Thursday, December 30, 2010

Som Tam 2

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp red and green chilis
5-6 one-inch cut pieces of green bean (optional)
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp roasted cashews or peanuts
1 lime's juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar water
Grated or matchstick-size green papaya (ideal) or carrot, cucumber, beet, or green mango

Smash the nuts, garlic, and chilis in a mortar and pestle.  Add the green beans and tomatoes, mix a bit.  Add the lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar water, mix well.  Add the papaya or whatever and mix well.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Pumpkin "hummus"

1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp cashews (or walnuts or peanuts)
3-4 tbsp steamed/boiled pumpkin (or other winter squash, sweet dumpling squash is good)
A few coriander leaves
1 tsp soy sauce

Smash the sesame seeds and cashews in a mortar and pestle (or food processor).  Add the pumpkin, leaves, and sauce.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Green Curry 2

1 tsp green chili paste
1 kaffir lime leaf, crushed
1 slice galangal, crushed
1 inch cut lemon grass
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 handful vegetables (like eggplant, green bean, squash, carrot, onions)
6 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp coconut milk
chopped mint and/or thai basil (3-4 leaves)

Fry the chili paste.  Add everything up to the vegetables (but only half of the coconut milk), cook until thick.  Add water, soy sauce, and sugar.  Add the rest of the coconut milk and mint/basil.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Massaman Curry

Chopped carrot, onion, tomato
1/2 tsp. red chili paste
1 tsp. curry powder
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 handful vegetables, like steamed sweet potato or pumpkin
1 tbsp tofu
1 tsp lime juice

Fry the carrot, onion, tomato, chili paste, and curry powder in a wok.  Add a little water to stop it from burning if necessary.  Add water and most of the coconut milk, cook until thick.  Add the soy sauce, sugar, vegetables, and tofu, mix well.  Add the rest of the coconut milk and lime juice.

For Penang curry, replace the curry powder with cumin powder.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Pad Thai 2

Chopped carrot, onion, tomato, tofu
Minced garlic
Minced chili (optional)
1 beaten raw egg
Chicken/seafood (optional)
3 tbsp water
1 portion of presoaked noodles (soak for a couple hours, or just pour boiling water over them)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp mixed bean sprouts and chopped green onion
1/2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts or cashews
1 tsp chili flakes
Juice from 1/4 lime

Fry the carrot, onion, tomato, tofu, garlic, and chili in a wok.  Move them to the side of the wok, then add the egg to the bottom.  When the egg is nearly cooked through like an omelette, flip it, break it into pieces, and push it aside.  Add the noodles and the water, mix well.  Add the soy sauce, sugar, sprouts, green onion, and nuts.  Add the chili flakes and lime juice.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Fried vegetables with ginger and cashew nuts

Chopped carrot, onion, tomato, tofu
Crushed garlic
Crushed red and green chili
Mixed vegetables
Some water
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sticky soy sauce or mushroom sauce (or oyster sauce)
1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger
1 tbsp toasted cashew nuts

Fry carrot, onion, tomato, tofu, garlic, and chilis in a wok in oil.  Add mixed vegetables and water, cook 2-3 minutes.  Add sauces and sugar.  Add ginger and cashews.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Isaan

Isaan, which is like Larb.  From NE Thailand/Laos area.

Chopped carrot, onion, vegetables, tofu, and vegetarian sausage
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp TVP (optional)
1/2 tbsp roast rice powder
1/2 tsp Tom Yum paste
1 tsp lime juice
extra chili powder (optional)
1 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp finely chopped lemon grass
mint (optional)

Pour a little water into a bowl.  Add vegetables, tofu, and vegetarian sausage.  Cook until nearly dry, then turn off heat.  Add everything up to the chili powder.  Add everything else.  Eat with sticky rice, hot or cold.
Dan's note: you can use mushrooms instead of the TVP and vegetarian sausage.  Half wood ears and half king oysters works pretty well.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Tom Yum 2

2 cups water or so
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 slices galangal
2 half-inch pieces of lemongrass
chopped carrot, onion, tomato, fried/boiled tofu, and vegetables
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp green onions and/or cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp Tom Yum paste
1 tbsp coconut milk
chili, garlic, and basil (optional)

Boil water.  Add kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and lemongrass.  Add all the vegetables and tofu.  Wait 4 minutes, then add soy sauce and brown sugar.  Simmer until vegetables are tender, but before all water is gone.  Add everything else.

To make Tom Kha instead, reduce the water and add more coconut milk.

Source: May Kaidee's Thai vegetarian and vegan restaurant and cooking school, May 2010

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Thai Fried Cashew Nut with Chicken

Fried cashew nut with chicken

50 g. chicken
50 g. cashew nut or almond
30 g. jelly mushrooms, sliced into 1 cm. width
2 baby corns, diced
1/2 large onion
2 tbsp. spring onion
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
5 g. dried chili, sliced
1/2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce or mushroom sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. oil

Stir-fry cashews, remove.  Fry garlic, then chicken, then mushrooms, onions, baby corn, dried chilis.  Add oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, then green onion and fried cashews, stir until cooked.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Larb

Larb (minced meat salad)

150 g. boiled minced chicken, pork, or mixed wood ear and king oyster mushrooms
1/2 tsp. ground chili
2 tbsp. roasted rice powder (or dry breadcrumbs, but roasted rice is a lot better.)
5 thinly sliced shallots
3 sliced green onions
1 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
7-10 mint leaves
2 tbsp. sliced cilantro leaves

Combine minced chicken, chili, roasted rice, shallots, green onions, fish sauce, and lime juice, toss gently.  Add mint leaves and cilantro, toss again.  Serve with lettuce, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, long bean, and spring onion.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Pad Thai

Pad Thai

250 grams rice noodle
50 grams chicken
3 tbsp oil
20 g. chinese chive or green onion
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce or mushroom fake-oyster sauce
1 egg
30 g. bean sprouts or cabbage
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
50 g. tofu, diced
1/2 c. water

Fry garlic in oil, then chicken and tofu, stir until the chicken is cooked.  Add egg, scramble around.  Add noodles and water, stir until tender.  Season with sauces and sugar.  Add sprouts and green onions, serve with fresh vegetables and/or lime juice, peanuts, and ground chilis.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Som Tam

Som tam (papaya salad)

50 g. papaya, carrot, or cucumber, shredded or matchsticks
10 small garlic cloves
1-3 chilies
1/2 tomato, cut quarter
1 chinese long bean, in 1-inch slices (or green beans)
20 g. peanut
2 tbsp. fish sauce (or 1 tsp. salt)
1-2 limes, cut quarter
1 tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
optional: anchovies, fermented crab claws

Tenderly pound garlic, chili, and Chinese long bean.  Add palm sugar, lime, fish sauce, and pound until the palm sugar is dissolved.
Add the papaya and tomato, mix well.  Top with peanuts, serve with fresh vegetables.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Tom Yum

Tom yum

75 g. prawn, chicken, seafood, or oyster mushroom
30 g. straw mushroom or oyster mushroom
2 c. water
3 chilies
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 tomato, sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemongrass, sliced diagonally
2 sliced galangal
3 tbsp. lime juice
3 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. roasted Tom Yum chili paste
1 coriander
1 sliced green onion

Heat water with kaffir lime, galangal, lemongrass.  Add chicken, boil until cooked.  Add mushroom, onion, tomato, and add everything else.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Green Curry

Green curry

200 grams chicken or tofu
1 tbsp green curry paste
2 thai eggplants, cut quarter
2 baby corns, carrots, or broccoli, diced
2 c. coconut milk
10 leaves sweet basil
2 kaffir lime leaves, tear the stem off
1 red chili
2 tbsp. fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. oil

Put the oil in the wok over low heat, fry the curry paste until fragrant.  Add chicken and 1/2 c. coconut milk, stir until chicken is cooked.  Add the rest of the coconut milk, boil.  Add vegetables, then fish sauce and sugar, then basil, lime leaves, and chilis.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Curry Paste

Red, Yellow, or Green Curry Paste

5 dried red chilies, soaked in water
3 tbsp. chopped shallots
1 tbsp. minced garlic
50 g. chopped galangal
1/2 tbsp chopped lemongrass
1 tsp. krachai (lesser ginger)
1 tsp. shrimp paste (or salt)
1/2 tsp. chopped kaffir lime peel
1 tsp. coriander root (or stem)
1 tsp. turmeric root (or powder)

Pound together garlic, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, galangal, coriander root.  Add krachai, turmeric root, shallot, and pound well.  Add red chilis, then shrimp paste, and pound until smooth and fine.

To make yellow curry paste instead, add Indian curry powder, leave out the shrimp paste and the krachai.  To make green curry paste instead, use 15 green fresh chilis instead of red, and add them at the start instead of the end.

Source: Baan Thai cookery school, Chiang Mai, May 2010

Friday, December 3, 2010

Channa Dal

Channa Dal - Chickpeas, but not the ones in a can; the split ones that look like little yellow lentils.

1 1/2 c. Channa Dal
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 inch peeled and shredded ginger root
1 pinch salt
1 shredded green pepper
1 tbsp curry powder (hot or mild)

Wash dal, cover in water 2 inches deep, boil 20-25 minutes.  Remove from heat, set aside.  In another pan heat vegetable oil on medium.  Add mustard seeds and onion.  Fry until brown (and mustard seeds pop).  Add tomato, fry until soft, then add garlic, ginger, green pepper, curry powder, sugar, and salt.  Pour in channa dal from other pan and mix well.  Simmer 5-7 minutes.  Add water to taste.  Serve hot.

Source: directions on a package.