| The
History of Thai cuisine part II |
THE
NATION 64 |
|
 |
I
left off last week on the story of Thai cuisine at its early
stage. Today I will continue on this history lesson to present
day.
|
|
OTHER COOKING TECHNIQUES
AYUTHAYA
PEROID
As
Siam opened up during the Ayuthaya period, we traded with
many nations in Asia and with the West. China had great influences
in Thai cooking. From the Chinese we enlarged our collection
of cooking utensils and tools, consequently our cooking techniques
expanded. Now we can steam things with Chinese bamboo steamers
and fry things with Chinese wok.
|
|
These
cooking techniques have stayed with Thai kitchen to the present
day. Woks were especially versatile because you can use it
to boil, toast, fry, and steam. It is so popular and versatile
that Thais think that we invented this cooking implement!
We call it Thai frying pan. So I want to apologize our Chinese
guests for being so presumptuous and thank them for this remarkable
invention. I will now demonstrate dishes made from these implements,
which were imported from our friends who traded with us.
|
|
COOKING
TECHNIQUE MENU ITEM
Steaming Hor
Mok (Steamed curry fish custard)
|
|
|
Curry fish custard in banana leaf cup |
|
(Hor Mok Pla) |
|
|
|
Ingredients. |
|
- red snapper, diced |
300 |
gr. |
|
- red curry paste (nam prik gang ped) |
1/2 |
tablespoon |
|
- egg |
1 |
whole |
|
- coconut milk |
1/2 |
cup |
|
- fish sauce (nam pla) |
to |
taste |
|
- palm sugar (nam taan puek) |
to |
taste |
|
Garnishes. |
|
- coconut cream |
3/4 |
cups |
|
- rice flour (pang kao jauw) |
1 |
teaspoon |
|
- fresh red chilli, sliced thin |
1 |
tablespoon |
|
- sweet basil leaves (bai ho ra pa) |
1/2 |
cup |
|
- kaffir lime leaves, julienned (bai ma grook) |
1 |
tablespoon |
|
|
|
Method |
|
1 Prepare 15 banana leaf cups 2 1/2 inches in diameter, can
also use Ramikin. |
|
2 Place snapper in food processor, add red curry paste, egg
and blend it together the mixtur becomes smooth. While the machine
is running add coconut milk and season this mixture with fish
sauce and palm sugar. |
|
3 Line the bottom of the banana leaf cup with sweet basil leaves,
fill each cup with fish mixture, and steam for 15 minuts. |
|
4 Prepare coconut cream garnish by mixing coconut cream with
rice flour and heat to a boiling and thickens. Take off heat
and reserve for topping th curry fish custard. |
|
5 Remove cooked curry fish custard from steamer. Spoon a small
smount of thick coconut cream mixture over the curry fish custard,
topped with red chile peppers and julienned daffer line leavess
served hot. |
 |
Frying Pla
Sam Rod (Deep fried 3 flavors fish)
|
|
Whole crispy fish with chili sauce |
|
(Pla rad prik or Pla sam ros) |
|
|
|
Ingredients for marinated fish |
|
- tilapia (or pla tup tim)
|
1 |
whole |
|
- coriander roots
|
2 |
pieces |
|
- garlic
|
3 |
cloves |
|
- white peppercorns
|
5 |
peppercorns |
|
- fish sauce (nam pla)
|
1 |
teaspoon |
|
Chili sauce ingredients
|
|
- vegetable oil
|
1 |
tablespoon |
|
- jalapeno peppers (prik chee fa)
|
3 |
pieces |
|
- garlic
|
5 |
cloves |
|
- palm sugar
|
1 |
tablespoon |
|
- tamarind juice (nam ma kham piak)
|
2 |
tablespoons |
|
- water
|
1/4 |
cup |
|
- fish sauce (nam pla)
|
2 |
tablespoons |
|
|
|
Method
|
|
1 To make marinade. Pound the coriander roots, garlic, white
peppercorns with mortar and pestle until the become a paste.
Season with fish sauce.
|
|
2 Scale and clean the fish. Wipe dry, score both side of the
fish
|
|
3 Rub the fish with the prepared marinade paste. Allow to
marinate for 20 - 30 minutes.
|
|
4 Heat oil in wok. When hot,deep fry the fish until golden
brown on both sides,then remove from the oil and drain.
|
|
5 To make chili paste. Pound jalapeno peppers, garlic with
a pestle and mortar or using a food processor until they becom
a paste.
|
|
6 Heat the oil in a wok. When hot, stir fry the chili paste
until fragrant, add palm sugar, stir to mix thoroughly add
tamarind juice for sourness and sweetness , fish sauce for
saltiness, and water. Cook a sauce to slightly thicken and
remove from heat.
|
|
7 Place the crispy fish on a serving plate and pour the sauce
over the fish, served hot.
|
|
Stir-frying Pad
Thai
( Stir-fry rice noodle Thai style)
See attached recipes.
|
|
|
Kway Teow Pad Thai |
|
|
|
Ingredients
|
|
- Noodle small / Chaburi
|
600 |
gr. |
|
- Prawn slice boiled
|
300 |
gr. |
|
- White bean curd batonette
|
200 |
gr. |
|
- Bean sprout root cut
|
200 |
gr. |
|
- Vegetable Oil
|
80 |
gr. |
|
- Chives, cut into 3 cm.
|
70 |
gr. |
|
- Egg
|
4 |
fresh |
|
- Water
|
100 |
gr. |
|
- Sauce Pad Thai
|
500 |
gr. |
|
- Dry shrimp
|
50 |
gr. |
|
- Unsalled, toasted peanuts, chopped
|
60 |
gr. |
|
- Lime juice
|
40 |
gr. |
|
|
|
|
|
Method. |
|
1 Soak the noodles in warm water unitl soft and drain.
|
|
2 Heat the oil over a moderate heat add the noodles and stir-fry
to evenly cook.
|
|
3 Add sauce Pad Thai and add water (a little at a time) stri-fry
to mix quickly.
|
|
4 Then add the bean curd, dry shrimp, boiled shrimps, bean
sports and chives.
|
|
5 Continue cooking throughly for a futhe (to warm them up
but not to overcook)
|
|
6 Addition of lime juice as the last flavouring ingredient
before serving.
|
|
|
