Easy Tome Ka Gai

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

4 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs fish sauce
4 green onions, thinly sliced
12 lime leaves, torn into quarters
4 Tbs cilantro, chopped
3 c coconut milk
3 c chicken broth
4 Tbs ginger or galanga, sliced
4 stalks fresh lemon grass, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
2 c thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

1. In a large bowl combine the lime juice, fish sauce, green onion, cilantro and half the lime leaves. Place the bowl by the stove.

2. In a stock pot, combine the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil  on medium high heat. Stir in the ginger, lemongrass and remaining lime leaves. Add the chicken and mushrooms, reduce to a gentle boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, pour the bowl of herbs into the soup, mix and serve.

Tom Ka Gai

By Darlene Schmdt

Ingredients:

• 6 cups good-quality chicken stock (Serves 2 as the main entree, or 4-6 as an appetizer)
• 1-2 chicken breasts, sliced, OR 1-2 cups roasted chicken or turkey
• 1 lemongrass stalk, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass
• 4 kaffir limes leaves (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated
• 1-3 fresh red chilies, minced (to taste), OR substitute 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili
• 1/2 to 1 can good-quality coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2+ Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar (optional, according to taste)
• handful fresh coriander leaves
• handful fresh basil leaves
• 3 spring (green) onions, sliced
• optional: other vegetables, like sliced bell pepper or cherry tomatoes
• optional: *wheat or rice noodles, if serving as the main course (see tip below)

Preparation:

1. Slice and mince the lower portion of the lemongrass stalk. Retain the upper stalk for the soup pot.
2. Place chicken broth in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. If you have leftover chicken or turkey bones, add those too. Bring to a boil.
3. Add fresh chicken (or leftover chicken or turkey) and mushrooms. Also add the prepared lemongrass (including upper stalk pieces), plus kaffir lime leaves and fresh chili. Boil 5-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
4. Turn heat down to medium. Add the galangal or ginger, 1/2 can coconut milk, the fish sauce, and extra vegetables (if using). Stir well. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to minimum. Add lime juice and stir.
6. Do a taste test. Look for a balance between spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors. Start with salty, adding more fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough (1 Tbsp. at a time). If too sour, add the sugar plus a little more if you need it. If too spicy, or if you'd like it creamier, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough, add more chili.
7. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle a little fresh coriander, basil, and spring onion over each bowl. For an extra kick of flavor, add a dollop of either store-bought or my own homemade Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce Recipe. ENJOY!

Chicken with Fresh Basil

Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

3 Tb veg oil
1 Tb coarsely chopped garlic
1/2 c coarsely chopped onion
3/4 lb boneless chicken, coarsely ground or cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tb fish sauce
1 Tb tamari
2 Tb water
2 tea sugar
2 Tb coarsely chopped fresh hot green chilies, such as Thai chilies, serranos, or jalapenos
1 cup fresh holy basil, Asian basil, or Italian basil leaves or fresh mint leaves

1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and then add teh garlic and onio9n. Toss well, and whne they begin to release their aroma, add teh chicken in generous pinches. Toss well, susing a spatula or slotted spoon, to help meat brown evenly and to break up big chunks to achieve a crumbly texture.

2. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, water, and sugar and cook 2-3 minutes, tossing now and then, just until the meat is cooked and the seasoning form a thin, smooth sauce. Add the chilies and basil and toss well. Serve with rice.

Issahn-style Minced Pork Salad with Crunchy Rice and Fresh Mint

Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

1 Tb raw long-grain rice
1 c chicken stock
1/2 lb coarsely ground pork or beef
3 Tb lime juice
2 Tb fish sauce
1-2 tea dried red chili flakes
1/2 tea sugar
A handful of fresh mint leaves
2 Tb thinly sliced shallots
2 heaping Tb thinly sliced green onions

Optional Accompaniments
Cabbage wedges or small lettuce leaf cups
Cucumber slices
5 green beans or 2 yard-long beans, cut into 3 inch lengths

1. Make roasted rice powder by toasting the raw rice in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring and tossing for 3-5 minutes, until it turns a wheaty golden brown. Tip out onto a plate, and then grind it to a coarse powder, using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.

2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Crumble in the meat and cook, turning and pressing to break up larger chunks. Cook the meat evenly, 1-2 minutes, until cooked through. Scoop meat into a medium bowl with about 1/4 c of the broth.

3. Add the roasted rice powder to the bowl along with the lime juice, fish sauce, chili flakes, and sugar and use your hands to mix everything well. Tear the mint leaves in half, add to the bowl along with the shallots and green onions and mix well. Mound the salad on a small, deep serving plater, juices and all. Serve with one or all accompaniments

Grilled Salmon with Chili-lime Sauce

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

Fish
3 Tb coarsely chopped garlic
3 Tb coarsely chopped fresh cilantro roots or stems and leaves
2 Tb fish sauce
1 Tb tamari
1/2 tea sugar
1/2 tea salt
1/2 tea freshly ground pepper
2 Tb veg oil
1 1/2 lbs meaty fish fillets, such as salmon, tuna, snapper, cod, halibut, catfish or tilapia

Sauce
1/4 c fish sauce
3 Tb lime juice
2 Tb sugar
1 tea finely chopped garlic
1 tea finely chopped fresh hot green chilies
1 tea finely chopped fresh cilantro

1. To prepare the fish: In a workbowl of a small food processor or a blender, combine the garlic, cilantro roots, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil. Grind to a fairly mooth paste, stopping now and then to scrape down the sides and adding a little water as needed to bring the ingredients together. Scrape the cilantro-garlic paste into a medium bowl, add the fish fillets and toss to coat everything well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes, longer is fine, covered and refrigerated up to 1 day.

2. To make the sauce: Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and garlic in a small bowl. Stir well until the sugar dissolves, and then sprinkle with the chilies and cilantro. Set aside until serving time.

3. Prepare a very hot grill. To cook the fish, place it on a lightly oiled grill rack, or in a shallow baking pan in the oven. Cook until handsomely browned and done to your liking, carefully turning once, about 5 minutes on each side, or longer for thicker fillets. Serve hot with the bowl of sauce on the side.

Quick Red Curry with Tuna and Peas

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

1 c unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tb red curry paste
1 c (12 oz) tuna, packed in oil or water, drained
3/4 c chicken broth
1/2 c frozen peas
2 Tb fish sauce
2 tea palm sugar or brown sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the coconut milk to a lively boil and stir well. Reduce heat to medium and add the curry paste. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring often and pressing to dissolve the paste and make a smooth sauce. Add the drained tuna, chicken broth, frozen peas, fish sauce, and sugar, and stir gently to mix everything well. Simmer 3-4 minutes more until heated through, and then transfer to a serving bowl.

Spicy Tuna Salad with Chilies and Lime

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

1 can (12oz) chunky tuna, packed in oil or water, drained
3 Tb fish sauce
3 Tb lime juice
1 Tb sugar
2 Tb thinly sliced shallots
2 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tb minced fresh ginger
1 Tb coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts
1 Tb finely chopped fresh hot green chilies or 1 tea coarsely ground dried red chili
2 Tb coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the tuna, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, shallots, green onions, ginger, peanuts, chilies, and chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Mix gently to season the tuna and break it into smaller chunks. Transfer to a small platter or shallow bowl, garnish with cilantro leaves, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. The salad can also be covered and chilled until shortly before serving time, up to 2 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Shrimp with roasted chili paste and fresh basil

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

3 Tb veg oil
1 Tb chopped garlic
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tb roasted chili paste, nahm prik pao (or curry paste)
2 Tb fish sauce
1/4 c chicken broth
1 tea sugar
1c fresh Asian or Italian basil leaves or fresh mint leaves or fresh cilantro leaves
2 long red fresh chee fah chilies, sliced crosswise into ovals, or a small handful of long, thin strips of sweet red bell pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or a wok over medium-high heat until a bit of garlic sizzles at once. Add the garlic and toss well until fragrant. Add the shrimp and toss until they turn pink.

2. Add the roasted chili paste, fish sauce, broth and sugar and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through and coated with sauce. Add the basil leaves and toss well. Garnish with chilies.

Paht Thai Noodles

From Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

1/4 lb dried rice noodles
3 Tb veg oil
1 Tb coarsely chopped garlic
8-10 medium shrimp peeled & deveined
1/4 lb boneless chicken or pork, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Tb fish sauce
2 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb sugar
1/2 tea dried red chili flakes
1/4 cup water
1 egg
3 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 c coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice


To prepare the dried rice noodles, bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add the noodles, and remove from heat. Let the noodles steep 5 minutes, and then drain and rinse well in cold water.
Transfer the drained rice noodles to a medium bowl and place it by the stove, along with a serving platter, a pair of long-handled tongs and a slotted spoon for tossing the noodles. Have all the remaining ingredients ready and handy.

In a large, deep skillet or a wok, heat 2 Tb of the oil over medium heat until a bit of garlic sizzles at once. Add the garlic, toss well, and then add the shrimp and chicken/pork. Cook about 2 minutes, tossing now and then, until shrimp and meat are cooked through.

Add the noodles and toss as they begin to soften, whiten, and curl in the hot pan. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and chili flakes and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then. Add a splash or two of the water to prevent sticking.

When the noodles are tender, push them to one side and add the remaining Tb of oil. Add the egg, and once it is almost set, scramble it and push it aside. Add the green onions and toss once or twice until shiny and beginning to wilt.

Sprinkle the peanuts and lime juice over noodles and then toss to mix well (or top with cashew/peanut salad that follows this)

Spicy Cashew Salad

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

Veg oil for frying
1 cup fresh raw whole cashews (or peanuts)
1/2 tea salt
3 Tb coarsely chopped shallots
3 Tb thinly sliced green onions
2 tea dried red chili flakes
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice

Line a plate with a double layer of paper towels, and place it by the stove, along with a slotted spoon or an Asian-style wire-mesh strainer. Heat 2-3 inches veg oil in a medium skillet or wok over medium heat until a raw cashew begins to sizzle a few seconds after you add it to the oil, 4-5 minutes. Keep one raw cashew handy by the stove to help you judge the changes in color as the nuts cook.

Gently add cashews and cook, stirring gently and often, until the nuts turn a soft, pale golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Scoop the cashews out onto the prepared plate, using a slotted spoon or a wire-mesh strainer. Let them drain and cool a little whilte you set out a medium bowl and a small serving platter.

Turn the still-warm cashews into the bowl and toss with the salt. Add the shallots, green onions, and chili flakes and toss well. Just before serving, add the lime juice, toss well, and mound on the serving platter. Serve warm or at room temp, with small spoons for eating or as finger food.

Kao Soi

From Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott
serves 4-6

2 Tb veg oil + 2 cups
1 Tb finely chopped garlic
2 Tb red curry paste or panaeng curry paste
3/4 lb boneless chicken, but in big bite-size chunks, or boneless beef, such as tri-trip or flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
2 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2 tea ground turmeric or curry powder
2 Tb dark soy sauce or soy sauce
1 tea sugar
1 tea salt
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice
1 lb fresh or 1/2 lb dried Chinese-style egg noodles + a handful of fresh egg noodles per person
1/3 c coarsely chopped shallots
1/3 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c thinly sliced green onions

Make crispy noodle nests:
Heat 2 c veg oil in a wok or small deep skillet to about 375 degrees. Carefully add a handful of noodles, let it sizzle and brown a few seconds, turn gently with tongs, and transfer the "nest" to a platter to cool.

Make chicken curry:
Heat 2 Tb veg oil in a med saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic. Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1-2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice, remove from heat, and cover to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.

Make noodles:
Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water, until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh noodles and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again, and divide the noodles amoung individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot.

Tamarind Juice

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 1 cup

One 4X3 inch chunk tamarind pulp
1 1/4 cups boiling water

1. Combine the tamarind pulp and boiling water in a bowl. Let sit until the water is cool to the touch. Massage the tamarind to loosen and separate the pods, then let sit for another 15 minutes and massage it once more.

2. Wait for another 15 minjutes, or until the thickened liquid looks like applesauce. Skim off the amount called for in the recipe. Transfer the rest to a jar with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate. It will keep for a couple of weeks. Each time you use it, add some cold water to the juice. When it becomes too watery and will no longer thicken when you add water, discard it, and start a new batch.

Thai Sweet Pepper Sauce

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 3/4 cup

1 Tb vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tea sea salt
3/4 c cider or white vinegar
1 tea crushed red pepper
1 tea cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring to prevent burning, until it turns yellow. Add the remaining ingredients and stir adn cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil for 8 minutes until the mixture easily coats a spoon. Then transfer to a serving bowl and let cool; the sauce will thicken like maple syrup. Or refrigerat for one month.

Thai Vegetarian Peanut Sauce

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 1 cup

1/2 tea sea salt
4 garlic cloves minced (2 Tb)
5 arbol chiles seeded and minced
1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers and green parts removed, minced (1/4 c)
1 Tb minced ginger
2 shallots, minced (1/4 c)
1 c coconut milk
1 Tb soy sauce
3 Tb brown sugar
2 Tb creamy peanut butter
3 Tb tamarind juice

1. Pound the salt and garlic in a mortar with a pestle into a fine paste. One at a time, add the chiles, lemongrass, ginger and shallots, in sequence, adding each one only after the previous ingredient has been pureed and incorporated into the paste.

2. Or, if using a blender, combine all the above ingredients, add the coconut milk and puree.

3. Combine the chile paste and coconut milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until the mixture begins to bubble, 2-3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and peanut butter and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar and peanut butter. When the mixture begins to boil, add the tamarind juice. Stir to mix. Cook until the liquid begins to boil again. Transfer to a bowl and let cool before serving. Or store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Thai-Style Cucumber Relish

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 1 1/2 cups

2 Tb fresh lime juice
1 Tb fish sauce
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tea sea salt
1 serrano chili, slivered
3 pickling (kirby) cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 Tb coarsely chopped cilantro
1 Tb coarsely chopped mint
1 Tb unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and chiles in a bowl and mix well. Add the cucumber and shallot, and toss lightly. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Transfer the relish to a serving bowl, garnish with the cilantro, mint and peanuts and serve.

Thai-Style Chicken Satay

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 10-12 skewers

Marinade
Makes 2/3 cup

1 tea coriander seeds
1 tea cumin seeds
1/2 tea sea salt
5 cloves garlic, minced (2 1/2 Tb)
1 Tb minced ginger
1 tea cayenne pepper
1/2 tea turneric powder
1/2 cup coconut milk

Satay

1 lb bonelss, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
10-12 skewers
Veg spray

Make the Marinade

1. Put the coriander seeds in a small skillet and dry-roast over medium-high heat, sliding the skillet back and forth over teh burner to prevent burning, until the seeds exude a pleasant aroma, about 1 minute. Remove from teh heat and transferto a bowl to cool. Repeat with the cumin seeds. Grind in a spice grinder and set aside.

2. Pound the salt and garlic in a mortar with a pestle into a paste. Add the ginger and pound into a paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the coriander and cumin seeds, cayenne, and turmeric powder. Mix to combine. Add the coconut milk and mix well. Set aside.

3. Or, if using a blender, add all the ingredients and puree. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.

4. Stored in the refrigerator overnight.

Make the Satay

5. Slice the chicken diagonally across the grain into very thin strips. Add teh chicken to the marinade; mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. mound the charcoals in one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. Heat the grill.

7. While waiting for the grill to get hot, thread 3-4 pieces of the chicken onto each skewer. Reserve the remaining marinade.

8. Spray the chicken generously with veg oil. Lay the skewers with the chicken portion on teh grill over medium-high heat, arranging them close together. (The uncovered portion of the skewers should not be over the coals.) Grill, basting frequently with the marinade and turning frequently to prevent burning, until the surface is crispy and brown nad the inside is firm and white, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Tofu Satay

From Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu

Makes 9 skewers

Marinade
Makes 1 1/4 cups

1 tea white peppercorns
1/2 tea sea salt
4 garlic cloves, minced (2 Tb)
1 Tb Madras curry powder
1 tea cayenne pepper
2 Tb soy sauce
1/2 c coconut milk

Satay
One 16-oz package very firm tofu
9 skewers
Veg. oil spray

Make the marinade

1. Put the peppercorns in a skillet and dry-roast over medium-high heat, sliding the skillet back and forth to prevent burning, until the peppercorns exude a pleasant aroma, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Grind in a spice grinder and set aside.

2. Combine the salt, garlic, peppercorns, curry powder, and cayenne in a bowl and mix well. Add the soy sauce and coconut cream and stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, the marinade will keep overnight in the refrigerator.

Make the Satay

4. Slice the tofu crosswise approximately 1/2 inch thick. Put in a bowl and cover the marinade. Mix gently to coat the tofu, trying not to break up the pieces. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

5. Mound the charcoal in one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty. Heat the grill.

6. While gaiting for the grill to get hot, thread a bamboo skewer lengthwise, through the center fo a tofu slice. Repeat with the remaining tofu, placing two pieces of tofu on each skewer. Trnsfer the remaining marinade to a small bowl and set aside.

7. Spray the tofu generally with vegetable oil. Lay the skewers with the tofu portion on the grill over medium-high heat, arranging them very close to one another. (The uncovered portion of the skewers should not be over the coals.) rill, basting with teh reserved marinade and turning frequently, until the tofu is crispy and brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Padd Thai Bann Gog (Bangkok-Style)

From Cracking the Coconut by Su-Mei Yu

makes one generous serving

1/4 c vegetable oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2-3 oz dried wide rice noodles, softened in warm water
1 c water (or as needed)
2 Tb rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tea fish sauce
1/3 c diced fried tofu
1 Tb salted Tien Jing cabbage or salt-packed capers, rinsed and dried
2 Tb unsalted peanuts dry-roasted and ground
1/2 tea Roasted dried chili powder or chili flakes
1 Tb sugar
1/4 lb fresh bean sprouts (1 c)
10-12 blades Chinese chives or 2 whole scallions, cut into 1 inch lengths
1 large egg

Heat a wok over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add 3 Tb oil and the garlic and cook, stirring to prevent burning, until the garlic is golden. Lower the heat to medium, add the noodles, and cook, stirring with two spatulas to separate the noodles. If the noodles start to clump, lower the heat and add 1 Tb water, stirring and tossing. Continuing to add water 1 Tb at a time if necessary, stir-fry until the noodles are cooked by not soggy. Add the vinegar, fish sauce, tofu, and salted cabbage and continue to cook, stirring for 1 minute. Sprinkle the peanuts, chili powder and sugar on top of the noodle mixture and stir to mix, then quickly mix in the bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Push the noodle mixture to one side of the wok and add the remaining 1 Tb oil to the center of the skillet. Break the egg directly in to the oil and scramble it lightly. When the egg begins to set, push the noodle mixture back on top of the egg, then slide the noodle mixture onto a serving platter.