HOT THAI RECIPES

FRIED RICE AND PRAWNS (SHRIMP)
When you‘ve got one eye on the clock and a meal to make this the one! Made in a trice, yet simply stunning to look at, its taste belies its simplicity.

SON-IN-LAW EGGS
This recipe is supposedly so called because it is an easy dish for a son-in-law to cook to impress his new mother-in-law!


GREEN BEEF CURRY
This is a quickly made curry prepared with strips of beef steak, cubed aubergine (eggplant) and onion in a cream sauce flavoured with green curry paste. Serve with fluffy rice and a salad


PAW - PAW (PAPAYA SALAD)
Choose firm paw-paws – or papayas as they are something called – for this delicious salad.


(SHRIMPCELLOPHANE NOODLES WITH SHRIMPS & BEAN-SPROUTS
Cellophane or ‘glass’ noodles are made from mung beans. They are sold dried, so they need soaking before use.

RICE CUBES WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Plain rice cubes are a good foil to any piquant dipping sauce, and they are often served with satay, to complement the dipping sauce.

Ingredients:


SERVES 4-6

300 g/10 oz/1 ½ cups Thai jasmine rice
1.25 litres/2 ¼ pints/5 cups water

CORIANDER (CILANTRO) DIPPING SAUCE
1 garlic clove
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp black peppercorns
60 g/2 oz/1 cup washed coriander (cilantro), including roots and stem
3 tbsp lemon juice
180 ml/6 fl oz/ ¾ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 spring onions (scallions), chopped roughly
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced

Directions

1.         Grease and line a 20x10x2.5 cm/ 8x4x1 inch tin.

2.         To make the sauce, put the garlic, salt, peppercorns, coriander (cilantro) and lemon juice into a pestle and mortar or blender. Grind finely

3.         Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, spring onions (scallions) and chilli. Grind finely. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool. This sauce will keep for 3-5 days in a refrigerator.

4.         To cook the rice, do not rinse. Bring the water to the boil and add the rice. Stir and return to a medium boil. cook, uncovered, for 14-16 minutes until very soft. Drain thoroughly.

5.         Put 125 g/4 oz / 2/3 cup of the cooked rice in a blender and puree, or grind to a paste in a pestle and mortar. Stir into the remaining cooked rice and spoon into the lined tin (pan). Level the surface and cover with clingfilm ( plastic wrap). Compress the rice by using either a similar-sized tin (pan), which will fit into the filled tin (pan), or a small piece of board, and weigh this down with cans. Chill for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight.

6.         Invert the tin (pan) on to a board. Cut the rice into cubes with a wet knife. Serve with the coriander (cilantro) dipping sauce.

RICE
This recipe would work equally well with basmati rice, but avoid using any rice labeled ‘easy cook’ or par-boiled as you with have disappointing results.

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