The Pagan Heart
Food of the Gods

March 2005 Issue
   

Food of the Gods: The Delights of Thailand

By L.S.

   

With the season changing in the northern hemisphere away from winter and towards summer, it is time to heat up the blood and get ourselves moving. The following feast is an Indian one, filled with warming spices that will get your circulation flowing and your body moving. I hope you enjoy it. My family eats Indian food on a regular basis for the taste as well as the benefits offered by the variety of spices.

This feast is composed of Raita, Pullao rice, Sag Panir, Chapatis, Barbatti Nariyal Sabji and Masoor Dal and would easily serve 6-8 people. I have included a Lassi recipe as well - beer and lassi are the ideal drinks to go with Indian.

Fresh Coconut Cream and Milk
Chaokoh brand is a good version if you don't have the time or inclination to make for yourself. Otherwise, this method will yield about 2/3 cup of cream and 1 1/3 cups of milk.

  1. Puncture the three eyes of a medium coconut and drain out the water
  2. Bake the coconut about 20-30 minutes in a 375 degree oven until the shell just cracks
  3. Gently tap with a hammer to open and then use a blunt knife to carefully separate the flesh from the shell
  4. Dice the flesh into 1/4 inch pieces. Measure - it should be around 2 cups of diced flesh. Set aside an equal amount of hot water. Process until finely pureed, slowly adding some of the hot water as you go so that it continues to process
  5. Add the rest of the hot water and mix well. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and rest in a bowl. Pour the coconut mixture into the cheesecloth and drain it. Squeeze the mixture to encourage the excess water to leave. Let the liquid sit for a while and it will separate out into a top layer of cream and a bottom layer of milk. It will keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours

Gai Phad Saus Tua - Chicken in Spicy Peanut Sauce
The sweetness of the peanuts nicely offsets the spicy sauce in this dish.

  • 1 pound chicken breast and thighs - boned, skinned, and cubed
  • 1/2 cup skinned, raw peanuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped ginger
  • 5 garlic cloves - chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste
  • 1/2 cup cocnut cream
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 medium shallots - finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh red chilli pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon nam pla - fish sauce
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • Fresh Thai Basil sprigs to garnish

  1. Roast peanuts in a skillet until golden brown - 5-10 minutes. Cool and grind in a food processor - careful not to turn into peanut butter. Put aside
  2. Process ginger, garlic, and curry paste until smooth, add coconut cream and mix, then pour over the chicken. Stir well and refrigerate 30 minutes
  3. Heat oil in wok/fry pan and stir fry shallots until golden brown. Add chicken and marinade and stir fry until firm. Add chilli, sugar, nam pla, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and add peanuts. Stir well and cook until chicken is cooked through
  4. Garnish with the basil

This dish goes well with simple steamed rice.

Khao Man - Rice with Coconut Milk
We tend to think of rice as an accompaniment to the dish. But in Thailand, it is the central feature. This version is delicate and sweet.

  • 2 cups jasmine rice
  • 2/3 cup coconut cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 2/3 cups coconut milk

  1. Rinse the rice under several changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside
  2. Bring coconut cream to the boil, add rice, sugar, salt, and coconut milk. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, fully covered, for 15-20 minutes - until liquid is absorbed and rice fluffy.

Pad Thai - Stir Fried Thai Noodles
On of the most common and well known Thai dishes. If you can obtain spiced tofu, used it in preference to plain.

  • 1/2 pound dried rice flour noodles - 1/4 inch wide
  • 12 small dried shrimp - finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • I garlic clove - minced
  • 8 medium shrimp - shelled and deveined
  • 1 package spiced tofu - sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon minced radish
  • 2 tablespoons distilled vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon nam pla - fish sauce
  • 3-4 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 scallions (green onions) - cut in 2 inch pieces
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 1/2 cup skinned, roasted, unsalted peanuts - crushed

  1. Soak dried noodles in warm water 30 minutes to an hour - until just softened. Do not let them become mushy. Drain and set aside
  2. Heat oil in a wok/fry pan and stir-fry garlic until fragrent and beginning to brown. Add medium shrimp and cook until just orange. Add tofu and cook until lightly coated in oil. Push tofu and shrimp to side of pan and add 1 egg, stirring and breaking it up until cooked. Push aside and repeat with remaining egg. Add radish and push all ingredients aside. Add noodles, diced dried shrimp, vinegar, nam pla, 3 tablespoons sugar, and paprika and toss gently until combined. Add scallions and bean sprouts and toss all ingredients gently until sprouts are tender. Taste - add extra sugar if desired
  3. Serve sprinkled with peanuts

    Po Pia Taud - Spring Rolls
    Spring rolls with sweet sauce or soy and ginger sauce make a wonderful entree (appetiser).

    • 1/2 cup of shredded crabmeat or ground pork
    • 1 package (1.7 oz) dried bean thread noodles
    • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 3 tablespoons chopped coriander root
    • 2 ounces ground pork
    • 1/4 pound shrimp - deveined and shelled - finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, rinsed and chopped
    • 1/2 cup diced diced celery
    • 1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onions)
    • 1 cup bean sprouts
    • 1/3 cup shredded carrot
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tablespoon nam pla - fish sauce
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
    • 1 tablespoon plus 4 cups vegetable oil
    • 10 spring roll wrappers

    1. soak noodles in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and roughly chop
    2. In a food processor, mince garlic and coriander root. Add pork and shrimp until just combined. Pour into a large bowl and add noodles, bamboo shoots, celery, scallions, bean sprouts, carrots, egg, nam pla, and pepper and gently mix
    3. In a wok/fry pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil, add mixture and stir-fry 3-5 minutes until pork and shrimp are cooked, egg is set, and vegetables are just limp. Stir in crab, then remove and cover. Let cool
    4. Place one wrapper on cutting board, in a diamond shape so tip faces you. Put 1/4 cup of mixture near the tip - it should cover 3/4 x 2 inches of space. Fold tip over mixture and roll wrapper tightly, folding in sides as you go. Place seam side down and repeat with remaining wrappers. If a seam does not seal, moisten with water
    5. In wok/fry pan, heat remaining oil over high heat and fry 3-4 rolls at a time until golden brown - about 2-3 minutes. Remove and place on paper towels to drain

    Tom Kati Pak Ruam - Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Milk
    The best coconut milk is not tinned but home-made. If you can, use that.

    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 8 small shallots - thinly sliced
    • 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 pounds assorted vegetables - green beans, eggplant, acorn squash, snow peans, carrots
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    1. Heat water in wok/fry pan to the boil. Add shallots and 1/4 cup coconut milk and bring to boil again. Add vegetables and return to boil. Add sugar and salt and reduce heat to a simmer
    2. Simmer 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender. Add remaining coconut milk and return to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly
    3. Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves

         

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