Thai food

Thai Cooking 101

2009-03-06T02:15:00.000-08:00

finding some of its more obscure ingredients.
Unfamiliarity with these foreign flavors, let alone figuring out how they relate to each other, is a common beginners' obstacle, but don't let that discourage you! We promise this will be quick and relatively painless, and the reward-exposure to a new world of flavors-is well worth the effort.
So the next time you're planning a meal, resist your hankering for a quick take-out fix; check out our beginners' guide to Thai cuisine below instead, and find out how a little culinary background info and an adventurous palate can make cooking something you actually look forward to, and healthy! We've also compiled a list of several traditional Thai ingredients along with everything you'll need to know to about them, from cooking techniques to health benefits to tips on where to get them. So get psyched for...

Thai Cooking 101
Unlike westerners who generally eat in several courses, a typical Thai meal has just one and is laid out all at once. Steamed rice is a constant at mealtimes, and is accompanied by a number of (typically wok-fried) dishes-approximately one per guest. Eating together is a communal activity, and all the dishes are shared around the table according to custom.

There is generally a balance between sour, salty, sweet and spicy flavors in a dish or across a meal, and it is believed to restore harmony between the body's Yin and Yang forces. The Yin represents cold, or soothing energy, e.g. coconut milk, and the Yang represents hot energy that increases the pulse rate, e.g. chili peppers.

This theory has been passed down from generation to generation, and while many swear by it, we encourage you to find out for yourself.

Jasmine Rice

The highly-prized and aromatic jasmine rice is almost exclusively native to Thailand, making it one of the less accessible fundamentals of Thai cuisine :( Don't panic just yet, jasmine rice lovers: more health food and specialty stores are stocking jasmine rice in their packaged grain section, and Asian groceries/marketplaces are even more likely to carry it. Another popular Thai rice is short-grain sticky rice which is easier to find at similar markets, and can be substituted by sushi rice if unavailable.

Tip: Store dry Jasmine rice in a cool area away from moisture and open air; cooked rice can be refrigerated for up to seven days, or stored in the freezer for six months.

Lemongrass

An essential ingredient in Thai dishes, Lemongrass is an aromatic (some say minty) herb with a lemony flavor. It grows in long fibrous stalks of which only the juicy white-yellow bulbs are used, and it is customary to bruise them with a knife before cutting and cooking to help bring out their aroma and flavor in a dish.

Lemongrass can be finely minced and added to curries and pastes, but it's most often used like cinnamon or bay leaves, which are typically removed before serving.

Lemongrass has been used since ancient times to relieve fevers, abdominal pain and cold symptoms. It is slowly becoming a more common sight in health food stores and can almost always be found at Asian groceries. If you're not lucky enough to have one in your area, a mix of lemon zest (rind) with a small amount of ginger is a common substitute for lemongrass, and lemon leaves are sometimes also used. If fresh lemongrass is unavailable, there are dried and powdered varieties. Two tablespoons of powdered spice is equal to about one fresh stalk, and use an extra 2-3 pieces if cooking with dried lemongrass (when seasoning, bear in mind that dried lemongrass is already salted).

If you want the freshest lemongrass possible, you can grow it yourself, but keep it indoors during the colder months if you live in a cooler climate. Seeds can be bought online or at specialty seed stores, or you can just germinate a bulb from another stalk in a jar of water until it roots, and then transfer it to its own pot.

Tip: Basil is another garden-friendly component of Thai cuisine that flourishes in many climates.
Coconut Milk

A ubiquitous staple in Thai food, Coconut milk is the rich base for many curries, sauces, drinks and sweet dishes and is often used to balance out hot or spicy elements. It can be found in most supermarkets or even made at home!

To prepare coconut milk, mix the grated meat of a ripe coconut with warm water and then squeeze out the juice, but unless you can find fresh coconuts, you're better off using the canned stuff.

A layer of fat at the top is normal (like with real milk), and this fat lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) while promoting good cholesterol. Coconut milk also boosts immunity and provides valuable fatty acids, putting it at the top of the list of healthy Thai ingredients.

Palm Sugar

Palm sugar is made from the sap of the palm tree and can be found at Asian or Indian specialty food stores. Since it stores well, ordering online is also entirely acceptable. Aside from sweets and desserts, palm sugar can also be used in savory dishes, like fish, to play against their saltiness. The sugar is a golden brown paste, and can be light-colored or dark and gooey. If you can't get your hands on any, you can substitute with brown sugar.

Fish Sauce

Perhaps the most widespread taste in Thai food is fish sauce, sometimes called the soy sauce of Southeast Asia. The best fish sauces are usually thin and virtually clear with a salty taste derived from fermented fish (anchovies are the most common).

It has a very pungent aroma and is said to be an acquired taste, but it's practically used as a salt substitute in many parts of the world. Sugar is sometimes added to highlight its saltiness.
Fish sauce can virtually always be found at an Asian marketplace/grocery near you and is also becoming a regular in the aisles of many specialty-foods store.

Chilies

Generally speaking, the smaller the pepper the hotter it is, and the prik kee noo, the smallest and most popular of the Thai chilies, is no exception. Recent studies show that eating hot red peppers like these can help you fight fat all in itself! Chilies can be served in countless forms, from dried pieces (which are hotter than fresh ones) to minced in a sauce.

The prik kee noo is rated the second hottest pepper in the scoville scale, an index of hot peppers, and the seeds are the hottest part. Many cookbooks recommend preparing them with gloves to avoid skin irritation and not to touch your eyes before washing your hands.

If you can't find Thai peppers, try dried whole Mexican chilies and soften them with a soak in hot water.

Tip: Don't drink water to relieve chili heat-rice, beer or milk drinks do a better job.

Congratulations! You've passed the course and learned the basics of Thai cooking. Hopefully this guideline has made you feel more comfortable about experimenting with eastern cuisine and armed you with all the facts you need to prepare mouthwatering nutritious meals. For healthiest results, use small amounts of oil and opt for steaming instead of frying whenever possible. Now go have some fun, and don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients and combinations. Variety really is the spice of life, and it's also one of the best ways to get your family excited about eating healthy.

Alex Tatarinov-Levin is an online content editor for Yodle, a business listing directory and local online advertising company offering practical and innovative solutions for advertising in the 21st century. Find more cooking tips at local.yodle.com/articles.
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Spicy Thai Food

2009-03-06T02:13:00.000-08:00

By Saichon Plumlee

If you love spicy food you really owe it to yourself to try Thai food. Thai people eat more chili per person than any other country in the world! In Thailand we love our spicy foods. Many of the herbs that we use are to make the food spicy also. These herbs include lemon basil, ginger, and of course chili.

In Thailand we use many different types of chili. It depends on the dish that we are cooking and also on what region of Thailand you are in. The Thai word for chili is prik. The chili that you see the most is the standard Thai Chili. It is available almost every place you will go to in the world. There is also the same kind of chili that is often found in the southwestern US that is available mostly in Northern Thailand. It is served in lot of ways same as in the US. They use it to make pizza, sausage, eggs, and even serve it as a relish when finely chopped. Another of my favorites is prik kee nu, this is a very small, extremely spicy chili. There are often served as a condiment and used to add flavor to things like meatballs.

Chili is also used to make your curry hot. Curry is a mixture of chili and other ingredients to give the desired flavor for the type of curry. There are several varieties of curry, but we mainly use five types, green, red, yellow, massaman, and penang curries. The curry that you use depends on what you will be using with it. Different meats use different curry to get the correct flavor. If you are a vegetarian you also will want to use the right curry for tofu.

For herbs, if you have never used lemon basil in your spicy foods you are missing out! Sweet basil is what most are serving when you get basil. You already know how much flavor basil will add to you dinner. Now if you want to add flavor with a bit of spice to it try lemon basil. It looks much like the basil you normally will buy, the leaves are normally a bit smaller though. It has a great flavor and it will make your food much more spicy. It is really good when you combine with chili for extra spiciness and more heat.

Another herb that will make your food spicy is ginger. Ginger has many uses and a great flavor. You can boil it to make a tea, you can add a nice some sparkle to your grilled and baked fish and it also makes a great stir fry. There are so many uses for ginger. I recommend the fresh ginger and grind or grate it yourself. You get much more flavor than the powder that comes in the spice cans at your grocery store.

You can use all of these in your everyday cooking to give you a little spicy food any time. And if you want to try spicy Thai food you will always be using these items each time you cook!
I love to cook any kind of food and try new recipes that I see. I often change them to fit my style of cooking or to use what I have available when I can not get all of the ingredients. Of course since I am from Thailand My favorite food is Thai food and that is what most of the recipes you will find on my site are. So please come on by and tell me how you like my recipes at http://www.cookingwithsaichon.com
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Where In the World Did Your Coffee Come From?

2008-09-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

By Peter S. Mason

When it comes to coffee, it is not all about choosing between instant coffee and drip coffee and black coffee and coffee with milk and sugar any more. Although Americans used to be limited to a choice between Folgers and Maxwell House, there are now tons of different cups of coffee to be tried out. Coffee aficionados can try a different kind of coffee from a different place on the globe every day and hardly ever taste the same cup of coffee twice.

Coffee Around The World - Where's The Best Cup of Joe?

Any world trip for coffee lovers would have to start in the world coffee capital of Brazil. This enormous country is the perfect coffee growing environment, with at least a third of the land space ideal for growing beans. Bahia and Minas Gerais are just two of the enormous number of different kinds of coffee grown in Brazil.

Although Brazil makes the most coffee, if you ask people to name a coffee producing country, they are likely to answer with Columbia. Tons of varieties of coffee beans are grown in Columbia, from rich and bold blends to light and sweet caffeinated delights like 'supremo' and 'excelso'. Coffees made from beans like Popayan or Narino are considered to be among the best in the world. Of course, blends of the different beans grown in Columbia offer a whole new world of possibilities for coffee tastes.

Don't count Mexico out when it comes to the coffee producing stakes. The small beans that are grown in Mexico produce coffee that has a delicate taste and very mellow acidity, giving it an overall light flavor. Last but not least in Latin America is Cuba, which brings its uber strong cafe cubano to the table. This coffee is so strong it is drunk like a shot of alcohol.

Outside of Latin America, a trip to South East Asia is ideal for coffee lovers. The warm, damp weather in Indonesia helps coffee beans grow there are low in acid and high in taste. In fact, Indonesian coffee is so popular that they are now the world's fourth largest producer.
Malaysia is the challenger to Indonesia's crown in the Asian coffee stakes. All coffee in Malaysia is brewed within a muslin bag, which means that is one strong cup of coffee.

If sweet coffee is your think, then Thailand is your place. Thai coffee has a touch of chicory, much like Parisian coffee, and it is usually sold cold, mixed with coconut milk and sugar. It is like dessert in a coffee cup.

There's a world of coffee waiting to be explored, so what are you waiting for? Grab your cup and go!

Peter Mason usually creates articles on themes corresponding to home espresso machines and how to make espresso. You can have a look at his abstracts on how to make espresso and expresso maker over at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com
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History of Lavazza Coffee

2008-09-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

By Steve Turley

Luigi Lavazza began the tradition of quality associated with Lavazza coffee beans when he opened a grocery store in 1895 that sold coffee. Lavazza's claim to fame is that he was the first coffee maker to incorporate a variety of different beans into his java to create blends. Even today, Lavazza is known for its decadent blends made from beans around the world. Lavazza utilizes both Arabica and Robusta coffee in its blends; some are a mixture of Arabica and Robusta coffee while others feature 100% Arabica. Arabica and Robusta coffees are grown in many locations around the world; Robusta is found primarily in the Eastern Hemisphere while Arabica is found worldwide, mostly in areas of high altitude.

In addition to creating the first coffee blends, Lavazza can claim another feat: the first coffee company to offer their java in vacuum-sealed packages. This revolutionary packaging was first introduced in the 1960s. By then, Lavazza had transitioned from the grocery business to devoting 100% of the company toward coffee. In Italy, where Lavazza originated, it dominates 45% of the coffee market.

In addition to producing world-renowned coffee, Lavazza also creates single-serving machines for both home and commercial use. The Lavazza Espresso Point machine and Lavazza Blue are two excellent ways to ensure you are enjoying your Lavazza beans to their fullest. Both machines utilize special Lavazza espresso pods, or single-serving cartridges, to guarantee the perfect amount of grounds per cup. Lavazza's coffee offerings include Crema e Aroma, Caffe Crema, and its decaffeinated blend called Dek.

Lavazza's company history is as rich as the flavor of its coffee. The next time you are craving a cup of gourmet coffee, consider the excellent quality of Lavazza coffee beans, originating in Italy, one of the premiere locations for coffee.
Steve writes about Lavazza coffee beans and Illy espresso
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Getting Introduced to Thai Food

2008-07-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

By Napatr Lindsley

Are you having a standard American dinner tonight? Bored with chicken, potatoes, salad and pasta? Thinking of Thai food but nah it seems hard to cook? Well, Thai food should be easy and quick to prepare. In Thailand, street food or food vendors are everywhere in a city or small town. There are all kinds of street food, appetizers, noodle soup, curry, desserts, fruits, etc. I would say this is our way of life in Thailand. It is common to find a very good food vendor, even better than a restaurant. Most street vendors in Thailand did not go to a culinary school. How do they make such yummy food? Mostly it is from helping in a kitchen.

As I mentioned, Thai food is prepared easily and quickly. Thai food is all about putting the right ingredients together. In America, finding a restaurant that serves authentic Thai food can be somewhat challenge especially if you are not living in a big city. I have been to many Thai restaurants in Oregon, and most of them offer Thai food that is very Americanized. Some dishes are way too far from the original Thai food except the name of the dish.

If you have not been to a Thai restaurant or eaten much Thai food before, going to your local Thai restaurant is an option to get acquainted with Thai dishes. Go with your friends so that you can try a variety of dishes. Also, using the Internet, you can find authentic Thai recipes. You might ask what kinds of elements define an authentic Thai recipe.

Ingredients make a difference. If a recipe requires lots of standard American vegetables, it is not likely to be a real Thai recipe. If you find a recipe that has lots of unrecognized names or something that is uncommon to find in the local grocery store, that might be it. For example, in Thailand, a green curry dish has four main vegetables: Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. Americanized green curry might have green beans, carrots, eggplants, or perhaps tomatoes.

If this is your first time to make a Thai dish, plan ahead. Find the dish you like on the Internet or in a Thai cookbook. Learn about the ingredients and visit either a local or online Asian grocery store. Templeofthai.com and importfood.com are popular websites specializing in authentic Thai ingredients and products. They carry almost everything from flour, sauces, curry paste, noodles, cookware, fresh produce and vegetables.

Don't be discouraged. Really, making Thai food is not too complicated. It is easy once you have and know your ingredients.

Another component is having the right cooking equipment. Many people say having a wok is a minimum requirement, but I would say it depends. It is a nice thing to have. If you have an electric stove, using a wok is not going to do much for some dishes. But if you have a gas stove, adding a wok in your kitchen could spice up your meals because of how gas stoves distribute heat. I have a wok at home but also an electric stove. So I do not really use my wok that much at all because with the electric stove, it does not distribute heat evenly to the side of the wok. Mortar and pestle are needed if you like to make your own paste. Many people find ways to use a food processor instead. It is certainly a substitute, but in my opinion, it does not deliver the same texture of paste.

When you are ready to cook, following your recipe directions is a good start. However, when it comes to taste, follow your own preference, given that taste varies from person to person. You will need to find your own balance for seasoning your dish. If the recipe tells you to add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, add 1 tablespoon first. Taste it and see how you like it. If you would like more, then add more. As my mom always told me, "it is easier to fix the taste if you add little at the beginning. If you add too much at first, you might not be able to fix it."

Thai cuisine is versatile and offers a range of flavors and textural variety. It is aesthetically pleasing, and there are many ways to make Thai cuisine part of an enjoyable culture experience.
Cheers to Thai food!
Napatr Lindsley
Learn Authentic Thai Cooking at http://thaicookinghouse.com/
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Thai Dining Etiquette - The Moo Kata

2008-03-14T23:11:00.000-07:00

By Nick Cox

Thai food is becoming increasingly popular, with a growing number of Thai restaurants opening throughout the UK. The consumption of foreign foods is now a common occurrence in our daily lives, possibly encouraged by the increase in people choosing to take holidays in more exotic locations.

Either way, food manufacturers at home are noticing that there is a growing demand for flavours that are more exotic. They are supplying that demand with an ever-increasing amount of foreign dishes for us to choose from.

Despite the increase in choice, the most obvious way to truly appreciate foreign food is still to experience it first-hand in the country that it originates from. There is no substitute for freshness of ingredients, and Thai food in particular is famous the world over for using only the freshest of ingredients. Often, when people return from a trip to Thailand, it is the food they miss most. They find that what faces them on the dining table at home to be bland by comparison.

It is no secret that Thai people love to eat, and dining in large groups is something that they have down to a fine art. Whereas Westerners tend to order individual dishes they share only when offering the occasional 'tasters' to friends, Thais prefer to go about it in a far more communal manner.

Thai diners pass dishes around, with all the food available being shared. It's a social event, with everyone making sure they have a dip of all that is on offer. It would be an alien concept for a Thai person to go to a restaurant and order only the one dish for themselves.

An interesting mode of Thai communal eating, uniquely perfected over the centuries, is called Moo Kata - which literally means 'pork skillet'. It consists of a dome shaped metal pan with a trough running around the edge, not dissimilar to a large, metal bowler hat.

This strange contraption sits on top of hot coals and is placed in the centre of the table. It is then loaded up with a variety of meats while the trough around the edge is filled with hot water. Juice from the meat runs down the side of the dome and mixes with the hot water, quickly turning it to a broth. Green leafy vegetables such as water spinach are added to the mix. In time, this turns into a tasty soup, which is in then ladled into individual bowls.

You really can't compare the experience to anything else; at times it feels like a team sport, where cooperation and skill is required to ensure that every one gets their fair share and that what's cooking on the Moo Kata is cooked to perfection before being served.

If you happen to be with a large group, however, make sure your chopstick skills are up to scratch, as everyone will be working feverishly to cover every square inch of the hot surface.
To travel and to not experience the food is a trip wasted, and Thailand has such a vast array to be discovered that you could possibly eat a different dish every day for the duration of your stay, no matter how long that stay may be! With the increase in cheap flights there has never been a better time to explore Thai food at its source.

Find and compare cheap flights and cheap hotels at travelsupermarket.com
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The Taste Of Thai Food

2008-03-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

By Pauline Go

Pauline GoLevel: PlatinumPauline Go is a highly respected internet marketer in Thailand. She has worked with many successful website such as Thailandbuddy.com, easyonlinefunds.com, ..etc. ...

Thai food offers a variety of flavors and taste. Almost all Thai food is made with the subtle mixture of herbs and spices. Thus, Thai food is widely known for being hot and spicy.

A basic Thai meal includes the following: the staple is rice which is accompanied by a number of dishes. There will be a soup, a curry, a steamed or fried dish, a salad and one or more basic sauces. While breakfast includes fresh fruits and a variety of traditional sweets.

Thai food differs from region to region. In the central region people prefer mostly steamed food, which includes fresh water fish and fresh vegetables. Thai food like noodles is extremely popular in Bangkok and one can see tourists enjoying their fare at road side eateries. In the northern region people prefer milder food when compared with other regions of Thailand. The influence of neighboring Burma is more in case of food habits in northern Thailand. Most dishes are prepare using tamarind, turmeric and ginger.

In the southern region coconut plays a predominant role. Coconut is used in almost all the dishes. The southern people use coconut in various ways. They use coconut milk, oil and meat. The coconut milk is used to temper the heat of chili laced soups and it is also used in curries. The coconut oil is used for frying and they use the meat of coconut for garnishing and decorating food items and this gives an added taste to the food.

In ancient days, Thais used to eat the food with their bare hands but now due modernization and influences of western countries, people use forks and spoon to eat rice and chopsticks are used to eat noodles.

Check Out More Articles:
Thailand Travel Information, Chinese Love Horoscope, Tetris The Flash Game,
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pauline_Go

Thai Food and Culture

2008-03-06T00:17:00.000-08:00

By Michael Moran

Thai Superstitions Surrounding FoodIn Thailand, meals are traditionally eaten in a group setting. Unlike in America, the Thais believe it is bad luck to eat alone. Considering the Thais eat in large groups, it's therefore not surprising that a typical Thai dinner consists of three or more different dishes. And since, in Thailand, it is bad luck to throw food away, normally all of these dishes would be consumed in one sitting. Discarding food might anger the Thai "god of rice", a female deity who watches over the people, ensuring everyone has enough to eat. Bad luck or even widespread famine may ensue if food goes uneaten or is needlessly wasted. A Typical Thai Meal In Thailand, a typical meal would consist of the following:

One or two curry dishes, such as green, yellow, or red curry. These might be made with red meat, poultry, tofu, vegetables, or seafood, depending on the region and what protein sources are readily available.

A noodle dish such as Pad Thai noodles. These flavorful rice noodles might be made with tofu, chicken, or prawns.

A vegetable stir-fry dish made with just one or a variety of fresh local vegetables. With all meals, Thai jasmine-scented rice is served on the side. Dessert may consist of something as simple as fresh fruit such as pineapple or papaya. For a beverage, most Thais enjoy their meal with a cold lager or a cool drink such as lime water or Thai iced tea. How do Thais eat?You've probably noticed that most Thai restaurants provide chopsticks to their patrons. And while the Chinese did bring chopsticks to Thailand several centuries ago, today most Thais prefer to use Western cutlery-but in their own special way. Thai cutlery generally consists of a fork and large spoon (tablespoon). The spoon is held in the right hand and used (in place of a knife) to cut meat as well as to scoop up the food (in place of a fork). When eating, most Americans load up their plates with various types of food, as at a buffet table. In contrast, the Thais do not combine various foods on their plates, but rather, they sample one dish at a time, always eaten with a mound of Thai jasmine-scented rice on the side. Unlike the Chinese style, bowls are used mainly for soup, not in place of a plate. Finally, just for fun, encourage your family or guests to eat like the Thais do, sampling one dish at a time and eating with a spoon and fork. Most of all, take the time to enjoy your good health, your friends and loved ones, and last but not least, the wonderful Thai food on your plate. After all, good food truly is a reason to celebrate!

Michael Moran is the founder of Curry Simple Thai food products. With sauces made in Thailand, CurrySimple allows the average person the ability to cook a restaurant quality Thai meal at home. The concept evolved after spending years working in Thai restaurants while listening to his customer's conversations about the difficulty and complexity of cooking Thai food. Now with the development of the sauces (the hard part in Thai cooking), enjoying the taste and health benefits of Thai food is easy.Visit CurrySimple for more product information and recipes.
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Thai Food - Phad Ka Prao and Kaeng Liang Recipe

2008-03-05T23:55:00.000-08:00

By Wevangti Vangra

Phad Ka Prao

Ingredients
Phad Ka Prao sauce 80 g Chicken fillet 80 g Steamed rice 250 g Cut in 0.5 cmVegetable oil 20 g Water 5 g Sliced red spur chili 25 g

Note: This portion is for 2 servings.

How to cook
1. Stir-fry sliced chicken with oil until the meat is cooked.
2. Add spur chili, steamed rice and Phad Ka Prao sauce, mix thoroughly. Put basil, mix together before removing from the heat and it is ready to serve.

Phad Ka Prao sauce Ingredient

Ingredients
Basil 50 g Garlic 375 g Galangal 50 g Shrimp paste 15 g Palm sugar 100 g Vegetable oil 500 g Hot chilies (green/red) 150 g Shallots 125 g Grounded pepper 2.5 g Fish sauce 375 g Salt 25 g Water 1000 g

Note: This recipe makes 2.5 kg of Pad Ka Prao sauce

How to cook

1. Ground hot chilies, garlic, shallots, galangal, pepper and shrimp paste together. Add basil and roughly grind them.
2. Stir-fry Pad Ka Prao paste with oil until fragrant.
3. Add fish sauce, palm sugar and salt.
4. Pack in plastic bags, 80 gram per bag.
Strong point of Khao Phad Ka Prao: Lower calories and fat compared to Phad Thai. High phosphorus from chicken.

Medical Benefit
- Basil: Release tension, high blood pressure
- Red & green hot chili: Digestive, laxative, expectorant, cold relief
- Shallot: Relief cold, catarrh
- Garlic: Reduce cholesterol, cancer, infection, antifungal
- Galangal: Carminative, expectorant

Kaeng Liang (Spicy herb vegetables soup) Main Ingredient

Ingredients
Kaeng Liaeng soup 500 g zPeeled and sliced pumpkins 450 g Peeled and sliced sponge gourd 300 g Mushroom 250 g Ivy gourd 150 g Lemon basil 70 g

Note: This recipe is for 3 servings.

1. Add Kaeng Liaeng soup in a pot, bring to boil.
2. Add sliced pumpkins first and then add other vegetables such as sponge gourd, mushrooms and ivy gourd. Bring to boil. Remove from the heat and then sprinkle lemon basil.
3. Ready to serve.

Kaeng Liang Soup Ingredient

Ingredients
Grounded pepper 100 g Shallot 750 g Dried shrimps 600 g Food seasoning (pork flavor) 270 g Shrimp paste 260 g Thai chilies 40 g Water 13 kg
Note: These ingredients are for 13 kg.

How to cook
1. Pound dried shrimps finely. Add pepper, Thai chilies, shrimp paste and shallots in the mortar and pound finely.
2. Put Kaeng Liaeng paste and water in a pot. Add food seasoning and bring to boil.
Strong point of Kaeng Liang: Low fat and low calories. Fibers from vegetables.

Medical Benefit
Pepper: Peptic, carminative, cooling
Shallot: Relief cold, catarrh
Hot chili: Digestive, laxative, expectorant, cold relief
Sweet basil: Carminative
Gord gourd: Carminative, relief fever, nourish eyes
Sponge gourd: Nourish heart, laxative, cooling
Pumpkin: Nourish eyes

thaifood2.blogspot.com thai-foodvideo.blogspot.comWevangti
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Thai Food - Phad Thai and Tom Yum Kung Recipe

2008-03-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

By Wevangti Vangra

Phad Thai

Ingredients
Narrow rice noodles 400 g.
Water 400 g.
Phad Thai sauce 320 g.
Dried shrimp 60 g.
Chopped Salted white radish 40 g.
Yellow soybean curd 160 g.
Bean sprouts 400 g.
Chinese leek leaves 60 g.
Egg 4
Vegetable oil 120 g.
Ground peanut 40 g.
Chinese leek leaves 60 g.

How to Cook
- Fry noodles with water until soft
- Add sauce and mix thoroughly
- Add dried shrimp, Chopped Salted white radish and soybean curd
- Add oil around the pan, break eggs and fry until done
- Add bean sprouts, Chinese leek leaves and fry and serve warmly

Phad Thai Sauce Ingredients
Shallot 50 g.
Garlic 25 g.
Palm sugar 125 g.
Sugar 10 g.
Fish sauce 50 g.
Tamarind juice 25 g.
Vinegar 33 g. Salt 1 g.
Ground dried chili 1 g.
Oil 40 g.
Vinegar 33 g.
Salt 1 g.
Ground dried chili 1 g.
Oil 40 g.

Note: The sauce recipe makes 2 kg.

How to cook
- Pound shallot ingredients in a pot. Heat the ingredients until melted.
- Bring to boil and then add the sautéed shallots and garlic.
- Mix them together and pack in plastic bags, 80 grams each.
- Scramble egg and mix with the seasoning noodles. When the noodles look dry, add bean sprouts and Chinese chives.
- Stir them together with noodles until cooked. Then remove from the heat.

Strong point of Phad Thai: High calories, protein, fibers, calcium and phosphorus.

Tom Yum Kung

Main Ingredients
Shrimp 500 g.
Rice straw mushroom 600 g.
Chili paste 150 g.
Soup stock 2,500 g.
Citric acid 10 g.
Salt 15 g.
Fish sauce 100 g.
Sugar 20 g.
Lime juice 15 g.
Hot chili 10 g.
Dried Chili 10 g.
Lemon grass 40 g.
Shallots 40 g.
Galangal 10 g.
Kaffir lime leaves 5 g.
Vegetable oil 100 g.

How to cook
1. Roast chilies, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, galangal and lemon grass and then grind them until smooth to Tom Yum paste.
2. Stir-fry the Tom Yum paste with oil. Add sliced lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves, set aside.
3. Put citric acid, salt, sugar and water into a pot. Melt it and bring to boil. Then add fish sauce and bring to boil again.
4. Add the Tom Yum paste into the pot. Stir it thoroughly and bring to boil again. Pack in plastic bags, 90 gram per bag.

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Wevangti
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Introduction to Thai Food - Somtam

2008-03-05T23:24:00.000-08:00

By Robert Orson

Being married to a Thai for the last few years has meant learning a fair amount about Thai food. This isn't such a great accomplishment because it's usually the main topic of our conversations.
My wife once told me that a Thai would be most happy if she could eat seven times a day and I think she is pretty close to that mark. Any time she's not actually eating she can be counted on to be thinking of what or where to eat next.

There's obviously some kind of health secret here. If she's carrying two pounds extra, I have no idea where she's hiding it. If I ate like she did, it would take a crane to get me out of bed in the mornings. The answer must be that what she's eating must be healthy as well as delicious. Her number one favorite meal, snack, between meal pick-me-up, comfort food and health potion is ... somtam.

I confess that I had been thinking of somtam as a low class street vender food until I read a newspaper review of a local restaurant in Chiang Mai (Huen Phen) that quoted world class chef and author, Anthony Bourdain as saying that "their papaya salad is in fact the best salad he has ever eaten." Interesting.

Since then I've eaten it there, ordered it in other restaurants and stood beside street vendors in back alleys as they made some for me. It's always very good and I'm reminded of the great line that David Mamet wrote in Wag the Dog,"There are two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war in Albania." My wife tells me that all somtam is good but there are some she likes more than others.

Regardless of where you get your somtam in Thailand, what I like is that it is always prepared fresh and usually in the front section of the restaurant (or behind the small glass booth perched on the street cart.)

The essentials are basic: a sharp knife, a spoon and a morter and pestle. The preparation is a blur of culinary poetry.

Throw a handful of chilies into the morter and give a good pound or two with the pestle to release the heat. In quick succession add some coarsely chopped tomato, a dash of sugar, a good splash of fish sauce (available now in most oriental markets,) a small spoon of lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic and (usually) some MSG.

The sauce is finished with the addition of a few tiny, whole crabs (poo) and some salted, fermented fish (balak.)

Pound and stir to bruise and mix the sauce then quickly julienne a firm green papaya and add the spaghetti sized pieces to the brew.

Pound and stir one last time to wilt the green fruit in the sauce. Spoon the salad to a plate or bowl and it will invariably look naturally elegant.

Now for the vocabulary to make sure it's done to your taste. Order Somtam Lao if you want the pungent, sour taste of the balak (fermented fish.) Somtam Thai omits the balak and adds peanuts, which I prefer.

"Mai Sai Poo" means hold the crab. "Mai Pom Chulot" is "no MSG." The somtam beginner should say, " mai phet" meaning "not spicy." I like to order "phet mai mak" or "not too spicy." Only a serious masochist should say "phet gadai" and should not then whine about the fiery pain that the true somtam addict craves.

Hot or not, somtam blends soft with crisp and has an intense but surprisingly balanced flavor that is sweet, salty, sour and bitter in every bite.

Robert Orson writes for: Easy Chiang Maihttp://www.easy-chiangmai.com
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