Favorite Thai Foods

2008-03-19T01:10:00.000-07:00

Cuisine of Thailand

Thai cuisine refers to typical foods, beverages, and cooking styles common to the country of Thailand. Thai Cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors in each dish or the overall meal - hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). Although popularly considered as a single coisine, Thai food would be more accurately described as four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern,

Northeastern (or Isan), Central and Southern. Southern curries, for example, tend to contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while northeastern dishes often include lime juice. Thai cuisine has been greatly influenced by the cuisine of its neighboring and nearby countries, especially India, China, Malaysia, and Laos.
Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce. Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some countries in Europe such as the United kingdom, as well as the United States, and Canada.

Ingredients

The ingredient found in almost all Thai dishes and every region of the country is nam pla (Thai น้ำปลา), a very aromatic and strong tasting fish sauce. Shrimp paste, a combination of ground shrimp and salt, is also extensively used.
Thai dishes in the Central and Southern regions use a wide variety of leaves rarely found in the West, such as

kaffir lime leaves (Thai ใบมะกรูด). The characteristic flavour of kaffir lime leaves' appears in nearly every Thai soup (e.g., the hot and sour Tom yam) or curry from those areas. It is frequently combined with garlic, galangal,

lemon grass, turmeric and/or fingerroot (krachai), blended together with liberal amounts of various chillies to make curry paste. Fresh Thai basil is also used to add fragrance in certain dishes such as Green curry. Other typical ingredients include the small green Thai eggplants, tamarind, palm and coconut sugars, lime juice, and

coconut milk. A variety of chilies and spicy elements are found in most Thai dishes.
Other ingredients also include pahk chee (cilantro, sometimes known as coriander), rahk pahk chee (cilantro/coriander roots), curry pastes, pong kah-ree (curry powder), si-yu dahm (dark soy sauce), gung haeng (dried shrimp), pong pa-loh (five-spice powder), tua fahk yao (long beans or yard-long beans), nahmahn hoi (oyster sauce), prik Thai (Thai pepper), rice and tapioca flour, and nahm prik pao (roasted chilli paste).
Although broccoli is often used in Asian restaurants in the west in pad thai and rad na, it was never actually used in any traditional Thai food in Thailand and is still rarely seen in Thailand. Usually, gailan is used.

Popular Foods

(1) Papaya Salad

Papaya Salad Ingredients
(1) 2 cups shredded green papaya
(2) 1/2 cup shredded carrot
(3) 1/2 cup sting bean (cut into 1"long)
(4) 2 tablespoons fish sauce
(5) 1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar
(6) 3 tablespoons lime juice
(7) 1/2 cup tomato (wedged)
(8) 1/3 cup dried shrimps
(9) 1/4 cup peanuts
(10) 10 green chilies
(11) 5 cloves fresh garlic

Papaya Salad Preparations
(1) Use motar and prestle to crush the chilli and garlic, add shrimps, continue crushing.
(2) Add sugar, continue beating with the prestle, then add the papaya, carrot, sting bean, fish sauce, lime juice,
tomato, and peanuts. Continue beating until all ingredients mixed well.
(3) Finally, season with sugar, fish sauce, or lime. The original taste this dish should be the balance taste between
sweet, (pepper) hot, salty, and sour.
(4) Serve with vegetables (e.g. cabbage, string bean, napa, etc.). Thai people love to eat Sticky Rice with Papaya
Salad. In this case, sticky rice can be served together with finished Papaya Salad.

(2) Stir-Fried Rice Noodle with Shrimp

Stir-Fried Rice Noodle with Shrimp Ingredients
(1) 12 fresh Shrimp
(2) 90 gram Dry Rice Noodle (3 - 5 mm)
(3) 50 gram Fresh Bean Sprouts
(4) 2 tablespoons Chopped (1") Green Onion
(5) 6 tablespoons Fish Sauce
(6) 6 tablespoons Oyster Sauce
(7) 3 teaspoons Vinegar
(8) 2 tablespoons Sugar
(9) 2 Tablespoons Preserved Turnip
(10) 2 Tablespoons Crushed Peanuts
(11) 1 Tablespoon Paprika
(12) 2 Eggs
(13) 1 Teaspoon Red Chili (for Spicy lover)
(14) 1/2 Lemon

Stir-Fried Rice Noodle with Shrimp Preparations
(1) Soak the noodles about 30 minutes in room temperature water.
(2) Heat and season the wok. Add the Shrimp and grill for 90 seconds. Add the Eggs. When the eggs are not

quite finished, add the Noodles, Sugar, Peanuts, Turnips and Paprika. Stir Fry until all ingredients are mixed

well and the noodles are wilted.
(3) Season with the Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce and vinegar. Then add Bean Sprouts, Green Onions and Red

Chili. Stir fry quickly ensuring everything is well combined. If you like wet noodle dishes de glaze with 5 oz.

water stock. If you like firmer dry noddles de glaze with only 2 oz. water stock. Place on Serving plate and

garnish with more Bean Sprouts and a Lemon wedge.

(3) Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass

Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass Ingredients
(1) 12 medium-size shrimps, deveined
(2) 10 mushrooms
(3) 1 stalk of lemon grass (lightly pounded and cut into 2" long)
(4) 3 lime leaves
(5) 1 teaspoon of salt
(6) 2 tablespoons of fishsauce
(7) 3 tablespoons of lime juice
(8) 6 hot peppers (pounded lightly)
(9) 4 cups of water
(10) 1/2 cup of roughly cut coriander leaves

Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass Preparations
(1) Remove the shrimp shell but leave the tails (for good appearance). Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins. Also clean the mushrooms with water and dry them well before wedging each into quarters.
(2) Bring water to boil, then add lemon grass, lime leaves, and shrimps. When the shrimps turn pink, add mushrooms and salts.
(3) Remove the pot from heat after boiling. Then season with fish sauce, lime juice, and hot peppers. Serve the soup while still hot and garnish on top with pieces of coriander leaves.

(4) Thai Fried Rice with Prawns

Thai Fried Rice with Prawns Ingredients
(1) 3 cups cooked rice
(2) 12 medium sized shrimps
(3) 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
(4) 1/2 minced green or red chilli for medium-spiced rice
(5) 2 tablespoon fish sauce
(6) 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
(7) 2 eggs
(8) 3 spring onions, finely sliced
(9) 1/2 cup fresh coriander
(10) 1 cucumber, sliced
(11) 1 lime, wedged
(12) 1 tomato, also wedged

Thai Fried Rice with Prawns Preparations
(1) Place oil in a wok. Add garlic and chilli. Stir-fry over medium-high heat until fragrant (about 1 minute).
(2) Add prawns and stir fry until cooked thoroughly.
(3) Move ingredients aside and crack egg into the wok. Stir to cook and break up the egg. When egg is nearly cooked, add the rice. Stir fry, keeping the heat medium-high.
(4) Add fish sauce, and tomato, continue to stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with spring onion, and coriander on top and place cucumber and lemon besides the fried rice. Thai people love to serve Fried Rice with chopped chilies in Fish Sauce for better taste.

(5) Green Curry with Chicken

Green Curry with Chicken Ingredients
(1) 1/4 cup green curry paste
(2) 350 grams chicken breast or thigh, cut in bite-size pieces
(3) 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
(4) 1/4 cup thai basil leaves
(5) 2 eggplants, cut into small pieces.
(6) 1/2 cup chicken stock
(7) 2 teaspoons palm sugar
(8) 3 tablespoons fish sauce
(9) 2 red chilies, sliced diagonally
(10) 4 kaffir lime leaves

Green Curry with Chicken Preparations
(1) Bring 1 1/4 cups of coconut milk (use the thick cream off the top) to a boil in a pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often for 3 to 5 minutes. Add green curry paste; continue to cook and stir until the mixture becomes dry and fragrant. Transfer mixture to a larger pot.
(2) Add the chicken and stir for 1-2 minutes, add fish sauce, sugar, keep stirring for another minute then add cut eggplant, the remaining coconut milk and chicken stock. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked and eggplant is tender.
(3) Add kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl.

(6) Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves

Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves Ingredients
(1) 450 grams chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
(2) 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
(3) 1/2 cup onion, sliced
(4) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
(5) 2 teaspoons black soy sauce
(6) 2 tablespoons fish sauce
(7) 1 cup fresh holy basil
(8) 7 chillies, chopped and pounded coarsely
(9) Dash of ground white pepper

Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves Preparations
(1) Heat a wok until the oil is hot, then stir in the garlic, and then add onions. Stir another few seconds before adding the chicken. Continue Stir-frying until chicken is cooked throughly.
(2) Add chillies and sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry another 15-20 seconds.
(3)Then add fresh basil leaves and fish sauce to taste. Stir and mix well. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish. Normally, Thai people love to eat this dish with steamed rice and fried egg.

(7) Tom kha gai

Tom kha gai Ingredients
(1) coconut milk 1 can, 400ml14fl oz/1 2/3 cup.
(2) galangal (ข่า, pronounced kha), 2cm 3/4in pieces, size of US quarter, of galangal or galanga, peeled and finely sliced. I found galanga at the Chinese grocery store.
(3) lemon grass, 2 stems, lower part, 1/2in slices.
(4) kaffir lime leaves, 2 leaves, torn in pieces or crunched to release the flavor, option is to use young lemon leaves.
(5) coriander (cilantro) leaves for garnish.
(6) lime juice, 2 tbsp lemon juice, or 1 lemon.
(7) fish sauce, 4 tbsp.
(8) sugar, 1 tbsp sugar.
(9) small crispy fried chillies, or not fried, 2-7 (mild to medium) small Thai chillies, seeded and sliced.
(10) mushrooms, preferably a can of straw mushrooms, drained.
(11) chicken (ไก่) 1/2 to 1 chicken breast(about 175g/6oz) cut into silvers, bite sized pieces.
(12) 570ml/1pint/generous 2 cups chicken stock, or 1 can of chicken broth.

Tom kha gai Preparations
(1) Pour the coconut milk into a sauce pan, stirring over a gentle heat to make sure that the milk is smooth. Stir in one direction only to prevent the milk curding.
(2) Heat the prepared stock in much larger saucepan, galanga, chillies, lemon grass and lime leaves.
(3) Stir in the warmed coconut milk.
(4) Add the fish sauce, sugar, and lemon juice or the juice of 1 lemon.
(5) Allow to come to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minute, taste and adjust the seasoning.
(6) Bring back to the boil, drop in the chicken pieces a few at a time so that they remain separate.
(7) Cook for 3-4 minute until the chicken pieces are cooked.
(8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

(8) Fried Noodle in Creamy Sauce (Lard Nar)

Lard Nar Ingredients
(1) 2 cup rice noodles (soaked in water)
(2) 1 1/2 cup broccoli sliced
(3) 3-4 shiitake mushroom (soaked over night)
(4) 1 tablespoon minced garlic
(5) 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
(6) 1 tablespoon fish sauce
(7) 1 tablespoon sugar
(8) 1 tablespoon constarch with 1/4 cup water
(9) 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Lard Nar Preparations
(1) In frying pan, heat oil and brown garlic.
(2) Add noodles, stir well for 3 minutes.
(3) Place on serving plate. Heat remaining oil, add beef, broccoli and shiitake mushrooms.
(4) Stir until no pink in beef.
(5) Add water and bring to boil. (about 1/2 cup water)
(6) Add oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
(7) Add cornstarch and stir until thicken.
(8) Spoon over the noodle.
(9) Serve with a slice of lemon will be good.

(9) Thai Red Chicken Curry

Thai red chicken curry Ingredients (for four people):
(1) 500g skinless, boneless chicken (in bite sized pieces)
(2) 2 tablespoons red curry paste
(3) 2 tablespoon Palm sugar
(4) 5-6 Fresh Kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
(5) 400ml (1 can) Coconut milk
(6) 227g (1 can) Sliced Bamboo Shoots
(7) 2 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce
(8) Handful of Thai Sweet Basil
(9) 2 Thai Red Chillies

Thai red chicken curry Preparations
(1) Cut the chicken up into smallish bite size pieces (Tip: try and use breast or leg meat). Thinly slice the bamboo shoots (if not already sliced).
(2) Pour 1 cup of coconut milk into a wok. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the curry paste and stir until red oil comes to the surface. Add the chicken and sauté until it turns white and is cooked through.
(3) Add the remaining coconut milk, follow with the bamboo shoots and lime leaves. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and salt and bring back to a boil.
(4) Garnish with Thai basil and chopped Thai red chilli. Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.

(10) Pad khing

Pad khing Ingredients
(1) SERVES 2-4

(2) 2-3 boneless chicken breasts, or 4-6 chicken thighs, chopped into bite-size pieces

(3) handful of fresh shiitake mushrooms, or dried (if dried, be sure to soak in hot water for 2 or more hours until soft)

(4) 1 package snow peas, OR approximately 2 cups bok choy, su choy, or other Asian cabbage

(5) 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and sliced

(6) 1 small cooking onion, sliced

(7) 3 cloves garlic, minced

(8) 4 thumb-size roots of ginger, 2 sliced into matchstick-like pieces, and 2 grated

(9) 1-2 red chillies, minced (leave out for kids or those with stomach complaints)

(10)1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 4 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamariSAUCE:

(11)1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari

(12)1 Tbsp. fish sauce

(13)1 Tbsp. brandy

(14)1 tsp. brown sugar

(15)1 Tbsp. rice vinegar (or other type of vinegar)

(16)1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp. waterOTHER:

(17)2-3 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying

(18)about 1 cup fresh basil for topping

Pad khing Preparation
(1) Place chopped chicken in a mixing bowl together with the cornstarch dissolved in soy sauce. Stir well, so that chicken is covered in this quick marinade. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

(2) Make the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together in a cup. Set aside.

(3) Have all other ingredients ready to stir-fry. Begin by warming 2-3 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large(4) frying pan over medium-high heat.

(5) When oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, chillies, mushrooms, chicken (together with the soy sauce/cornstarch), and the ginger matchsticks. Stir-fry for 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked. Add a little water when wok or pan becomes dry (1 Tbsp. at a time).

(6) Add the snow peas, bell pepper, and the grated ginger. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes, or until snow peas have softened. Again, add a little water as needed to keep ingredients frying nicely.

(7) Add the sauce, stirring well to incorporate. Finally, add the cornstarch dissolved in water, stirring quickly to dissolve in the sauce. When the sauce in the wok becomes thick, remove from the heat.

(8) Do a taste test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough. (If too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice.)

(9) Slide onto a serving platter, top with the fresh basil sprinkled over, and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice. This dish goes especially well with a cold lager.

(11) Peanut Sauce(Yum Nuea)

Peanut Sauce Ingredients (for four people):
(1) 2 cloves of garlic
(2) ½ small onion
(3) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
(4) 1 tablespoon brown sugar
(5) 2 tablespoons crushed salted peanuts
(6) 140 g crunchy peanut butter
(7) ½ tablespoon curry powder
(8) ½ tablespoon crushed hot red chilli pepper flakes
(9) 180 ml canned coconut milk
(10)Some fresh Thai coriander

Peanut Sauce Preparation (Time: 10 to 15 minutes.)
(1) Peel and dice half a small onion. Peel two cloves of garlic, and crush using a either a large knife or a garlic press. Add the garlic and onion to the blender.
(2) Add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, half a teaspoon of curry powder, half a teaspoon of red chilli flakes and a few sprigs of coriander to the blender.
(3) Blend for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is of an even consistency.
(4) Add 140g of peanut butter and 180 millilitres of coconut milk.
(5) Put the lid on firmly, and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended mixture into a small serving bowl.
(6) To garnish, crush 2 tablespoons of peanuts using a pestle and mortar and sprinkle over the sauce.
(7) Peanut dipping sauce should be served at room temperature.

Favorite Food

Favorite Thai Foods