a taste of thai

i can't wait for the new house to be ready and hopefully be able to do some cooking. it's been awhile and i really miss it. nothing gets my mouth watering like thai food, so just for future reference, i'm posting up my self-made menu for a thai dinner.

managed to dig out a recipe for tom kha (tom yum with coconut milk) from way way back. definitely authentic and super yummy.

Tom Kha Gai


one stick lemongrass
5-6 kaffir lime leaves (fresh ones are better than dried, more flavour)
2-3 limes
3-5 chillis (depending on where the chilli is from and how hot it is i guess)
a quarter head galangal (ginger is ok if you can't find galangal)
4-5 cloves garlic
fish sauce (to taste)
sugar (to taste)
chicken stock
one can coconut milk/cream
500g chicken

• cut up the lemongrass into 1 inch pieces and smash them. peel and smash the garlic. cut the lime. slit and smash the chillies. peel the galangal and slice.
• bring the chicken stock to boil. when it starts boiling, put in the lemongrass, garlic, lime and galangal. but you can leave the chillies til later.
  
• abuse the kaffir lime leaves and put them in.. all of them..
• leave to boil for about 5 mins so all the flavour from the herbs come out. then simmer and add lime. add fish sauce and sugar to taste... you may want to add more.
  
• put in the chicken and put in the chillies. simmer everything for about 5 mins. then slowly add the coconut milk/cream. but make sure there are no lumps so you might need to turn up the heat and stir it a bit.
• have a taste and make sure it's yummy... and the chicken is cooked. then serve and impress your guests.
  

Moo Pad Gra Pow (Stir-fried minced pork with basil)


2 tbspns vegetable oil
chilli flakes
1 tspn sugar
a handful of basil
500g minced pork (can be substituted with chicken or beef)
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
a few dashes of fish sauce

• Fry the garlic in oil over high heat. When garlic starts to turn brown, drop the minced pork in. Stir constantly. The juice will start to come out.
  
• Keep stirring until all the juice is gone. It might take a couple of minutes.
• Add chilli flakes, sugar and fish sauce. Then add Thai basil.
  
• Quickly turn it over a few times to mix the leaves with the meat and then remove from the fire.

Roasted Duck Red Curry (Kaeng Phed Ped Yang)


a whole roasted duck, deboned and cut into strips
2 and a half cups of coconut milk
10 cherry tomatoes
half an eggplant cut into cubes
6 canned rambutans or pineapple slices, cut into bite-sizes
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt
few dashes of fish sauce
half cup of chicken stock
1 tbspn cooking oil
3 heaped tbspns of red curry paste (the cheating way)

• Put vegetable oil into wok over medium heat and add the red curry paste. Fry til the paste becomes fragrant.
• Add 3/4 cups coconut milk and stir to mix thoroughly.
• Add the duck and stir well. Next pour the mixture into a pot, add the remaining coconut milk, water, tomatoes, rambutans/pineapples, eggplants, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, salt, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil then let
  
• it simmer for about 15-20 mins.

this is not helping my hunger at all. -_-

food, glorious food!! i live for thee.