Thai Roast Chilli Sauce are an important seasoning for Thai cooking.
To make from scratch : Directions
Fry shallots, garlic till light golden colour. Remove from heat.
Soak dried red chilli in warm water, cut into smaller pieces and grind finely.
Fry dried shrimp (rinsed and drained) for a couple of minutes.
Blend fried ingredients (shallot, garlic, dried shrimp) into a paste.
Add ground chilli to the mixture and pulse.
Boil the ground mixture in a pot with palm sugar, shrimp paste and tamarind puree.
Bottled sauces are very convenient.
Mae Pranom
Pantai Norasing
Uses :
- Cashew Nut Chicken stir fry
- Thom Yum soup flavouring
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
All About Thai Curries
You'll be amazed by the varieties of Thai curries which open a whole new world to adventurous tastebuds.
Before the advent of Portugese traders who brought spices and chillies to Southeast Asia, Thai cuisine was not as flavoursome as it is today.
Green Curry (gaeng kaew wan) : the most popular among the curries. It is spicier than the red curry despite the deceptive name, literally translated into "green sweet curry". The paste comprise mainly green chillies, small onion, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, shrimp paste. Tastes best when cooked with chicken and fish ball. Addition of two types of small round egg plant gives the dish a slight bitter taste, a good balance to the hot, salty and sweet flavour of the curry. Garnish with basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves.
Red Curry (gaeng kaeng phet) : a popular and versatile curry which is sometimes used as a base for other Thai dishes. The paste is made from pounded dried red chillies, small red chillies, lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime skin, garlic, shallots, coriander roots, shrimp paste and pepper. My favourite is red curry with roast duck, tomato and lychee.
Massaman Curry (khreuang gaeng matsaman) : a southern Thai curry, the name was derived from the word "muslim". Tastes very similar to Malaysian rendang. Made from dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander and shrimp paste. Usually meat is used in this dish, simmered in tamarind puree.
Yellow Curry (khrueang gaeng leuang) : another curry from the southern region using dried spices - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chillies, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, tumeric and shrimp paste. Panaeng Curry : a dry Penang influenced curry paste that is a cross between massaman and yellow curry but with the addition of nutmeg.
Chiang Mai Curry (gaeng hang laey) has a strong Burmese / Indian influence. Usually cooked with pork or chicken, it has a heavier taste than curries in central Thailand.
Jungle Curry (gaeng paa) : a very hot and fiery curry that is commonly eaten in the countryside particularly in the northern region. It is traditionally made with catfish or prawns but goes well with meat and fresh vegetables as well. Pound as many bird's eye chillies as one can tolerate, green peppercorns, Thai krachai ginger, galangal, lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Interestingly, this curry does not use any coconut milk, unlike all the other curries.
Sour Curry (gaeng som) : usually cooked with fish fillet and water spinach, boiled in tamarind puree with a curry paste of small bird's eye chillies, garlic, shallot, galangal, tumeric and shrimp paste.
Pineapple Curry (gaeng kung) : tastes better with seafood. Add red curry paste, pineapple, kaffir lime leaves and fresh red chillies to coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut milk and tamarind puree.
Most Thai children learn to cook at a young age by helping their parents or grandparents in the kitchen. First by observing, washing, cutting vegetables, and gradually they master the art of Thai cooking.
- Permission granted to reproduce post on this blog
* Tip : If possible, don't use canned coconut milk as they tend to taste a bit off and sometimes rancid. Tetrapak coconut cream or milk taste closer to the real thing (freshly squeezed from grated coconut).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZqkEQOv0Ys
Before the advent of Portugese traders who brought spices and chillies to Southeast Asia, Thai cuisine was not as flavoursome as it is today.
Green Curry (gaeng kaew wan) : the most popular among the curries. It is spicier than the red curry despite the deceptive name, literally translated into "green sweet curry". The paste comprise mainly green chillies, small onion, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, shrimp paste. Tastes best when cooked with chicken and fish ball. Addition of two types of small round egg plant gives the dish a slight bitter taste, a good balance to the hot, salty and sweet flavour of the curry. Garnish with basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves.
Red Curry (gaeng kaeng phet) : a popular and versatile curry which is sometimes used as a base for other Thai dishes. The paste is made from pounded dried red chillies, small red chillies, lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime skin, garlic, shallots, coriander roots, shrimp paste and pepper. My favourite is red curry with roast duck, tomato and lychee.
Massaman Curry (khreuang gaeng matsaman) : a southern Thai curry, the name was derived from the word "muslim". Tastes very similar to Malaysian rendang. Made from dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander and shrimp paste. Usually meat is used in this dish, simmered in tamarind puree.
Yellow Curry (khrueang gaeng leuang) : another curry from the southern region using dried spices - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chillies, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, tumeric and shrimp paste. Panaeng Curry : a dry Penang influenced curry paste that is a cross between massaman and yellow curry but with the addition of nutmeg.
Chiang Mai Curry (gaeng hang laey) has a strong Burmese / Indian influence. Usually cooked with pork or chicken, it has a heavier taste than curries in central Thailand.
Jungle Curry (gaeng paa) : a very hot and fiery curry that is commonly eaten in the countryside particularly in the northern region. It is traditionally made with catfish or prawns but goes well with meat and fresh vegetables as well. Pound as many bird's eye chillies as one can tolerate, green peppercorns, Thai krachai ginger, galangal, lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Interestingly, this curry does not use any coconut milk, unlike all the other curries.
Sour Curry (gaeng som) : usually cooked with fish fillet and water spinach, boiled in tamarind puree with a curry paste of small bird's eye chillies, garlic, shallot, galangal, tumeric and shrimp paste.
Pineapple Curry (gaeng kung) : tastes better with seafood. Add red curry paste, pineapple, kaffir lime leaves and fresh red chillies to coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut milk and tamarind puree.
Most Thai children learn to cook at a young age by helping their parents or grandparents in the kitchen. First by observing, washing, cutting vegetables, and gradually they master the art of Thai cooking.
- Permission granted to reproduce post on this blog
* Tip : If possible, don't use canned coconut milk as they tend to taste a bit off and sometimes rancid. Tetrapak coconut cream or milk taste closer to the real thing (freshly squeezed from grated coconut).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZqkEQOv0Ys
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Food Ideas : Top 10 Thai School Lunches
What Thai school children have for lunch from findings of a newspaper survey :
(1) Fried Chicken on rice - khao mun gai tod (16%)
(2) Egg noodle soup with wonton - ba mee (14%)
(3) Boiled Chicken on rice - khao mun gai (12%)
(4) Lemon Grass Soup with Chicken - tom yum gai (7%)(5) Macaroni Soup (6%)
(6) Fried Basil and Pork on rice - gra prao moo (5%)
(7) Fried Rice with cocktail sausages - khap pat kai sai grok (4%)
(8) Noodles and Pork in thick gravy - rat naa (4%)
(9) Greeny Curry with pork and bamboo shoots - gang gai sai noh mai(3%)
(10) Red Pork on rice - khao moo daeng (3%)
Top Ten Thai Dishes Voted
A survey conducted by the Office of the National Culture Commission announced the top ten Thai dishes best liked by foreigners. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreigner Affairs, the Office had conducted a survey of Thai restaurants all over the world to find out ten favourite Thai dishes of foreigners.
In the survey 1,000 Thai restaurant around the world were asked to fill in a questionnaire. However, only 500 restaurants which have Thai chefs and offer the authentic Thai food were qualified for being taken into consideration.
The results were the top ten Thai dishes which are listed below in order of their percentages of popularity:
Tom Yam Kung (spicy shrimp soup) 99%
Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai (green chicken curry) 85%
Phat Thai (fried noodles of Thai style) 70%
Phat Kaphrao (meat fried with sweet basils) 52%
Kaeng Phet Pet Yang (roast duck curry) 50%
Tom Kha Kai (chicken in coconut soup) 47%
Yam Nua (spicy beef salad) 45%
Mu or Kai sa-te (roast pork or chicken coated with turmeric) 43%
Kai Phat Met Mamuang Himmaphan (chicken fried with cashew nuts) 42%
Phanaeng (meat in coconut cream) 39%
http://www.thailandlife.com/thaifood02.html
In the survey 1,000 Thai restaurant around the world were asked to fill in a questionnaire. However, only 500 restaurants which have Thai chefs and offer the authentic Thai food were qualified for being taken into consideration.
The results were the top ten Thai dishes which are listed below in order of their percentages of popularity:
Tom Yam Kung (spicy shrimp soup) 99%
Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai (green chicken curry) 85%
Phat Thai (fried noodles of Thai style) 70%
Phat Kaphrao (meat fried with sweet basils) 52%
Kaeng Phet Pet Yang (roast duck curry) 50%
Tom Kha Kai (chicken in coconut soup) 47%
Yam Nua (spicy beef salad) 45%
Mu or Kai sa-te (roast pork or chicken coated with turmeric) 43%
Kai Phat Met Mamuang Himmaphan (chicken fried with cashew nuts) 42%
Phanaeng (meat in coconut cream) 39%
http://www.thailandlife.com/thaifood02.html
Cooking Thai Cuisine made simple
This website's objective is to impart information and insights that are not commonly provided in recipe books. Join us on a culinary journey to prepare authentic and delicious Thai dishes at home. All you need are the right ingredients, proportions and techniques to whip up meals that are better than what is served in restaurants.
All photos and content in this blog are the property and copyright of the author unless otherwise stated.
All photos and content in this blog are the property and copyright of the author unless otherwise stated.
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