CHICKEN LAAB

From Hot Thai Kitchen

Ingredients:

3 T jasmine or sticky rice grains

2 makrut lime leaves

3 T water

1 lb ground chicken

1 t + 1 T fish sauce

2 shallots, sliced lengthwise

2 - 3 T lime juice

2 t urfa chili flakes

1/4 t sugar

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 c cilantro, chopped

1/3 c mint leaves, torn

Methodology:

Sauté the rice grains and lime leaves in a dry cast iron skillet over high heat, stirring and tossing until the rice is golden.  Pour into a mortar and grind into a rough powder.  Set aside.

Bring the water to simmer in a large dutch oven.  Add the chicken and 1 t fish sauce, and cook until the chicken is done.  Add shallots, and cook 1 more minute.  Remove from heat.

Add remaining ingredients, and top with 1 T toasted rice powder per serving, at the table.

Serve with sticky or jasmine rice and sliced fresh vegetables (cucumbers, peppers, beans)

RED LENTIL CHICKEN CURRY

Adapted from Eat Your Way to Managing Diabetes
Serves 2 with leftovers for lunch

Ingredients:

1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 T curry paste (especially good with the chu chee curry paste)
1 red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 C red lentils
2 C chicken or vegetable broth

5 makrut lime leaves, central stem removed and minced
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced

To serve:
Handful of cilantro, both leaves and minced stems
Lime wedges
Fish sauce

Brown rice (see below)


Methodology:

Skim the cream off the top of the can of coconut milk and cook it in a large saucepan over medium heat with the curry paste, stirring occasionally, until it begins to split, and the oil separates from the cream.  Add in the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion softens.  Add the garlic and lentils and cook, stirring, for an additional minute.

Pour in the remaining coconut milk, as well as 1 C of the chicken broth.  Cook over low heat, stirring, until the lentils have softened, adding additional broth if necessary.

Add the lime leaves and chicken slices and submerge them in the lentil mixture, adding more broth if necessary.

Once the chicken is cooked through, serve topped with cilantro and lime juice, offering fish sauce as well to balance seasoning.


Brown rice:
From Martha Stewart

2 C long-grain brown rice*
2 1/2 C water
1/2 t salt

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil.  Turn heat down as low as possible and steam, covered with tin foil and a tight-fitting lid, for 30 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

*For short-grain rice, use 1 1/2 C water per cup of dry rice, so 3 C water for this recipe.

POTATO CURRY

Aloo hin From Maxi's Mo Mo and Bo Bo's Kitchen cookbook

Ingredients:

4 large yukon gold potatoes
4 medium or 3 large yellow onions, cut into 1/4" slices
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups water
1/2 t turmeric
1 t paprika
1 t salt and sugar

2 scallions, sliced thinly

Yogurt and Naan to serve


Methodology:

Boil whole potatoes until a knife slides in with no resistance (start checking after 15 minutes).  Peel and chop into 1" cubes.  Return potato cubes to pot.

Add the tofu and onion to the pot, together with the turmeric, paprika, salt, sugar and water.  Cook at high heat until the water has almost completely evaporated.

Mix in the scallions.  Dollop with yogurt and serve with naan.

CHU CHEE CURRY WITH SHRIMP

Chu Chee Ta-leh

Ingredients:
1 can full-fat coconut milk (don't shake the can, refrigerate 20 minutes if possible)
3 T Chu chee curry paste

500g medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 bell peppers, diced

2-3 T fish sauce
1 T palm sugar
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves, minced
2 small fresh birds-eye chilis (optional)

30g fresh Thai basil

Methodology:

Skim off the thick coconut cream from the top of the can of coconut milk and bring to a simmer in a large skillet or wok.  Reserve the remaining coconut milk.  Add the curry paste to the skillet.  Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 10 minutes, until the oil separates from the cream, stirring occasionally.

Add the shrimp, bell pepper and remaining coconut milk.  Cook until shrimp are pink on one side, then flip, about 2 minutes.

Add fish sauce, sugars and kaffir lime and simmer 1 more minute.  Remove from heat and stir in half the basil, reserving the rest for garnish.

Serve with steamed Korean short-grain rice, recipe below.



Korean short-grain rice:
from Maangchi

Ingredients:
1 C short-grain rice
1 C water

Methodology:
Scrub and drain the rice 3 times in cold water to remove excess surface starch.  Drain well.  Add to small pot with 1 C water.  Let rice soak in water for 30 minutes.  

Bring pot to boil over medium-high heat with lid on and cook for 10 minutes.  Stir, return to heat with lid on for additional 5-8 minutes, fluff and serve.

CHU CHEE CURRY PASTE

From Das Grosse Wok Kochbuch

Ingredients:

10 large dried chilis (optional)
1 t coriander seeds
1 T shrimp paste
1 T white peppercorns
10 kaffir lime leaves, minced
2 t grated kaffir lime zest (optional)
10 asian shallots, chopped (can be replaced with 1/2 amount of regular shallots)
1 T cilantro stems and roots
1 lemongrass stem, white part only, minced
3 T chopped fresh galangal
1 T fresh Krachai (fingerroot), chopped (optional)
6 garlic cloves, chopped


Methodology:

Rehydrate the dried chilis in hot water for 20 minutes.  Drain, remove seeds and chop.

Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and roast at 350°F with the coriander and white pepper for 5 minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients and process into a smooth paste, either by hand with a mortar and pestle, or in a food processor.

STEAMED EGGPLANT WITH THAI BASIL

Recipe modified from here

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb eggplants, cut into 1/2" slices, and then into 1/2" strips

4 t shallot oil, divided*
1 confit shallot*
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1/2" slices
1/2 red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/4" dice

4 t minced garlic
2 t minced ginger root
1 shallot, cut lengthwise into 1/4" strips

Sauce:
4 t palm sugar, finely grated, scraped to dissolve in a mortar and pestle with
2 T water
2 t cornstarch
2 T dark soy sauce
4 t oyster sauce
1 T tamarind concentrate or rice vinegar
1 t Shaoxing wine or Sherry
1 T fish sauce

1 C Thai basil, roughly chopped, with a few leaves left whole for garnish
1 t toasted sesame seeds

Methodology:

Place the eggplant strips upright in a steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes, or until soft.

Heat 2 t of shallot oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat, add the confit shallot and shiitake mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms have lost most of their moisture.  Turn the heat to medium, add the green pepper and fresh shallot and cook until the shallot has softened. 

Push the vegetables to the cooler part of the skilled, add the final 2 t shallot oil and garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 20-30 seconds.  The garlic should not brown.  Mix throughout the skillet.

Add the eggplant and stir to combine.

Push all vegetables out of the center and pour in the sauce.  Cook, stirring, until the sauce darkens and takes on a glossy appearance, 15-20 seconds.  Toss everything in the skillet, so that the vegetables become coated in the sauce.  Remove from heat.

Stir in the chopped Thai basil and serve with rice, garnished with whole basil leaves and sesame seeds.

*Roast as many peeled, quartered shallots as you feel like, submerged in olive oil at 350°F for 40 minutes, or until soft and translucent, with caramelized patches.  Store the shallots packed in the oil in the fridge.  Store extra oil separately, also in the fridge.  This stores very well, so make plenty.


BASMATI RICE
Non-traditional accompaniment for Thai food, I know.  From here

Ingredients:

2 c basmati rice
3 c boiling water
1/4 t salt
1/8 t distilled vinegar, to keep grains separate

Methodology:

Rinse the rice twice, rubbing grains between your fingers to remove excess starch.
Add rice to heated pot, and pour in boiling water, vinegar and salt.
Cover with foil and lid and place over high heat until water comes to a boil.
Turn heat as low as possible and cook rice for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and steam rice with lid on for 5 minutes.
Fluff and serve.