Cucumber Salad Thai Style

This Thai cucumber salad recipe is EASY to make and brimming with the quintessential tastes of Thai cooking. It's one of my personal all-time favorite salads across any and all cuisines, and it takes only 10 minutes to prepare. Serve this unique and healthy salad as a side dish at dinner, or as a light and tasty lunch or snack. Also a great salad recipe for a party, BBQ, picnic, or potluck party, since it can be made as you're going out the door!

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber OR 2 field cucumbers (if using organic, leave the skin on; otherwise, wash well or peel it off)
• 1 shallot, minced (OR substitute 1/4 cup minced purple onion)
• 2 green (spring) onions, finely sliced
• 1 fresh red chili, de-seeded and minced fine, OR 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts
• DRESSING:
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (vegetarians: see alternate recipe link below)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 to 1+1/2 tsp. sugar, to taste

Preparation:

1. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise, then repeat with each half until you have a number of long strips. Now slice the other way to create bite-size rectangular chunks. Place in a salad bowl.
2. Add the shallot, green onion, chili/red pepper, and coriander to the salad bowl (keep back a little extra coriander for a garnish).
3. Combine the dressing ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve sugar. Taste-test it for sweet-sour balance, adding more sugar if it's too sour for your taste. Tip: Note that the dressing will taste quite salty and pungent now, but will be perfect once combined with the salad.
4. Pour dressing over the salad and toss well.
5. To serve, top with chopped peanuts, plus extra coriander. If desired, garnish with a slice of lime. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours.*

Tips:

• If serving this salad as the main course, add 1 cup cooked baby shrimp as a protein source.
• Note that the longer this salad sits, the more liquid will gather at the bottom of the bowl or plate (juice from the cucumber). If you want to make it ahead of time, just be sure to re-toss the salad before serving. This salad is best eaten the same day you make it. ENJOY!

Fresh Spring Rolls Thai Style

This Thai recipe for fresh rolls is simple to put together, and can also be made vegetarian (see recipe instructions). Makes a great finger food for parties and potlucks, or serve as an appetizer or a main course offering (makes a perfect substitute for salad, but also includes enough protein for a complete meal). Fresh rolls are also a terrific snack for any time of the day or night. As a bonus, they're very healthy - low in both calories and fat, and naturally gluten-free. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• SERVES 4-6 as an appetizer
• 1 pkg. small, round rice wrappers (dried)
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups thin vermicelli rice noodles, cooked and run through with cold water, drained
• 3/4 to 1 cup cooked shrimp, OR 3/4 cup baked or fried tofu, or roasted chicken or turkey, cut into matchsticks
• 1-2 cups bean sprouts
• ½ cup fresh Thai basil or sweet basil, roughly chopped
• ½ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup shredded carrot
• 3-4 spring onions, cut into matchstick pieces
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce (or wheat-free soy sauce for gluten-free diets)
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (available at Asian foods stores) OR another Tbsp. soy sauce if vegetarian
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• Optional: TAMARIND DIPPING SAUCE:
• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp. tamarind paste
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (or wheat-free soy sauce for gluten-free diets)
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce OR vegetarian fish sauce (see above)
• 1 heaping tsp. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) dissolved in 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 green or red chili, finely sliced OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili or cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Set rice wrappers aside. In a cup, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce (if using) and sugar.
2. Place all other ingredients for the fresh rolls in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the soy sauce mixture over. Toss to mix.
3. Fill a large bowl with hot water (but not boiling, as you’ll be dipping your fingers into it). Start by submerging one wrapper into the water. It should soften after 30 seconds.
4. Remove the wrapper and place on a clean surface. Add another wrapper to the hot water as you fill and roll the first one.
5. Place a heaping tablespoon of roll ingredients toward the bottom of the wrapper. Spread out the ingredients horizontally (in the shape of a fresh roll).
6. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the ingredients, then bring up the bottom. Tuck the bottom around the ingrdients and roll to the top of the wrapper. To secure the roll: Wet it with a little water on your fingers and press (like sealing an envelope).
7. To serve, place your platter or bowl of rolls on the table along with the dipping sauce. Eat with your fingers and lots of napkins. Enjoy!

To make the Tamarind Dipping Sauce (optional): simply mix all dipping sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and heat.

When near boiling, reduce heat to low, stirring until sauce thickens.

Taste for saltiness, spiciness, and sweetness, adding more fish sauce (instead of salt), more sugar, or more chili as desired.

Note: the sauce can be served warm or cold. With fresh rolls, I personally prefer a warm sauce to contrast with the cool rolls)

Optional Rolling Instructions - to create a "bouquet" of spring rolls (like those pictured):simply leave one side of the spring roll open as you roll. Place closed end in the bottom of a bowl. Fill the rest of the bowl with spring rolls, so that they are standing up. (It's best if your bowl has steep sides. Also, make sure it isn't too large, or it will take a lot of spring rolls to fill it!)

Chicken Noodle Soup Thai Style

• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthways
• 2 fresh red birdseye chillies, deseeded, finely chopped
• 1 stem lemon grass, pale section only, bruised
• 1L (4 cups) chicken stock
• 2 (about 500g) single chicken breast fillets
• 1 x 400g pkt fresh thin rice noodles
• 80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 x 150g pkt baby spinach leaves
• 1/2cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves, to garnish Lime wedges, to serve

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chilli and lemon grass, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add stock. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Add chicken and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to a plate. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Coarsely shred chicken.

Step 2

Add the noodles to the stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until noodles are tender. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and chicken, and cook for a further 1 minute or until heated through.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the spinach and remove from heat. Refresh under cold running water. Drain well.

Step 4

Ladle the soup among serving bowls. Top with spinach and coriander. Serve immediately with lime wedges, if desired.

Shrimp and Pork Balls Thai Style

Ingredients

• 4 scallions, green and white parts, coarsely chopped
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 serrano or jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup tamari, plus 3 tablespoons, dark soy, found on the international aisle
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, a big handful
• 2 limes, zest and juice
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails removed
• 1 pound ground pork
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons water
• Toothpicks

Directions
In the bowl of a food processor combine the scallions, half of the ginger – grated or minced, half of the chopped chile pepper, garlic, 3 tablespoons tamari, cilantro and the lime zest. Pulse for 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl and then continue to process 1 minute or until finely ground. Add the shrimp and pork, process until the shrimp are ground into small pieces and the mixture is well combined but not so fine that it becomes a paste, about 1 minute. Roll the shrimp and pork mixture into to 24 balls, about the size of a large walnut. If you dip your hands in water before rolling the mixture the rolling goes a little easier.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet with 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the balls and don't move them until they are brown on 1 side, about 2 minutes. Turn the balls and continue to cook, browning on all sides until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

While the balls are cooking make the spicy lime dipping sauce: in a bowl combine the remaining ginger, chili pepper, 1/2 cup tamari, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, honey and 3 tablespoons (a splash) of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if you find it to be too salty, add another drizzle of honey.

Platter the shrimp and pork balls with a bowl of the spicy lime dipping sauce and toothpicks.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium pumpkin (about 1.2kg), eg buttercup, peeled and diced

2 cups water

400ml can coconut milk

1-2 fresh or dried chillies, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemongrass, minced, or ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp fish sauce

salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Coconut sambal:

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• big handful fresh coriander
• ½ cup roasted peanuts
• finely grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1 red chilli, minced
• ¼ cup thread coconut, toasted

Heat oil in a big pot and gently cook onion, sugar and garlic until softened (8-10 minutes). Add all other ingredients except fresh coriander and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Mash roughly, adjust seasonings to taste and mix through coriander. Garnish with coconut sambal.

To make coconut sambal, blend together garlic, coriander, roasted peanuts, lemon zest and chilli. Mix in toasted coconut. Store in fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Duck Breast on spicy Asian Glass Noodle Salad

4 servings, measures in metric

Duck Breast

• 2 duck breasts
• 100 ml of soy sauce
• 100 ml plum sauce
• 1 piece lemon grass
• 1 lime leaf
• 2 chilis (the small hot ones)
• 1 star anise
• 2g Laos pepper (alternatively black pepper)
• 20g honey
• Juice of half a lime

Preparation:

Cut the duck breasts’ skin deeply, without cutting into the breast meat below. Bring the soy sauce to boiling point briefly, add all the spices, the plum sauce and the honey and allow it to cool down. Keep the duck breasts for 2 days in the marinade, turn the meat from time to time. Then take out the meat, dry it off and fry it gently on the skin side for 5 – 7 minutes, turn and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Meat should be pink inside. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature.

Glass noodle salad

• 70 g fresh bean sprouts
• 5-10 fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 200 g of fine glass noodles
• 1 carrot
• Fresh bean sprouts
• 75g sugar snaps
• Coriander and Thai basil, fresh
• 1 ripe, aromatic, fiber-free Thai Mango
• Asian marinade – for glass noodle salad
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger
• 1 kaffir lime leaf
• 1 teaspoon pickled ginger
• 1 tablespoon of ginger juice (from picked ginger)
• Juice of 1 lime and its zest
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1-2 chilis (the small hot ones)
• 40 ml of light soy sauce
• 10-20 ml of sesame oil
• 10-20 ml of peanut oil

Preparation:

• Asian marinade

Sauté finely diced ginger and garlic in peanut oil. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will make the marinade bitter. Add kaffir lime leaf, pickled ginger, chilis (all the 3 ingredients very finely chopped), the sugar, and mix it well with lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger juice and the two oils.

• Glass noodle salad

For the salad, soak the noodles in very hot water for about 1 minute. Do not boil or cook!
Cut the mushrooms, the sugar snaps and the carrots into thin strips and fry all in hot peanut oil. Keep them “al-dente”. Add the bean sprouts for about 30 seconds and let it cool down a bit.
Cut the Mango into small strips and toss it with the cooled down vegetables, the marinade and the glass noodles. Let it sit briefly.

• Setting

Cut the duck breast into thin slices, and put it on the glass noodle salad. Decorate with seasonal sprouts or herbs.

Yellow Thai Curry with Mixed Vegetables

No need to use a store-bought or pre-made curry paste in this vegetarian yellow Thai curry, as this yellow curry is seasoned and colored with curry powder, turmeric and chili sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 potato, pre-cooked and chopped
• 2 carrots, pre-cooked and sliced
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 3 tbsp chili sauce
• 1/3 tsp salt

Preparation:

Bring the coconut milk and vegetable broth to a slow simmer. Add the potatoes and vegetables and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes.

Serve over rice if desired.