Can’t believe how quickly Term 4 has rolled around this year. To think that in 9 weeks we’ll be celebrating Christmas, the holidays and the New Year…
The weather has finally warmed up enough to plan for some warm weather dishes, no more stews, soups and casseroles for us. Back to the land of crunchy, fresh flavours.
Our first lesson for this term is Thai Cuisine. I try to start with a cuisine that people are comfortable with, for a long time that was Italian but it’s quickly being replaced by Thai in popularity.
On the menu this week: soft and silky PAD THAI, spicy and sour TOFU LARB, creamy sweet RED CURRY VEGETABLES and SWEET STICKY RICE with the gorgeous mango that have just hit the shops in abundance.
I’ve posted most of these recipes here before but the PAD THAI and TOFU LARB recipes are new. They are excellent hot weather recipes requiring minimal cooking and packed with lots of flavourful herbs.
Enjoy!
PAD THAI
Rice noodle dish traditionally sold by street hawkers.
Serves: 2 individual serves or 4 as part of a meal
Preparation: 15 minutes (excluding noodles soaking 30 mins)
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Equipment:
knife, chopping board, wok, measuring cup, 2 large spoons or spatulas for tossing noodles, small bowl for rubbish, vegetable peeler.
Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 tablespoons White sugar
1 tablespoon Tamarind paste
2 tablespoon Thai Mushroom Soy Sauce (or fish sauce if you like it)
Noodles:
½ packet Thai Rice Noodles (Rice Stick) soaked in warm water till slightly soft
1 tablespoon Canola oil
½ Small onion, finely sliced
2 Eggs
100 grams Firm bean curd, 1 cm dice and deep fried and drained on paper
1 cup Bean sprouts, washed well and trimmed (reserve some for garnish)
1 Baby Bok Choy, cut into long wedges and washed well
½ bunch Chinese chives, cut into 5cm lengths (reserve some for garnish)
¼ cup Coriander leaves, washed (reserve some for garnish)
1 teaspoon Roasted chilli powder
Garnish:
2 tablespoons Crushed roasted peanuts or cashews
1 lime, cut into 2 wedges, “thai style”
2 teaspoon roasted chilli powder
Chinese chives, coriander leaves and bean sprouts
Method
Sauce: Simmer sauce ingredients for 1-2 minutes till sugar is dissolved.
Noodles:
1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and fry onion till slightly coloured.
2. Crack in eggs and stir till just set.
3. Add tofu, bok choy stir and then the drained noodles
4. Turn up the heat and allow the noodles to colour.
5. Add sauce, chilli powder and simmer further 1-2 min
6. Add most of the bean sprouts, chives till wilted, adjust seasoning for sweet, sour, salty & spice.
Serve: Pile on a plate with bean sprouts, chives, coriander, lime wedge, peanuts & chilli powder
TOFU LARB
A fresh, spicy tofu salad from North Eastern Thailand.
Serves: 8 as part of a meal
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Equipment:
knife, chopping board, large saucepan, measuring cup, wooden spoon, small bowl for rubbish, mortar and pestle (optional).
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp jasmine rice, toasted in the wok till yellow
4 dried large chillies, toasted in a wok (warning: open window!)
500gms firm tofu
3 limes, juiced
1 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp mushroom Soy sauce
1 small red (bird’s eye) chilli, finely sliced (optional)
2 red eschallot (or a small Spanish onion) finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 handful snake (or green beans) washed and chopped into 3cm lengths
1 handful cashews, roasted
½ cup cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
2 cups mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
2 spring onions, sliced
To serve: Lettuce or cabbage cups (optional)
Method:
1. Boil tofu in water for 2 minutes to remove raw taste. Drain well and cool.
2. In a mortar and pestle (or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) pound the rice till coarse, like sand.
3. Add the toasted dried chillies and garlic and pound again.
4. Add green beans, tomatoes, cashews and crush them lightly.
5. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu into cottage cheese like bits with your clean fingers.
5. Stir through all other ingredients, reserving some mint and coriander leaves for garnish.
Serve in little lettuce cups with jasmine rice or steamed sticky rice to help tame the heat!
