put in Pad Thai dishes.

Wun Sungkaya (Jelly with Sungkaya Topping)

2007-02-18T04:56:00.000-08:00

Wun Sungkaya (Jelly with Sungkaya Topping)

Jelly with Sungkaya Topping is like coconut cream Jelly. The difference is that eggs and palm sugar are added in the former dessert. Eggs and palm sugar give brown colour and some more nutritive value. ิ

Ingredients

1 pack (50gram) agar-agar powder

16 cups water

8 cups sugar

20 pandanus leaves

Methods

1. Mix the agar-agar and water. Bring to boil until the agar-agar dissolves. Add sugar and pandanus leaves. Boil for a while. Remove from heat and strain. Set 2 cups of the mixture aside. 2. Boil the strained mixture again. Add topping. Stir well. Pour into the molds. Leave to cool.

Ingredients of topping

2 kg. (to make 5 cups coconut cream) shredded coconut meat

2 eggs

1 cup palm sugar

1 tbsp. salt

Methods

Mix coconut cream, sugar, eggs and salt together. Pour into the mixture in Step. 1. Stir well and strain through muslin.

Khanom Tom Daeng, Khanom Tom Khaow

2007-02-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

Khanom Tom Daeng, Khanom Tom Khaow

( Red and White Glutinous Flour Dumpling)

Khanom Tom Dang is an ancient Thai dessert in Sukothai period and is used in some ceremonies with Khanom Tom Khaow. The main ingredients of Khanom Tom Daeng are flour, sugar, and coconut. Khanom Tom Daeng is a plain flour sheet, no filling, served with grated coconut meat and simmered red palm sugar, which gives it the name "Khnom Tom Daeng."

Khanom Tom Khaow is an ancient Thai dessert in Sukothai period and is sued in some ceremonies. Its main ingredients are flour, sugar, and coconut. Khanom Tom Khaow is a flour ball filled with simmered coconut and sugar, cooked and sprinkled with white grated coconut meat which gives it the name "Khamon Tom Khaow."

Khanom Tom Daeng

Ingredients

1 kg. glutinous rice flour

4 cups water

3 coconuts

1 1/2 kg. palm sugar

Methods

1. Grate coconut meat.

2. Mix 1 cup of water with palm sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves over the heat, add coconut meat. Stir for another 30 minutes.

3. Knead the flour by adding water gradually.

4. Form the dough from step.3 into flat, and round shape. Drop in boiling water. Remove it from the water when it is floating over. Wash with cool water, then put it in the prepared coconut meat.

Khanom Tom Khaow

Ingredients

1 kg. glutinous rice flour

200 g. rice flour

5 cups water

5 coconuts

2 kg. palm sugar

1/4 kg. maltose syrup

1 tbsp. salt

Methods of making filling

1. Grate the coconut meat.

2. Mix 2 cups of palm sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and maltose syrup together. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Add the gated coconut meat. Stir till thick. Form the mixture into small balls. Add smoke candle scent it desired.

Methods

1. Mix the two flour together.

2. Knead the flour by adding 1 cup of water at a time to make dough.

3. Cover the prepared filling with the dough.

4. Drop in boiling water till well done. Sprinkle with grated coconut meat mixed with salt.

Wun Ka – ti(Jelly with Coconut Cream Topping)

2007-02-18T00:28:00.000-08:00

Wun Ka – ti(Jelly with Coconut Cream Topping)

Jelly with Coconut Cream Topping is an easy to make Thai dessert. It can be served in all occasions for everybody and can be adjusted into various tastes and colours such as Coconut CreamTopping, Jelly with Pandanus leaf-scented, Fruit Jelly and Coffee Jelly.

Ingredients

1 pack (50 grams.) agar-agar Powder

16 cups water

9 cups sugar

1/4 cup concentrate pandanus leaves

2 kg. (to make 5 cups coconut cream) grated coconut meat 1 tbsp. salt 20 pandanus leaves

1 tbsp. rice flour

Methods for making jelly

1. Mix agar-agar and water. Bring to boil until the agar-agar dissolves. Add sugar and 10 pandanus leaves. Boil for another 5 minutes. Strain and set aside.

2. Mix 8 cups of the mixture in step.1 with the topping. Bring to boil. Set aside.

3. Boil the rest of the mixture. Add pandanus-leaf water. Pour into the dried tray (about 3/4 of the tray.)

4. Leave to cool

Topping

1. Mix coconut cream, salt, and rice flour together.

2. Add 8 cups of the prepared jelly mixture (in step 1 for making jelly). Add 10 pandanus leaves. Bring to boil.

3. Pour the topping onto the jelly in the tray. Leave to cool for about 2 hours, then cut into pieces.

Makes: 2 trays (12 x 12 inches.)

Phutsa Chuem (Jujube in Syrup)

2007-02-18T00:26:00.000-08:00

Phutsa Chuem (Jujube in Syrup)

Phutsa Chuem (jujube in syrup) is a Kind of fruit preservation to vary Thai desserts. It can be kept for days and is usually served with sliced ice and syrup.

Ingredients

1 kg. Chinese jujube

8 measuring cups castor sugar

4 measuring cups fresh water

Methods

1. Unseed jujube with carving knife.

2. Soak in water for 3 hours.

3. Boil jujube in boiling water over medium heat. Remove from heat and put in cold water. Drain.

4. Divide sugar into 2 parts. Mix one with water. Simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Drop jujube into syrup and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rest of sugar. Simmer until syrup resembles thin cream.

Jaow Taan Chuem (Palmyra Palm in Syrup)

2007-02-18T00:23:00.000-08:00

Jaow Taan Chuem (Palmyra Palm in Syrup)

Jaow Taan Chuem (Palmyra Palm) is a kind of preserved dessert from palmyra palm and castor sugar. Simmer sugar over lower heat and add palmyra palm. Continuously simmer until syrup is thick and glossy. It is served in all occasions. Jaow Taan Chuem is also used over Khaw Niew Moon which is called Khaw Niew Look Taan (glutinous rice with palm's seed topping)

Ingredients

50 palm's seeds

8 measuring cups castor sugar

4 measuring cups fresh water banana leaves

Methods

1. Wash palm's seed with pieces of banana leaves thoroughly. Wipe the outer.

2. Boil in boiling water and soak in cold water. Drain.

3. Mix sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add palm's seed and continuously boil in cooked syrup for 20 minutes. Add the rest of sugar. Simmer until syrup resembles thin cream.

Sakay Chuem (Breadfruit in Syrup)

2007-02-17T07:42:00.001-08:00

Sakay Chuem (Breadfruit in Syrup)

Castor sugar is a main ingredient of Sakay Chuem. The methods of making Sakay Chuem are alike other boiling in syrub desserts. Choose glutinous breadfruits and soak in saturated red lime water for sticky and served to monks for ment and also served in daily meals.

Ingredients
1 glutinous breadfruit
8 measuring cups castor sugar
4 measuring cups fresh water

Methods
1. Split breadfruit and slice into 1/2 - 3/4 inch wide. Pit.
2. Wash with boiling water mixed with alum. Remove to soak in cold water.
3. Divide sugar into 2 parts. Mix one with water. Bring to boil over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
4. Add breadfruit and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add the rest of sugar. Simmer until syrup resembles thin cream.

Thong Yod (Gold Egg Yolks Drops)

2007-02-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

Thong Yod (Gold Egg Yolks Drops)

Thong Yod (Gold Egg Yolks Drops) is an ancient Thai dessert served in suspicious ceremonies. It was brought by Lady Witchayen. It is in popular family of desserts consisting of Thong (meaning Gold) in all of the names. Thong-yib, Thong-yod, Foy-thong, all mean to wish everyone with gold; much money and treasure, and to spend forever.

Ingredients
15 egg yolks
10 tbsp. Thong Yod flour (wheat and rice flour mixture)

Ingredients of Syrup
10 measuring cups castor sugar
6 measuring cups fresh water
Ingredients of Light Syrup
1 measuring cups castor sugar
1 measuring cups fresh water

Methods
1. Separate the yolks from white eggs. Strain though muslin. Squeeze.
2. Blend until thick and fluffy for 15 minutes.
3. Ladle the mixture in the cup. Add 4 tbsp. of flour. Mix well.
4. Drop the mixture in boiling syrup. Increase heat.

How to drop the mixture
The drop shape is formed by dropping the thick mixture from the tip of a finger into hot bubbling heavy syrup. The drops are then removed into still, cooled lighter syr up after cooking.

Good characteristics
1. Glossy and delicacy surface.
2. Both outer and inner of Thong Yod should be soft.
3. Not stench.

Foy Thong (Gold Egg Yolks Thread)

2007-02-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

Foy Thong (Gold Egg Yolks Thread)

Foy Thong (Gold Egg Yolks Thread) is an ancient Thai dessert, which is served in auspicious ceremonies and was brought by Lady Witchayen in the period of King Narai. It is in popular group of desserts consisting of "Thong" (meaning "Gold"). Its name means treasure and its long thread means long life. Foreigners name it "golden hair". Therefore, when used in ceremonies, Foy Thong is not cut.

Ingredients
30 duck egg yolks
5 tsp. egg dew

Ingredients of making Syrup
10 measuring cups castor sugar
6 measuring cups fresh water

Methods of making Syrup
1. Mix sugar and eggshell. Add water and pandanus leaves. Stir over medium heat.
2. When boiling, spoon the bubble away. Strain through muslin. Boil over low heat.

Methods of mixing Eggs.
1. Beat the egg. Separate the yolks and put in muslin. The light egg white (egg dew) remains in the eggshells.
2. Strain the yolks through muslin. Mix slightly with the egg dew.

Methods of making Skein
1. Flow the mixture through a small hole of a cone above a vessel of bubbling heavy syrup. When cooked add little boiled water.
2. Lower heat. Skein is waved gently with a stick through the syrup to give it a glossy, silky look. Repeat the process.

Thong Yib (Pinched Gold Egg Yolks)

2007-02-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

Thong Yib (Pinched Gold Egg Yolks)

Thong Yib is an ancient Thai dessert served in auspicious ceremonies. It is in popular family of desserts consisting of "Thong" (meaning "Gold") in all of the manes. Thong-yib, Thong-yod, Foy-thong, all mean to wish everyone with gold; much money and treasure, and to spend forever.

Ingredients
20 duck egg yolks
10 measuring cups castor sugar
6 measuring cups fresh water
10 pandanus leaves

Methods
Methods of Thick Syrup
1. Mix sugar and eggshell. Add water and pandanus leaves. Bring to stir over medium heat.
2. When boiling, spoon the bubble. Strain through muslin. Then reduce to lower heat.

Methods of Light Syrup
Follow the methods for thick syrup but the ingredient of sugar and water will be 1:1

Preparation of Eggs
1. Separate the yolks and squeeze through muslin.
2. Beat with blender for 5 minutes until the yolks become bubble and thick. When drop, the yolks are unflatted.
3. Simmer syrup over lower heat until it is still.
4. Make the yolks into dollop of batters of 1 1/2 inch diameter and drop into the pan.
5. Increase heat. Cook the batter both sides. Add little water until the batter is done.
6. Lower the heat. Ladle and soak in light syrup.
7. Pinch the batter to have 5, 6, and 8 as you want and place in a small round ceramic cup.

Good characteristics
1. Good smell, not stench.
2. The batter should be fluffy, soft, and sticky.

Med Khanoon (Jackfruit's seed in syrup)

2007-02-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Med Khanoon (Jackfruit's seed in syrup)

Med Khanoon (Jackfruit's seed in syrup) is an ancient and well-known Thai dessert which is served to monks in ritual ceremonies or general ceremonies. In those days, jackfruit's seed was used as the main ingredient when making Med Khanoon. It was cooked and grounded. Stir and form to resemble jackfruit's seed. Therefore, it was called Med Khanoon. In these days, taro, breadfruit, and mungbean are used instead.

Ingredients for Sweetened Mungbean Paste
1 kg. steamed shelled mungbean
1 kg. grated coconut meat (squeeze with 2 measuring cups of water)
850 g. castor sugar 10 pandanus leaves

Methods
1. Soak shelled mungbean in water for 3 hours.
2. Steam for 50 minutes.
3. Mix cooked mungbean with coconut milk. Pound well.
4. Stir over medium heat in the brass pan for 10 minutes. Add sugar and continuously stir until mungbean is peeled off for 50 minutes. Leave to cool.
5. Form the mixture to resemble jackfruit's seed. Leave to dry.

Ingredients of Syrup/Eggs
2 kg. castor sugar
6 measuring cups fresh water
10 pandanus leaves
20 duck eggs

Methods
1. Mix sugar and eggshell. Add water and pandanus leaves. Bring to stir over medium heat.
2. When boiling, spoon the bubble away. Continuously stir until syrup is clear.
3. Strain through muslin. Boil over low heat.

Methods of making Egg Dip
1. Separate the yolks from the white eggs. Put the yolks in muslin.
2. Squeeze the yolks through muslin.

Methods
1. Lower the heat. Leave the syrup at the middle of the pan boil.
2. Dip jackfruit's seed in the yolks and drop into syrup. Increase the heat and add little boiled water.
3. Lower the heat and ladle.

Mor Kaeng Khai (Egg Custard)

2007-02-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Mor Kaeng Khai (Egg Custard)

Khanom Mor Kaeng Khai is the most ancient Thai dessert originated since Si Ayutthaya period. It was first found in the ancient foreign dispatch that Chow Phaya Vichayen's wife taught Thais to make Khanom Mor Kaeng. It was baked in a curry pot (Mor Kaeng) in that time. Later trays are used instead. Khanom Mor Kaeng is a royal dessert.

Ingredients
35 duck eggs
1.3 kg. palm sugar
0.2 kg. sugar
2 kg. grated coconut meat (to make 11 cups coconut milk).

Methods
1. Heat the oven.
2. Wash the eggs and let dry.
3. Mix eggs, sugar, and coconut milk together in even quantity. (They can be hand mixed with pandanus leaves, or a blender.)
4. Put the mixture into the tray. Spread some coconut cream to cover the top of the mixture.
5. Bake in a moderately hot oven. When risen, lower the lower heat. Bake for another 30 minutes till the top is golden brown.

Khanom Chun (Layered Dessert)

2007-02-17T07:30:00.000-08:00

Khanom Chun (Layered Dessert)

Khanom Chun is an ancient Thai dessert. It is sticky but gives soft flavor. In those days, khanom Chun was served in auspicious ceremony such as celebrating for higher rank or one's promotion. It was made in 9 layers, which meant the progression in ones' jobs. Khanom Chun was also served in the wedding ceremony by its meaningful name.

Ingredients
5 1/2 g. topioca flour
1 1/2 g. flour
1 1/2 kg. grated fresh coconut meat (to make 9 cups coconut milk)
1 kg. + 1g. castor sugar
20 pandanus leaves

Methods
1. Squeeze pandanus leaves water by the blender and strain through muslin.
2. Mix well coconut milk, sugar, and pandanus leaf water. Heat to boiling. Set aside.
3. Grease the mold with a little drop of coconut milk.
4. Mix the two flours add the coconut milk and knead the mixture. Add all the rest of the ingredients.
5. Separate the mixture into two portions, add the pandanus scented water and green colour into one portion, leave the other white.
6. Grease the mold with the coconut milk, then heat the mold in the steamer. Drop some of the white mixture and steam for 5 - 10 minutes.
7. Repeat the steps to fill the mold. Finish with the green mixture.
8. Leave the cooked dessert to completely cool for 3 - 4 hours before removing from the mold.

Makes: 1 tray (12 x 12 inches)

Sod sai (Filled Coconut Cream)

2007-02-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

Sod sai (Filled Coconut Cream)

Sod Sai is an ancient Thai dessert which is available in all areas because tasty and easily prepared. It is made from flour, coconut milk, and sugar. The dessert consists of three parts: filling, filling cover, and topping.

Ingredients of filling
1 kg. palm sugar
1.2 kg. grated coconut meat
1/2 cup water
3 measuring cups maltose syrup

Methods
Mix palm sugar with grated coconut meat. Put the mixture into the pan. Stir over medium heat till thick, and then add maltose syrup. Stir. Leave to cool. Form the mixture into 1/2 cm balls.Put into the tightly closed container filled with candle smoke.

Ingredients of filling covers
2 cups black sticky rice flour
2 cups white sticky rice flour
1/2 cup water

Methods
1. Mix the two flours together. Gradually add in water and knead well.
2. Form the mixture into 1-cm balls. Spread the balls to cover the prepared fillings.

Ingredients of topping
2 cups and 6 tbsp. rice flour
8 tbsp. tubular flour
3 tbsp. and 1 tbp. salt
4 tbsp. sugar
8 cups thick coconut cream
4 cups thin coconut milk

Methods
1. Mix the two flours together. Add sugar, salt, and coconut cream. Stir well.
2. Heat the pan. Put the mixture. Stir till thick. Remove from heat.
3. Put the filling in the middle of prepared banana. Drop the topping onto the filling till the topping covers the filling. Fold banana leaf into high triangular shape.
4. Put the dessert into the steamer. Steam for 10 minutes.

Hints
- Outer banana leaves should be 2 1/2 inches wide, 7 1/2 inches long. Cut both ends into oval shape.
- Inner banana leaves should be 2 inches ride, 5 1/2 inches long. Cut both ends into oval shape.
- Use 1/2 inch wide, 12 inches long coconut leaf to secure the pack of the dessert.

Makes:240 packs

Khao Niew Tud (Sticky Glutinous Rice)

2007-02-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

Khao Niew Tud (Sticky Glutinous Rice)

Khao Niew Tud or Khao Niew Naa Nuan is made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, and sugar. It is served after the main course or after supper.

Ingredients
1 kg. long grain glutinous rice
1 1/2 kg. coconut cream
2 cups thin coconut milk
6 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. salt
2 g. rice flour

Methods
1. Soak the glutinous rice for at least 3 hours.
2. Mix thin coconut milk with 1 tsp. of salt.
3. Wash the rice. Place the rice on a steaming tray. Add the mixture of thin coconut over glutinous rice. Steam until done for 20-25 minutes.
4. Mix well 5 cups of coconut milk, salt, and sugar. Pour over steamed glutinous rice.
5. Continuously steam for 10 minutes. Bring to heat.
6. Garnish with Thong Yod or steamed black beans. Continuously steam for 20 minutes. Lower to medium heat.

Tua Pap (Filled Wheat Flour Dumpling)

2007-02-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

Tua Pap (Filled Wheat Flour Dumpling)

Khanom Tua Pap is an ancient Thai dessert, easy to make but very delicious and also nutritious. The ingredients which are easily found in one's own home include rice, sugar, and coconut or coconut milk.

Ingredients
1/2 kg. glutinous rice flour
1 3/4 cup water

Ingredients of Bean filling
800 g. steamed mung bean
2 tsp. salt

Shrimp filling
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. coriander's root
1 tsp. ground garlic
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup chopped shrimp
1 1/2 cups fine shredded coconut meat
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water mixed with 2 drops of orange food colorings

Ingredients of Topping.
4 80 g. 3 - 4 cups fine shredded coconut meat
5 g. 1 1/2 tsp. salt
300 g. 1 1/2 cups sugar
150 g. 3/4 cup roasted sesame seeds

Preparation of bean filling
Mix well the steam mung bean with salt

Preparation of shrimp filling
1. Chop shrimp and coconut meat together, add colour
2. Heat the pan. Add some vegetable oil, coriander's root, and the shrimp mixture. Fry till well done. Season with salt, and sugar. Set aside.

Methods
1. Put the glutinous rice flour in a bowl, add water, knead until the flour is smooth (about 10 - 15 minutes)
2. Make 1-inch balls of the flour. Flatten each ball, drop into boiling water and leave till cooked. Remove from heat and put it into the fine shredded coconut meat.
3. Fill the flour in Step 2 with prepared fillings. Fold in the middle. Press the rim of the flour to cover the filling. Arrange the finished Tua Pap and serve with sugar and sesame seeds.

Hints
1. If more fragrant or colored Tua Pap is needed, pandanus leaf or food coloring should be added in mixing water.
2. For best result, mung beans should be cooked till soft before use.

Makes: 50 pieces for 17 - 20 persons

Leb Meu Nang (Sticky Rice Flour Stick with Coconut Meat)

2007-02-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

Leb Meu Nang (Sticky Rice Flour Stick with Coconut Meat)

Leb Meu Nang is served in wedding ceremony or in teaching Buddhism in the temple. With its good smell, soft, sticky, sweet, and its shape; which is long and thin like ladies fingers, it is called "Khanom Leb Meu Nang"

Ingredients
150 g. rice flour
50 g. cassava flour
500 g. jasmine scented water
100 g. cassava flour (used for preventing finger jam to the flour.)
750 g. thick coconut cream
50 g. cooked sesame seeds
480 g. grated coconut meat
7 g. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
20 g. rice flour

Methods
1. Mix rice flour with cassava flour. Knead the two flours by adding jasmine scented water gradually till soft. Pour the rest of the water into the flour.
2. Stir the mixture over high heat till thick. Then lower the heat and continue stirring till the mixture does not get stick to the pan. Leave to cool.
3. Knead the flour again. If the flour is too sticky, touch cassava flour while kneading. Form the mixture gradually into a long and thin shape with pointed ends.
4. Boil water. Put the prepared mixture in Step3 into boiling water till it floats. Remove the cooked dessert and put it into grated coconut meat mixed with salt.
5. Boil coconut cream, add salt. Dissolve 2 g. of rice flour with water and add it into the coconut cream. Remove from heat after the mixture boils.
6. Stir fry sesame seeds (without oil). Mix sugar.Desired characteristics of the dessert:Soft ad sticky, and scented : sweet and creamy

Hints
Use medium heat while shining first, then lower the heat. If use too low heat, the mixture will get stick to the pan and is not soft.

Makes: 10 - 15 persons (60 g. for each)

Khao Niew Moon (Glutinous Rice with Toppings)

2007-02-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

Khao Niew Moon (Glutinous Rice with Toppings)

Khao Niew Moon is an ancient Thai dessert made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, and salt to make sweet, salty, and creamy taste. This kind of glutinous rice is served with various toppings such as Sungkaya topping, dried fish topping, shrimp topping, etc. It is served in all occasions.

Ingredients
1 kg. (5 1/2 cups) long grain sticky rice
1 piece alum
440-500 g. (1 3/4-2 cups) thick coconut milk
300 g. (1 1/2 cups) sugar
30 g. (3 tbsp.) salt

Methods
1. Soak the sticky rice at least 3 hours.
2. Wash the rice 3 times. Drain.
3. Place the rice in a steamer tray lined with muslin. Steam until done for 20-25 minutes
.4. Mix salt, coconut milk, and sugar will. Bring to boil and strain through muslin.
5. When the rice done, mix the prepared coconut milk with the rice. Scramble the mixture.Serve with toppings such as Sungkaya or other ripe fruits such as mangoes or durians.

Preparation of Thick coconut milk
Ingredients
2 cups (500 g. coconut meat) coconut milk
30 g. (2 tbsp.) rice flour
5 g. (1 1/2 tsp.) salt
30 g. (2 tbsp.) sugar

Methods
Mix well the mixture. Bring to boil and stir over the heat.

Preparation of Sungkaya Topping
Ingredients
190 g. (3/4 cups) thick coconut milk
200 g. (1 cup) palm sugar
6-7 (1 1/2 cups) eggs
3 pandanus leaves (cut into pieces)

Methods
Mix well sugar, coconut milk and eggs. Hand mix all the mixture together with pandanus leaves.Strain the mixture with muslin. Steam over boiling water for 20 minutes.

Makes:10 persons.

Preparation of Shrimp Topping
Ingredients
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh shrimp
1 cup (120 g.) finely chopped coconut meat
2 tsp. coriander’s root pounded with ground pepper
1/4 cup Cooking oil
2-3 tsp. salt
2-3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tbsp. food coloring (red/orange)

Methods
1. Chop shrimp and grated coconut meat and mix well with food coloring.
2. Heat the pan. Add coriander’s root, shrimp, and grated coconut meat. Mix all together.Seasoning with salt and sugar. Garnish with Kaffir lime leaves.

Makes:10 persons.

Preparation of Dried Fish Topping
Ingredients
1 cup dried fish
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fried shallots

Methods
Stir fry the dried fish until crisp over the lower heat. Add sugar and fried shallots.

Khao Tom Pad or Khao Tom Mad (Filled Glutinous Rice)

2007-02-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

Khao Tom Pad or Khao Tom Mad (Filled Glutinous Rice)

Khao Tom Pad or Khao Tom Mad is a native Thai dessert made for giving to monks in Tuk Bath Tae Wo, and Aok Pan Sa festivals, and also giving among relatives during the festivals. It is always served before dinner time or to be a food provision during a long journey.

Ingredients
2 kg. long grains glutinous rice
5 cups thick coconut cream (made of 2 kg. grated coconut meat)
1 1/2 cups thin coconut cream
40 - 50 g. salt
800 g. sugar
1/2 kg. cooked black eye peas
2 hands ripe banana

Methods
1. Wash the rice 1 time. Soak in deep water for hours. Strain.
2. Mix thick coconut, salt, and sugar together. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Add the mixture into the rice in Step 1. Soak for a while.
3. Put the mixture from Stop 2 into the pan. Stir till the mixture dries. Set aside.
4. Tear young banana leaves. Wipe with wet clothes. (the outer leaves are 7 inches wide, 8 inches long, the inner leaves are 5 1/2 inches wide, and 6 1/2 inches long). Cut both ends of the leaves into oval shape. Put the inner leave on the outer leaves.
5. Spread the rice on the banana leaves. Put some cooked black eye peas. Put ripe banana in the middle of the rice sheet. Cover the banana with some rice. Fold the banana leaves. Tie the two packs of the dessert together tightly.
6. Steam the dessert for 2 hours.

Makes: 60 packs

Pui Fai (Thai Cake)

2007-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

Pui Fai (Thai Cake)

Khanom Pui Fai is a sweet and colorful Thai dessert usually served on a special occasion such as a party to celebrate one's promotion.

Ingredients
500 g. wheat flour
2 cups sugar
2 duck eggs
2 tbsp. S.P. (leavening agent)
3/4 cup condensed milk
1 cup water (1)
1 cup water (2)

Methods
1. Beat the eggs well at a high speed. Add S.P. (leavening agent) and continue beating for about 5 minutes.
2. Gradually and alternately add sugar and water (1)
3. Add milk and beat the mixture for 2 minutes.
4. Fold in wheat flour alternately with water (2), using a low speed beater.
5. Pour three -quarter of water into the steamer and heat to boil.
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cake cups held in the aluminum molds. Arrange the mold in the steamer tray. Steam on medium heat for about 12 minutes.
7. Remove the cooked Pui Fai from the aluminum molds. Leave to cool.

Makes: 250 small paper cups.

Sungkaya (Thai Custard)

2007-02-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

Sungkaya (Thai Custard)

Sungkaya is an ancient Thai dessert made from eggs, sugar, and coconut cream. It is served in various occasions nowadays and is adapted into various kinds such as Sungkaya with young coconut meat topping, with pumpkin topping, taro topping, or Foi Thong topping. In addition, it is also served with Khao Niew Moon (glutinous rice)

Ingredients
35 duck eggs
1 kg. + 2 g. palm sugar
2 g. sugar
2 kg. grated coconut meat (to make 10 coconut cream)
20 pandanus leaves (cut into pieces)
2 tbsp. cassava flour

Methods
1. Wash the eggs, dry, and set aside.
2. Hand mix the eggs and sugar together by using pandanus leaves.
3. Add thick coconut cream. Mix it to the mixture in Step 2. Then, strain through muslin.
4. Put the tray in the steamer. Steam the tray till it completely dries.
5. Put the mixture into the tray. Sprinkle with pumpkin or young coconut meat.
6. Steam over high heat for 1/2 hour. When the dessert raises, lower the heatto be medium. Steam for another 1/2 hour.

Remarks:To make pumpkin Sungkaya, cut pumpkin into small 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle on the top of Sungkaya.

Makes:1 tray (12 x 12 inches)

A - Lua (Crispy Sticky Dumpling)

2007-02-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

A - Lua (Crispy Sticky Dumpling)

A-Lua is made from wheat flour, coconut cream, and sugar. This dessert is crispy outside but soft inside, sweet, creamy, and scented. It can be colored by natural colors and food coloring.

Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 cups coconut cream
2 tbsp. pandanus leaves water

Methods
1. Sieve flour and add sugar. Add coconut cream gradually. Knead till the sugar dissolves, then put all the rest of the coconut cream. Stir well and sieve the mixture. Put the mixture into pan. Stir quickly over medium heat till the mixture is clear. Add pandanus leaf. Stir till the mixture is thick and clear. Leave to cool.
2. Grease the tray. Use 2 teaspoons to scoop the mixture and drop on the tray to be 1 1/2 inches far from each others. Sun dry the dropped mixture or bake by using hot air.

Hints
- Use high heat for about 2 - 3 minutes till the mixture is clear, then lower the heat and continues to stir for another 2 - 3 minutes till the mixture is cried.

Makes: 5 - 8 persons

Ray Rai (Rice Thread with Coconut Meat)

2007-02-17T07:07:00.000-08:00

Ray Rai (Rice Thread with Coconut Meat)

Khanom Ray Rai is a beautiful Thai dessert. It is always mentioned about its eye catchy aspect both in normal conversation and in writing.

Ingredients
300 g. dried rice flour
30 g. tubular flour
50 g. singapore flour
375 g. coconut cream
500 g. fresh flower scented water
200 g. sugar
375 g. thick coconut cream (to make topping)
240 g. steamed grated coconut meat
3 g. salt
135 g. black white cooked sesame seeds
3 – 4 g. banana leaves

Methods
1. Mix rice flour, tubular flour, and coconut cream together. Knead the mixture for 10 minutes. Then add the rest of coconut cream and jasmine scented water. Put the mixture into the pan. Stir till the mixture dries and no longer stick to pan. Leave to warm.
2. Knead the mixture till soft. Roll the mixture to be 10 inches long, and 1 inch wide. Cut the rolled mixture into 1 inch pieces.
3. Sprinkle cassava flour onto the mold. Put and press the prepared mixture in Step 2 in the mold. The pressed flour will be round, line like a piece of hay in bird’s nest.
4. Put banana leaves onto the steamer. Grease the leaves with coconut cream. Put the prepared mixture in Step.3 into the steamer. Steam for 4 – 5 minutes. Remove from heat.Leave to cool.
5. Serve with cooked grated coconut meat mixed with coconut cream and salt.

Hints
1. The most important step of making Khanom Ray Rai is preparing the flour.
- Knead the flour with the palm till soft.
- Stir the flour in one direction only.
- Use cassava flour as needed. If uses it too much, the flour will be too wet when steam.
2. After the water boils, steam the dessert for another 3 – 4 minutes only. If longer, the dessert will be too wet, and flat.
3. To serve:
- Sprinkle grated coconut meat on the dish first.
- Place the dessert on the coconut.
- Separate coconut cream, sesame seeds, and sugar. When it is ready to eat, sprinkle sugar, sesame seeds, and coconut cream on the dessert consequently.
- The dessert should be shiny, sticky, and soft.

Makes:15 persons (60 g. each)

Ta - Ko (Rice Flour Custard with Coconut Cream)

2007-02-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Ta - Ko (Rice Flour Custard with Coconut Cream)

Ta-ko is made from flour, coconut cream, and sugar. There are two parts of Ta - ko; the main part consists of flour and sugar, and the topping contains coconut cream, flour, and salt. To make variation, other ingredients can be added to have more various tastes such as corn, nut grass, and taro and they are called by their names e.g. Taro Ta-Ko, Nut Ta-Ko, etc.

Ingredients of the main part
1 1/2 cups mung bean flour
1/4 cup cassava flour
7 1/2 cups pandanus leaves water
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked nut grass (dice)

Methods
1. Mix mung bean flour and cassava flour together.
2. Add pandanus leaves water into the flour gradually. Stir well.
3. Put the mixture in Step.2 into the pan. Stir well over high heat till the mixture becomes thick then add sugar. Lower the heat to medium, stir till the mixture is thick and clear. Add nut grass, stir for a while. Set aside.
4. Drop the mixture into the middle of pandanus leaves cups

Ingredients of topping
1 1/2 cups corn flour
4 tsp. salt
7 1/2 cups (3 1/2 cups coconut cream, 4 cups coconut milk) coconut milk

Methods
1. Mix corn flour, salt, and coconut milk together. Stir well.
2. Bring the mixture in Step 1 to stir over medium heat till the mixture is thick. Remove. Drop over the main part in pandanus leaves.

Methods of making pandanus leaves cups
Materials
1. Pandanus leaves
2. Green thread
3. Needle No.94. Scissors

Methods
1. Cut both ends of pandanus leaves. Divide the leaves into 5-inches squar es. Cut along the line.
2. Fold the right square.
3. Continue folding the rest.
4. Fold the last part into the cup. Sew the top and the lower ends.

Makes:180 pieces

Leum Kleun (Stir Fried Mung Bean Flour)

2007-02-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

Leum Kleun (Stir Fried Mung Bean Flour)

Khanom Leum Kleun is made from mung bean flour, coconut cream, and sugar. There are 2 parts of the dessert: body and topping. After putting the dessert into the cups, sprinkle with fried and crispy green peas. The dessert is soft, smooth, and very easy to swallow.

Ingredients of the topping
3/4 cup rice flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups thick coconut cream
1 cup thin coconut cream
some fried green peas

Methods
1. Mix well flour, water, food coloring.
2. Heat the pan. Pour the mixture in Step. 1 into the pan. Stir over high heat till the mixture is thick and clear. Add sugar. Stir till the mixture is thick and clear. Remove from heat.
3. Drop the mixture into plastic cups at the level 3/4 of the cup.
4. Mix rice flour, salt and coconut cream together. Pour the mixture into the pan.
5. Heat the pan. Stir the mixture till thick. Drop the mixture onto the body in Step 3.
6. Sprinkle with fried green peas.

Hints:
1. The body of the dessert is dried easily. So drop it into the cups as quickly as possible otherwise the dessert is not smooth.
2. The topping should be added onto the body while it is still warm, or the two parts are apart from each other.Desired characteristics of the dessert:The body should be clear with light colour. The topping should be smooth

Makes:200 cups

Khao niew Daeng (Ged Glutinous Rice)

2007-02-17T06:59:00.000-08:00

Khao niew Daeng (Ged Glutinous Rice)

Khao Niew Daeng is in a same type of Thai desserts as Khao Niew Kaew and Kalamae, which need to be stirred to form the desired characteristics of the dessert. The main ingredients are glutinous rice, palm sugar, and sesame seeds. It is served in Song Kran festival to monks and relatives.

Ingredients
1,500 g. glutinous rice
1,125 g. palm sugar
8 cups grated coconut meat
375 g. maltose syrup
10 pandanus leaves
1 tbsp. salt

Methods
1. Wash the rice slightly 3 times. Add salt into rice water while washing. Soak for 3 hours.
2. Stir fry (without Oil) sesame seeds over medium heat.
3. Steam the rice in Step 1 for 5 minutes.
4. Mix palm sugar, coconut cream, maltose syrup and pandanus leaves together.
5. Stir the mixture in Step 4 Over medium heat till thick.
6. Mix well the cooked rice into the mixture in Step 5. Use medium heat. Remove from heat, press the dessert into the tray. Leave to cool. Sprinkle with cooked sesame seeds.Cut into pieces.

Makes:1 tray ( 12 x 12 inches)

Khao Niew Kaew (Glossy Glutinous Rice)

2007-02-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Khao Niew Kaew (Glossy Glutinous Rice)

Khao Niew Kaew is made from glutinous rice. coconut cream, and sugar. It can be scented by adding pandanus leaves. Khao Niew Kaew is served to the monks in various festivals such as kao Pan Sa and AoK Pan Sa. Khao Niew Kaew was one of the ten desserts served in the celebration of Phra Si Rattanasartsadaram Temple in 1809 during King Rama I period.

Ingredients
1,500 g. glutinous rice
1,000 g. sugar
8 cups grated coconut meat
10 pandanus leaves
2 – 3 tbsp. concentrated pandanus leaves water
1 tbsp. salt (to mix in the water while washing rice)

Methods
1. Wash the rice slightly 3 times. Mix salt in the water while washing. Then soak for 3 hours.
2. Steam the rice for 50 minutes.
3. Mix sugar, coconut cream, and pandanus leaves together. Boil until the mixture is thick.
4. Add the rice into the mixture in Step 3. Stir and add pandanus leaves water to make colour. When the mixture is well done (sticky and clear), put and press the cooked mixture into the tray. Leave to cool. Caut into pieces.

Hints
Use medium heat first. When the mixture is thicker, lower the heat.

Makes:
1 tray (12 x 12 inches)

Piak Poon (Rice Flour Custard)

2007-02-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

Piak Poon (Rice Flour Custard)

Stirring flour, sugar, and saturated red lime juice are needed in making Khanom Piak Poon. The dessert needs to be stirred over high heat and then medium heat till it turns sticky and thick. It is usually added green color from pandanus leaves and black from burnt coconut skin. It is always served after dinner.

Ingredients
4 g. rice flour
1 1/2 g. tubular flour
2 g. palm sugar
1 kg. sugar
16 cups Saturated red lime liquid
2 tbsp. concentrated pandanus leaves water

Methods
1. Prepare saturated red lime liquid - Use 3 kg. of red lime.- Soak red lime in 20 litres water for 1 week.
2. Mix rice flour, tubular flour, and saturated red lime liquid together.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan. Add palm sugar and sugar. Stir till thick. Then add pandanus leaves water. Stir for another 1 hour. Lower the heat. Pat the dessert in the tray.

Makes:
1 of 12 x 12 inches tray or
2 of 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches tray

Sanae Chun (Flour Paste)

2007-02-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

Sanae Chun (Flour Paste)

Khanom Sanae Chun is made of flour sugar, coconut cream and egg yolks stirred together till dry. Then, form the mixture to be "Look Chun" a kind of fruit. The finished dessert looks like natural Look Chun.

Ingredients
1/2 cup glutinous flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup chun ted powder
2 cup thick coconut cream
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks

Methods
1. Sift glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and Chun Ted powder together.
2. Mix coconut cream and sugar together. Heat the mixture till the sugar dissolves, strain with muslin. Add the mixed flour in Step 1. Stir well on low heat till thick. Let warm, mix egg yolks. Heat the pan and stir the mixture again till the mixture dried. Add a little bit of yellow color.
3. Form the mixture to be Look Chun. Garnish with brown colour.

Makes:
70 Look Chuns

Thong Eak

2007-02-17T06:50:00.000-08:00

Thong Eak (Wheat Flour Dumpling with Egg Yolks)

Thong Eak is a Thai dessert, which is adapted from Western sweets. The ingredients are egg yolks, coconut cream, wheat flour, and sugar. Thong Eak is served in auspicious ceremony because of its meaningful name and colour.

Ingredients
1 cup Wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup egg yolks
1 cup coconut cream

Methods
1. Mix well wheat flour, sugar, and egg yolks together. Add coconut cream and stir till the sugar dissolves, then sieve the mixture through muslin.
2. Pour the mixture into the pan. Stir the mixture over low heat till thick. Set aside and leave to cool.
3. Divide the mixture into small pieces, press the divided pieces into the molds. Then, knock off. Garnish with the gold leaf.
4. Arrange the cooked dessert into an aromaticed – containers.
- Thong Eak should be bright yellow and scented.

Hints
1. Use low heat.
2. Add some food colour; yellow and orange, into the mixture to make good colour of the dessert.

Makes:
70 pieces.

Cha Mong Kood

2007-02-17T06:47:00.000-08:00

Cha Mong Kood(Egg Yolks Dumpling in Wheat Flour Crown)

Cha Mong Kood is a royal Thai dessert,served to the King. It is a rare Thai dessert because of its complicated methods of making.

Ingredients
(1) Watermelon seeds: thorn shaped
1 cup red skinless watermelon seed
1 cup sugar
1 cup jasmine scented water

Methods
1. Mix sugar and jasmine scented water together. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat.
2. Stir fry watermelon seeds over low heat. Put finger into prepared syrup, then nib watermelon seeds with the finger till the syrup dries. Wipe the pan with wet clothes. Rub till the seeds become thorn, which takes about 5 – 6 hours. Store the seeds in closed container.

2) flour cup
1 cup wheat flour
2 egg yolks1 egg

Methods
1. Mix flour with eggs. Knead till soft. Spread the flour into thin sheets, then cut the rim to make 2 inches diameter round sheet.
2. Put the flour into a small cup, press slightly to form the flour to be a cup. Remove from the cup with fork. Bake and set aside

Useful Tips: Sugar and Thai Dessert

2007-02-17T06:44:00.000-08:00

Useful Tips: Sugar and Thai Dessert

Sugar, this sweet is preserve for food:…….if mentioning about dessert whether Thai dessert or other nations, the first taste people in general thinks is about sweet taste. Especially Thai dessert having the slogan that it is sweet. Because of tasting about sweet taste in that Thai dessert ever since. If not to think to mention about the sweet, mostly or everybody think for the first time of course……everybody think "sugar."

All houses should of course have sugar, so far called as the basic ingredients for making raw food and sweet since the ancient times. Before Thai people have no granulated sugar just like these days, was use sugar from slice sweet from falling palm. This palm sugar is in various shape the name is derived from the container use such as if it is in the can it is called sugar in can, if it is in pot it is called sugar in pot, if only the top is in bulk something like elevated earth but biggest it is called ton sugar.

Later when sugar is in shape of scabs so far called as granulated sugar, then granulated sugar has been use as the major sugar at every houses. Granulated sugar is in two kinds, first one is red granulated sugar, because it is something like red, since it is not under the process of whitely purify. Most important it still have vitamin and mineral. For granulated sugar is already undergoes with purify so no vitamin and mineral left anymore, only pure carbohydrates. We called it white sugar. This granulated sugar is mostly use in preserving food. The process of food preservation using sugar, Thai people had widely used since then. The ancient ways of using is syrup and churn, the food to make, as syrup and churn that mostly like are varieties of fruits. The aim is to preserve the fruits not to be rotten to be eaten in the family or giving to relatives and neighbours to deliciously eaten. It should be considered that although at that time they did not learn the theory or technique in preserving food just like scientific way and modern technology. But the ancient people can preserve the food by easy method to keep the food stay longer.

Candied Sugar

Using sugar to preserve the food at present still widely applied. Especially for fruits and agricultural products to produce Thai dessert, sweet taste, and crispy and starchy. Using candied sugar or enamel use to preserve food to make the food stay longer and keep in long method is just to boiled the sugar to stick together then put the food to be preserve, with this method to have the candied food or good tasty food longer. The dessert undergoes with preservation in this of method are candied banana, candied cassava, candied taro, krongkring
(small sweetmeat made of pellets flour boiled in coco milk and shaped like cockle shells), khai hia (sweetmeat), bird nest etc.

Churn

Is the other method that makes the dessert tasty until forget about the valid date of the food. Churn is to reduce the volume of water in the food is the best method. The food use to churn mostly are ripe fruits remains from eating fresh such as mango, banana, star gooseberry etc. all are agriculture products like, potato, peanut, taro, sticky rice etc. The method is not difficult just to spend time a little bit. Firstly the fruits of agriculture product need to churn, need to scramble to make the fruits depart each other. Then put on the golden pot put the fire lightly, use paddle to churn or continuously stir, to make the water saturated outside and to avoid the food stick on the pot. Then add sugar at that time, if the churn food needed to have a good taste. It depend to the grinded coconut or coconut milk, add small amount of salt. Stir until it become sticky then gradually pull down, leave it to cool, then put on the container with seal, the food under the churn process of another one is to churn the flower and coconut blend together with sugar (for best result use sugar in can) it will have a sweet taste you cannot deny, of course you ever eat with many people this sweet is called caramel.

Preserve in Sugar

Is another way of food preservation in good taste and strange feeling. Preserve in sugar is to put the food on sugar. It will help the sugar out from the food and makes the microbe that makes the food rotten will not grow. At the same time sugar will absorb into the texture of the food. It add more sweet, the food preserve in sugar most people likes to eat especially for girls, no one can deny is fruits with sweet and sour such as mango, bale fruit, star gooseberry, tamarind etc. Preservation in sugar that makes the taste in sweet and sour because sweet will mix with the smell and sour, that sometimes you can forget sour taste. The fruit undergoes with preservation under this process apart it will have a delicious taste it also have a high price. To understand that preserve in sugar makes the food have high price is not a mistake. Because when it is fresh fruit the price is kilogram is just a few baht. But when it comes to preserve the price is merely high, just wait for a time and the fruit will have a sweet taste then sell to have a double price.

Pickled/or preserve in salt

Is the same method like preserve in sugar. It only differs because it needs only a little sugar but mostly it added a lot of salt. So far it is called salt is the main ingredient secondly is sugar. Food preservation in other way, which is not using the sour fruits, should add the microbe essence. But for sour fruits like mango, star gooseberry, bale fruit etc. it is not necessary because it is salty and sour existed on behalf of fruit preserve in salt such as pickled star gooseberry, pickled mango, pickled guava, jujube, olive, tamarind etc.

Apart from the above mentioned process of preservation. Sugar can do many things especially eaten with dessert made in syrup and coconut cream added with ice. Mostly when it is eaten during hot season it makes us comfortable you cannot deny. Sugar use for syrup is the former granulated sugar. Boiled water with granulated sugar in appropriate ratio. If boiling to have a sweet taste like syrup something like clear to be eaten with sweet or fruits in sweet preserve made of sour fruit steeped in syrup and little salt (loi kaew) such as kraton (fruit tree) palm loi kaew, bale fruit jelly, jelly, sweetmeat made of edible bird nest, balsam apple in syrup, mango in syrup etc. or to be eaten with herbal drinks for health such as bai buabok (creeping herb) juice, bale fruit juice, baitoey (woody plant) juice, lemon grass etc.

But if to stir the sugar until it merely concentrated is to use ripe Thai dessert such as for at least make it as Foi thong (sweetmeat made of egg yolk). Syrup enough to boiled sweetmeat is merely boiled syrup until it will have big bubbles on the center. When putting the paddle it will merely sticky. If the syrup has more bubbles and more concentrated it is good for Thong Yip and if the syrup is more concentrated when it is boiling the pot has full of bubbles good for thong yod (sweetmeat made of eggyolk and sugar). Apart from this, syrup is also good for fruits and other agricultural products such as potato, taro, nut grass, banana (some kinds), squash etc. The dessert boils with syrup to preserve for eaten several days. Therefore cooking Thai dessert using syrup is another way of food preservation.

For coconut cream mostly use is sugar in can because it is aromatic smells and sweet like Thai style. It is referred that sugar in can is go together with coconut cream well. It is more suited when it is mix with scented candle; the taste is very delicious and sweet. Coconut cream is eaten with boiled taro, muskmelon, lod chong (sweetmeat made of noodles and coconut cream), black sticky rice, sweet basil seed etc.

Useful Tips: Scented candle, Scented Thai dessert

2007-02-17T06:41:00.000-08:00

Useful Tips: Scented candle, Scented Thai dessert

…….Thai dessert is one that symbolizes Thai nation with people that preserve and inherits the culture-tradition in making not to be cut off although the numbers are not much or for dessert difficult to make need to use highly articulate which is difficult to find for a person to inherits this making of Thai desserts. In addition to its delicious taste and beautiful shape like Thai sweets make by skilled meticulously maker. It also has an aromatic smell that urge people to taste. Therefore it can be referred as charm of these Thai desserts is the fragrant smell.

One of aromatic smell as symbolizes because Thai dessert is scented candle. Most of new generation may never see how look like is the scented candle, later they will know after they eaten or some maybe don’t know that the smell they say is fragrant is the smell of scented candle. So they eat deliciously that sweet taste without knowing the origin of that dessert by using scented candle. Nobody has recorded during the ancient time in written of what period did the Thai dessert originated, only knows that it is a long time ago using the Thai scented dessert, is the major such as Luk Chob, when after churn peanut it will scented before made into shape.

Making baked toddy palm sugar like ancient time is when the drop of toddy palm is in shape of the pot. Place the sweet by dozen to baked with scented candle etc. apart from the ancient days using scented candle for baking to have an aromatic smell. It also use for scented flour of Dok Sarapee too use for bathing. The dessert under the process of scented candle are in different kinds such as Lum Panne, Thong Ek, Klip Lumduan, Pui Pai, Somnas, Khao Du etc. like coconut milk spread around, Lud Chong, musk melon etc. all were under the process of scented candle.

Making Wax Roll

The procedure in making wax so far called as wax roll. Wax roll is the important skill for ancient Thai women, of course the procedure are different according to it period. During the old days they use beehive churn with wooden paddle in silver pan then filter to take only the wax in yellow liquid. Then spread with benzoin on the wax. Stir to mix together then leave on the sun to make it dry, make into sheet, put on the center. Then dig the candle in shape of millipede. Presently making scented candle still using wax from the northern part of Thailand. When after filling the wax mix it with paraffin or little artificial wax to avoid not to much liquid. At present the shape of scented candle is not millipede, just to bend into curve facing each other. The aromatic substance use to stir together with that wax, apart from benzoin several of Thai scented substance are use such as red granulated sugar, grinded chalot peel, pimsen, peel of kaffir finely slice, sandal oil etc. Baking candle dessert is mild in a technique of meticulously done. This technique is widely inherited since the ancient times. Ancient people will place the scented candle on the dish clay or small earthen cup. However these days it is place on small aluminum basin or maybe small silver cup.

Saturated candle started by putting fire on the scented candle place between the desserts on the bottle. When fire reach to the wax then put off the fire lift only the smoke. Then immediately open the bottle cap, leave for one night to have an aromatic, smooth Thai dessert. The basic procedure of baking candle should do carefully to avoid it black around the candle or will pull down or pull on the dessert. Therefore it necessary to baked the candle for the next time, it should advisable to especially aware about this matter. Because the candle used for the first time will have a number of black ashes stick on it. Firstly take it out, it is better to do it to avoid sorry at the end. That the sweet scented dessert will totally dirty.

The different scent all are supplementary that make Thai dessert have a sweet smell. Some kinds of dessert may use other smell instead of scented candle having the same procedure. Baking sweet using flower and scented candle leave for one night, you will have a fragrant scented candle and fragrant flower at the same time.

Baking dessert by Rose

Rose use for baking should be the only kind of pink Mon rose. As can seen along the market selling plants. That at present pink Mon rose is merely seen and it have an expensive price. Therefore Thai dessert saturated with ranjuan of pink Mon rose is rare to find. Baking dessert with rose can do by picking up its leave of rose. Be careful in picking up to avoid the flower damages then spread into the dessert. Then close the seal and leave one night, of course you can assured than if rose flower use for baking is the real pink Mon rose flower.

Baking with Kradangga flower (vine plant with fragrant flower)

It needs to expose kradangga flower on the fire of scented candle. Allowing the petal of the flower will rotten first. Then press the flower to scattered together, the smell will come out strongly. After the basic step then prepare the kradangga flower then put on the dessert to bake. Tightly close the seal leave for a night, putting fire on the kradangga flower is the source of slogan "kradangga lon fai (kradangga fall on fire).

Useful Tips: Good Definition of Thai Dessert

2007-02-17T06:38:00.000-08:00

Useful Tips: Good Definition of Thai Dessert
Source: Office of the National Culture Commission

Thai dessert have sweet taste and aromatic smell from candle stick in beautiful shape cause by meticulously done, create that makes the food beautiful, nice to be eaten and good to be presented as gift from Thai dessert at different occasion. Most of the desserts are meaningful, that makes the giver and receiver have good deeds with good meaning as follows:

Promotion of Rank

Khanom Ja Mongkot to appreciate by giving this dessert with the word “ja” means chief and the word “ mongkot (crown) means the king or the highest people. Therefore Ja Mongkot means the highest chief the highest meaning plus making this kind of dessert is rather difficult using articulates technique, ja mongkot will be given only to the people of highly influential.
-Kanom-Chan …..means highly progress
-Khanom tuay fo ..means progress and development
-Khanom thong ek means one forever life
-Khanom tong plu ..means progress, well-known like thunder
-Khanom luk chup …means lovely, anyone will love, most good for mature to young people
-Khanom maprao kaew or glutinous glass means the precious glass
-Khanom sanechan means with charm like the full moon
-Khanom tan means to have a sweet and smooth life

Useful Tips: Thai Dessert for different occasion

2007-02-17T06:32:00.000-08:00

Useful Tips: Thai Dessert for different occasion
Source: Office of the National Culture Commission

.........…….Thai dessert has taking its part at different merit making since the past for Thai people making special desserts. Especially for merit making that means once in a year making that kind of dessert. Because making that dessert is too difficult and use encouragement from several people that joint together in making that dessert in a great volume. The rest of that dessert will be distributed to neighbors and keep themselves. These desserts can be called according to its occasion.

Caramel for Thai New Year... From the past Thais considered Songkran day was the New Year’s day before the government of Field Marshal Phibul Songkram declared 1st January is the New Year’s day under the international calender since B.E. 2484 (1941) until at present. Formerly the New Year celebrations declared on the same day and considered 13 April is the Thai New Year’s day falls between April 13 and 14 April is the day to be happy and 15 April is the beginning of New Era of little era following the solar eclipse. Making of Thai desserts at that time should be finished before the coming of New Year. Because the people had to do merit and these dessert will be offer to the monk and pagoda at the temple.

Songkran day or Thai New Year’s day was to bless water on the head that lasted to 7 days. Thai desserts was the native dessert made and can keep longer time like glutinious crystal or kaoniao kaew, kaoniao daeng and caramel. From the three desserts, grinding caramel was considered that Thais do it regularly every year and mostly do kaoniao kaew, kaoniao daeng but some have to alternate in making desserts. Because these two desserts were easily done, or else if any family wanted to make caramel otherwise they are a big family to grind the caramel, with numbers of relatives. Because making caramel needs a lot of people to stir. The atmosphere in making caramel were very enjoyable, everybody help each other to prepare about 2 days. Especially children the niece nephew which they were enjoy during these moment not only to eat caramel at the bottom of the pan. The children can also eat burned coconut, burned sugarcane. Stirring caramel used only palm sugar or sugar in the can, coconut and glutunious rice. Before string on day the neighbour choice the ripe coconut about 10-15 to press the coconut cream in different volume and depend its skilled of stirring whether the glutunious consist with of how many coconut were to used and how much the volume of sugar to be used. The first step were to soak the glutunious rice on the water to put on the stone pot. It should assured to use a strong person to help grinding the glutunious rice, grinding started from afternoon and finished about 3-4 evening of the same day.

Then place with flour in the grinding machine and let the water out until only become the flour. The elder should wake up early in the moning about three in the morning on the next day to help making the desserts, the lightning from the lamp and torch whill be lighted to allow the children see or heard the sound of elder’s talking and will also participated the gathering. Some will come to volunteer, helping to press the coconut in great number. Then press to have the cream and put jasmine flower on the water and strain, and separated the concentrated cream and diluted coconut cream. Put the concentrated coconut cream on the big pan, stir with paddle until it will separted each other then take out to put on the container.

The next step were to put the prepared flour on the basin add the diluted coconut cream add with palm sugar then mix together then put on the pan with lotus leaves were the iron pan of big size placed on the oven. Then put on the ground, then started to stir the caramel since nine o’clock . The first time flour still in fluid and it were easy to stir. This time children were happy and tried to ask the elder to help the punching. But at the same time also dig the pan to avoid not the flour stick on the bottom of the pan and make the flour sticky. Children should be careful not to separate and not foamy otherwise it will break out because when skin become foamy and break it hurt the skin. At this time the elder mostly do their self, some will set the fire strongly and some will make it steady. Until the colour of the flour change its colour to light brown then gradually dark brown. At this time the flour and sugar become sticky in first stage. Then stir more strongly and about 6 evening of that day the caramel become black and sticky that almost could not stir and need the second paddle to assist in stirring. Otherwise the pan will burn. If we the pan almost bur then gradually add concentrated coconut cream immediately. Gently pour it and about afternoon started to getting dark the caramel stir become enough sticky. Gradually lesser the fire to avoid the bottom of pan burn then use the second paddle spoon the caramel and put on flat basket covered with betel husk that makes the caramel aromatic smell than banana leaves as the last step of making caramel and keep for the next day. Most children could not help each other they gradually come to grate the caramel that stick on the pan to eat deliciously. Some ate young coconut, sugar and place on the fire to make it aromatic smells. At present the tradition in making new year desserts become caramel, glutinous rice sweetmeat with coconut milk and palm sugar, glutinous rice sweetmeat which is not famous at these day. Because most people will have to buy other present to other people on New Year’s day.

However these three desserts will never gone forever from Thai society becase everynowaday still seen caramel wrap in small black paper and seem delectable sold with glutinous rice sweetmeat, glutinous rice sweetmeat with coconut milk and palm sugar on Thai shop in general. Moreover these desserts is not only for specific at new year’s day of Thai only.

Sart Thai Festival
Sart Thai festival is a merit offering for the dead one. In the central region houses are getting together from the villages for the procession of Sart in merit making to pay for the Buddhist monk consist with beautiful half ripe banana. In the South the Sart festival or so far called in general as Sart Festival for Month 10, a big traditional festival for the year prepared by the provinces. Especially in Nakorn Srithammart it is highly prepared. The desserts for Sart festival for month 10 of the Southern are in various kinds such as khanom La, khanom Ba, khanom Dechum, khanom Pong, khanom kai pla, khanomko, khanom daeng etc.

Out of the Buddhist Lent or offering food to Buddhist priest (Tak Bart Tevo)

Khao Tom Mad or Khao Tom Phad is the best dessert offer during the Buddhist lent or offering food to Buddhist priest for the central. It will wrap and tight with banana leaves and banana string fiber. For the South it is wrapping in shape of cone using palm string fiber but not tighten. Some locality is in lump shape with baitoey or sugarcane leaves with long tail so far called as "khao tom lukyon," Preparing khao tom mad to offer for the Buddhist priest had become the tradition with aims as the food for Buddhist monk to travel to spread the religious teaching and that is the beginning then.

Auspicious Occasion

For various auspicious occasion of Thai like wedding, length of life merit making, entering new house, entering to monkhood etc. Thai dessert has the part for sweets prepared to offer to the Buddhist monk and sweet food to offer for the guest or visitors. Because of the belief that continuously inherits Thai dessert is a special food for the person of good deeds. Sweet will help enjoyment, friendship and love. Therefore it may refer for that society that Thai dessert is meaningful about good deeds, love, happiness and cooperation

Offering Food to the Monk

The famous Thai dessert offer to the monk during auspicious occasion such as thong yip (sweet egg petals), thong yod (sweet egg drops), foi thong (sweet egg shred), thong ek. The desserts having auspicious name are khanom tuay fo, khanom chan etc. and dessert specially use for the procession of entering to buddhis monk, wedding ceremony are khanom kong, khanom samklua, khanom prapai, khanon prongsaem, khanom chamod etc. The dessert use for the thirteen chapters of the Maha Chat are khanom na nual, khanom chan, khanom pakbua, khanomping, khanom thong muan etc.

Wedding Ceremony

Dessert use for different auspicious occasion has auspicious name with good meaning such as * khanom kong or khanom kong kiwian the meaning is the kong kiwian that will rotates in the front like Buddha's teaching with its meaning that define about the wedding is that the two couples love each other forever. * Khanom sam klua a sweets that showing cooperation and no way to leave each other use as sweet for auspicious wedding day. The shape of khanom sam klua is in three rounds, greeting can see after telling the result, if the result that the three rounds still connected to each other it means the couples love each other happily. If the result that two rounds connected it shows to have children or nothing, however if the three rounds are not connected to each other. It shows that the life of the couples are not lasting or no happiness, one thing if the result that the khanom sam klua will risely flow it means that the two are mean to each other. But if after the result is the other side is not swollen it means that it is not
meaningful.

The reason why Thai people at the ancient times use the above desserts during auspicious occasion. Because the names are meaningful with the word "thong (gold). Moreover Thai people considered that gold is precious, which in having the word "thong (gold) use for auspicious occasion to have good merit, have money and gold, rank, happiness, famous name.

Different Parties

……………….apart from making merit and auspicious occasion, during the ancient times, the new party for wealthy people and good merit government official, are invited by the community to eat the dessert. The dessert use to offer during this event is khanom si tuay namely: khanom khai kop or menglak seed, khanom nok ploi or lodchong, khanom bangloi or khao mao and khanom idu or black glutinous rice. The four desserts will be eaten with coconut milk so far called that the one deliciously eaten and comfortable for stomach, the one prepare will have the merit and the one who spend money to invited people are also happy for making merit of Thai dessert like the dessert for rising the rank.

Thai Dessert in Thai style Source

2007-02-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

Thai Dessert in Thai style Source: Office of the National Culture Commission
Thai dessert has binding for the life of Thai people many years ago and became important ever since until at present. Thai dessert cannot be neglected for daily life of Thai people. Although selling Thai desserts are not widely seen like before still Thai knows to make their own sweets. Apart from the life of Thailand people are mostly agriculturist, sub-urban people having varieties of natural product such as coconut, palm planted in their own land, varieties of fruits such as banana, sugarcane, mango including rice, sticky rice, shredded rice grain, popped rice, etc. It wanted to use coconut milk then get their own coconut, grind to get milk out of it, if wanted to have flour, rice is also a flour because they plant their own rice, grind by mill or stone mill can seen at any houses. By grinding the rice then later they will have the flour making a delicious sweet in the family. If they make a lot they will distribute it to neighbors to taste delectably.
"Thai desserts never died" or as long Thai culture still existed Thai desserts still existed like ever before.
Khanom krok and banana sweet seems to be the best. Because of its ingredients which easy to find, and making is easy. The oven for khanom krok is sold since Ayudya period. For banana and coconut are widely eaten if not otherwise will throw the left over and it's wasting…
Khanom num is another dessert, people like to eat, easy to do and the most famous to be eaten are kaeng buad such as pakthong buad (squash buad) kluay buatchi next with khanom num. It also preserve as food longer like khanom syrup and khanom kuan including the preserve fruits and fruits preserve in sugar.

There are varieties of deserts has been sold when later the market had been established. The method in selling is to sell in one place, basket, carry wide basket and carry on the shoulder like hawker. Thai people have more lot of chooses because there are varieties of desserts to eat. The sellers have to develop their skill in making tasty desserts better to make their dessert wanted by customers.

There are several famous markets for Thai desserts; from the beginning only few owners in its place make Thai dessert. But the numbers are increasing until the place becomes the famous place for Thai dessert. The famous place for Thai desserts is Muang Petchburi, Thai dessert Village is Nonthaburi Province, Nongmun market of Cholburi Province etc. Apart from this you can see Thai dessert market throughout the country, you can see that Thai desserts are widely sold throughout and sell by hawker.

Most of Thai people consume dessert are from the rural area. But don't say that people in the city will not eat. Because apart from bread such as doughnut, cake, cookie, pudding, waffles, custard, pie etc. Thai desserts like Thong Yib, Thong Yod, Foi Thong, Khanom Chan, Khanom Buang, Khanom Numdokmai, Thong Muan are also famous eaten by several people

.………………in brief Thai dessert has influence against the tradition of eating for Thai people just like no one could resist. However although later the dessert from Western country have influence with Thai people. That some of Thai desserts are vanished from being famous in Thai society. But still numbers of Thai desserts with colorful, tasty, aromatic in Thai culture. Therefore it is not strange or eating as so called internationally "Thai desserts never died" or as long Thai culture still existed Thai desserts still existed like ever before.

Legendary Thai Desserts

2007-02-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

Legendary Thai Desserts : Source: Office of the National Culture Commission ......... “Kaonom” Chaonom” “Khaonom” derived from the word “ Kanom” (Dessert) called by several people since the beginning, referred by several home economics that these word come from the word “Kaonom.” Because the main important ingredients of desserts are rice and milk. It should never be the origin since milk is not important for Thai desserts. Thai desserts used coconut or coconut milk. Her Royal Highness Jarut Porn Patiyan had presumed that “Nom” had differing with the word “Kaonom.” Because “Nom” means sweet but the real definition of “Nom” did not appeared in Thai dictionary, only stating that in the North “Kanom” means sweets. However the definition of the word “Nom” being the golden word aside from the hearsay. In the dictionary another very interesting words is “Num” may derived from Khmer word as “Nom” means food made from flour. When come for consideration it was found that kanom is made from flour with combination of sugar and coconut milk.

May derived the word “Kanom” deferring from the word “nom” of Khmer language. Although desssert originated from any language or what defined as sweets had the important role in Thai society. Thais are proud to have these Thai desserts. Which Thai itself known that the country like to consume sweets. The oldest way expressing the relationship between Thai desserts and Thai inherited the literature of Sukhothai about His Majesty Prajadhipok referring the boiled glutinous rice as another Thai dessert. Thai desserts started to spread during ancient Ayutthaya period appeared in several letter.Another letters stated “Yan Pao Kanom” or Talad Kanom, some referring “Ban Moh” of carving pot that included the pot, kanom buang, oven and shape of kanom krok. Referring that Kanom Krok and kanom buang had widely spread out by carving pot and frying pan to be sold. Some stating about kanom chamod, kanom kong kawian or kanom kong, kanom krok, kanom buan, kanom lodchong. Until the period of His Majesty the King Narai Maharat renowned as the golden era of Thai desserts as seen in the letter from ancient foreigner, which recorded the making of dessert at that time of His Majesty Phra Narai the King period was very prosperous. Especially when the Portuquese like Thanying Visayin or sacred like “Tao Thong and House, the one who originated the dessets of sweets in the palace. Had teaches the servant in the palace to make various kind of sweets. Especially to introduce the used of eggs yolk and egg white as main ingredients that Portuguese. The sweets made by Tao Thong and Ma which is famous until these day are: Thong yod or gold drop, Foi thong or gold fibre, Moh Kaeng and Kanom Thong Prong, kanom tongplu, kanom sampan, kanom kai dao etc.

That lasted to Ratanagosin era. The letter was the remembrance of Krum, the Luang Narintorn Tawee, His Majesty of the Great, His Majesty Yodfa Chulalolok referring that during the celebration of Emerald Buddha and commemoration of Phra Sri Rataasasdaram temple. The offering for 2000 monks consist with sai kai, kanom foi, khaoniao kaew, kanom ping, kluay chab, latiang, rum, custard, foi thong or gold fibre and kanom talai. In the picture of hall of klong boat row are the Kao wan, the literary work of His Majesty Loetla Nabhalai had visited the Thai dessert in various kind such as glutunious custard, kanom lum jiak, Thong yip or pinched gold, Thong yod or gold drop, kanom ping, kanom rangrai, kanom chom muang, kanom Bua Loi or balls in coconut cream etc. During the dynasty of King Chulalongkorn the spreading of printing of recipe and making Thai desserts is one of the receipt of Thai. Therefore it was known that Thai dessert and Thai tradition stated to be recorded in written significantly. Mae Krua Hua Pak was the first Thai recipe book during Rama V Dynasty, composed by Than Puying Plian Pasakornwong. This first Thai recipe book contained the food offering for monk consist with thong yib or Foi thong or, kanom mookaeng, kanom hantrad, kanom tuay poh, glutinious crystal or kawniao kaew, kanom lum kluen, maprang jelly fruit etc. Elaborating that Thai used these meaningful desserts offering for merits making. That can seen at present since Ayuthaya period.

Green Papaya Salad

2007-02-17T01:38:00.000-08:00

Green Papaya Salad
(Som Tam Thai)

Originally an lsan dish from the northeast, this healthy mixture of raw vegetables is now prepared by roadside vendors all over the county. Som Tam captures the essentail flavors of Thailand: chili hot, redolent with garlic and fish sauce, and sour with lime juice. The basic ingredient, unripe papaya, contrasts in texture with crunchy raw beans and peanuts. If unripe papaya is not available, very thinly sliced cabbage may be substututed.

Ingregients (serves 4)
2-5 bird's-eye chilies

2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts or cashew nuts

1 tablespoon dried shrimp or prawns, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and drained

5 cloves garlic

10 oz (300 g) unripe green papaya, peeled and shredded using a sharp knife or vegetable grater

1/2 cup (50 g) long beans or gree beans, cut in 1/2-in (1 cm) pieces

6 ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 1 large tomato, in wedges

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped palm sugar or dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 cups raw vegetables (cabbage, water spinach, broccoli, as paragus)

3 spings Thai basil (horapa)

Preparation
1 Take the chilies, peanuts, dried shrimp and garlic and pound roughly in a mortar and pestle or process very briefly in a blender. The mixture should be coarse, not smooth.

2 Cmobine mixture in a bowl with the shredded papaya, bean and tomato. Mix well and add the lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce.

3 Serve accompanied by other row vegetables (cabbage, water spinach, broccoli or asparagus) and and sprigs of Thai basil. For a complete meal, add glutinous rice and Barbecued Chicken

Tips -- Prepare the salad immediately before serving, otherwise the papaya will lose it firm texture.

Stir-fried Assparagus with Shrimp

2007-02-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

Stir-fried Assparagus with Shrimp
(Pad Nor Mai Farang)

Ingregients (serves 6)
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
10 oz (300 g) young asparagus, cut into bite-sized lengths
5 oz (150 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup Thai Chicken Stock
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed in
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation
1 Heat a wok until very hot then add the oil. When oil is hot, add garlic and stir-fry until fragent, about 1 minute. Add asparagus and shrimp and stir-fry until asparagus is hust tender and shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes.

2 Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir-fry then add Thai Chicken Stock and corn starch mixture and simmer for 1 minute.

3 Transfer to a plate

Tips -- It is important to measure out all the sauces before cooking, as this dish cooks very fast.

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables

2007-02-17T01:32:00.000-08:00

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables
(Pad Pak Ruam Mit )

This method of cooking vegetabels can be used for individual vegetables, such as Chinese broccoli, or almost any combination of vegetables depending on availability and preferece.

Ingregients (serves 6-8)
8 oz (225 g) Chinese broccoli (kailan) or broccoli stems

3-4 cabbage leavers, sliced

1/2 cup (100 g) sliced carrots

1/2 cup (100 g) cauliflower florets

1/2 cup (50 g) snow peas

1/2 cup (50 g) baby sweet corn

2 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic

5 fresh shiitake or Chinese mushroom, stems removed and sliced

1/2 cup (125 ml) Thai Chicken Stock or water

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon black soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauceDash of rice wine, sherry or sake

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preparation
1 Heat a wok until lightly smoking and add the oil. When hot, add the garlic and stir well for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute.

2 Add the vegetables and chicken stock or water to the wok and stir-fry for about 8-10 until just cooked; the vegetables should still be slightly crisp. Add the oyster, soy and fish sauces and wine, then sprinkle with pepper and sugar. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.

3 Serve accompanied by rice.

Tips -- Use maximum heat to stir fry the vegetables to ensure the right texture and flavor. If using dried Chinese mushrooms, soak in warm water for 15 minutes before slicing.

Chicken Salad with Vegetables

2007-02-17T01:29:00.000-08:00

Chicken Salad with Vegetables
(Lab Gai)

The dish makes a wonderfully healthy dish because it is made without oil and eaten with raw vegetables and herbs (and rice). It may by served with a chili sauce like Nam Jim

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
10 oz (300 g) ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime or lemon juice

11/2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons uncooked long grain or jusmine rice

2-3 bird's-eye chilies, minced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro), finely chopped

1 cup (20 g) fresh mint leavesAn assortment of letuce leaves, cabbage, fresh Thai basil (horapa), cucumber and long beans or green beans

Preparation
1 Dry roast the rice grains in a wok or pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and grind the roasted rice lightly in a mortar and pestle or blender. Set aside

2 Cook the meat and garlic without oil in a non-stick wok or frying pan over medium heat until the meat turns white. Remove from the heat to cool.

3 Add the lime juice, fish sauce and salt, stirring to mix well. Stir in the rice powder, minced chilies, onion, scallion, cilantro and mint leaves.4 Arrange the chicken mixture on a serving platter and surround the chicken with raw vegetables and herbs, as desired.

Steamed Pumpkin Custard

2007-02-17T01:27:00.000-08:00

Steamed Pumpkin Custard
(Sangkaya Fak Thong)

A visually intriguing dessert where a rich coconut-milk custard is steamed inside a small pumpkin or acorn squashes.

Ingregients (serves 4)
5 eggs (2 of them duck eggs if possible)

1 cup (250 ml) coconut cream

1 cup (150 g) chopped palm sugar or dark brown sugar

1 small pumpkin, about 8 in (20 cm) diameter, or 2 acorn squashes

Preparation
1 Beat the eggs with coconut cream and sugar until the mixture is frothy.

2 Cut the top off the pumpkin or acorn squashes and carefull scoop out the seeds and any fibers. Pour in the coconut cream mixture, cover with the top of the pumpkin or squashes and place in a steamer. Cover the steamer and place over boiling water.

3 Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until the mixture has set. Leave to cool (preferable refrigerate) and cut in thick slices to serve

Tips -- Duck eggs add richness and a firmer texture to the custard. Tf using palm sugar, strain the custard through a sieve before pouring into the pumpkin to remove any impurities
Preparation time: 10 mins

Deep-fried Bananas with Coconut

2007-02-17T01:25:00.000-08:00

Deep-fried Bananas with Coconut
(Khao Mao Tod)

These bananas are rolled in mixture of grate coconut and palm sugar before being dipped in batter and deep-fried.

Ingregients (serves 6)
1 cup freshly grated coconut

3/4 cup (110 g) chopped palm sugar

14 small ripe finger bananas or 5-6 large ripe bananas, sliced into 2-3 sections

5 cups (11/4 liters) oil deep-frying

Batter
2 cups (300 g) glutinous rice flour

1 cup (250 ml) thin coconut milk

1/2 cup (125 ml) water

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation
1 Combine the coconut and palm sugar and cook for 15 minutes in nonstick pan over low heat, stirring frequently. Set aside. Mix the Batter ingredients and let it stand for 3 hours.

2 Just before serving, heat oil in deep saucepan, roll each banana in the coconut golden brown. Serve hot.

Tips -- If you cannot obtain glutinous rice flour, substitute with glutinous rice paste that you make directly from glutinous rice grains. To make the paste, soak 2 cups of glutinous rice in water for 5 hour. Drain and transfer the rice to a blender. Add 1 cup of water and grind till a thick liquid forms. Pour the mixture into a fine muslin cloth and strain until the water is gone. Add the remaining rice flour paste to the other Batter ingredients, omitting the water. Mix and set aside to stand for 3 hours.

Glutinous Rice Beads in Coconut Milk

2007-02-17T01:22:00.000-08:00

Glutinous Rice Beads in Coconut Milk
(Bua Loi)

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
11/2 cup (370 g) glutinous rice flour

3/4 cup (180 ml) waterFew drops food coloring (option)

2 cups (500 ml) thick coconut milk

1 cup (200 g) sugar1 teaspoon salt

Preparation
1 Mix the glutinous rice flour with the water to make a striff paste. Knead well. If using coloring, devide the dough into two batches, add a few drops of coloring to each batch and mix well. Roll dough into long noodle-like strips. Pinch off bits from the strips and from into pea-sized balls. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, toss in the balls and remove when they float to the surface. Drain.

2 Bring half the coconut milk and sugar to a boil over low heat, stirring contantly to prevent it from separating, then add the cooked rice flour beads. When the mixture return to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining coconut milk. Serve in small bowls.

Tips
If you cannot obtain glutinous rice flour, you can make the paste directly from glutinous rice. To make the paste, soak 11/2 cups glutinous rice in water for 5 hours. Drain and transfer the rice to a blender. Add 3/4 cup water and grind till a thick liquid mixture forms. Pour the mixture into a fine muslin cloth and drain until the water is gone. Knead the remaining paste to form a dough, adding small amounts of water if needed. You may add canned sweet corn kernels and cooked, colored diced water chestnut (prepared as for Red Rubied, see above) to this dish for a mor varied and colorful dessert

Fried Rice Sticks with Shrimp

2007-02-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

Fried Rice Sticks with Shrimp
(Pad Thai Goong Sod)

Pad Thai - Can any other Thai food be more loved worldwide? This Pad Thai recipe is how you actually find it in Bangkok and comes from testing hundreds of different versions from food cart around the city. In Bangkok, where Pad Thai originated, it is street food that you buy from a food cart; the cook has been making and perfecting it for years, cooking the same dish, day after day. Compared to the red, oil coated version you normally find in western restaurants, this one is drier and more tastes fresher and more complex. I've never seen oily, red pad thai in Thailand.

The ingredients listed below can be somewhat intimidating but many are optional. If you would like to make authentic Pad Thai, just like in Thailand, use all the ingredients.

Pad Thai is another perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. Add more

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
5 tablespoons oil

1 cake pressed bean curd, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

5 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon dried shrimps or prawns, soaked for 5 minutes in warm water and drained,lightly pounded or processed

1 tablespoon chopped pickled Chinese radish

10 oz (300 g) dried rice-stick noodles, soaked in warm water to soften, drained well

1 tablespoon dried chili flakes or ground red pepper

3 eggs

2 cups bean sprouts, cleaned

1/4 cup garlic chives or spring oinons, sliced into 1-in (2 cm) lengths

2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

5 oz (150 g) fresh prawns or shrimps, peeled and deveined, and grilled

Sauce
3 tablespoons shaved palm sugar

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons tamarind pulp soaked in 1/2 cup water, then strained to remove seed and fibers

Preparation

1 Place all the Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2 Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pan and stir-fry bean curd till lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3 Stir-fry garlic and shallots over high for 2 minutes. Add dried shrimps and pickled radish and fry for another 3 minutes. Add noodles and bean curd and stir-fry to mix, then add Sauce and dried chili flakes. Continue to stir-fry over medium heat.

4 Push moodles to one side. Add 2 tablespoons oil, break the eggs into the pan and scramble till cooked, then mix eggs and noodles together.

5 Add half the bean sprouts and garlic chives or spring onions. Mix together thoroughly and remove from heat.6 Serve garnished with the remaining bean sprouts and chives, crushed peanuts and grilled shrimp, if using. Pad Thai is normally garnished with a heaping portion of uncooked beansprouts on the side as well as a sprig of cilantro on top.

Tips -- Fried noodles require a lot of oil; however, it is possible to use a minimum amount by adding small amounts from time to time to keep the noodles from drying out instead of adding all the oil at once.
Preparation time: 15 mins

Rice Stick Noodles with Seafood and Basil

2007-02-17T01:12:00.000-08:00

Rice Stick Noodles with Seafood and Basil
(Kwaytiaow Pad Kheemao Thalay)

Kwaytiaow or flat rice stick noodles, Chinese in origin, are now enthusiastically enjoiyed in most part of Thailand. They are served either in soups or stir-fried with meat or seafood, vegetables and spiceds. This version is understandably popular in coastal areas where a wide variety of seafood is available.

Ingregients (serves 6-8)
1 lb (500 g) mixed raw or cooked seafood such as squid, prawns, fish clams and mussels, cleaned and shelled
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil
1 lb (5oo g) fresh rice-flour noodles (kwaytiaow) or 10 oz (300g) dried rice sticks soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and thoroughly drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup thai basil leave (horapa)
2 red chilies, thinly slicedGround white peper to taste

Preparation
1 Cut seafood into bite-sized pieces. Fry the garlic in 2 tablespoons oil in a large wok over high heat until golden brown. Add the seafood and stir-fry for a few minutes. Remove seafood from the wok and set aside.
2 Stir-fry the noodles with soy sauce in the remaining oil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the cooked seafood back to the wok. Mix well and add fish sauce, basil leaves and chilies. Stir, sprinkle with white pepper to taste and cook for a minute more.

Stir-fried Rice Stick Noodles with Minced Beef

2007-02-17T01:09:00.000-08:00

Stir-fried Rice Stick Noodles with Minced Beef

(Kwaytiaow Nuea Sab)

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
3 tablspoons oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 oz (150 g) ground beef
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour), blended with 3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoonminced garlic
1 lb (500 g) fresh rice-flour noodles (kwaytiaow) or 10 oz (300g) dried rice sticks soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes and thoroughly drained
1/2 tablespoon black soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4-5 quail's eggs, heard-boiled and peeled (optional)

Accompaniment
Lettuce leaves
Sliced green chilies in lime juice

Preparation
1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok. Add the shallots to the pan and fry until transparent. Add the beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the soy and fish sauces, cornstarch mixture and sugar. Stir-fry for 3 minutes and set aside.
2 Heat the remaining oil over medium heat, add garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the noodles, dark soy sauce, salt and pepper and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a serving dish.
3 Top the noodles with the cooked mined beef and the eggs, if desired, and serve addompanied wiht lettuce and sliced green chilieds in lime juice if desired.

Shrimp Fried Rice

2007-02-17T01:06:00.000-08:00

Shrimp Fried Rice
(Khao Pad Goong)

Ingregients (serves 4)
3 tablespoons oil

4 cloves garlic, mined

1 slice bacon, thinly sliced

8 oz (250 g) fresh prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 eggs, beaten

4 cups cooked white rice, cooled

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cupsliced onion

1 spring onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Accompaniment
Sliced cucumbers

Sliced tomatoes

Chopped spring onions

Sliced chiliesFish sauce

Preparation
1 Heat a large wok or skillet until smoking and add the oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the bacon and shrimps and stir-fry for 1 minute or until shrimps turn pink.

2 Add the eggs and scramble until cooked. Add the rice, fish and soy sauces, sugar and white peper. Continue to stir-fry until the rice is hot, redecing the temperature if necessary. Add onion and spring onions.

3 Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Accompaniments.

Spicy Prawn Soup with Lemongrass

2007-02-17T01:01:00.000-08:00

Spicy Prawn Soup with Lemongrass
(Tom Yum Goong)

One of the best known Thai dishes abroad, this flavorful but spicy soup is hot, sour and fragrant, an ideal accompaniment to other Thai dishes and rice. The kaffir lime leaves, galangal and lemon grass are what give this soup its tangy flavor, but are not meant to be eaten, so tell your guests to avoid them while eating the broth, prawns and mushrooms.

Ingregients (serves 4 )
4 cups (1 litters) Thai Chicken Stock

3 kaffir lime leaves

2 in (5 cm) fresh galangal root, sliced

3-4 coriander roots,washed (optional)

3 stems lemongrass, thick bottom part only, dry outer sheath discarded, smashed with back of a cleaver

6-8 medium prawns or shrimp, shells intact

1 cup(5 oz/150 g) fresh or canned straw mushrooms or small button mushrooms, sliced in half 5-10 bird's-eye chilies,smashed3 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste

1/2 tablespoon fish sauce, ro to taste

3 sprigs fresh coriander leave (cilantro)

Preparation
1. Bring the stock to a boil and add kraffir lime leaves, galangal, coriander roots and lemongrass. Simmen for 15 minutes.

2. Add the prawns or shrimp, mushrooms and chilies, and chilies, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the lime juice and fish sauce(which is very salty) to taste. The soup should be spicy-sour and a little salty. Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves(cilantro)

Tips -- Do not over cook the prawns or they will become tough. Use homemade chicken stock in this dish for the best flavor. Any variety of seafood myay ve substituted for or added to the prawns ----- including sliced fish, crab

Stuffed Baby Cucumber Soup

2007-02-17T00:57:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Baby Cucumber Soup
(Gaeng Jued Taeng Kwa Yad Sai)

Gaeng Jued (literally "plain soup") is clear and mid, serving as a comtrast to accompanying dishes that are either oil or spicy.

Ingregients (serves 4)
3 baby or Japanese cucumbers, peeled and sliced into sections

8 oz (225 g) ground pork or chicken

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 sprig fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), roughly chopped

4 cups (1 liter) Thai Chicken Stock Handful (2 oz/50 g) dried glass noodles (bean thead or cellophane), soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften (Opitional)

1 spring onion, cut into 1/2-in (1-cm) pieces

Preparation
1 Scoop out the center of the cucumber sections, taking care not to cut through the outer flesh. Set the cucumbers aside.

2 Mix the ground meat wiht the egg, fish sauce, salt, pepper and coriander leaves (cilantro). Reserve some leaves as garnish.

3 stuff the cucumbers with the meat mixture, then steam them in a bamboo or metal steamer over high heat for about 15 minutes.

4 Heat the chicken stock in a pot over medium heat. Add the steamed cucumber sections and cook until heated through. Then add the glass noodles, if disired. Garnish with the spring onion and the remainer of the coriander leaves, and serve hot.

Savory Stuffed Omelets

2007-02-17T00:53:00.000-08:00

Savory Stuffed Omelets

(Kai Yad Sai)

Fraquently found on the menu of simple restaurants as well as at roadside stalls, this is often eaten at lunch time with rice and makes as satisfyin meal with one other vegetable dish.

Ingregients (serves 4)
1/4 cup (60 ml) oil

6 oz (150 g) ground pork or chicken

3 tablespoons diced cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons fresh or frozen green peas

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 teaspoons sugar

11/2 teaspoon fish sauce

11/4 teaspoon black soy sauce

11/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3 eggs, beaten2 springs coriander leaves (cilantro), to garnish

1 finely sliced red chili, to garnish

Preparation
1 Heat half of the oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the meat for 2 minutes or until cooked. Add the tomatoes, green peas, onion, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and pepper. Stir-fry another 2-3 minutes until cooked then set aside.

2 Heat a small skillet or omelet pan 6-8 in (12-20 cm) in diameter and add adrop of the remaining oil. Pour in enough egg to thinly cover cover the base. Brown the omelet lightly on both sides, being careful ot turn the omelet over gently halfway through cooking

3 To stuff the omelet, place 1-2 spoonfuls of the meat mixture in the center, fold two opposite sides toward the center and then fold in the remaining sides so that the omelet forms a square. Place on serving plate and repeat until all the egg and pork mixture is used up.

4 Garnish wiht coriander leaves (cilantro) and finely sliced red chili. Serve accompanied by rice.

Tips -- To present omelets as shown in the photo on the opposite page, turn each omelet over so the folded edges are face down. Make a crossshaped slit in the top of each omelet and then folk the slit portions back.

Eggs with Tangy Tamarind Dressing

2007-02-17T00:48:00.000-08:00

Eggs with Tangy Tamarind Dressing
(Kai Look Kuay)

The sweet-sour-salty combination of tamarind juice, fish sauce and sugar in the sauce is what make this a divine starter or main dish. Try using dark broen sugar, palm sugar ro maple syrup and adding a touch of fresh chili for an even more iteresting combination--add adjust the tamarind, fish sauce and sugar to your personal taste.

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
4 cups (1 liter) water

6 eggs2 cups (500 ml) oil

couriander leaves (cilantro) to granish

Tamarind Dressing

5 tablespoons tamarind pulp mixed with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water, mashed and strained to remove seeds and fibers

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

Crispy-fried Sallots

5 tablespoons tamarind pulp mixed with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water, mashed and strained to remove seeds and fibers

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

Preparation
1 To prepare the Crispy-fried Shallots, heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the shallots and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until shallots begin to turn golden brown. Do not overcook. Quickly remove the shallots from the wok with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel and set aside

2 To make the Tamarind Dressing, combine all the ingredients in a pan bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until it begins to thicken, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

3 Pour the water into a pot, bring to the boil then boil the eggs for 5 minutes. Temove the eggs ase cool, peel of the shells and set aside.

4 Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Dry the eggs and deep-fry until they turn golden brown on the outside, about 3-4

5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Slice the eggs in a half lengthwise, pour the sauce over the eggs and serve garnished with Crispyed-fried Shallots and coriander leaves (cilantro) .

Steamed Seafood Cakes

2007-02-17T00:27:00.000-08:00

Steamed Seafood Cakes
(Haw Mok Thalay)

A universally popular well wort the time needed to prepare it, this mixture of seafood, coconut milk and seasonings is steamed in small cups made of banana leaf. It is possible to use aluminium foil or small cup-cake tins or small heatproof bowls instead. Rather than a number of small cakes, you can also make one large cake about 1 in (3 cm) thick, in an 8x8 in (20 x 20 cm) heatproof cake or brownie dish, and then slice it into

Ingregients (serves 6)
3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut cream

1 teaspoon rice flour

4 oz (100 g) fresh shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined, cut into small pieces

4 oz (100 g) squid, cleaned and cut into tiny pieces

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) coconut milk

1/2 cup (20 g) finely chopped Thai basil leaves (horapa)

2 tablespoons very thinly sliced kaffir lime leavesCoriander leave (cilantro) to garnish

1 thinly sliced red chili

Banana leaf cups 2 in (5 cm) square (see instruction) or heatproof cake pan

Spice Paste
10-15 dried chilies, slit open length-wise, deseeded and soaked in water
3 colves garlic
4 slices galangal
1 teaspoon grated kaffir lime rind
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro root
5 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon died shrimp paste, roasted
1 teaspoon chopped krachai (optional)

Preparation
1 mix coconut cream with the rice flour and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for topping.
2 Grind the Spice Paste ingredients in a blender or a mortar and pestle. Mix the Spice Paste with the fish, shrimp, squid, egg and fish sauce. Then add the coconut milk, a little at a time. Add half the basil and kaffir lime leaves and mix in.
3 Place one of the remaining basil leaves in the bottom of each cup or at the bottom of a heatproof baking dish, fill with the seafood mixture, cover adn steam for 15 minutes.
4 Remove the cups from the steamer, and top each one with a little of the boiled coconut cream, coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaf and sliced chili.
5 Return to the stamer, cook for 1 minute, then remove from the steamer

Banana leaf cups Instruction
1. To make the banana leaf cups, cut out two circles 4 in (10 cm) in deameter from banana leaf.

2. Placing one on top of the other, make a fold along the outer edges of the circles and secure it with a toothpick.

3. Make 3 more folds equal distance apart and secure with toothpicks.

Roast Duck Curry

2007-02-17T00:20:00.000-08:00

Roast Duck Curry
(Gaeng Ped)

Seasoned red-roasted duck sold by Chinese restaurants and food stores is the basis for this richly-flavored curry.

Ingregients (serves 4-6)
1/2 roasted duck (about 11/2 lbs/675 g)

1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut cream

2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thin coconut milk

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, cut in wedges

1/2 cup seedless grapes or diced pineapple (optional)

1 cup (150 g) pea-sized eggplants, or 1 small eggplant cut into bite-sized chunks

3 kraffir lime leaves

2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt10 Thai basil leaves (horapa)

2-4 red or green chilies, cut into strips

Preparation
1 Remove all vones from the duck and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.

2 Place the coconut cream in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the Red Curry Paste, stirring well

3 Add the duck and stir well, then add the coconut milk, tomatoes, eggplant, grapes or pineapple (if using), kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

4 Sprinkle with the basil leaves and red or green chilies. Serve with plain rice.

Tips

The pea-sized eggplants add a slightly crunchy texture to the smooth curry, while the grapes or pineapple and a tangy sweetness. if the tomatoes are sour, you may need to add slightly more sugar to compensate.

Green Chicken Curry with Basil and Eggplant

2007-02-17T00:16:00.000-08:00

Green Chicken Curry with Basil and Eggplant
(Gaeng Jued Woon Sen)

A fragrant, creamy curry which is always popular. Remove the skin from the chicken if you wish to reduce the fat.

Ingregients (serves 4)
1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut cream

3 tablespoons Green Curry Paste

12 oz (350 g) boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups(375 ml) thin coconut milk

2 kaffir lime leaves

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sugar5 oz (150 g) eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 11/2 cups)

1/4 cup (10 g) Thai basil leaves (horapa)

2-3 red chilies, deseeded and cut in strips

Preparation
Place coconut cream in a saucepan and heat overlow to medium heat until it begins to have an oily sheen. Add the Green Curr Paste and stir well. Add the chicken and cook until it changes color. Add coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the eggplant. Simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked, about 15 minutes, the add the basil and chilies. Remove from heat and serve.

Clear Soup with Glass Noodles

2007-02-17T00:07:00.000-08:00

Clear Soup with Glass Noodles (Gaeng Jued Woon Sen)

Gaeng Jued (literally "plain soup") is clear and mid, serving as a comtrast to accompanying dishes that are either oil or spicy.

Ingregients (serves 4)
5 oz (150 g) ground pork or chicken

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground white peper

4 cups (1 liter) Thai Chicken Stock

3 white pepercorns, curshed

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 oz (50 g) dried glass noodles (bean thread or cellopane noodles),soaked in warm water to soften

1 teaspoon fish sauce

6 died Chinese mushrooms, soaked in hot water to soften, stems discarded, tops sliced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 onion, cut into 1/2 in (1 cm) pieces

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Preparation

1 Mix the meat, soy sauce and ground white pepper together well, and form into small, roughly shaped meatballs.

2 Heat the chicken stock in a pot, add the crushed peppercorns and garlic, and bring to a boil. Place the meat balls in the boiling stock and then add the noodles, fish sauce, mushrooms and sugar. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked. Add the spring onions and coriander leaves and remove from the heat immediately. Serve accompanied by rice
Tips

Glass noodles are soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften and swell.

Pon Pla Too ( Spicy North Eastern Thai Mackerel Dip )

2007-02-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

Pon Pla Too ( Spicy North Eastern Thai Mackerel Dip )

Ingredients:

Steamed Thai mackerel only the meat 3 each
Roasted red and chili Peppers 7-8 pieces
Roasted shallots 5 heads
Grilled Galangal pieces 4 slices
Roasted Garlic 3 small heads
Ferment fish juice (Pla Rah) or fish sauce as needed
Kaffir lime juice or lime juice as needed
Accompanying vegetables as needed

Directions:

1. Grilled the steamed Thai mackerel and pick out only the meat.

2. In a pestle and mortar, pound together the roasted chilies, garlic, shallots and galangal into a paste. Then add the mackerel meat and pound everything together.

3. Adjust the seasoning with Kaffir lime juice or lime juice for sourness and fermented fish liquid (pla rah) or fish sauce for saltiness. The dip should taste sour, salty and smokey.

4. If the paste is too thick add a little water to the paste to make it soupier. Spoon the dip into a bowl and serve with accompanying vegetables and steamed rice.

Tips:

a. If you like you Nam Prik quite spicy hot, pound roasted hot Thai chili peppers with the paste.

b. Thai mackerel is easily available in Thailand and has been at Thai tables for a long long time. You may not be able to find it abroad but smoked fish is in the West can easily be substituted but remember to steam it a little to soften the flesh for pounding.

c. If Kaffir limes are not easily available, just use limejuice instead.

d. Galangal is often found in Chinese grocery stores abroad in dry form to fresh hands in the frozen herb sections. If you cannot find it just substitutes fresh ginger instead but use only half the amount required in the recipe.

Larb Ok Ped

2007-02-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

Larb Ok Ped

The word larb is not the name of a dish, as most people would have you believe. Larb is a cooking term. If you had any kind of meat and say that you will larb it, this means that you will grind up the meat. Cook it in a pot with very little water and season it with the herbs and spices and to really make it a real larb you mix in the ground toasted rice kernels. This dish is from the North East of Thailand where food is scarce in the olden days. People in Isan take any kind of meat that they can find in the fields, such as frogs or even lizards and larb them. They make the lard very spice and very strong flavors so that a little goes a long way and eat it with steamed sticky rice and fresh vegetables.

Lard Ok Ped (Warm duck breast salad Isan style)
Ingredients:
Ground duck breast meat, with some duck skin 300 grams.
Water       ½ cup
Coarsely ground, toasted rice kernels     2 TBSP
Ground dry chili peppers     2 TBSP
Fish sauce     2 TBSP
Lime Juice     1 TBSP
Peeled and thinly sliced shallots     ¼ cup
Green onion thinly sliced       ¼ cup
Saw tooth coriander, sliced       as needed
Chopped coriander       as needed
Fried dry chili peppers as needed
Mint leaves, picked         ¼ cup

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, add water and bring it to boil on a stove.

2. Add the ground duck meat and stir to cook until just done. Do not over cook or duck meat will dry up and lose its flavor.

3. Once cooked take it off the stove and season the duck meat with ground dry chili peppers, fish sauce and lime juice. Taste it. It should be sour, spicy hot and salty.

4. Add the rest of the vegetables except mint leaves and mix well. To finish add the ground toasted rice kernels and some mint leaves. Spoon the salad from the sauce pan onto a plate and serve with lot of accompanying vegetable such as cabbage, leafy lettuce and long beans or cucumber.

Tips:

a. Larb can be made with all kinds of meat such as pork or chicken. You can even try to make Larb with raw salmon, just omit the cooking process and just dress you raw salmon with the ingredients indicated. This is like a Thai Isan steak tartar.

b. In the recipe it calls for vegetables “ as needed”. This really depends on you is you like your Larb to be quite fragrant with all the herbs or just the true taste of the duck meat!