THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK (17 page)

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced

Sticky rice, cooked according to package directions

1. Place the papaya on a sheet pan and sprinkle it with salt. Let the papaya stand for 30 minutes. Pour off any juice and then squeeze the fruit with your hands to extract as much fluid as possible. Place the pulp of the papaya in a large food processor.
   
2. Add the chilies and pulse briefly to combine. Add the remaining ingredients except the tomato and pulse again until mixed.
   
3. Transfer the papaya mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with tomato slices. Serve with sticky rice.
   

6 cups assorted melon cubes

2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced

6–8 tablespoons lime juice

Zest of 1 lime

¼ cup honey

1 serrano chili, seeded and minced (for a hotter salad, leave the seeds in)

¼ teaspoon salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melon and the cucumber.
   
2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the fruit and toss well to coat.
   
3. Serve immediately, or if you like a zestier flavor, let the salad sit for up to 2 hours to allow the chili flavor to develop.
   

1 cup julienned jicama

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

2–3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 recipe Coconut Marinade (see recipe on page 14)

Place the jicama, cucumber, and basil in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the vegetables and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Jicama

Jicama is indigenous to the Americas and looks like a big brown, rather unappetizing, root. But beneath the ugly skin is a light, crunchy vegetable with a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of apple.

1 20-ounce can of bamboo shoots, shredded, liquid reserved

Juice of ½ lime

1 teaspoon ground dried chili pepper

2 green onions, sliced

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons finely crushed peanuts, divided

Sticky rice, cooked according to package directions

1. Place the shredded bamboo shoots and approximately ¼ cup (half) of the reserved bamboo liquid in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
2. Stir in the lime juice, chili pepper, green onions, fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts.
   
3. Serve with sticky rice, sprinkled with the remaining peanuts.
   

Meat Dishes

2 cans coconut milk, thick cream separated from the milk

¼ cup (or to taste) Green Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)

1½ pounds sirloin, cut into thin strips

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup fish sauce

1 pound eggplant (Japanese, Thai, or a combination), cut into ¼-inch slices

6 serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise

1 cup basil

1. Place the thick cream from the coconut milk and the curry paste in a large soup pot and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
   
2. Add the beef and the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Return the mixture to a simmer.
   
3. Add the sugar and the fish sauce, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
   
4. Add the eggplant and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
   
5. Add the serrano chilies and cook 1 minute more.
   
6. Remove from heat and stir in the basil.
   

Hot Stuff

Let your guests know that the chilies are hot and are not to be eaten by the faint of heart. They add plenty of heat and flavor just being on the plate!

2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized cubes

1 large onion, chopped

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes

2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk

½–¾ cup prepared Massaman Curry Paste (see recipe on page 6)

½ cup brown sugar

7 tablespoons fish sauce

¼ cup Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18)

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the meat on all sides. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
   
2. Add enough water to just cover the meat and onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes.
   
3. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 15 more minutes. (The potatoes will not be quite cooked through at this point.)
   
4. Strain the solids from the broth, reserving both.
   
5. In another soup pot, combine the coconut milk with the curry paste until well blended. Bring the contents to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
   
6. Add the reserved meat and potato mixture, the sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add some of the reserved broth to thin the sauce to desired consistency.
   
7. Stir in the pineapple and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
   
8. To serve, place some Jasmine rice in the middle of individual serving plates and spoon the stew over the top. Garnish with the chopped peanuts.
   

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk

1 pound lean beef, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons (roughly) ground peanuts

1–3 tablespoons (to taste) fish sauce

Sugar to taste

1 green or red sweet pepper, seeded and cubed

¼ cup chopped basil

Rice, cooked according to package directions

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
   
2. Stir in the ½ cup of coconut milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the beef strips and poach for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the peanuts and continue to poach for an additional 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the fish sauce and sugar to taste; continue to cook until the mixture is almost dry, then add the sweet pepper and basil and cook for 5 more minutes.
   
5. Serve with rice.
   

Chili Varieties