Archive for the ‘: THAI’ Category
Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Cucumber-Jalapeño Salad
January 11, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Cucumber-Jalapeño Salad

Chicken Satay is a natural here in Thailand, nearly every Thai can make this, so here is your chance.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut lengthwise in 1/2 inch strips
  • 500 mililiter coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons red or green Thai curry paste, red is hotter
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter, chunky

Salad

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher sa
  • 1 cucumber, large, cut into half moons, about 500 grams or so
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • vegetable oil, OR olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, light chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl whisk the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon curry paste until thoroughly mixed. If you would like more heat and flavor, add additional curry paste. Place the chicken strips in a medium bowl and cover with half of the coconut milk mixture (about 1 cup). Toss to coat, and then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate, refrigerated, for 1 hour to overnight.
  • Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Place the remaining coconut milk mixture in a small saucepan with the peanut butter and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 3 minutes, whisking often. Cool, and then pour into a serving bowl.
  • In a medium bowl whisk the vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumber, shallot, and jalapeño and toss well to coat. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.
  • Pat the excess marinade off the chicken strips with a paper towel. Brush the chicken strips on both sides with oil, and then skewer the strips lengthwise, threading in and out on the skewers.
  • Prepare your grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
  • Grill the chicken over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until fully cooked in the center, 8 to 12 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill, top the salad with the peanuts and cilantro, and serve immediately with the peanut sauce.

Notes

One kilo of chicken breasts will run about 85 Baht, for 6 servings, this meal is well under $1 per person.
Provided courtesy of good friend, Garland Davis, US Navy Cook (Ret).
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,CHICKEN & TURKEY,GRILLED / BBQ / SMOKER
Chicken Wings & Basil
January 7, 2016 Lee
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Chicken Wings & Basil

This is a quick and easy meal and you can make it as spicy as you wish. This is written exactly how I just seen my seen my wife make this. Most Thais do not use a recipe and even more rare is measuring anything. Serve over rice and you have a easy lunch or dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams chicken wing drumets
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
  • 20-30 Bird's Eye Chilis
  • pinch salt, to taste
  • pinch powdered chicken stock
  • handful Thai Basil, also know as hot basil, stems removed

Instructions
 

  • Take the chicken wing drumets and cut each in half with a cleaver.
  • Pinch off the stem end if you wish and place chilis in a mortar, light smash the chilis just a few times, you are NOT making chili paste, just light smashed chilis.
  • Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and add the chicken pieces, chilis, garlic, pinch of salt to taste, pinch of chicken stock powder. Add a bit of water, maybe 2 tablespoons, and stir everything together and let it simmer until chicken is cooked through, maybe 10 minutes, most of the water should be cook off at this point.
  • Add the basil and stir together, cook for about 2-3 minutes until the basil is good and wilted. Serve over rice.

Notes

Chicken wing drumets (also called chicken wing sticks) runs about 80 Baht/kilo, this dish would cost about 40 Baht, well under $1 per person per meal, easily 4 meals.
The basil and chilis come fresh from our yard.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,CHICKEN & TURKEY
Grilled Tilapia
December 2, 2015 Lee
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Grilled Tilapia

Rrayada Thayer, Thailand.
Tilapia is a very common freshwater food fish, it grows rapidly, lots of meat, and only a backbone and rib bones, no Y bones in the meat. This is inexpensive, we normally grill 1 fish per 2 people and have a side of just raw cut cabbage, cucumbers and spring onions and fresh cooked rice. We have made this at the house many many times. This recipe is for 1 whole fish for 2 people, more people, just add more fish, if you are a big fish eater, grill two for 2 people.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • Grill, Charcoal or Gas

Ingredients
  

  • 1 fish large tilapia, whole
  • lemon grass, fresh, several 3 inch pieces, smashed, see Step 2
  • ginger, fresh, and 1 inch piece, sliced thin, see Step 2
  • Kafir lime leaves, fresh, tear into several pieces, see Step 2
  • salt, lot of salt, like a bag of salt, see Step 3

Instructions
 

  • First thing you need to do is clean the fish, NO NEED to scale the fish, the salt will take care of that, just make a slit on the belly of the fish, or side, and remove entrails and wash out with clean water, remove the gills if leaving head on, if you wish to remove the head, no problem, do that now.
  • For the lemon grass, lime leaves, and ginger; if you buy the fish from an open fresh market, many times these will be included with the price of the fish, they are tied together and simply added to the bag with your fish. If you are buying the fish in say, Tesco, then you need these items on hand.
  • Stuff the cavity with the lemon grass, lime leaves, and ginger. Place in a large bowl.
  • Now for the salt, regular table salt is fine, if you can locate sea salt, that is fine, the salt is not for a flavoring of the meat, it is to remove the skin, salt is cheap, let the salt do the work, hence the reason not to scale the fish.
  • With the bag of salt, generously pour that over the fish in the bowl, you want to cover the fish in salt, spread it around with your hands as well, turn the fish over and repeat on the other side, you cannot have too much, you want the fish to be white.
  • With a hot grill, place the fish on the grill and cook about 8-10 minutes or so, then flip the fish over and cook the other side. It will get charred, that is the salt charring.
  • Take fish off from grill and place on a plate, at the table, using 2 forks, simply peel off the skin off and enjoy.

Notes

Tilapia runs about 60 Baht per fish, this is Blue Nile Tilapi. This would be $1 per meal per person for 1 fish, if you like fish and eat a whole one, then $2 per person, either way, a very economical meal. 
A note about the lemon grass, use several short pieces or one long, piece, either way smash it up good to let the flavor come out, if using a long piece, as in the photos, tie in a over hand knot after smashing.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: THAI,FISH - ALL,Fish - Tilapia,GRILLED / BBQ / SMOKER
Pork, Cabbage, and Carrot Soup
November 6, 2015 Lee
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Pork, Cabbage, and Carrot Soup

My wife makes this about once a month, feeds the family for a 3 days or so. Very easy and economical. This is a base recipe, use items you have on hand or omit items you do not like. This is never made the same every time.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo minced pork
  • 1 large carrot, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 white radish, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
  • handful Chinese cabbage, tear into 2-3 inch pieces
  • 1-2 tablespoons pork or chicken stock powder
  • splash soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large pot about half full with water, add the pork or chicken stock powder and bring to a boil.
  • While the water is heating, shape the pork into balls about 1 inch in diameter and set aside.
  • Slice the carrot and radish, and tear up the cabbage.
  • When the water is boiling, add the pork balls, takes just a few minutes for these to cook through, then add the carrot and radish and continue boiling for a few minutes until the carrot is cooked through and tender.
  • Reduce the heat to low and add the cabbage and give it is a good stir and put in a splash of soy sauce. Simmer for a few minutes more then remove from heat and cover. Your soup is done. This photo is what my wife made on 2 June 2017, this one contains pork ribs, chicken feet, carrot, radish, and bok choi.

Notes

Minced pork run about 125 Baht per kilo, about $3.70 this plus the veggys which are very reasonable. This makes a large pot of soup, here at the house it feeds 4 people for 3 days, well below $1 per person.
Variants: Use pork ribs, pork belly, chicken feet, or any combination. Leafy veggys can be Chinese cabbage, regular cabbage, bok choi, or any combination.
My wife's recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,PORK,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Thai Omelet
October 24, 2015 Lee
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Thai Omelet

Thai omelets are generally airy and fluffy cooked eggs, not folded over. This is quick and easy, served with rice on the side, is a simple and filling meal for 3 people. This is the basic recipe with no fillings, for fillings, use those of your choice and fold over to make a stuffed omelet, or just mix the fillings into the eggs and no folding over is required.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 eggs, chicken or duck
  • 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce, OR use a pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder, optional
  • cooked rice, for serving
  • cooking oil, as needed, DO NOT use olive oil!

Instructions
 

  • Put a wok or non stick pan on high heat and add about 1/2 cup of cooking oil. For a non stick with the rounded sides, a 10 inch pan is perfect and you want about 1/4 inch of oil on the bottom of the pan.
  • While the pan is heating, break eggs into a bowl.
  • Add the fish sauce to the eggs, and chicken stock powder if using that, and beat with a fork until frothy.
  • When the oil just starts to smoke, turn the heat to low and quickly pour in the beaten eggs, it will fluff before your eyes.
  • Using a spatula, lift the edges to get the liquid part of the eggs onto the pan, do this several times.
  • Keep checking the bottom and when getting nice and browned and set well (remember, from pouring into the pan to flipping takes only 45 seconds to a minute) flip the omelet over, 20-30 seconds later, the bottom should be browning nicely.
  • Remove from the pan to a plate and serve with rice on the side.

Notes

Low cost.
Variants: 1. Add chopped spring onion, chopped tomato, cooked minced pork, cooked chopped chicken, etc, can be added to the egg mix or added to a side when cooking for a folded stuffed omelette. 2. Add a few drops of lime juice or vinegar for a even more fluffier omelette.
Well known Thai recipe than my family has been making for years.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: THAI,BREAKFAST (for dinner!),EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken
Pork Ribs & Radish Soup
October 24, 2015 Lee
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Pork Ribs & Radish Soup

Thais make a soup from just about any meat and vegetable. Not every dish is spicy, this one is non-spicy and has a very good flavor. Easy to prepare. Serve with rice for a filling meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Thai
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo pork ribs, (2 lbs)
  • 2-3 white radishes, cut lengthwise once then slice half into 1/2 slices
  • 8-10 shallots, crushed
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6-10 spring onions, white and green, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pork broth powder, can also use chicken broth powder

Instructions
 

  • Put a large pot of water on the stove, throw in the crushed shallots and crushed garlic, and broth powder and bring to a boil.
  • While waiting on the water to boil, cut between each rib bone to separate them all. Once water is boiling, add all the ribs. Ribs should be cooked in about 10-15 minutes.
  • When ribs are almost cooked through, add the sliced radish and reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the radish is tender.
  • Turn off the heat and add cilantro and spring onions, gently stir then serve. Serve as a side of soup or with rice to make a complete meal.

Notes

Note: Pork ribs, these are normally found in long strips or "racks" 2-3 inches wide.
Pork ribs average about 125 baht per kilo, the radish is 25 baht per kilo, other items are minimal in cost. This soup would cost about $4.50 to make, can last 2-3 days, so per person it would easily come in under $1 per meal.
Variant: 1. Cut the ribs into one bone pieces and add to a mixing bowl, add oyster sauce to the bowl and mix the ribs around to coat them well. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 3 hours, then proceed with the recipe as stated.
Provided courtesy of my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
Variant 1 provided by good friend, Kurt Hammerschmidt.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,PORK,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Thai Omelette Salad
October 18, 2015 Lee
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Thai Omelette Salad

Delicious Thai Omelete Salad that is hearty as a lunch or add a grilled fish for a great dinner.
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Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 eggs
  • 3-4 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
  • 1 onion, quatered lengthwise
  • Thai celery, chopped
  • 2 limes
  • spring onions, chopped
  • fresh cilantro
  • fresh red chili peppers
  • fresh green chili peppers
  • 1-2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 1/2-2 teaspoons powdered chicken stock

Instructions
 

  • Chop roughly - celery and spring onions (ca 1,5 cm), divide each tomato in 8 long pieces, cut Onion in half and then into rough long slices (0,5 cm), chop chill very fine. This dish makes a nice lunch by itself, or with some steamed fish or fried chicken for diner.
  • Beat the eggs and mix with fish sauce and chicken stock powder. Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil in a pan or wok, deep-fry the beaten egg on both sides and take out when golden-brown, you might want to deep-fry the egg in two or three goes, put on paper towel to drip of the oil. When cooled out a bit, cut the omelette in to small stripes (1 x 7,5 cm) and mix with the vegetables.
  • Press the limes and pour the juice over the eggs and vegetables, add one teaspoon of sugar and some more fish sauce and mix everything. Pull the leafs of the cilantro and put over the mixed salad.

Notes

Fresh vegetables on the local market at about 50-60 Baht (less than $2), 5 eggs at 25 Baht (less than $1). Easily under $1 per person.
Recipe from Chef Waan Sirijit, provided courtesy of good friend, Daniela Dalaa Payerl.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,EGGS - ALL,Eggs - Chicken