A Taste of Thailand - Part 1

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Elaine Wilson
Allium Foodworks Personal Chef Service
780-433-6599
info@alliumfoodworks.com
www.alliumfoodworks.com

A Taste of Thailand - Part 1

When I first moved to Thailand in 1984, I came from small-town Alberta where the only seasonings used in cooking were salt, pepper, onion and sometimes garlic.  Herbs were restricted to dried chives and parsley, occasionally oregano, and cinnamon, cloves and ginger were only used in muffins and cookies.  I started cooking at 14, eager to learn what I could even though the town's two grocery stores carried little in the way of fresh herbs and few condiments other than ketchup, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce.

My first day in Den Chai, a small village in the north of Thailand, I was served food that was completely unrecognizable and absolutely delicious.  I fell in love with chili paste, fish sauce, sticky rice, coconut milk, fresh seafood, and every fruit imaginable.  Every meal was like eating at an exotic restaurant and each trip to the local market was an opportunity to discover a new food and a new flavour.  Since that first trip, I have travelled to Thailand several times and consider this amazing country my second home.  It's hard for me to pick a favourite dish, though a meal of fried pork, sticky rice, papaya salad, green curry and roasted chili sauce will get me to admit to almost anything!

The one dish that is ubiquitously Thai is Green Curry.  Made with chicken, shrimp or tofu, Thai Green Curry is without question my number one most requested recipe.  Traditionally, this dish is served as part of a multi-course meal shared by several people, so it has a much greater proportion of coconut curry to vegetables and meat, the sauce intended to be served as a condiment for steamed rice.  In Canada, however, most people have time to prepare only one dish for a meal, so the recipe can be easily altered to include a higher ratio of meat and vegetables to make it a complete meal when served with rice.  Your choice of fresh vegetables can be chopped or you can use a package of Europe's Best  Zen Asian Mixed Vegetables, my favourite cheat when it comes to frozen vegetables.

For more recipes, tips and information, visit my web site at www.AlliumFoodworks.com.


Thai Green Curry

1. Put coconut milk in wok or medium saucepan over medium-high heat and let it bubble merrily about 3 minutes (oil may start to separate from the milk and float on top).
2. Turn heat to medium-low, add the green curry paste, palm sugar and fish sauce, and simmer at a gentle bubble about 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken and vegetables, turn heat back up to medium-high, and allow the curry cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened somewhat.
4. Add holy basil and chilies (optional) stir, and serve with hot jasmine rice.

Tip:     If using an electric stove, turn on two burners, one to medium high and one to medium low, so that you can transfer between heats quickly.

Tip:     For lower-fat version, use light coconut milk. Much of the fat has been removed, resulting in a thinner curry, and while the texture will be different, the flavour will not change dramatically.

Tip:     This recipe makes a traditional curry with more sauce than protein and vegetables.  If desired, add more vegetables and protein to make a more hearty meal.