THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK (19 page)

Meats are graded prime, choice, and select. For dishes that cook quickly, like stir-fries, choose prime or choice. For slow-cooked dishes, like a braise, select meat will be just fine.

10–20 garlic cloves, mashed

2–2½ teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of all fat and cut into medallions about ¼-inch thick

¼ cup sweet black soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1. Place the garlic and the black pepper in a small food processor and process briefly to form a coarse paste; set aside.
   
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic-pepper paste and stir-fry until the garlic turns gold.
   
3. Raise the heat to high and add the pork medallions; stir-fry for 30 seconds.
   
4. Add the soy sauce and brown sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
   
5. Add the fish sauce and continue to cook until the pork is cooked through, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
   

Slicing Meat Paper Thin

To make thinly slicing meat easier, wrap the meat in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until it's very cold, but not frozen. Always use the sharpest knife possible.

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼–½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Olive oil

½ cup chicken, pork, or vegetable stock, or water

1. Place rack on bottom third of the oven, then preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
   
2. Combine the spices in a small bowl.
   
3. Rub each of the tenderloins with half of the spice mixture and a bit of olive oil. Place the tenderloins in a roasting pan and cook for 10 minutes.
   
4. Turn the tenderloins over and roast for 10 more minutes or until done to your liking.
   
5. Transfer the pork to a serving platter, cover with foil, and let rest.
   
6. Pour off any fat that has accumulated in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stovetop over high heat and add the stock (or water). Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any cookedon bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
7. To serve, slice the tenderloins into thin slices. Pour a bit of the sauce on top, passing more separately at the table.
   

3¼ cups water

2 cups uncooked long-grained rice

1 pound lean ground beef

3–4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon small dried chilies

2 green onions, trimmed and sliced

Fish sauce

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then stir in the rice. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Put the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl and let cool to room temperature.
   
3. Add the ground beef and soy sauce to the rice, mixing thoroughly. (I find using my hands works best.)
   
4. Divide the rice-beef mixture into 8 to 12 equal portions, depending on the size you prefer, and form them into loose balls. Wrap each ball in foil, making sure to seal them well.
   
5. Steam the rice balls for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.
   
6. While the rice is steaming, heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and the dried chilies and sauté until the garlic is golden. Transfer the garlic and the chilies to a paper towel to drain.
   
7. To serve, remove the rice packets from the foil, slightly smash them, and put on serving plates. Pass the garlic-chili mixture, the green onions, and the fish sauce separately to be used as condiments at the table.
   

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled

2 tablespoons flour

1½ cups water

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

1. Slice the tenderloin into medallions approximately ¼-inch thick. Place the medallions in a mixing bowl.
   
2. Combine the sugar, soy sauce, and 5-spice powder in a small bowl.
   
3. Pour the soy mixture over pork strips and toss the strips until thoroughly coated. Let marinate at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
   
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pork pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Reserve any leftover marinade.
   
5. Bake the pork for approximately 1 hour. The pork with be firm and rather dry, but not burned. It will also have a reddish color.
   
6. Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat and add the peeled egg, rolling it in the sauce to color it. Remove the egg and set it aside. When cool enough to handle, slice it into thin pieces.
   
7. Combine the flour and water, and add it to the marinade. Bring to a boil to thicken, then remove from heat.
   
8. Add the vinegar and the sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning by adding additional sugar and/or soy sauce.
   
9. To serve, place some Jasmine rice in the center of each plate. Fan a few pieces of the pork around 1 side of the rice. Fan some cucumber slices and sliced hard-boiled egg around the other side. Spoon some of the sauce over the pork and sprinkle with the green onion slices.
   

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup fish sauce

½ cup dark soy sauce

½ cup chopped lemongrass stalks (inner white portion only)

¼ cup whiskey

¼ cup chopped shallots

¼ cup minced garlic

¼ cup coconut milk

3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound lean pork, cut into bite-sized pieces

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemongrass, whiskey, shallots, and garlic. Over medium heat, bring to a boil and cook until the mixture is reduced by half. Remove the marinade from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Stir in the coconut milk, sesame oil, and cayenne pepper.
   
2. Place the pork and the marinade in a large Ziplock bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
   
3. Drain the meat, reserving the marinade. Thread the meat onto metal skewers (or soaked bamboo skewers), and grill or broil to your liking.
   
4. Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the marinade for 2 to 3 minutes. Use the marinade as a dipping sauce for the pork.
   

1 cup coconut milk, divided

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1)

½ cup lean pork strips

2 cups water

½ lime

3–4 kaffir lime leaves, crumbled

4 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

½ pound baby spinach

Rice, cooked according to package directions

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat ½ cup of the coconut milk and the curry paste over medium-low heat, stirring to combine thoroughly. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, so that the sauce does not burn.
   
2. Add the pork cubes, the remaining coconut milk, and the water. Return the mixture to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes. Squeeze the juice of the lime half into the curry. Add the lime half.
   
3. Stir in the kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and sugar. Continue simmering for 5 to 10 more minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Remove the lime half.
   
4. Add the baby spinach and cook for 1 minute.
   
5. Serve over rice.
   

Spinach

Spinach is an amazingly healthy leaf vegetable. Spinach is low in calories, and is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and minerals, especially iron.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium shallot, chopped