Chicken Stuffed Sticky Rice, "Khao Niao Sod Sai Kai"


14 oz chicken breast, finely chopped
1 egg
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
2 tablespoons ground pepper
4 spring onions and corianders, finely sliced
10 oz cooked sticky rice
fish sauce, sugar, leaf lettuce, tomatoes, fresh Thai chile pepper, and pineapple for serving.

Method
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the chicken, egg, tapioca flour and all the seasoning ingredients with spring onions and corianders except the sticky rice, then form into 1/2 inch balls in diameter.

Surround each ball with a layer of sticky rice. Line the steamer layer with lettuce, cabbage or other seasonal green leaves, rub with the cooking oil thoroughly. Place the balls on the leaves, spacing well apart about 1-2 inches to prevent them from sticking to each other. Steam over vigorously boiling water for about 20 minutes until cooked. Remove.

For serving, arrange on a serving plate together with assorted fresh vegetables and a chili sauce. Serve immediately.

Fried Sticky Rice, "Kao Neeo Tod"

7 oz cooked Thai sticky rice
1 tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds, slightly crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 oz minced pork
fresh vegetables: lettuce, green onions, coriander

Method
Combine the pork, ground pepper, salt, sticky rice and white sesame in a bowl, then mix together until smooth. Form the mixture into bite-sized balls and dip in beaten egg. Deep fry the balls in hot oil over a moderate heat until lightly brown. Remove from the oil with a skimmer and drain well on kitchen papers.

Sauce
Mix together in a small bowl prik pao with a bit of lemon juice to taste, and add a slight amount of sugar to suit your preference

Serving
Transfer the fried sticky rice to a serving plate, garnishing with pineapple and red chilis. Serve with sauce and fresh vegetables.

Note: this dish goes well with fried dried salted beef. It can be made as follows: cut the beef into 1/2" thick slices, mix with salt and marinate for one hour. Allow to dry on a sieve about 2-3 hours, then fry the beef in hot oil until cooked.

Thai Pork Satay, "Moo Satay"

Ingredients for pork and marinade
2 lbs pork tenderloin, sliced into 1/4" thick pieces
4 tablespoons lemongrass water (see below)
5 tablespoons thin soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 14 oz can coconut milk*
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 tablespoon Thai curry powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Method for pork marinade
Thinly slice 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, put in a bowl, then pour 1/2 cup boiling water over it. Remove 4 tablespoons of the water and set to cool.

For the can of coconut milk, don't stir it up, and some will have a thicker consistency. Measure 1/3 cup of the thicker part for the marinade. You will use the thinner part for your basting liquid below.

In a mixing bowl, combine the lemongrass water with the coconut cream, and the other ingredients. Mix well, then add the pork, and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Ingredients for basting liquid
Remaining coconut milk from above
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Method for basting liquid
Combine the four ingredients, mix well, and set aside.

Ingredients for satay sauce
5 whole dried chile, soaked in water to soften
1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh galangal
1.5 tablespoons thinly sliced lemongrass
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fresh shallot, thinly sliced
3-4 medium cloves garlic
1/2 tablespoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon matsaman curry paste
1/4 cup white sesame seed, toasted in a dry wok or skillet
1/4 cup dried roasted peanut
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup palm sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Method for satay sauce
Start by pounding your white sesame seeds in a mortar & pestle, into a thick paste. Set aside. Then pound the peanuts until fine, and set aside.

Next, put the whole dried chile, fresh galangal, lime leaves, and lemongrass into the mortar & pestle. Pound together well, then add shallot, garlic, and shrimp paste. Leave it in the mortar. Heat a wok or large pan to medium heat, and add this mixture from the mortar. Saute it with 1 cup coconut milk. Stir constantly, until all dissolved. Add matsaman curry paste, fish sauce, tamarind, palm sugar, and stir well.

Add the sesame seed paste and pounded peanuts to this mixture and cook over medium/low heat for 10 minutes or so. It should all blend together well.

Ingredients for Ajad
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1/4 cup sliced shallot
2-3 fresh Thai chile peppers, sliced

Method for Ajad
In a small saucepan, mix vinegar, salt and sugar over medium heat. Stir until dissolves, then remove from heat and set to cool. Just before serving, add the cucumber, shallot and sliced chiles to this.

Preparing And Serving Your Pork Satay
Cook the marinated pork skewers over charcoal, constantly basting them with the basting liquid. Serve together with the satay sauce, ajad, and for an authentic twist--with sliced toast as shown.

Enjoy!

Spicy fried fish cakes, "Tod Man Plaa"

Ingredients for fish cakes
1 lb fresh white fish, prefer cod or halibut
1 egg
3/4 cup finely sliced Chinese longbean, or stringbeans
6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons red curry paste
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients for cucumber relish
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cucumber, coarsely chopped
3 shallots, finely sliced
1-2 fresh Thai chile pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon roasted peanuts crushed in a mortar and pestle

Method for fish cakes
Cut the fish into small pieces, then grind it up in a food processor or pound it in a mortar and pestle
until it's a paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients (except the oil).
For spicier taste, add a bit more red curry paste. Using your hands, knead the mixture until sticky enough
to form it into a disc about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan at med/high
heat. Add fishcakes and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on
paper towels. Serve warm with steamed jasmine rice, and a dish of cucumber relish which is to be spooned
over the fish cakes at the table.

Method for cucumber relish
Cook vinegar and sugar in small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Let cool. In a small serving
bowl put cucumbers, shallots and Thai chile. Pour vinegar mixture over that, then top with roasted peanuts.

Thai Green Curry Shrimp with Noodles

1 cup chopped shallots
2 stalks fresh lemongrass (remove outer layer, thinly slice lower 6 inches of each stalk)
2 large cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
1-2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 13 oz can coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 14 oz package wide rice noodles
1 1/2 lb large shrimp

Method

Puree shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and cilantro stems in blender with curry paste, sugar, salt, turmeric powder, and water until as smooth as possible (about 1 minute). Heat oil in a wide heavy pot over moderate heat until not but not smoking, then cook curry paste mixture, stirring frequently, until it just begins to stick to bottom of pot (8 to 10 minutes). Add coconut milk and broth and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 2/3 cups (8 to 10 minutes).

While sauce simmers, cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender (4 to 6 minutes). Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain noodles well and divide among 4 large bowls.

Add shrimp to sauce and simmer, stirring, until just cooked through. Remove from heat and ladle over noodles. Serve and enjoy!