Читать книгу Green Mangoes and Lemon Grass - Wendy Hutton - Страница 9
Оглавлениеsnacks, starters, and soups
It's often said that Asians are always eating, munching throughout the day and on into the night, stopping to buy savory nibbles or sweet-meats from itinerant vendors or roadside stalls. And why not? There are just so many irresistible goodies out there.
Some of the snack and starter recipes included here are perfect for serving with drinks, such as slices of Spicy Dried Beef, or Crispy Rice Cakes that you can dunk into one of the dips you'll find in the chapter, A Little Something on the Side.
If you're looking for an impressive start to a meal, you can't do better than succulent satay made from beef (Sate Istimewa). Unless, of course, you decide to serve scrumptious Thai Prawn Satay. Then again, you would consider one of the wonderful palate-tickling recipes such as Leaf-wrapped Savory Nibbles or Tuna Carpaccio.
For party snacks, you could try various types of roll-ups, including ever-popular Vietnamese Deep-fried Spring Rolls, or the refreshingly different Tangy Marinated Fish Roll-ups. And for a really substantial snack which makes a great lunch, you won't find anything more satisfying than Vietnamese Happy Pancakes. Unless, of course, it's an Indochinese Sandwich, where French baguette meets Southeast Asian meats, salads, and spreads.
Many of these snacks and starters could also be served as part of a main meal with rice, especially the various types of satay as well as Cambodian Fragrant Grilled Chicken Wings, Thai Sweet Corn Fritters, and Deep-fried Prawn or Fish Cakes.
In Southeast Asia, soup is a liquid dish of broth or coconut milk containing vegetables, fruit, seafood, poultry, or meat, served together with rice, and rarely eaten as a separate course. When you get used to eating soup the Asian way, spooning some of the solids on to your rice, and either sipping the broth from the soup bowl or pouring a little directly over the rice, the logic of soup becomes apparent. Steamed rice on its own is dry. Add the liquid from your soup and it is just so much easier to eat. As many of the locals say, soup "helps the rice down."
You can cook just about anything in a soup. Your main protein for the meal might come in Vietnamese Bouncy Beef Ball Soup, Cambodian Chicken Soup with Lime, Chili & Basil, or Thai Chicken & Coconut Milk Soup. Put some of your vegetables into Creamy Pumpkin Soup, or make Indonesian Sour Mixed Vegetable Soup, or healthy Spinach Soup with Sweet Corn. And don't stop at vegetables. You can enjoy fruit in the Piquant Fish Soup with Pineapple & Bean Sprouts.
(Noodle soups are generally eaten alone, rather than served with rice, and are therefore included in a separate chapter.)
deep-fried spring rolls chogio
One of the things that makes these delightful Vietnamese spring rolls different to the Chinese variety is the wrapper of delicate rice paper. The filling is a lightly seasoned combination of pork, prawns, and transparent bean thread noodles, plus some crabmeat if you like. The coup de grace is the way they are eaten, tucked in a cool lettuce leaf with fragrant herbs and crunchy bean sprouts, then dipped in salty, sour, sweet, and hot Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip.
30 wedge-shaped rice papers, or 20-25 small round rice papers (5-6 in or 14-16 cm in diameter)
2-3 cups (500-750 ml) oil for deep frying
Accompaniment
lettuce leaves
1 cup mint sprigs
1 cup polygonum sprigs (long-stemmed Vietnamese mint or rau ram)
1 cup fresh coriander sprigs
1 cup (80 g) bean sprouts
1 cup (250 ml) Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip (page 175)
Filling
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz (125 g) lean pork, diced
½ lb (250 g) small or medium raw prawns, peeled (or 4 oz or 125 g peeled raw prawns)
4 oz (125 g) cooked crabmeat, or additional 4 oz (125 g) pork
1 spring onion, minced
4 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
handful (1 oz or 30 g) transparent noodles, soaked in hot water to soften, drained, cut in ¾ in (2 cm) lengths
Prepare the Filling by processing the shallots, garlic, and pork in a food processor until the pork is finely ground. Add the prawns, crabmeat (if using), spring onion, fish sauce, and pepper and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the noodles.
Put a large bowl of warm water and a clean kitchen towel on a bench or table. Dip a rice paper in the water for 4 to 5 seconds, remove it, and spread on the towel; if you are using wedge-shaped rice papers, put the pointed end facing away from you. Smooth the rice paper with your fingers until soft and pliable. Repeat until you have six to eight softened rice papers on the towel.
Put about 2 teaspoons of the Filling across the wider part of a wedge rice paper, or across each round rice paper, placing it about 1¼ in (3 cm) from the bottom edge. Wet your fingers slightly and shape each portion of filling into a cigarette shape about 2 in (5 cm) long. Rinse and dry your hands and then fold up the end closest to you. Tuck in both sides, squeezing gently to make sure there isn't any air trapped, then roll up firmly. Put on a plate, making sure rolls do not touch each other. Repeat until all the rolls are prepared.
To prepare Accompaniment, wash, drain, and dry lettuce, both lots of mint and coriander. Divide between two large serving plates. Wash and drain bean sprouts and add to herbs. Put fish sauce dip into small sauce bowls.
Heat a wok for 30 seconds, then add oil for deep frying. When the oil is moderately hot (but not smoking), add several of the spring rolls, one at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the wok. Fry over medium heat until golden brown and cooked, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking together and to ensure they are golden brown all over. Drain and serve hot with the dip and salad platter and prepared accompaniments.
To eat, each person puts a spring roll on a lettuce leaf, adding some of the herbs and bean sprouts. The leaf is tucked up and dipped in the sauce before eating.
Note: If you want to prepare the spring rolls in advance, cook them until light golden, about 3 minutes. Drain them on paper towel and keep at room temperature. Just before serving, re-heat the oil until very hot, then fry the spring rolls for about 1 minute until golden brown and crisp.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 45 min Cooking time: 25 min
barbecued pork balls nem nuong
When the wonderful fragrance of grilling meat fills the streets of Vietnam each evening, chances are that these pork balls will be among the items sizzling away. Balls of lightly seasoned minced pork threaded onto skewers are cooked over charcoal, giving off little bursts of fragrance as drops of oil hit the hot coals. The pork balls are served with fresh herbs, lettuce, and bean sprouts, and normally accompanied by Vietnamese Salted Soybean & Peanut Sauce; you could, however, serve Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip if you prefer.
3½ oz (100 g) hard pork fat, in one piece
1¼ lb (600 g) lean pork shoulder or leg, thinly sliced
4 shallots, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (page 18)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salted Soybean, Pork & Peanut Sauce (page 178) or Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip (page 175)
Accompaniments
2 butter lettuce, washed, leaves separated
1¼ cups (100 g) bean sprouts
sliced cucumber
1-2 small star fruit, thinly sliced across, optional
1 cup loosely packed mint sprigs
1 cup loosely packed Asian basil or coriander leaf
Put the pork fat into a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring to the boil, simmer 10 minutes, then drain. When cool enough to handle, chop the fat into tiny pieces the size of a rice grain. Put the fat in a large bowl and add the pork, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate at least I hour, or overnight if preferred.
Process the marinated mixture until it forms a paste. Add the toasted rice powder, pulse for 3 to 4 seconds to blend, then transfer the pork mixture to a bowl. Put the oil into a small bowl and smear some on the palms of your hands. Rub oil onto a plate.
Shape the pork paste into balls about ¾ in (2 cm) in diameter, squeezing firmly, then put the pork balls on the oiled plate. When all meat balls have been prepared, thread onto bamboo skewers, leaving at least ½ in (1 cm) between each meat ball.
Put all the accompaniments (washed and dried where relevant) on a serving plate. Heat a table top griller or barbecue until very hot. Cook the skewers of pork, turning to brown all over, until done, about 10 minutes. Serve with the Accompaniments and individual bowls of dip. To eat the pork balls, slide them off the skewers, and put I or 2 at a time in a lettuce leaf with some of the herbs, bean sprouts, and cucumber. Spoon over a little of the sauce then roll up, dunking the roll into more of the sauce or the dip before eating.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 min + 1 hour marinating Cooking time: 15 mins
extraordinary beef satay sate istimewa
When I lived in Indonesia, I discovered that the best satay were invariably served in private homes. Friends from Southern Sulawesi kindly shared their family recipe; the name, istimewa, aptly translates as "extraordinary." Cubes of beef are marinated in sweet soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime juice, spices, and grated kaffir lime rind, with a dash of vodka or brandy (my friends are Christian, so the Muslim ban on alcohol doesn't apply). There's so much flavor in the satay that there's no need to serve it with a peanut dip.
⅓ cup (85 ml) sweet soy sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons vodka or brandy
1½ tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated kaffir lime or lemon rind
½ teaspoon salt
1½ lb (750 g) rump steak, in ½ in (1.5 cm) slices, cut in I in (2.5 cm) squares
bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
Put the soy sauce, lime juice, vodka or brandy, 2 teaspoons of the oil, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, lime rind, and salt into a bowl. Add the beef, stirring to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours or up to 8 hours, stirring a couple of times while marinating
Grease the grill of a barbecue or gas or electric griller with oil. Heat until very hot. Remove the beef from the marinade and thread onto bamboo skewers, first soaked in water for 30 minutes. Grill over high heat, turning frequently, until the beef is cooked to your taste, about 5 minutes.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 12 min + 2 hours marinating Cooking time: 6-10 min
spiced dried beef saiko met
I first came across Lao-style dried beef in a simple thatch restaurant in Vientiane, where it was served with mugs of wonderfully cold beer. It's not surprising that different versions dried beef are found in most of Southeast Asia, for in rural areas where refrigeration is non-existent, thin slices of marinated beef are sun-dried as a method of preservation. The dried beef is grilled to make a savory snack and can also be shredded and added to salads or served with rice. Don't worry if you can't sun-dry the beef — there are alternative methods.
1 lb (500 g) striploin or topside, in one piece
2 tablespoons minced ginger or 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced lemon grass
1-2 large red chilies, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Chill the beef in the freezer for 30 minutes, then slice it thinly across the grain. Process the ginger or lemon grass, chilies, garlic, and sugar to a smooth paste, adding a little of the fish sauce if needed to keep the mixture turning. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, coriander, and oil, mixing well. Add the beef strips and massage with your hand for about 30 seconds to mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
Spread the meat in a single layer on bamboo tray or on a metal rack and dry in the sun, turning the meat after a few hours. Leave in the sun until the meat is completely dry; this will take around 8 hours of full sunshine. Alternatively, you can put the rack of meat slices in a large baking dish and cook in the lowest possible oven until meat has completely dried out, about 4 hours. To serve, the dried beef can be cooked briefly over hot charcoal, about 2 minutes on both sides, or under a very hot grill. If you prefer, you could cook it on racks in a hot oven (425°F or 200°C) until crisp, about 10 minutes.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 min Drying time: 4-8 hours Cooking time: 4-10 minutes
steamed pork sausage cha luo
You might think that the colonial French introduced the art of making pate and sausages to Vietnam, but sausages wrapped in banana leaf or stuffed into animal casings have been around Southeast Asia for generations. This silky steamed sausage is usually purchased in Vietnam, but it's easy to make at home with a food processor. Don't be put off by the amount of fat included; as any good charcutier (French or Vietnamese) will tell you, you must have plenty fat to make a good moist sausage.
1 lb (500 g) lean leg or loin pork, thinly sliced
4 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed rock sugar or white sugar
4 teaspoons tapioca flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup (85 ml) fish sauce
3½ oz (100 g) hard pork back (loin) fat, boiled in water 10 minutes, diced to about the size of a rice grain
2 pieces of banana leaf, 12 in (30 cm) square, softened in boiling water or a gas flame
Put the pork in a bowl. Process the shallots and garlic to a paste, then add this together with the sugar, tapioca flour, baking soda, pepper, and fish sauce to the pork. Massage with your hands for about a minute so that the marinade is absorbed. Cover the bowl, refrigerate and leave to marinate for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if preferred.
Transfer the bowl of pork to the freezer for 15 minutes, then put the pork and every bit of its marinade into a food processor and blend until very fine and smooth. Add the pork fat and pulse just two or three times, until it is well mixed.
Put the pork mixture in the middle of one piece of banana leaf and with wet hands, shape it to make a fat roll about 8 in (20 cm) long. Lift the two ends of the banana leaf up (leaving the sides open for the moment) and fold over about 1¼ in (3 cm) on the top. Roll this down until the sausage is completely enclosed, then tuck in the sides. Put the roll on the second piece of banana leaf and repeat the rolling process, starting with the sealed side of the roll face down. Tie the double-wrapped roll loosely with string around the sides and ends (not too tightly as the sausage will swell during cooking).
Put the roll on a perforated disk or in a steamer set over a wok of boiling water, making sure the water does not touch the roll. Steam over boiling water for 2 hours, adding boiling water to the wok frequently to make sure it does not dry out. Leave the cool completely, then refrigerate until required.
The pork sausage is sliced thinly and served as a snack with pickles or tangy relish, or put inside French bread to make atypical Indochinese Sandwich (see below).
Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 1 hour + marinating 4 hours Cooking time: 2 hours
indochinese sandwich
This fantastic snack is found everywhere that the French left their wonderful bread. It's a flexible recipe, with variations within each country as well as between neighboring countries. You need small loaves of crusty bread (crisped over a charcoal brazier in Laos and Cambodia), a spread, a filling of one or two types of meat or pate, crunchy vegetables, and herbs to finish it all off. Below are some of the options so you can compose your own variation on an Indochinese theme.
(1) small French loaves or baguettes, halved lengthways
(2) a spread of either mashed boiled eggs (a Cambodian favorite), chicken liver pate, soft pork pate, Onion/Chili Spread (see right), butter or mayonnaise
(3) slices of pork sausage such as Steamed Pork Sausage (above), Chinese red-roasted pork (char siew), chicken sausage or pieces of cooked chicken
(4) freshly grated green papaya (or chayote/ choko) or sliced cucumber, plus shredded Long White Radish and Carrot Relish (page 178)
(5) fresh herbs such as coriander, mint, or spring onion
Onion/Chili Spread
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large red or brown onions, finely minced
2-4 teaspoons Roasted Thai Chili Paste (page 179)
¼ cup (60 ml) water
Heat the oil in a small saucepan and stir-fry the onion over low-medium heat until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the chili paste, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add the water, stir and continue cooking until the onion is very soft, about another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 1¼- 1½ hours
crispy rice cakes khao tong
One of the reasons I've never got around to buying a rice cooker is that I love to cook steamed rice until it forms a dry crust on the bottom of the pan. I sun-dry this the next day, then store it for frying into crisp, crunchy rice cakes which are perfect with all kinds of dips. Here's another way of making these rice cakes which may be easier if you happen to use a rice cooker, or if you don't have a steady supply of sunlight.
2 cups (400 g) uncooked long-grain rice
2 teaspoons oil
Serves: 8-10 Preparation time: 10 min
Drying time: 2 hours Cooking time: 45 min
Cook the rice in the usual way (page 19). You can now either use two frying pans, each about 8½ in (22 cm) and preferably non-stick, or double your length of cooking time by doing the next stage of cooking in two batches. Assuming you are using two frying pans, put 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil in each. Heat the oil, then swirl it around to grease the pan over the sides and base, then tip out any excess oil and reserve.
Add half the rice to each greased frying pan. Grease a spatula with oil and press it down very firmly on the surface of the rice so that the grains stick together to make a compact cake. Put the frying pans over the lowest heat possible and cook for 10 minutes, pressing down on the surface of the rice several times. Slide the rice cake onto a large plate and invert it over the pan, so the rice cake goes back in with the cooked side facing up. Press down again on the top of the rice with your spatula and cook for another 10 minutes.
Slide each rice cake onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook in the oven set to the lowest possible heat until thoroughly dry, about 1½ hours to 2 hours. Cool the rice cake completely, then break up into chunks of about 2 in (5 cm). Store in an airtight container for several months.
To cook the rice cakes, heat vegetable oil for deep-frying in a wok until very hot. Add 2 or 3 rice cakes at a time and cook until puffed up and golden brown on both sides; this should take less than a minute. Drain on paper towel and serve with any kind of dip, or simply sprinkle with a little salt and a few crushed dried chili flakes.
tangy marinated fish roll-ups goi ca
With its intriguing balance of flavors and textures, this is one of the most refreshing appetizers I've come across. But be warned: it really gets the appetite going, so be sure you have plenty of other food to follow. Strips offish are "cooked" in vinegar, then combined with onions, herbs, crunchy peanuts, and deep-fried shallots. Look for the freshest whole fish you can find (don't buy fillets unless you're absolutely sure of their freshness). If you want to try the Vietnamese version, wrap everything up in a rice paper, or go the Laotian way and use lettuce leaves.
10-1 3 oz (300-400 g) fresh white fish fillets (grouper, whiting, or other fine-fleshed fish)
1 cup (250 ml) rice vinegar
1 red or brown onion, halved and very thinly sliced
4 teaspoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaped tablespoon finely minced mint I heaped tablespoon finely minced polygon-um (long-stemmed Vietnamese mint)
1 fresh red chili, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons crushed dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon crisp-fried shallots
12-16 small rice papers, 5½-6½ in (14-16 cm) in diameter, or 12-16 soft lettuce leaves
2 under-ripe star fruit (carambola) or 2 green tomatoes, thinly sliced
Wash the fillets, dry thoroughly with paper towel, then cut into thin slices about ½ x 2 in (1x 5 cm). Put the fish in a bowl and pour over the vinegar. Stir and leave to marinate at room temperature for I hour.
After fish has been marinating 30 minutes, put the onion into a separate bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and 1 teaspoon of the salt, massaging the onion with your fingers. Marinate for 30 minutes.
When the fish has marinated I hour, transfer to a sieve and rinse briefly under running water. Drain well and pat the fish dry with paper towel, then put into a bowl. Squeeze the onion to remove as much liquid as possible, but do not rinse. Combine the onion, fish, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, herbs, chili, peanuts, and shallots, mixing well with your hand.
If using rice papers, dip them one at a time into a bowl of warm water for 3 to 4 seconds. Remove and place on a kitchen towel, smoothing them with your fingers. Add some of the fish mixture to each rice paper (or lettuce leaf), roll up to form a cigar shape, and put on a serving plate. Garnish with star fruit or green tomato.
Serves: 4-6 Marinating: 1 hour Preparation time: 1O min
lacy malay pancakes roti jala
In the old days, Malay cooks used to make these lacy pancakes by putting their hand in the batter and then swirling it over the frying pan, letting the batter dribble down their fingers. Then sophistication struck and the roti Jala cup was born, a cup-like funnel with four spouts. You could use a regular kitchen funnel, or a Japanese soy sauce dispenser to get the appropriate lacy look to these pancakes, which are fabulous for mopping up curry gravy.
1½ cups (185 g) plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2½ cups (560 ml) coconut milk or fresh milk
vegetable oil for greasing pan
roti jala cup or kitchen funnel
Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt and eggs. Add the coconut or fresh milk gradually, stirring to make a smooth batter.
Lightly grease a frying pan, preferably non-stick, with a little oil. Hold a roti jala cup, a Japanese soy sauce dispenser with a narrow hole, or a regular kitchen funnel with the end partly closed with one finger to let through a thin stream of batter, over the frying pan. Use the other hand to pour in about ¼ cup of the batter, swirling the cup or funnel rapidly in circles over the pan to make a lacy pattern as the batter goes in. Allow the pancake to set on top, then turn over and cook for another 30 seconds. Use a spatula to fold the pancake in half, then half again, and transfer to a plate. Continue, greasing the pan after each pancake, until all the batter has been used up. If the batter thickens towards the end, add a little more milk. Serve with any curry.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 7 min Cooking time: 40 mins
prawn satay satay kung
Satay — skewers of seasoned meat, poultry, or seafood grilled to perfection over charcoal — is most commonly associated with Malaysia and Indonesia, but the Thais also prepare some amazingly good satay in the south. In this version, the natural sweetness of prawns is accentuated by the marinade of coconut cream, galangal, lemon grass, and spices. You could eat these with a peanut dipping sauce, but I think a squeeze of lime or lemon juice is all that's needed (and it's fat-free as well).
4 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh galangal
2 stems lemon grass, tender inner part of bottom 3 in (8 cm) only, thinly sliced
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup (125 ml) coconut cream
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 lb (1 kg) large or medium raw prawns, peeled and deveined, leaving head and tail intact
bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large lime or lemon, quartered
Put the coriander and cumin seeds in spice grinder and process until fine. Add galangal, lemon grass, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon of the coconut cream and process to a smooth paste.
Transfer the spice paste to a bowl and stir in the remaining coconut cream and water, mixing to make a smooth marinade. Add prawns and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature minimum 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Grease the grill of a barbecue or broiler with oil. Heat until very hot. Thread a prawn horizontally onto each skewer, then cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 minutes; check to see if prawns are cooked. Serve accompanied by lime wedges.
Serves: 4-6 Makes: about 20 sticks Preparation time: 12 min Cooking time: 5 min
deep-fried thai prawn or fish cakes tod man kung/pla
If you've ever visited any of the coastal areas of Thailand, you're sure to have encountered this popular street snack, fried on the spot for you at food stalls. Tod Man Kung (or Tod Man Pla, if you're using fish) has a characteristic springy texture, and is wonderfully flavored with kaffir lime, curry paste, and fish sauce. Serve the prawn or fish cakes with Thai sweet chili sauce, which you buy off the shelf at most supermarkets.
2 lb (1 kg) fresh prawns, peeled and de-veined, or 1¼ lb (600 g) boneless white fish fillet, skinned and cubed
3-4 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (page 164)
2 tablespoons cornflour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 egg white
2-3 string beans, very finely sliced, optional
4 kaffir lime leaves, cut in hair-like shreds, or 2 spring onions, finely minced
2 medium ripe tomatoes
½ large or 1 small cucumber
vegetable oil for deep frying
Thai sweet chili sauce to serve
Put the prawns or fish into a food processor, add the curry paste, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, fish sauce, and egg white, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the long beans and kaffir lime leaves.
Wet your hands and shape about ¼ cup of the prawn or fish mixture into a ball. Flatten it slightly to make a circle about ¾ in (2 cm) thick. Put on a plate and continue until all the mixture is used up.
Slice the tomatoes. Rake the cucumber lengthways with a fork to score the skin, then slice thinly. Arrange tomato and cucumber in alternating slices around the edge of a serving dish.
Heat oil in a wok. When it is hot, add a few prawn or fish cakes at a time and deep fry until cooked, turning so they turn golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel and transfer to the serving dish.
Serves: 6-8 Makes: about 8 large pieces or 24 bite-sized pieces
Preparation time: 25 min Cooking time: 15 min
sweet corn fritters tod man khao phod
I thought sweet corn fritters were as American as apple pie until I came across an excellent Thai version in the southern city of Nakkorn Si Thammarat. Fresh sweet corn kernels are mixed in a batter with Thai curry paste, soy sauce, and fish sauce — and what a superb difference those seasonings make. If you can't get fresh sweet corn, you could use defrosted sweet corn kernels, but avoid the canned version as the texture is disappointingly limp. These tasty fritters are ideal as a snack or appetizer, or you could just as easily serve them as part of a main meal.
4 tablespoons plain flour
4 tablespoons rice flour
1½-2 tablespoon red curry paste or curry powder
1 tablespoon fish sauce
tablespoon light soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 cups (400 g) raw sweet corn kernels (cut from 3-4 corn cobs) or defrosted sweet corn kernels
vegetable oil for shallow-frying
Put both lots of flour, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, and salt in a bowl and stir in the eggs, mixing well. Add the sweet corn kernels and stir; if the batter seems to dry, add I to 2 tablespoons water.
Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan by about ¼ in (0.5 cm). Drop in about 2 heaped tablespoons of the corn mixture, pressing lightly with a spatula to flatten it into a round cake (or make tiny fritters from about 2 teaspoons of batter if serving as finger food). Fry the fritters over medium heat, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towel and serve warm or at room temperature. These sweet corn fritters go very well with Vinegared Cucumber Salad (page 182).
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 7 min Cooking time: 5 min
happy pancakes with pork & prawns bahn khoai
This is one of several types of savory pancake sold by street vendors and market stalls "in Vietnam. In line with the Vietnamese passion for fresh flavors, the pancakes are eaten with lettuce and herbs, with Salted Soybean & Peanut Dip drizzled over (but they're just as good with the ubiquitous Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip). The pancakes are usually prepared from scratch for each person in Vietnam, but I find it's quicker to cook all the pork and prawn filling in advance when you're serving pancakes for several people.
½ lb (250 g) lean pork, shredded
1 lb (500 g) small to medium fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (preferably Shao Hsing), optional
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 spring onions, green and white portions separated, minced
2 cups (320 g) rice flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caster sugar
¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
2¼ cups (560 ml) water
3 large eggs
3 cups (250 g) bean sprouts, washed and drained
1 red or brown onion, halved and sliced very thinly across
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
Accompaniments
2 whole butter lettuce, leaves washed and dried
1 cup firmly packed mint leaves
1 cup firmly packed coriander leaves
2 small star fruit or 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced across
Salted Soybean, Pork & Peanut Sauce (page 178) or Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dip (page 175)
Put the pork and prawns in a bowl and add the fish sauce, garlic, rice wine, pepper, and the white portion of spring onions. Mix well with your fingers and set aside.
Combine the rice flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric in a bowl and gradually stir in the water to make a very thin batter. Put the eggs in a bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Set near the stove.
Prepare the Accompaniments. Arrange the lettuce leaves, mint, coriander, and star fruit on a serving platter. Divide the dip between four to eight small bowls.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok. When hot, add the pork and prawn mixture and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and divide into eight portions. Put the green portion of spring onions, bean sprouts, and onion in a bowl and gently toss with your fingers, then add to the portions of pork and prawn.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan, preferably cast-iron or non-stick, swirling it around to completely grease the base and sides. Tip out the excess oil and save it for greasing the pan next time. Re-heat the pan and when very hot, stir the batter, then measure ⅓ cup and pour it quickly into the frying pan, tilting the pan so that it spreads over the bottom; don't worry if there are a few small gaps. Scatter over one portion of the pork, prawn, and bean sprout mixture. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Uncover the pan and drizzle over about 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg, filling in any gaps that might have been left in the pancake. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for about 1 minute, to make sure the bottom is crispy, then fold the pancake in half and transfer to a serving plate (see Note). Repeat, adding oil to the pan and stirring the batter each time until you have made eight pancakes. Serve with the Accompaniments and dip. The pancakes are normally broken into pieces and tucked in a lettuce leaf with the herbs, a slice or two of star fruit or cucumber and a dollop of sauce, then rolled up and eaten.
Note: Ideally, each pancake should be served immediately and eaten while still hot and crisp. A frying pan set on tabletop burner would be ideal, saving you from running back to the kitchen repeatedly; alternatively, you could use two frying pans and cook two pancakes at the same time to speed things up.
Serves: 4-8 Makes: about 8 pieces using a 8½-in (22-cm) frying pan
Preparation time: 20 min Cooking time: 40 min
thai tuna carpaccio
Wafer-thin slices of beef marinated in lime juice and seasonings can be found in northern Thailand but in this modern variation, fresh tuna replaces the beef and is marinated not only with lime juice but olive oil, like the well-known Italian beef carpaccio. All you need for this recipe is spanking fresh tuna, lime juice, olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and fresh coriander leaf. It's amazingly easy to prepare, and bound to be a success as a part of either a Southeast Asian or Western meal.
½ cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 ml) lime or lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 oz (400 g) sashimi-quality fresh tuna, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh coriander leaf
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, fish sauce, and black pepper in a small bowl, whisking to blend. Pour half of the dressing onto a flat plate large enough to hold tuna slices in one layer. Arrange the tuna on top of the dressing, then spoon the remaining dressing over the top. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.
Transfer the tuna slices to a serving plate, sprinkling with fresh coriander leaf.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 8 min
mussels with lemon grass, lime leaves & basil hoy mangpoo ob mordin
This is quite the most delicious way of preparing mussels you'll ever try. The fragrance of kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and Asian basil totally transforms the mussels, which are briefly simmered in the herb-seasoned stock and eaten with sweet Thai chili sauce. The mussels can be served with rice and also make a perfect first course for a Western meal, served with crusty French bread and a good Sauvignon Blanc.
3 cups (750 ml) water
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 stems lemon grass, bottom 6½ in (16 cm) only, bruised and cut in 4 pieces
1 teaspoon salt
2 lb (1 kg) mussels, preferably green-lipped variety, scrubbed to remove grit, washed and drained
1-2 large red chilies, sliced
½ cup firmly packed Asian basil sprigs
sweet Thai chili sauce
Put the water into a wok or large saucepan and add the kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and salt. Bring to the boil, lower heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and continue simmering, stirring frequently, removing each mussel immediately the shell opens and transferring it to a serving bowl. Discard any mussels which do not open.
Pour the stock through a cloth-lined sieve. Put 2 cups of the strained stock back into the wok and bring to the boil. Add the chilies and basil and simmer uncovered for 1 minute.
Pour the stock over the mussels and serve with sweet Thai chili sauce as a dipping sauce.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 8 mins
fresh summer rolls goi cuon
The Vietnamese are famous for their superb rolls, the savory fillings wrapped in wafer-thin rice papers or tucked up in freshly steamed rice crêpes. There's no denying that you need time to prepare this recipe. I once spent over an hour making Summer Rolls for a party of about 50 in France, and swore I'd never do it again. But when they were devoured in preference to other elegant French appetizers, I was ready to make them all over again for the next party. You could serve the rolls as a starter at dinner, or as finger food for parties.
½ cup (125 ml) wate
¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
4 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (preferably Shao Hsing)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
8 medium-sized raw prawns (about ½ lb or 250 g), or 16-20 if using small rice papers
10 oz (300 g) pork loin or fillet, in one piece
8 large Vietnamese rice papers (about 8 in or 20 cm diameter), or 16-20 small rice papers (6½ in or 16 cm diameter)
8 lettuce leaves
1 cup (80 g) bean sprouts
1½ oz (50 g) rice vermicelli, soaked, soaked in hot water to soften, cut in 2 in (5 cm) lengths
½ cup loosely packed mint leaves
½ cup loosely packed coriander leaves
½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves (optional)
small bunch garlic chives or spring onions, cut in 4-5 in (10-12 cm) lengths (optional)
Bring the water, vinegar, wine, and fish sauce to the boil in a small pan. Add the prawns and simmer until just cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the prawns, leaving the liquid in the pan. When prawns are cool, peel, devein, and cut in half lengthways.
Put the pork in the reserved liquid in the pan, adding just enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently until tender, about 10 minutes for fillet and 25 minutes for loin. Drain, discarding the liquid. When the pork is cool, shred finely.
Shortly before serving, set a bowl of warm water and a kitchen towel on a bench. Dip a rice paper in the water for 3 to 4 seconds, remove and place on the towel. Smooth the rice paper with your fingers. Repeat with another three rice papers.
Put a lettuce leaf across the center of each of the soaked rice papers and add 2 prawn halves. Spread over some of the pork, bean sprouts, vermicelli, mint, basil, and coriander. Lay two lengths of garlic chives across the top.
Roll up the rice paper, tucking in the edges to make a cigar shape and completely enclose filling. Alternatively you could leave one side open, so that the garlic chives stick out and look more decorative. Repeat with the remaining rice papers. Serve whole if using small rice papers, or cut diagonally in three bite-sized portions if using large rice papers.
Makes: 8 large or 16-20 small rolls Preparation time: 35 min Cooking time: 15-30 min
fragrant grilled chicken wings slob mouan kroeung
The first night I investigated a cluster of food stalls in Siem Reap in Cambodia, the kerosene lighting was so dim that I wasn't quite sure what I was ordering. Luckily, I chanced upon these succulent chicken wings, marinated in a delightful blend of lemon grass, galangal, chilies, fish sauce, and other seasonings. These make ideal finger food (don't forget the paper napkins as they're quite sticky), and the marinade could even be used for a whole chicken, oven-roasted in the usual Western style.
2 lb (1 kg) chicken wings, pricked all over with a fork
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil for brushing
Marinade
2 stems lemon grass, tender inner part of bottom 3 in (8 cm) only, thinly sliced
2 shallots, minced
2 large red chilies, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground galangal
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Prepare the Marinade. Process the lemon grass, shallots, chilies, garlic, and galangal until finely ground, adding a little of the oil if needed to keep the mixture turning. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the rest of the Marinade ingredients. Add the chicken wings to the Marinade, mixing well with your hand to ensure the wings are evenly coated. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.
Brush a barbecue or gas grill or broiler with oil and heat. Grill the chicken wings over moderate heat, turning several times until they turn golden brown and crisp all over, about 15 to 20 minutes. Brush a couple of times with oil during the cooking. Drain on paper towel and serve warm. If preferred, cook the chicken wings on a rack set inside a baking dish in a hot oven (about 500°F or 220°C) for 15 minutes, then turn the wings and continue cooking until they are done, another 10 to 15 minutes.
Note: It's a good idea to prepare a double batch of these chicken wings, and deep-freeze half of them after marinating. Let the wings thaw to room temperature before grilling.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 30 min
leaf-wrapped savory nibbles miangkham
This delightful appetizer (the whole of which is definitely greater than the sum of its parts) is normally made using wild pepper leaves (cha plu in Thai, bo la lot in Vietnam). Don't worry if you have to substitute these with lettuce — the unexpectedly piquant flavors and contrasting textures of the filling still taste great. There's a fair amount of preparation, but this can be done in advance and at the last minute, all you need do is arrange the ingredients decoratively and serve.
6 shallots, finely minced
4 in (10 cm) young ginger, minced
½ cup (75 g) dry-roasted peanuts, skinned
½ cup (50 g) dried prawns, soaked in water to soften, minced
3 tablespoons Crisp-fried Garlic (page 17)
1 large lemon, skin washed and dried, skin and flesh finely diced, seeds discarded
8-10 red or green bird's eye chilies, chopped, or 1-2 large red or green chilies, minced
½ cup (50 g) freshly grated or desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry wok until golden brown
wild pepper leaves or butter lettuce leaves
Sauce
3 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoons dried prawns, soaked in warm water to soften
3 tablespoons freshly grated or desiccated coconut
3 shallots, minced
1 stem lemon grass, tender inner part of bottom 3 in (8 cm) only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon finely minced galangal
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste, toasted
1¼ cups (300 ml) water
⅓ cup (60 g) finely minced palm sugar
½-1 teaspoon salt
Prepare the Sauce first. Process the peanuts to a fine powder in a spice grinder, then transfer to a saucepan. Do the same for the prawns, and then again for the coconut. Add the shallots, lemon grass, ginger, galangal, and shrimp paste and process to a smooth paste, adding a little of the water if needed to keep mixture turning.
Transfer the paste to the saucepan and add water, palm sugar, and salt. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until the Sauce thickens and is reduced to about ¾ cup, around 15 minutes. Leave to cool, then transfer to four small serving bowls.
Arrange separate piles of shallots, ginger, peanuts, dried prawns, garlic, lemon, chilies, and coconut on a large serving dish. (If you like, you can prepare these ingredients in advance and keep them in covered containers for about an hour, although it is best to cut the lemon just before serving.)
Arrange the wild pepper or lettuce leaves on a plate and serve with the filling ingredients. Everyone adds a little of the ingredients, then spoons over some of the Sauce, before tucking up the leaf and eating (usually with sighs of pleasure).
Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 45 min Cooking time: 10 min
straw mushroom soup with lemon grass & chili tom yum tied
Straw mushrooms, which have a firm yet slippery texture, are grown on a large scale in Thailand and have a wonderful woodsy perfume. They're excellent in this hot sour soup, which uses freshly made vegetable stock, although you could substitute this with chicken stock (preferably home-made) if you prefer. If you can't get fresh straw mushrooms, try the canned variety or use fresh button mushrooms.
1-2 tablespoons Roasted Thai Chili Paste (page 179)
1 stem lemon grass, bottom 7 in (18 cm) only, bruised and cut in 4-5 pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
4 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3½ oz (100 g) fresh straw mushrooms, halved if large
1 medium ripe tomato, quartered
2-3 bird's-eye chilies, lightly bruised
sprigs of coriander leaf to garnish
Vegetable Stock
5 cups (1.25 liters) water
1 medium onion, minced
1 large carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 whole coriander plant including roots, minced
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Make the Vegetable Stock by combining the water, onion, carrot, celery, coriander, and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer until the liquid has reduced to 3½ cups, about 30 minutes.
Strain the vegetable stock in a medium saucepan, or if using chicken stock, put in 3½ cups (875 ml). Stir in the chili paste, lemon grass, and lime leaves. Bring to the boil, lower heat, and simmer uncovered 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, tomato, and chilies. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until mushrooms are cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. If using canned mushrooms, simmer 3 minutes.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander sprigs. Serve hot with steamed rice and other dishes.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 40 min
creamy pumpkin soup gaeng Han fak thong
This easy and delicious soup is a Thai recipe, but I've enjoyed similar soups in both Laos and Cambodia. I'm not sure of the reason, but this soup is recommended "for nursing mothers and children." However, I've found that everyone loves it. Do try to find Asian basil, which has a marvelous aniseed flavor lacking in sweet European basil.
2 tablespoons dried prawns, soaked in hot water to soften
½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste, toasted
3 shallots, minced
1-2 large red or green chilies, sliced (some seeds removed if desired)
3 cups (750 ml) thin coconut milk
10 oz (300 g) butternut, kabocha, or other brightly colored pumpkin, peeled and diced
¼ cup (60 ml) coconut cream
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ cup Asian basil leaves
Process the prawns to a powder in a spice grinder, then add the shrimp paste, shallots, and chilies. Process to a smooth paste, adding a little of the thin coconut milk if needed to keep the mixture turning. Transfer to a saucepan and stir in the coconut milk. Bring to the boil over medium heat and stir constantly, Add the pumpkin pieces and simmer with the pan uncovered until are soft. Add the coconut cream and fish sauce, stirring gently for about 1 minute. Add the basil leaves and serve immediately.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 15 min
spinach soup with sweet corn sayur bayam
When I lived in Central Java in the mid-1 970s, our cook, 'Bu Hardi, often prepared this delicious soup. I think it's nicest with English spinach, but I sometimes use amaranth (also called Chinese spinach); you could even substitute silver beet (Swiss chard) or Chinese flowering cabbage. Indonesians always use large chunks of sweet corn on the cob, but it's easier to eat if you add fresh or frozen corn kernels. Do try to find salam leaf for that distinctive Javanese flavor.
3 cups (750 g) chicken stock
3 shallots, thinly sliced
½ in (1 cm) sliced galangal, lightly bruised
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 fresh or dried salam leaf
1 teaspoon finely minced palm sugar
1 cup (125 g) fresh or defrosted sweet corn kernels
10 oz (300 g) English spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
salt to taste
Put the stock, shallots, galangal, garlic, turmeric, doun salam, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, then add the sweet corn, and simmer the pan partially covered until the corn is tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer until it is tender, Add salt to taste and serve hot with rice and other dishes.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 15 min
sour mixed vegetable soup with peanuts sayur asam
When I first tried this popular West Javanese soup, I was intrigued by the spray of red-skinned oval nuts and leaves floating in it. As I've subsequently learned, melinjo nuts, and leaves are hard to find outside of Indonesia, but even without these, this mixture of vegetables and peanuts in sour broth tastes really great. D o try, however, to find fresh or dried salam leaves, which really make a difference to the flavor.
¼ cup (40 g) raw peanuts
½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste, toasted
6 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 large red chili, seeded and sliced
4 thick slices galangal, bruised
2 fresh or dried salam leaves
4 cups (1 liter) light chicken or beef stock
7 oz (200 g) minced cabbage
1 small zucchini or chayote (choko), peeled and diced
3½ oz (100 g) green beans, cut in short lengths
2-3 tablespoons tamarind pulp, soaked in ½ cup warm water, squeezed and strained to obtain juice
minced palm or soft brown sugar to taste salt to taste
Put the peanuts in a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Put the shrimp paste into a saucepan with the shallots, garlic, chili, galangal, salam leaves, and stock. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add the peanuts and vegetables and return to the boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tamarind juice and simmer for about 1 minute. Add sugar and salt to taste; if you prefer a really sour soup, sugar will not be necessary. Remove galangal and salam leaves, then transfer to a serving bowl and serve with steamed rice; this is particularly good with grilled fish or poultry.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 20 min
chicken & coconut milk soup gaeng tom kha gai
In Thailand, this wonderfully creamy soup is often served in an unglazed terracotta pot with a curved bottom, placed on a charcoal brazier to keep it warm throughout the meal. The galangal, lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves give a heavenly fragrance, and as there are only a few bruised chilies, the flavor is fairly mild. Serve with rice and Simple Thai Fish Sauce & Chili Dip, which lets you intensify the heat as much as you like.
5 cups (1.25 ml) thin coconut milk
2 in (5 cm) galangal, bruised and thickly sliced
4 stems lemon grass, bottom 7 in (18 cm) only, bruised and cut in 4-5 pieces
1½ lb (750 g) chicken pieces, cut through the bone into bite-sized pieces, or I lb (500 g) boneless breast or thigh fillet
½ cup (125 ml) thick coconut milk
¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice
¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
4-6 red or green bird's-eye chilies, bruised
sprigs of coriander leaf
Simple Thai Fish Sauce & Chili Dip (page 175)
Put the thin coconut milk, galangal, and lemon grass into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring frequently. Simmer gently with the pan uncovered for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and simmer gently, uncovered, until the chicken is tender.
Add the thick coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, lime leaves and chilies and bring almost to the boil, stirring. Transfer to a large bowl and garnish with coriander. Serve with the Simple Thai Fish Sauce & Chili Dip in separate bowls and allow everyone to add according to taste.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 min Cooking time: 20 min
chicken soup with lime, chilies & basil s'ngao muon
If you're looking for a tangy soup as a foil to rich food (such as seafood or meat cooked in coconut milk, or fried fish or meat), this clear chicken soup is just the thing. It has lots of lime juice and Asian basil, with a few hot chilies for extra zing. You can make it in advance, and re-heat just before serving. (Incidentally, I find it intriguing that the name for this type of sour Cambodian soup, S'ngao, is almost the same as the Filipino equivalent, which is called Sinigang.)
1 lb (500 g) chicken pieces (breast and thigh), skinned but left whole wit h the bones still intact
6 cups (1.5 liters) water
2 stems lemon grass, botto m 7 in (18 cm), bruised and cut in 3-4 pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2-4 red or green bird's-eye chilies, bruised
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
salt to taste
3-4 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup loosely packed Asian basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Put the chicken, water, lemon grass, garlic, chilies, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Partially cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, removing any scum that rises to the surface. Cover the pan completely and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked, 25 to 30 minutes.
When the chicken is cooked, leave it in the stock until cool enough to handle (if you're in a hurry, you can remove it from the stock to cool). Remove the lemon grass pieces from the stock and discard. Shred the chicken meat, then return it to the stock. If you're preparing the soup well in advance, cool, then refrigerate the soup until required.
Shortly before serving, heat the soup, add the fish sauce, salt, and lime juice to taste, then add the basil. Stir and immediately transfer to a serving bowl.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 min Cooking time: 30 min
spicy beef soup tom yam neua
A Thai girlfriend taught me how to make this soup back in the early days when I was just beginning to learn about Thai food and thought that soups began and ended with the ubiquitous Tom Yam Kung, the hot sour soup made with prawns. I think this beef soup — which has similar seasonings — is just as good, and in areas where prawns are expensive or hard to find, an excellent alternative. Saw-tooth coriander looks like a wide blade of grass with serrated edges; if you can't find it, regular coriander leaf is fine.
4 cups (1 liter) water
2 stems lemon grass, bottom 7 in (18 cm) only, bruised and cut in 4-5 pieces
1¼ in (3 cm) galangal, thinly sliced
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
