Thai Recipes

Here are some Thai recipes for you to try and recreate the Thai dining experience in your own home.

Hot And Sour Prawn Soup (Dtom yum Gkoong)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. prawns, or medium- to large-size shrimps, shells removed and butterflied (save shells for soup stock)
2-3 stalks fresh lemon grass
3 cups water, or mild soup stock, salted with fish sauce (nahm bplah) to the desired saltiness
6 thin slices fresh galanga (kah), or 2 dried pieces
3 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood)
8-10 whole Thai chillies (prik kee noo), stem removed and bruised with the back of a cleaver; or substitute with 2-3 sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers
1/2 a small onion, halved again and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1-2 Tbs. roasted chilli paste (nahm prik pow)
3-4 Tbs. tamarind water: a chunk of wet tamarind, about the size of 1 Tbs., with the soft parts dissolved in 1/4 cup water, pulp removed
1 cup fresh brown mushrooms, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces, or 1 can whole straw mushrooms, drained
1 small tomato, cut in bite-size wedges (optional)
2 green onions, cut in thin rounds
Juice of 1-2 limes, to desired sourness
1/2 cup cilantro leaves or short cilantro sprigs


Cut the bottom tip off the lemon grass stalks and discard the loose outer layer(s). Then cut each stalk into 1-inch sections at a slanted diagonal all the way up to the greener end, near the start of the grass blades, exposing the inner core. Smash each piece with the side of a cleaver or the end of a large knife handle to bruise, releasing the aromatic oils. Place the cut lemon grass along with the prawn or shrimp shells and the water or stock in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer with a lid on for 15-20 minutes to draw out the flavors. Strain out the shrimp shells and some of the lemon grass.

Add the sliced galanga, kaffir lime leaves, bruised Thai chillies (or substitute) and sliced onion. Simmer a couple of minutes, then add the roasted chilli paste (nahmm prik pow), tamarind water and fresh brown or straw mushrooms. Heat stock to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in the tomato wedges (if using), green onions and prawns or shrimps. After 20-30 seconds, turn off heat, add lime juice to the desired sourness and the cilantro. Do not let the prawns or shrimps overcook. Serve immediately.

Easy Green Curry With Pork (Gkaeng Kiow Wahn Moo)

Ingredients:

2 cups or 1 14-oz. can coconut milk
2-3 Tbs. green curry paste
1 lb. pork, cut against the grain of the muscle into bite-size strips about 2 x 1 x 1/4 in.
1/2 lb. small, round Thai eggplants (ma-keua bprawh), cut in halves or quarters, or substitute with 2 long Asian eggplants, cut in bite-size chunks
1/2 cup small pea eggplants (ma-keua puang), or substitute with shelled fresh peas
2 kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood)
Fish sauce (nahm bplah) to taste
2 tsp. palm sugar, or to taste
1/2 to 1 cup fresh Thai sweet basil leaves and flowers (bai horapa)
Slivered chillies, to desired hotness

Do not shake the can of coconut milk before opening, so that the cream remains on top. Spoon about 2/3 cup of this thick cream into a medium-size saucepan and heat over medium to high heat. Reduce until smooth and bubbly and until oil begins to separate from the cream. Add the curry paste and fry in the cream for a few minutes to release the aromas. Then pour in the remaining milk.

Bring to a boil and add the pork. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes uncovered before adding the Thai eggplants and pea eggplants. Simmer a few minutes more, then stir in the peas (if using instead of pea eggplants) and kaffir lime leaves. Season to taste with fish sauce (may not be needed if the curry paste is already salted). Add palm sugar to balance and enhance the spice and herb flavors to your liking. Continue to simmer until eggplants and peas are tender. Stir in the basil and chillies (as desired for added hotness) and cook another minute. Serve hot over plain steamed rice.

Spicy Basil Chicken (Gkai Pad Gkaprow)

Ingredients:
2-3 Tbs. peanut oil for stir-frying
10-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute with 1/2 cup sliced onion) – optional
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
12-20 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), cut into very thin rounds; or substitute 4-6 serrano, jalapeño or fresno peppers, cut into large slivers with seeds
2 small kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood), very finely slivered (optional)
2-3 tsp. black soy sauce (the semi-sweet kind), or to taste
2 Tbs. fish sauce (nam bplah), or to taste
1 cup fresh Thai holy basil (bai gka-prow), or Thai sweet basil (bai horapa) leaves and flower buds; or use 1/4 cup dried holy basil, soaked to soften plus 1/2 to 1 cup fresh Thai sweet basil (bai horapa)
Dash of ground white pepper


Prepare the ingredients as instructed. Leave the fresh basil leaves whole; the flower buds may also be used. The dried holy basil will soften when soaked in tap water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pull off and discard the hard stems. Drain.

Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with the shallots or onion. Stir another 15 to 20 seconds before adding the chicken. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until most of the chicken has changed color on the outside and is no longer pink.

Toss in the chillies, slivered kaffir lime leaves (if using), and softened dried holy basil (if using). Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry for another 15 to 20 seconds. Season to taste with fish sauce, then stir in the fresh basil. Toss well. Stir-fry another 1/2 to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.

Serves 6 to 8 with other dishes in a shared family-style meal.


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