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Basic Recipes

These recipes and techniques are fundamental to many of the dishes included in this book. Some of the seasonings are available commercially, but they are far superior when made fresh.

Thai Chili Paste Nam Prik Pao

This versatile Thai sauce really does wonders for a variety of foods. It goes well with Spicy Lemongrass Soup (Tom Yum); in noodle dishes like Ba Mee Nam Prik Pao; and with fried rice (see page 111). When my refrigerator and pantry are almost bare, or I just don’t know what to eat, I mix this magic sauce with hot jasmine rice, accompanied by a hard-boiled egg, and I feel like I’m in heaven! You can purchase ready-made Thai chili paste, but making it yourself results in a much better product. The sauce should taste sweet, sour, and salty. This chili paste will keep for months in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

Preparation time: 10 MINUTES

Cooking time: 8 MINUTES

Makes ABOUT 1 CUP (225 G)

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil for deep-frying

15 shallots, peeled and sliced

10 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

¹/4 cup (120 g) dried shrimp

7 dried finger or Thai chilies, seeded

Five ¹/8-in (3 mm) thick slices galangal

5 tablespoons palm sugar

3 tablespoons thick Tamarind Juice (page 20)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Deep-fry the shallots, garlic cloves, dried shrimp, chilies, and galangal one by one.

2 Place the deep-fried ingredients in a blender. Some of the oil used for frying may be added to facilitate the blending. Once it is puréed, place the mixture in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the palm sugar, tamarind juice, fish sauce, and salt, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring regularly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. The mixture will have a jamlike consistency; in fact, some people call this sauce “chili jam.”

Red Curry Paste Nam Prik Kang Dang

It used to be hard to find many of the basic ingredients for making either the red or green curry paste except at Asian markets. Because of the increasing interest in Thai and other Asian cuisines, however, they are now available at many well-stocked supermarkets and from online Asian grocers. Making these pastes from scratch is worth the extra effort. Unlike the canned versions, homemade pastes are vibrant and aromatic. Besides, these pastes add a flavor element to other Thai dishes, including stir-fries and fried rice.

Preparation time: 5 MINUTES, PLUS 20 MINUTES FOR SOAKING

Makes 1 CUP (225 G)

5 dried red chilies

¹/4 cup (60 g) thinly sliced lemongrass

10 whole black peppercorns

Three ¹/2-in (3-mm) thick slices galangal, shredded

3 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic

2 fresh coriander roots

1 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds

1 teaspoon kaffir lime zest

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

1 teaspoon salt

¹/2 teaspoon ground cumin

¹/2 cup (125 ml) water

1 Soak the dried chilies in cold water for 20 minutes, then squeeze dry.

2 Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.

3 Paste may be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Note: Vegetarians can substitute 1 tablespoon bean paste (tao jiao) for the 1 teaspoon shrimp paste.

Red curry paste is particularly versatile, and makes a delicious addition to dry curries, fish cakes, fried rice, and Steamed Seafood Curry (page 96). It adds flavor to the peanut sauce for Chicken Satay (page 34)—though be careful to reduce the number of chilies for making the sauce. This recipe is for a basic red curry paste. Unused portions may be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.

Green Curry Paste Nam Prik Kang Kheaw

Green curry paste can be as spicy as red, but the coriander leaves lend it a subtly herbal flavor.

Preparation time: 5 MINUTES

Makes 1 CUP (225 G)

5 fresh dark green Thai finger chilies or jalapeños

3 shallots, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

Three ¹/8-in (3-mm) thick slices galangal, shredded

¹/4 cup (50 g) thinly sliced lemongrass

2 fresh coriander roots, coarsely chopped

1 stem fresh coriander with leaves, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon coarsely chopped kaffir lime zest

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

10 whole black peppercorns

¹/2 cup (125 ml) water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Store any unused paste in a sealed container in the fridge for 1 week, or keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Thai Pesto Paste

Fresh coriander stems may be used if the roots are not available, although the flavor will not be exactly the same. This paste freezes well, so when you find fresh coriander with roots, make Thai Pesto and freeze it until needed. When a recipe calls for it, you can scoop out the amount you need and leave the remainder in the freezer for future use.

Preparation time: 4 MINUTES

Makes 2 HEAPING TABLESPOONS

4 cloves garlic, peeled

3 fresh coriander roots, including 3-in (7.5-cm) stems, coarsely chopped

¹/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

¹/2 teaspoon salt

Be sure the coriander roots are well washed and free of grit. Pound all ingredients with a mortar and pestle until they form a paste. Alternatively, purée in a blender with enough water to form a paste.

Sweet and Hot Sauce Nam Jim

Actually, in Thailand we don’t refrigerate this sauce, since the vinegar acts as a preservative and it’s used within a few days. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly lidded container for several months. I’ve never tried to freeze it. This dip is great with stuffed chicken wings, barbecued chicken, and other Thai dishes that call for a sweet and hot sauce. Look for the fresh chili paste, also called sambal oelek, and Thai plum sauce, or nam buoi, in Asian markets or from online Asian grocers.

Preparation time: 2 MINUTES

Cooking time: 40 MINUTES

Makes 2 CUPS (500 ML)

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

¹/2 cup (125 ml) water

¹/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar

¹/4 cup (60 ml) Thai plum sauce

1 teaspoon ground fresh chili paste

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Combine the sugar, water, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 40 minutes. Add the plum sauce, chili paste, and garlic. Stir a few times, and remove from the heat to cool.

Sriracha Chili Sauce Nam Prik Sriracha

Thais serve this delicious sauce with many dishes, such as omelets and Crispy Mussel Pancakes (page 71). It is also good with grilled and deep-fried dishes. The commercial Sriracha sauce produced in Thailand, which differs from the version produced in California, is available in three levels of spiciness: mild, medium, and hot. The name of the sauce comes from the seaside village southeast of Bangkok where it is manufactured. This is my homemade version of this versatile condiment.

Preparation time: 5 MINUTES

Cooking time: 10 MINUTES

Makes 1¹/2 CUPS (375 ML)

1 cup (250 ml) water

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

9 fresh red finger chilies, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

¹/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

¹/4 cup (60 ml) distilled white vinegar

1 Combine the water, fish sauce, sugar, chilies, garlic and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook the mixture until the garlic and chilies are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

2 Transfer the cooked ingredients to a blender. Add the vinegar and purée the mixture until smooth, about 1 minute. Stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, this sauce should last indefinitely.

Crispy Shallots or Garlic Hom Lek/Kratiam Jiao

Thai-style fried shallots or fried garlic, imported from Thailand or Vietnam, are now available in Asian grocery stores. You can use the ready-made product, but the homemade version adds more flavor to your dishes. The shallots or garlic can be prepared in a microwave or fried in oil and drained on paper towels. Since microwaves vary in wattage, and shallots and garlic burn easily, monitor your cooking time carefully. Even after they are removed from the microwave, they will continue to cook.

Preparation time: 2 TO 3 MINUTES

Cooking time: 2 TO 3 MINUTES

Makes ABOUT ¹/2 CUP (125 ML)

¹/2 cup (100 g) peeled and thinly sliced shallots or garlic cloves

Vegetable oil to cover

1 Place sliced shallots or garlic cloves in a microwave-safe dish, such as a ramekin. Add oil to barely cover. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Microwave for 1 minute more and stir again. When the shallots or garlic turn light brown, they’re done.

2 Remove shallots or garlic from oil. Save the oil for stir-frying.

3 Alternatively, heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the shallots or garlic, stirring constantly, until they turn light brown. Remove from the oil and allow to cool. Stored in an airtight container in your pantry, fried shallots or garlic will stay crisp for several days.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

This is a very old-fashioned way of cooking long-grain rice, but it works every time.

Preparation time: 2 MINUTES

Cooking time: 25 MINUTES

Makes 6 CUPS (1.2 KG) COOKED RICE

3 cups (600 g) jasmine rice

Water to cover the rice

1 Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and place in a saucepan or electric rice cooker. Add just enough water to cover about 1 inch above the rice. Another way of measuring the amount of water is to touch the surface of the rice in the pot with the index finger, then add just enough water to reach the first knuckle.

2 Bring the rice and water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. When almost all the liquid has been absorbed, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir with a wooden spoon or with chop-sticks before serving.

3 If you use an electric rice cooker, follow the manufacturer’s instructions; the rice will cook automatically after you press the ON button.

Steamed Sticky Rice Khao Niue Nung

Sticky rice—also called pearl rice, glutinous rice, or sweet rice—is the main carbohydrate in the northern and northeastern part of Thailand, where it is grown. Because it has more starch than other rice varieties, it is more filling, which is important in these traditionally poor regions. Due to the migration of people from northeastern Thailand, sticky rice and the dishes that accompany it have now become popular throughout the country.

Preparation time: 5 MINUTES, PLUS 6 HOURS FOR SOAKING

Cooking time: 25 MINUTES

Makes ABOUT 6 CUPS (1.2 KG) COOKED RICE

3 cups (700 g) sticky rice

8 cups (2 liters) cold water

1 Place the sticky rice in a bowl. Add enough cold water to cover the rice. Let the rice soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

2 Heat water in a steamer pot. When the water starts to boil, drain the rice and pour it into the woven basket top of a Thai steamer or another steamer that sits above the water. Cover the basket or pot and steam over high heat for 20 minutes. Stir the rice with a wooden spoon, then continue to steam for 5 minutes more.

3 Remove rice from heat and place in a separate container. Cover until ready to use.

Note: This rice has long been a popular ingredient in Thai snacks or desserts. Sticky rice is literally finger food: diners grab a handful of rice, roll it into a ball, and then dip the rice in a hot sauce or eat it with dishes such as Grilled Chicken (page 72), Green Papaya Salad (page 66), Spicy Beef with Mint Leaves (page 83), or Thai Beef Jerky (page 30).