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Basic Cooking Techniques and Tips

Thai cooking is much easier than you think.Yup, it’s true. When I gathered a group of friends for an impromptu Thai cooking class at my house the other day, they couldn’t believe how simple and quick it was to make. “Are you kidding me? It takes longer for take-out to get to my door and the restaurant is less than a mile away.” Thai cooks pride themselves on simplicity of technique. At its very core, Thai cooking is about using the freshest ingredients, with an emphasis on aromatic herbs and spices, to achieve a balance of hot, sweet, sour, and salty flavors in every dish. In fact, the actual cooking time for most Thai dishes is 15 to 30 minutes! With a couple of exceptions, it’s all about fast cooking at high heat levels and using interesting herbs and spices, usually at the beginning and end of cooking. Okay, it’s time to throw out those take-out menus and follow these simple, no-fail rules for healthier, tastier, and easier Thai meals at home. Ready, set, go!

HOW TO PREPARE LEMONGRASS

Preparing lemongrass is important because you will use it all the time when cooking Thai food. It’s easy to understand why this frisky cousin to ginger, with its citrusy aroma and woodsy-lemony flavor, is widely used in Thai cooking—it enhances every dish it touches.

There are two ways to prepare lemongrass: Finely chopped for marinades, stir-fries, salads and curries; and cut into larger pieces for soups and sauces.

HOW TO MINCE LEMONGRASS

1. Remove the first 4–5 tough fibrous outer layers of the lemongrass stalk with your fingers to reveal the softer, yellower part of the stalk that you’ll be using. The remaining layers will still be slightly fibrous.

2. Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice off the bulb (bottom 2 inches/5 cm) and discard.

3. Now, using the back of a knife, oblong pestle, or rolling pin (or a wine bottle if that’s all you have), smash the bottom 6 inches (15 cm) of the lemongrass stalk to release the essential oils and separate the fibers.

4. Next, use a sharp knife and finely chop the bottom ¹⁄_³ of the stalk.

HOW TO CHOP LEMONGRASS IN YOUR FOOD PROCESSOR AND FREEZE FOR LATER USE

To save time, I like to prepare a large quantity of lemongrass and freeze it so I can just grab some from the freezer. I usually buy at least 4 pounds and follow these simple steps:

1. Follow steps #1 and #2 from how to Mince Lemongrass. Next, slice off the green, fibrous parts of the stalk at the top with a sharp ser-rated knife. Feed the bulb ends through the food processor blade until sliced. Remove the sliced lemongrass and mince by hand.

2. Place minced lemongrass in a quart-sized resealable plastic food-storage bag, about ½ cup (50 g) per bag, and flatten. Once frozen, break off whatever you need for future recipes and return the rest to the freezer.

HOW TO PREPARE LEMONGRASS FOR SOUPS AND SAUCES

1. Follow steps #1 and #2 from how to Mince Lemongrass. Next, slice off the green, fibrous parts of the stalk at the top with a sharp ser-rated knife. Now, smash the remaining stalk to release the essential oils. Cut the stalk into 1-inch (2.5 cm) or 2-inch (5 cm) pieces depending on the recipes directions.

HOW TO SLICE THAI CHILIES

Thai chilies are among the hottest on the planet (50,000–100,000 on the Scoville heat scale!) so it’s important that you use a latex, rubber glove on one hand while slicing these hot-tempered babies. Remember to slice finely (unless otherwise noted in the recipe), so your guests or family don't place a large piece in their mouth inadvertently. As noted in the recipes, feel free to deseed Thai chilies or use a milder chili if you prefer less heat. If cooking for young children, you can select a milder chili or omit altogether.

DEEP-FRYING TIPS AND TRICKS

Deep-frying in Thai cooking usually involves batter-dipped pieces of meat or fish or the frying of appetizers or desserts wrapped in flour-based or rice-based skins, like spring rolls. Deep-frying requires very high heat levels (350°F to 375°F /175°C to 190C°). Make sure the oil isn’t too hot, because food will over-cook on the outside and will be undercooked on the inside. It isn’t necessary to use a wok when deep-frying but you must always use a deep pan to adequately cover the items you are frying. For example, if you are using 2 inches (5 cm) of oil, you must leave 6 inches (15 cm) of space above the oil. If your oil begins smoking, turn off the heat for a few minutes and let the oil return to 350°F (175C°). Heat oil uncovered to prevent overheating.

Also, if the temperature is too low, then the items will soak up too much oil. Don’t try to fry too many pieces at one time or the oil temperature will dip. It’s also important that anything you deep-fry is dried completely, especially before you dip items into batter or marinade.

Use a deep fat frying thermometer if you have one. If you don’t have one, the oil is ready when a 1-inch (2.5 cm) cube of white bread dropped browns after 1 minute in the oil.

I prefer using vegetable oil or corn oil for deep-frying because they have “high smoke points,” meaning they don’t break down at deep-frying temperatures. In other words, don’t use olive oil to deep-fry.

HOW TO MASTER THAI STIR-FRYING

Thai stir-frying happens very fast, so it’s really, ReaLLY important to be organized and have all of your prep done in advance. Please read each recipe carefully so you’ll see if you need to blanch a certain vegetable before it gets thrown into your wok or pan. Blanching preserves the vibrant color of vegetables and cuts down on cooking time. Some vegetables take longer than others so blanching is an important step but you don’t want to be caught with your pants down in the middle of a stir-fry.

I recommend arranging all of your ingredients on a tray in the order in which they’ll be used. If it helps, you can number each ingredient. I make my twins help make numbered cards so they feel like they’re helping and it does really help when I’m making several courses for a dinner party. Also have all of your tools ready to go and in the order you’ll be using them.

It’s also important to allow the wok or pan to heat up first before adding the oil, swirling to coat. The wok or pan is ready when a drop of water cast on the surface sizzles and evaporates immediately. I recommend using a non-stick wok or frying pan as you’ll need less oil, and protein is less likely to stick to the pan. Ensure that your frying pan has high walls so the ingredients don’t fly out.

When stir-frying, you must use a firm spatula which will easily slide under the ingredients. Don’t try to “stir” the food! I know, it’s a bit of a misnomer. Instead, try to slip the spatula under the food, folding over, and then tossing it quickly.

To save time, I like to purchase my stir-fry veggies from the salad bar at my local grocery store where everything is clean and pre-cut. This also cuts down on waste especially when you’re cooking for one or two people.

THE SECRET TO FLUFFY RICE (EVERYTIME, AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE KIND FROM A BOX)

Growing up in a Chinese-American household, I was accustomed to eating long-grain white rice until I discovered jasmine rice as an adult and what a discovery it was! this fragrant cousin to long-grain white rice, also known as Thai fragrant rice, cooks up fluffy, moist, slightly sticky and has a delicious and subtle nutty aroma...if you know how to cook it properly.

The secret to perfectly cooked rice is to wash it first. That’s right, wash your rice. This eliminates excess starch from the grains that makes rice mushy.

Fill a pot with the desired rice amount and cool water. Swirl the water around with your hands and wash the rice by rubbing it gently between your fingers; drain. Repeat this process until the water runs clear, usually about 5 or 6 times.

HOW TO COOK A PERFECT POT OF RICE

In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine 1 cup (185 g) of jasmine rice and 1 ½ cups (375 ml) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook at a gentle simmer until the water is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes with a lid on before serving. One cup of raw rice will yield 3 cups (450 g) of cooked rice.

If you’re using a rice cooker, wash the rice in the rice cooker bowl. Follow your instruction manual to cook using the 1 cup (185 g) raw rice to 1 ½ cups (375 ml) water ratio for Thai jasmine rice.

DICING AND CHOPPING IN THAI COOKING

Unlike Chinese cooking, Thai cooking is all about diversity, texture, and rustic appeal. So when a recipe calls for dicing, don’t worry so much about uniformity when dicing or chopping for a stir-fry or a salad.

TIPS ON STEAMING

I prefer to use a bamboo steamer when cooking Thai food, but any steamer will do. You can actually improvise in a pinch by placing two empty tuna fish cans to raise a platter 2 inches (5 cm) above the water. Always make sure there’s enough water in the pot so it doesn’t evaporate when you walk away (i’ve learned this lesson the hard way a few times, hence the charred bamboo steamers sitting in my garage). Always make sure that the water comes to a rolling boil before steaming and use a secure lid. Line your steamer basket with cabbage or banana leaves to prevent sticking.

RICE NOODLE TIPS

After softening noodles with water, they must be kept moist or they will turn hard. Cover them with plastic wrap or a damp towel if you’re not going to use them right away. You can also soak them in water and refrigerate for up to two days.