Thai Pork Salad

RECIPE

Yield
6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound lean boneless pork chops
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli slaw mix
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced
Hot cooked basmati rice (optional)
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation
Process pork in a food processor until coarsely chopped.

Sauté pork in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and cool.

Combine pork, cilantro, and next 7 ingredients.

Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Drizzle over slaw, tossing to coat. Top with pork mixture; serve with cucumber slices, and, if desired, rice. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Fish sauce is found in Asian markets and large supermarkets.

Nutritional Information
Calories:218 (49% from fat)
Fat:11.8g (sat 3.3g,mono 5.8g,poly 1.6g)
Protein:20g
Carbohydrate:9g
Fiber:2.6g
Cholesterol:57mg
Iron:1.8mg
Sodium:220mg
Calcium:62mg

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Thai Chicken with Basil

RECIPE

An abundance of whole basil leaves joins chicken and fiery red chiles for a quick, delicious,and decidedly spicy stir-fry. Holy basil is the most authentic choice, but any variety will do.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4), cut into 1-by-2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion, cut into thin slices
3 fresh red chiles, seeds and ribs removed, cut into thin slices, or 1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups lightly packed basil leaves

Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with the fish sauce, soy sauce, water, and sugar.In a large nonstick frying pan or a wok, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the chiles and garlic; cook, stirring, 30 seconds longer.

2. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and add it to the hot pan. Cook until almost done, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add the marinade and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the basil. Serve topped with the remaining 1/2 cup basil.

Wine Recommendation: Look for a rich but dry white wine, such as a pinot gris from the Alsace region in France.

Notes: Asian fish sauce is available at Asian markets and many supermarkets.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Spicy Thai Chicken Kabobs

RECIPE

Prep: 20 min., Chill: 8 hr., Soak: 30 min., Grill: 16 min. Stir up a superfast peanut sauce, and marinate the chicken before you head out for the day. The remaining ingredients can be quickly put together when you get home from work.

Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup lite soy sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 (12-inch) wooden or metal skewers
1 bunch green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
32 fresh snow peas
16 basil leaves

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients and 1/2 cup water in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; reserve 3/4 cup. Add chicken to dish, turning to coat. Cover or seal, and chill 8 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high). Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Thread chicken, onions, and next 4 ingredients alternately onto wooden skewers, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces.

4. Grill kabobs, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill, and baste with reserved 3/4 cup marinade.

Spicy Thai Pork Kabobs: Substitute 1 (1.5-lb.) package pork tenderloin, trimmed, for chicken. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Thai Vegetable Curry

RECIPE

Green curry paste can be pretty fiery. If that's appealing to you, lay it on! If not, use just a little, or try red or yellow curry paste instead. These are somewhat milder--though in no way bland--and they're becoming more and more available in the Asian section of supermarkets. Serve the curry with steamed jasmine or regular white rice.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
1 2/3 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk (one 15-ounce can)
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup drained canned bamboo shoots, halved
1 pound boiling potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound broccoli, thick stems removed, tops cut into small florets (1 quart)
1 tomato, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
1/3 cup thin-sliced basil leaves

Preparation
1. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Add the coconut milk and broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, bamboo shoots, potatoes, and broccoli. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato and heat through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and basil.

Variations
Other vegetables that would taste good in place of the broccoli include carrots, eggplant, cauliflower, snow peas, cabbage, green beans, and canned baby corn. Try your favorite, or use a combination of vegetables.

Wine Recommendation: An off-dry gewürztraminer from the Pacific Northwest is a good choice to both accentuate the curry spice flavors and tame their heat.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Thai Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

RECIPE

Yield
4

Ingredients
2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed
4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 2 minced
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
6 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons water

Preparation
1. Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a blender or food processor, puree the jalapeños, smashed garlic cloves, the 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, the fish sauce, cooking oil, sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Put the chicken in a shallow dish and coat it with the cilantro puree.

2. Grill the chicken over moderately high heat or broil it for 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 5 minutes longer.

3. Meanwhile, in a small stainless-steel saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer, stirring. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the liquid into a small glass or stainless-steel bowl and let cool. Add the minced garlic, the 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, the red-pepper flakes, and water. Serve each chicken breast with a small bowl of the dipping sauce alongside.

Wine Recommendation: The rich, unctuous texture and pronounced fruity flavor of a dry gewürztraminer from France's Alsace region will provide a lovely contrast to these strong, spicy flavors.

Notes: Asian fish sauce is available at Asian markets and many supermarkets.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Spicy Thai Lobster Soup

RECIPE

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
2 lobster tails, cooked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian Blend
4 cups fish or chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated lime rind
1/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
6 large mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 thai or bird chile, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Garnishes: fresh cilantro, lime wedge

Preparation
Remove lobster meat from shell; slice and set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Asian Blend; saute 1 minute. Add broth and lime rind; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in lobster, green onion, chile, and cilantro; cook 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice. Garnish, if desired.

3/4 pound peeled and deveined shrimp may be substituted for lobster.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover

Thai Lemon Beef

RECIPE

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
1 (1-inch-thick) boneless beef top round steak
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
2 to 3 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Hot cooked ramen noodles or rice
Garnishes: lemon rind strips, fresh basil sprigs

Preparation
Cut steak across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick strips, and place in a medium bowl.

Combine soy sauce and next 4 ingredients. Reserve half of mixture. Pour remaining half of mixture over steak. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Drain steak, discarding marinade.

Stir-fry half of steak in 1/2 tablespoon hot oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat 1 minute or until outside of beef is no longer pink. Remove from skillet, and repeat procedure with remaining oil and steak. Remove from skillet.

Add green onions and carrot to skillet, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Whisk cornstarch into reserved soy sauce mixture; stir into vegetables, and stir-fry until thickened. Add steak, and stir-fry until thoroughly heated. Serve over noodles or rice. Garnish, if desired.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover