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