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Dips, Sauces and Condiments

Although rice is a mainstay at the Thai table, rice flour, egg or mung bean noodles are almost as widespread. Thai cooks have taken this Chinese import—the noodle—and created numerous delectable dishes, from stir-fries and salads to soups and delicate snacks. The following dips, pastes, sauces and side dishes are either recipes in their own right or basic components of other recipes featured later in this book.

Sweet and Hot Plum Sauce (Nam Jim)

125 ml 1/2 cup) water 200 g (1 cup) sugar

125 ml 1/2 cup) vinegar

1 red finger-length chili, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 tablespoons plum sauce or Japanese apricot sauce

1 Combine the water, sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 40 minutes.

2 Add the red chili, garlic and apricot sauce. Stir a few times. Remove from the heat and cool before serving.

3 Serve as a dip for Golden Sacks (Tung Thong) (page 26).

Cucumber Salad (Ajaad)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

90 ml (1/3 cup) warm water

2 tablespoons vinegar

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 red finger-length chili, sliced diagonally

1 small cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Add the vinegar.

2 Place the shallots and the chili slices on top of the cucumber in a serving bowl. Pour the sugar water mixture over the top.

3 Serve as an accompaniment to Thai Pork Sata (page 16) or Fish Cakes (Tod Man Pla—page 27).

Red Curry Paste (Nam Prik Kang Phet)

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3 dried red chilies, soaked 30 minutes

1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, thinly sliced

3 thin slices galangal

3 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped

7 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon kaffir lime rind

1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (belachan)

90 ml (1/3 cup) water, or more as needed

1 Roast the coriander seeds in a dry frying-pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

2 Store unused portions in a tightly closed container. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator or freezer. This paste is used in the preparation of Peanut Sauce (Nam Sate—page 16) and Fish Cakes (Tod Man Pla—page 27), but it can also be used for any kind of Thai red curry.

Miang Kham Sauce

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass (tender inner part of bottom third only)

1 tablespoon shredded fresh ginger

1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste (belachan)

90 g (1/2 cup) shredded coconut

30 g (1/4 cup) dried prawns

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

500 ml (2 cups) plus 125-180 ml (1/2 - 3/4 cups) water

200 g (1 cup) palm sugar

Crushed roasted peanuts, to garnish

1 Roast the onions, lemongrass, ginger and shrimp paste at 120°C (250°F) until golden, about 15 minutes. Roast the coconut at 180°C (350°F) until golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

2 Put the onions, lemongrass, ginger, dried shrimp paste, dried prawns, coconut and salt into a blender and add 125 ml (1/2 cup) water gradually and process, adding more water if necessary. Process for a few seconds; the consistency does not need to be smooth.

3 Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and add 500 ml (2 cups) water and the palm sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool. Serve with Miang Kham (Lettuce Leaf Cups— page 10).

Fresh Spring Rolls (Po Piah Sot)

2 dried Chinese sausages (lap cheong)

1 tablespoon oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 spring roll wrappers

1 cucumber, peeled and cut into strips

250 g (8 oz) firm bean-curd, cut into strips

8 spring onions, trimmed

250 g (2 cups) cooked crabmeat, leave some to garnish

250 g (8 oz) bean sprouts, blanched for 2 minutes

Sauce

250 ml (1 cup) water

100 g (1/2 cup) palm sugar

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp soaked in 60 ml (1/4 cup) water, mashed and strained to obtain the juice

90 g (2/3 cup) finely ground roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons Crispy Fried Shallots (see note)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon sweet black soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 60 ml (1/4 cup) water

1/4 teaspoon five spice powder

45 g (1/4 cup) dry-roasted sesame seeds (see note below)

1 Steam the dried Chinese sausages for 5 minutes, cool and cut into 8 strips lengthwise.

2 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat and fry the eggs into an omelet. Cut the omelet into 8 long pieces and set aside.

3 Place a spring roll wrapper on a flat surface and put a piece of sausage, omelet, cucumber, beancurd, spring onion, 2 tablespoons of crabmeat and some bean sprouts on the wrapper. Roll the wrapper up tightly. Repeat until you use all the wrappers.

4 To make the Sauce, combine all the ingredients, except the sesame seeds, in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture boils; stir a few times. Add the sesame seeds when the mixture begins to thicken. Transfer to a serving dish.

5 Serve rolls as they are, or steam the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes in a steamer or microwave oven. Garnish each roll with some crabmeat and serve the Sauce on the side or drizzle on top.

Crispy Fried Shallots are readily available in packets or jars in most supermarkets and Asian food stores. To make them at home, thinly slice several cloves of shallots as desired and stir-fry in hot oil over low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Dry-roast the sesame seeds by heating a frying pan over medium heat, add the seeds, and toss them continually for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown, ensuring they're removed from heat before they begin to pop and burn.