Today was a full day in the kitchen! I hosted 2 cooking classes focused on Thai cuisine and everyone got a chance to prep, cook and learn about Thai ingredients. Our menu for both my lunch and dinner sessions included the following:
Papaya Salad
Pad Si Ew Noodles w/pork
Thai Green Curry Chicken w/brown jasmine rice
Mango Sticky Rice
Thai Iced Tea & Thai Iced Coffee
10-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced
500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
10 Thai chillies, cut into very thin rounds
2 small kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (optional)
2-3 tsp black soy sauce (the semi-sweet kind), or to taste
2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
1 cup fresh Thai holy basil, or Thai sweet basil leaves
Flower buds
Dash of ground white pepper
Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Toss in the garlic and shallots. Stir 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 and kaffir lime leaves. 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 ½ to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through. Sprinkle with white pepper.
submitted by Kim of Live:Love:Laugh:Eat!
from Portsmouth, VA
recipe inspired from “Madhur Jaffrey’s Far Eastern Cookery”
2 sticks fresh sliced lemongrass
4 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, or 1 tbsp. finely grated lemon rind
1-1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 tbsp. fish sauce
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. chili paste (nam prik pow)
1 15-oz. can straw mushrooms, or 12 medium fresh straw mushrooms
3 fresh hot green chilies
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro
Rinse shrimp, drain and pat dry. Cover and refrigerate. Cut each stick of lemongrass into 3×2-inch pieces, starting from the rounded bottom end. Discard the strawlike top. Lightly crush the 6 pieces with a skillet or flat side of a heavy knife.
Combine the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves or lemon rind, stock and shrimp shells in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain, then add the fish sauce, lime juice and chili paste. Mix and taste, adding more fish sauce or lime juice if you need it.
Drain the mushrooms and add to the seasoned stock (if using fresh, quarter them and blanch in lightly salted boiling water, then add to the seasoned stock).
The soup may be prepared in advance to this point. Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to several hours.
Prepare the garnishes shortly before serving the soup. Cut the green chiles into thin slices. Heat the stock with the mushrooms in it. When it begins to bubble, drop in the peeled shrimp. Cook on medium heat for about two minutes or just until shrimp turn opaque. Put soup into a large serving bowl or individual serving bowls. Garnish with green chiles and whole fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot.
I would have loved to take that class. Thai is our favorite, but for some reason I am completely intimidated to try to make it at home. Your event gives me the inspiration to head to the Asian Market for some ingredients and try it at home!
Hi Joelen — your thai roundup looks delicious!
Per your comment on my banana bread — I just bought a small cotainer of Wilton-brand sprinkling sugar. It’s large and glossy, and gives such a delicious crunch on muffins!
Oh wow! Thanks so much!!! =D
I must say, I haven’t heard of Pad Si Ew; will try that.
(Teehee, we also have that Philippine brand of fish sauce: Rufina.)
Joelen, You make me want to move to Chicago just so that I can take your classes! 🙂 Thanks again for sharing these awesome recipes. I’m psyched to see these Thai dishes. I’ve actually never made Thai food myself yet I see that I already have many of the ingredients you’ve used! I will definitely gives some of these dishes a try! Thanks for the inspiration!
Yum! That mango sticky rice looks very intriging!
Thanks for all the comments on my blog. Ive been meaning to do the Tag you put into my blog, but I never have time! I will get to it soon though!
Joelen, your blog is so full of good things, I have to come back multiple times to take everything in. I alot myself 3 hours a day to view my favorites and my Google reader, but I’ll have to devote 1 hour just to YOU tomorrow LOL. Good eats, my friend. Good eats.
Papaya salad is one of my very favorite foods! I can’t wait to try your recipe…I’ve never made it before, I always just order it in restaurants.
Joelen, I love the pad si ew. It’s one of my fave’s to order in a thai restaurant.
I’m really wishing I lived in Chicago about now! I LOOOVE Thai food. I’ve been looking for a recipe for mango sticky rice and will definitely be trying your Green Chicken curry. YUM!
I’m so glad you did this! I LOVE Thai food, so I will Definitely be trying to make these!
All of the dishes look wonderful!! Now I am really craving some good Thai food.
I would LOVE some of that mango sticky rice!
Oh how I wished I lived near you. I am obsessed with Thai food!