TOM YAM KUNG

TOM YAM KUNG
INGREDIENTS :
· Chicken stock 2 cups
· Fresh mushrooms, quartered 5 oz.
· Fish sauce 4 - 5 tbsp.
· Fresh prawns, peeled 8 oz.
· Kaffir lime leaves 2 leaves
· Bird's eye chili peppers 4 whole
· Fresh coriander leaves 4 sprigs
· Fresh lemon grass, sliced thin 3 tbsp.
· Fresh lime juice 5 - 7 tbsp. (2 servings)
1. In a pot, bring to the boil the chicken stock, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.
2. Allow the stock with the herbs to boil for one minute to allow the herbs to impart their scent to the stock. Add fresh mushrooms and boil until done (one minute).
3. While the liquid is still boiling add the prawns and season with fish sauce and lime juice. Garnish with bird's eye chili peppers and coriander leaves, serve immediately. Do not over cook the prawns, once the prawns turn white, turn off the heat.
Tips
Both lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves are available in Asian grocery stores the world over. They are usually dried then exported so rehydrate them before using. Tom yum kung is a well known dish. It has a delicate flavor, so when you season the soup, add the lime juice last and a little at a time, tasting the soup as you season. Should you add too much to the soup it cannot be corrected, hence make lime juice the last flavoring ingredient.

PAD THAI

INGREDIENTS :
· Vegetable oil 1/3 cup
· Garlic, chopped 1 tbsp.
· Pressed beancurd, sliced into small pieces 1/4 cup
· Prawns, fresh and peeled 6 oz
· Chanburi rice linguini, soaked in water and drained 2 cups (packed)
· Fish sauce 1 - 2 tbsp.
· Coconut sugar 1 - 2 tsp.
· Unsalted, toasted peanuts, chopped 2 tbsp.
· Thai chili flakes (prik pon) 1 tsp.
· White vinegar or tamarind pulp juice 1 - 2 tbsp.
· Bean sprouts, roots picked 1 cup
GARNISHES :
· Omelet julienne 1
· Fresh red spur chili peppers, julienne 1 tbsp.
· Spring onion, julienne 1 tbsp.
· Fresh lime wedges 2 (2 servings)
1. For best results, this dish should be cooked in a wok, Prepare all your ingredients in advance and have them ready beside you. Heat up the oil in a wok until almost smoking.
2. Add the chopped garlic and pressed beancurd to the wok. Stirfry until cooked but not browned; add the prawns and stir quickly.
3. Prawns cook very fast so do not over cook them. Once the prawns are slightly white add the flat thin rice noodle from Chanburi province. This noodle has to be soaked in water to make it pliable but not soggy, and drained before use.
4. While stirfrying the noodles, season this dish with fish sauce, coconut sugar, chili flakes and vinegar. The liquid from the prawns and seasoning sauces will make the noodle soft yet " al dente" . Add peanuts and toss to mix well.
5. Finally add the bean sprouts and quickly toss in the hot wok to warm them up but do not over cook them. Garnish the dish on top with a julienne thin omelet, red spur chili peppers and julienne spring onions with a few fresh bean sprouts and a lime wedge on the side.
Tips
This dish is very famous in Thailand and the world over. It's a great lunch item and our national pasta dish. Chanburi noodles are easily found in most Asian grocery stores, they come dry packed in a bundle wrapped in plastic. Ask your Thai or Asian grocer for phat thai noodles. Eating and seasoning tips: Westerners usually season their pasta dishes with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese but each phat thai dish is seasoned by the diner with fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, lime juice for sourness, chili flakes for spiciness and peanuts for crunchiness.

PAPAYA SALAD

INGREDIENTS :
· Carrots or raw papaya or · cabbage or cucumber, shredded 2 cups · Fresh bird's eye chili peppers, bruised 8 · Unsalted, toasted peanuts, · oarsely ground 4 tbsp. · Dry shrimps, ground 5 - 6 tsp. (4 servings)


SALAD DRESSING :
· Fish sauce 1/4 cup · Brown sugar 1/2 cup · Lime juice 1/2 cup · Garlic chopped 2 cloves
1. To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
2. Grate the carrots or any of the vegetables mentioned above, rinse in cold water and drain well.
3. Toss the salad with the salad dressing adding the creshed bird's eye chili peppers should your salad spicy. Add a teaspoon of the peanuts and ground shrimps and toss thoroughly.
4. Plate the salad and garnish with ground peanuts and ground shrimps.

Tips
Som tam became famous during the Vietnam war when American G.l'.s came to Thailand for R and R and were introduced to this salad from the North East. Raw papaya is difficult to get in some countries so we suggest you use carrots or cabbage instead. It is recommended that once this salad is tossed it should be eaten immediately since Thai salad dressings do not have oils which help salads stay fresh longer.

Do you know that the flesh and oil from papaya is used to make meat tenderizers? NO wonder it helps your digestion.