Thai food recipes

Fauna Of Himapan Forest (Thai Mythology)

2010-08-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

Fauna Of Himapan Forest (Thai Mythology)By ALfie Mella
Perhaps the most popular realm in Thai mythology, HimapanForest is the invisible woodland believed to exist in theHimalayas, in the India-Nepal border, just below the equallylegendary Buddhist heaven. The fabled forest is home to a greatnumber of mythical beasts that have become symbols of exemplaryThai traits. Some of such fabulous creatures are describedbelow.
*GARUDA: Royalty and Supremacy* Half human and half bird, Garuda has the torso and arms of aman and the head, wings, tail, and feet of an eagle. The kingof all birds is the favored mount of Vishnu, a deity shared byboth the Hindu and the Thai faiths. The Thai people honorGaruda as a symbol of royalty and supremacy. In fact, herepresents the Thai monarchy or government, and an artist’srendition of the majestic creature appears on Thai bank notesand on the royal flag of Thailand.
*NOK HASADEE: Ambivalence and Balance* A gigantic elephant-headed bird, Nok Hasadee inhabits thetangled, thorny rattan-cane areas of Himapan, where hepatiently waits in camouflage for ungulates—his favored prey.During heavy rains, especially when he is neither furious norfamished, Nok Hasadee fancies making noise by playing anenormous 'khawng wong yai' or, simply, smelling the scent ofthe forest with his proboscis. This is the reason many Thainatives, especially those of the Central Plains, viewthunderstorms as one of Nok Hasadee’s destructive pranks.Nevertheless, they describe him as a paradoxicalcharacter—playful yet lonesome, childlike yet predatory.
*NAGA: Comfort and Safety* A multiheaded serpent whose main head sports a beard and wearsa typical pointed Thai crown, Naga inhabits the densest part ofHimapan Forest. It is a half sibling yet a sworn enemy ofGaruda. Naga is a familiar motif in Thai architecture, featuredfrequently on stair handrails of many temples. Thailandersregard the serpent as a symbol of comfort and safety.
*PRANORN PUGGSA: Agility and Dexterity* The Thai folk derived the name of this creature from the Thaiwords ‘pranorn’ (monkey) and ‘pugg’ (bird or birdlike). PranornPuggsa has a monkey’s head, torso, and forelimbs; the lower bodyof a bird; and a prehensile feathered tail. Ambidextrous, he isexcellent in climbing trees, moving from branch to branch withagility. Pranorn Puggsa fancies mangoes and apples. Peopledescribe him as “the tireless and spirited inhabitant ofHimapan Forest.”
*RAJASI: Grandeur and Magnificence* People depict Rajasi, the king of fierce forest mammals, as alion whose mane, tail, and paws are burning with golden flames.Most inhabitants of Himapan Forest dread the lion king not forhis slyness but for his splendor. Although Rajasi symbolizesgrandeur and magnificence, many Thailanders, especially thosewho are living in the North, blame him for the forest fires.
*KINNARI: Gracefulness and Elegance* Half human and half bird, Kinnari has the head, torso, and armsof a beautiful woman and the wings, tail, and feet of a swan.Her voice is enchanting and her gait graceful. She is sometimesdepicted playing a 'khryang ditt,' making her a patroness ofdance, poetry, and music. Many Thai parents encourage theirdaughters to emulate the gracefulness and elegance of the swanlady. A favorite subject of artists, Kinnari’s graceful formappears frequently in sculpture and murals.
*KINNON-NUA: Swiftness and Serenity* Partly human and partly artiodactyl, Kinnon-nua has the torsoand arms of a muscular man and the antlers and lower body of adeer. The swift creature roams Himapan Forest seasonally,safeguarding the realm’s endangered fauna and flora andpromoting serenity. Whereas the satyr of Greek mythology playsthe panpipe, Kinnon-nua plays the 'pi chawa.' The sylvan Thainative will readily regard him as a symbol of nature.
======== Vocabulary: ======== 1. ambidextrous, adj. able to use both hands in equal ease. 2. artiodactyls, n. ungulates that include all types of deer,like antelopes and elks. 3. prehensile, adj. adapted for grasping. 4. proboscis, n. a long snout. 5. sylvan, adj. fond of wooded areas. 6. ungulates, n. hoofed mammals. ============================================================== References: [http://www.china-on-site.com/three.php] 02/15/04. [http://www.thailandlife.com/a_culture.htm] 10/09/03. “The Literature of Thailand.”[http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/7153/tathome.htm]10/09/03. [www.pages.drexel.edu/~sg94ep84/PCpage.htm] 02/15/04.
©2004 eLf ideas
About the Author: aLfie “eLf” vera mella was born in 1971 inMetro Manila, Philippines. He was a very inquisitive child whohad shown fondness for reading and writing at an early age. Hegraduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing,but the literatus in him never left his heart. A true artist,eLf was the vocalist of a New Wave band, named Half Life HalfDeath, which served as the musical vehicle for his poetry.Before he left his beloved country in 2003, he was working asan editor of and writer for scholastic books and magazines. eLf is currently living in British Columbia, Canada, serving asa caregiver for his maternal grandfather. He may have left awell-loved work but for a noble reason, and he never ceasedfrom doing what he loves most since childhood—writing.Virtually always home, he usually spends his solitary nightsreading, researching, and writing about various subjects of hisinterest—chiefly, Culture, History, Literature, Mythology,Music, and Science—with New Wave music always lingering in thebackground like a gentle breeze on a quiet sea. A writer atheart, eLf started inditing his thoughts around the age of six;and he intends to continue documenting his feelings and ideasuntil his twilight. /http://www.elf-ideas.blogspot.com
Source: http://www.isnare.com

Fried mix-Vegetable

2010-08-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Bamboo Shoots 1 tablespoon
Thick soy sauce 2 cups
Chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 2 cups Vegetable oil 2
Chinese Broccoli 1 teaspoon
Sasame oil 1 tablespoon
Cornstarch 10
Dried black mushroom

Method

Heat the oil in the pan. Fry broccoli until cooked and remove from heat. Leave 4 tablespoons of oil in the pan,
pour chicken broth and add lettuce.

Cover the pan for 3 minutes. Then put bamboo shoots, black mushroom, thick soy sauce, sesame, salt and fried chinese broccoli. Add the cornstarch mixed with water. Stir until cooked and serve hot.

Note: Available vegetables can be used, for example; young corn,red or green bell pepper, riped tomato, mushroom etc.

Thai dessert Kanom mau Gang recipe (Baked mung bean pudding)

2009-05-13T00:59:00.000-07:00

60g(1/4cup) dried yellow mung beans, soaked overnight in water
, then drained

500 ml (2 cups) water

3 tablespoons oil

4 tablespoons sliced shallots

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk

2/3 cup shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar

a teaspoon pandanus or vanilla essence

1 baking tray

Method

In a saucepan, boil the mung beans in the water until soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove and drain. Set aside to cool.

Heat the oil in a work or skillet, stir-fry the shallots over medium
heat until fragrant and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper
towels. Reserve the oil for glazing.

Grind the cooked mung beans to a smooth paste in a blender. Add the eggs, coconut
mile, sugar and pandanus or vanilla essence, and blend until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 180 C

Grease a baking tray with the reserved shallot oil. Pour the mung bean mixture into the tray and bake in the oven for
15 to 20 minutes until the pudding is firm. Remove and return to bake for another 5 to 7 minutes
. Remove and set aside to cool.

Slice the pudding and serve with coconut or vanilla ice cream.

From: Thai cakes and desserts cookbooks

The Thai Mango - A Luscious and Precious Staple

2009-04-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

By Napatr Lindsley

The Thai mango is known as "Ma Muang" in Thai, although this varies by region. For example, in the Northern region a mango is also known as "Pae," and in the South as "Pao." The mango is rich in symbolic meaning. As part of the feng shui tradition, for generations many Thais have believed that growing a mango tree on the south side of the house will bring prosperity to the family. More broadly, mangoes are so widely enjoyed in Thailand and surrounding countries that they truly do represent a precious part of the culture. There are perhaps more than one hundred types of Thai mangoes, many of them hybrids developed in Thailand. The mango tree only bears fruit once per year, and its season is between late March and early June. This is the time one will find delicately delicious mangoes - a fairly small window of time for top quality. Nevertheless, this small window of time represents much of the enjoyment of mangoes by so many in Thailand, making it in effect a staple for meals and especially desserts.

Thai mangoes vary in size, shape and color depending on the type, soil and harvest areas. The shapes of mangoes can be round, kidney-like in shape, oval, or a long slender shape. The color of a raw mango is typically green, but the color of ripe mangoes (the skin) can be yellow, yellow-green, green, yellowish orange or yellowish red. All mangoes have only one flat seed surrounded by flesh. Ripe mangoes have flesh that is yellow, golden-yellow, orange or orange-yellow.

The following are the most well-known mango types:

* Nam Dok Mai: oval with a sharp pointed tip. The ripe fruit has golden-yellow flesh with a sweet-scented taste;

* Kiaw Sa Woei: oblong dark green fruit. The ripe fruit has pale white flesh with a sweet taste;

* Thong Dam: oval with rounded tip. The ripe fruit has yellowish orange flesh with a sweet taste;

* Ok Rhong: oval with rounded tip. The ripe fruit has light yellowish orange flesh with a sweet taste;

* Raed: oblong with a small pointed knob. The ripe fruit has light yellow flesh with a sweet-scented taste;

* Pim Sian: oval with tapered tip. The ripe fruit has light yellow flesh with a sweet taste;

* Nang Klang Wan: oblong with curved and tapering tip. The ripe fruit has light yellow flesh and a sweet-scented taste.

As I experienced in Thailand, mangoes are eaten in a number of ways depending on the type of mango. Both ripe and raw mangoes are enjoyed as snacks. Nam Dok Mai, Nang Klang Wan, Thong Dam and Ok Rhong are usually served at the peak of ripeness. The most famous dessert is perhaps mangoes with sticky rice (Khao Niaw Ma Muang). Increasingly, this dish is being offered at restaurants in America as well. Kiaw Sa Woei, Pim Sian, Fah Lan and Raed are preferably eaten raw, even though they are also delicious as ripe mangoes. Well-liked dishes include Mango Salad (Yum Ma Muang - spicy shredded raw mangoes) and Crispy Shredded Catfish with Raw Mango Salad (Yum Pla Duk Foo).

When eating raw mangoes, dipping sauce is essential. The two common dipping sauces are:

* mixed of salt, sugar and crushed dry chilli, called Prik Gleua in Thai,

* mixed of chilli, fish sauce and palm sugar, heated to a caramel-like consistency, called Nam Pla Wan in Thai

Besides eating fresh and raw mangoes, Thais also use mangoes to make ice cream, juice and milkshakes, as well as pickled mango (Ma Muang Dong), dry pickled mango (Ma Muang Chae Im), or air dried pureed mango (Ma Muang Kuan). Since mangoes ripen so quickly and are abundant during the season, many mangoes are canned and sold, both domestically and internationally. Mango products are usually made from other types of mango such as Kaew, Chok Anan and Maha Chanok.

Thais not only use mangoes as fruit or in cooking, but in medicine as well. The following process is one example. The seed of the ripe mango is dried, and subsequently ground up or boiled in water. This process results in a drink which helps one with health problems such as a bloated feeling or to get rid of a parasite or worm. Another approach involves boiling 15-20 mango leaves with water to create a drink to treat bloated feelings, ulcerative colitis, or for other applications such as external use to clean wounds. Some drink water boiled with the bark of a mango tree to reduce fever. As always, consult a physician as appropriate before deciding on treatments.

Asian grocery stores in America often do not have Thai mangoes, but may have products made from Thai mangoes. In this case, if mango juice or mangoes with sticky rice sound appealing this summer, mangoes from the Philippines or Mexico are your best substitute. Costco often offers Mexican mangoes - wait until they are ripe - the skin will be very yellow. Mangoes from the Phillipines may be better, but they are equally if not more difficult to find.

As the vast majority of people in Southeast Asia eat mangoes, the cultural significance of the mango is broadly based. The mango has been a luscious and precious staple for generations. This is an ongoing result of both the high quality Thai mango itself, and the inspiration of its many delicious variations, uses, and cultural heritage.

About the Author: Learn Authentic Thai Cooking at http://thaicookinghouse.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=275895&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Hot And Spicy - Is That What Thai Food All About?

2009-01-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

By Witit Sujjapong

Of course not. But, for better or worse, Thai cuisine cannot
losen its association with that hot and spicy taste of chilies.
People tend to overlook the many other herbs and spices that
combine to give Thai food its range of delicacy. It is the very
delicate interplay of herbs and spices that makes Thai food so
well-loved among all peoples of the world.

The single most outstanding charater of Thai culinary may be
the harmonious blend of the three S's of flavor - spicy, salty
and sour. This is achieved fundamentally by the three key
ingredients.

Chili - Spicy

Despite the paramount importance of chili or "prik" in Thai
cooking, it is believed that Thai people only acquired the love
for the spicy taste of chili in the 16th century. It is not
clear whether the Portuguese or the Spanish merchants were
responsible for introducing this chili pepper to the old Siam.
In any case, Thai people have since mastered the use of this
spice in their cooking blending it with other herbs and
flavorings.

The green or red "prik kee noo", literally "mouse dropping
chili" is the tiniest but packs a memorable wallop. Don't ever
eat it one whole or you can burn your tongue instantly.

Fish Sauce - Salty

"Nam pla" in Thai, the second most important ingredient of Thai
food. It is derived from brewing fish or shrimp mixed with salt
and decanting the fermented result into bottles. Don't mistake
this with Chinese or Japanese soy sauce. Its aroma of fermented
fish can be annoying but when blended into other ingredients it
becomes more subtle and unbelievably tasty.

Lime - Sour

"Manao" (lime) and sometimes "magrood" (kaffir lime) are used
at every opportunity in a variety of Thai dishes. Its main role
is to suppress the salty taste and strong aroma of fish sauce.

One very simple use of the 3 main ingredients of Thai cooking
is a "prik nampla" sauce where chili is added to fish sauce with
some lime and garlic. Add a few drops of this to any Thai dish
like "gai yang" (grilled chicken), "khai jeow" (fried egg) or
even plain white rice and you can enjoy the punch of spicy,
salty and sour Thai flavor. This is what most Thai people cannot
do without. And a Thaiphile cannot go about talking Thai food
without ever trying "prik nampla" himself!

About the Author: Witit Sujjapong is the web master of
http://www.thaiphile.com, a website specialized in things thai.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=36282&ca=Food+and+Drinks

All About Thai Curry

2008-12-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

By Napatr Lindsley

When people hear the words "Thai Curry", the first thing that
comes to their mind is some spicy coconut milk with curry paste.
This is not totally true. Thais say "Kaeng" which means "Curry".
However, Kaeng in Thailand does not only mean curry, but it
means the cooking process of mixing various kinds of vegetables
with liquid like water or coconut milk. It can be spicy or
non-spicy or a vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish like soup,
stew, curry or even dessert. I will use the word "Kaeng"
throughout this article. In Thailand, there are 2 types of
Kaeng: Kaeng Jued and Kaeng Ped. Ped literally means spicy and
Jued means tasteless. Kaeng Jued usually refers to non-spicy
soup dishes.

Kaeng Jued

Kaeng Jued dishes are usually comprise of broth, vegetables and
meat. Homemade broth is preferred over bouillon cubes. Broth is
made from boiling pork ribs or chicken bones in water for a long
period of time. You will often hear Thais say "nam soup" which
means broth. To make broth, the bones should have a little bit
of meat and fat left on them. On low heat, boil meat in water.
Once the boil begins, reduce heat to its lowest point so that
the broth just barely simmers. The longer the simmering, the
more flavor you will get. One and a half to two hours usually is
enough to extract flavors from meats. Before using broth,
straining is a must. In Thai cooking, some recipes would add
Chinese cellery or white radish during the simmering to add more
sweetness to the broth.

The clear broth then will be used in a different kind of Kaeng
Jued. A common way to make Kaeng Jued is to 1) bring broth to
boil 2) add meat, 3) add vegetables and 4) add flavor. Example
Kaeng Jued dishes are:

* Kaeng Jued Fak: chicken/pork broth with winter melon
* Kaeng Jued Mara: chicken/pork broth with bitter melon
* Kaeng Jued Mara Yat Sai: chicken/pork broth with stuffed
bitter melon
* Kaeng Jued Pla Muek Yat Sai: chicken/pork broth with stuffed
squid
* Kaeng Jued Taeng Gwa: chicken/pork broth with cucumber
* Kaeng Jued Taeng Gwa Yat Sai: chicken/pork broth with stuffed
cucumber
* Kaeng Jued Tao Hu: chicken/pork broth with bean curd
* Kaeng Jued Wun Sen: chicken/pork broth with clear noodles

Kaeng Ped

Most Kaeng Ped dishes differ in degree of spiciness. Some are
very spicy and some are mild. Some have coconut milk and some do
not. Kaeng Ped can be categorized into 6 different types: Kaeng
Ped, Kaeng Khua, Kaeng Liang, Kaeng Som, Tom Yum and Pad Ped.

1) Kaeng Ped

It can be confusing that Kaeng Ped is a subcategory of Kaeng
Ped. There are 2 distinct types of Kaeng Ped: Kaeng Ped with
coconut milk and Keang Ped without coconut milk. The key to a
delicious Kaeng Ped is curry paste. Either homemade or
commercial curry paste must be finely ground. Fish sauce and
sugar are the two main ingredients to flavor Kaeng Ped dishes.

Examples of water-based curry dishes are:

* Kaeng Hang Le: Northern style curry with meat, curry powder,
lemongrass, ginger, shallots, shrimp paste, chilies and peanuts

* Kaeng Pa: jungle curry, Northen curry. This curry is hot and
full of flavor from fingerroot, kaffir lime zest, lemon grass,
garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and chilies

* Kaeng Leung: hot yellow curry, most common meat used is fish.
Other ingredients are winter melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric,
lemon grass, shallots and shrimp paste.

Examples of coconut-based curry dishes are:

* Kaeng Daeng: red curry with meat, bamboo shoots, Thai sweet
basil, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk

* Kaeng Kari: Indian style curry with meat, potatoes and
coconut milk

* Kaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry with meat, Thai
eggplants, pea eggplants, winter melon, Thai sweet basil (Bai
Horapa), kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk

* Kaeng Matsaman: curry with meat, potatoes, peanuts and
coconut milk (a mild curry from the Muslim Southern part of
Thailand)

* Kaeng Phed: spicy curry with meat and chilies

2) Kaeng Khua

Kaeng Khua curry paste makes this curry dish distinct and
different from Kaeng Ped dishes. Kaeng Khua curry paste has
either deep-fried fish, grilled fish or dried small shrimp as
part of its ingredients. Most Kaeng Khua will not have added
spices because of its strong aroma. The typical flavors of this
curry are sweet, sour and salty. The most common meat is fish,
shrimp or clam. Main added ingredients typically used in this
curry can be pineapple, mushrooms or winter melon. Other
ingredients are galangal, kaffir lime zest, dried chilies, lemon
grass and shrimp paste.

Some people might confuse Kaeng Khua and Kaeng Pa because they
look similar and both are coconut-based curry. However, both use
different curry paste and Kaeng Pa mostly has only a salty
taste.

3) Kaeng Liang

Many say Kaeng Liang is Thai vegetarian curry. The main
ingredients of this curry are vegetables, usually there is no
meat. Some recipes may add chicken or shrimp. However, if we
look at Kaeng Liang curry paste, this dish is not vegetarian.
Part of Kaeng Liang curry paste is dried shrimp paste (ka pi),
dried shrimp and deep-fried fish or grilled fish. This curry is
a water-based curry that is quite thick. The most common
vegetables are sponge gourd (buab liam), gourd leaves (bai tam
leung), "hairy" basil (bai Maeng Luk) and baby corn.

4) Kaeng Som

Kaeng Som is a water-based curry that in flavor combines sour,
saltiness and a little sweetness. The common meat used in this
curry is fish or shrimp. Some recipes use clams. Common
vegetables are morning glory (phak bueng), bottle gourd (phak
nam tao), water mimosa (phak kra ched), Vegetable Humming Bird
(dok kae), cabbage (kra lum plee) and juice-based tamarind.
Other ingredients are shrimp paste, dried shrimp and shallots.
The famous Kaeng Som is Kaeng Som Pla Chon Phak Kra Ched which
has striped snakehead (pla chon) and water mimosa (phak kra
ched) as main ingredients.

5) Tom Yum

Tom Yum is a hot and sour soup. Tom Yum soup dishes have lots
of herbs and meat as the main ingredients. Few vegetables are
used in Tom Yum soup, although usually included are oyster
mushrooms or straw mushrooms. Common herbs used in Tom Yum soup
are kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, chilies and coriander
roots. The common meats used in Tom Yum soup are chicken, shrimp
and fish. The ingredients used in flavoring Tom Yum are lemon
juice, tamarind juice, sugar and fish sauce.

Tom Yum soup can also be categorized into 2 different types:
coconut-based Tom Yum soup and water/broth-based Tom Yum soup.
Examples of Tom Yum soup dishes are:

* Tom Kha Gai: coconut-based hot and sour soup with chicken
* Tom Kha Pla Duk: coconut-based hot and sour soup with catfish

* Tom Kha Ta Le: coconut-based hot and sour soup with seafood
* Tom Yum Gai: water/broth-based hot and sour soup with chicken

* Tom Yum Goong: water/broth-based hot and sour soup with prawn

* Tom Yum Hua Pla: water/broth-based hot and sour soup with
fish head
* Tom Yam Moo Pa: water/broth-based hot and sour soup with boar

6) Pad Ped

Pad Ped is similar to Kaeng Ped; however, Pad Ped dishes use
less coconut milk or water than Kaeng Ped. Thus Pad Ped is more
like a stir-fried dried curry paste dish with meat and
vegetables. Example vegetables are Thai eggplants, yard long
beans, bamboo shoots and pea eggplants. Two main ingredients
used in flavoring Pad Ped dishes are fish sauce and sugar.
Example dishes are:

* Pad Ped Moo Tao Fak Yao: stir-fried red curry paste with pork
and yard long beans
* Pad Ped Pla Duk: stir-fried catfish with chili paste
* Phanaeng Gai: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste with chicken
and kaffir lime leaves
* Phanaeng Moo: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste with pork and
kaffir lime leaves
* Phanaeng Nuea: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste with beef and
kaffir lime leaves

The example dishes listed above are famous dishes in Thailand.
Of course, there are more dishes than I can name here. "Kaeng"
has more than just the one meaning of spicy curry like many
believe about Thai curry. Thais even use the word "Kaeng" in
desserts like Kaeng Buat. Kaeng Buat is a dessert that has
pumpkin, taro and/or potatoes in coconut milk. Most Thai
restaurants in the U.S offer coconut-based Kaeng Ped, Pad Ped
and Tom Yum soup. If you have a chance to visit Thailand, I hope
you will have a chance to enjoy all different kinds of Kaeng.

Napatr Lindsley

About the Author: Get authentic Thai recipes at
http://thaicookinghouse.com/

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=312540&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Thai-Style Fragrant Water And Thai Hom Mali Rice

2008-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

By Saronkorn Seuyouyong

This very popular form of fragrant water is made from freshly
gathered flowers and contains no alcohol. The flowers used are
selected for their sweet and lingering fragrance, some of the
more common ingredients being the flowers of damask rose (Rosa
damascene Mill.), jasmine, “lam-chiak” (Pandanus tectorius Bl.),
“kradang-ngaa-thai” (Cananga odorata Hook.f. & Th.), orange
champaka (Michelia champaca Linn.), “chammanaas”(Vallaris glabra
Ktze.),bullet wood, “lamduan” (Melodorum fruticosum Lour.) and
“chan-ka-pho” (Vatica diospyroides Syming.). Other ingredients
used include the leaves of fragrant screw pine, the inner bark
of “chaluut” (Alyxia reinwardtii Bl.bar. lucida Markge.),
sandalwood, Siam benzoin, jasmine and hyacinth (Hyacinthus
orientalis Linn.)oils.

Thai-style fragrant water is applied liberally onto the face,
chest and arms during the hot climate. It is also recommended
for use in cases of fainting. A thick made by mixing scented
marl with fragrant water is used as an anointment in various
ceremonies.

Thai Hom Mali rice is indigenous to Thailand. In the past, it
has been variously labeled as "fragrant rice", "jasmine rice",
"aromatic rice" or "scented rice". This variety of rice can only
be grown in the hot, sunny climates of Southeast Asia. However,
Thailand has developed three varieties of Thai Hom Mali called
Khao Dok Mali 105, Khao Jao Hawm Klong Luang 1 (KLG1) and Khao
Jao Hawm Suphan Buri (SPR-A), which have produced higher yields
and higher resistance to diseases and insect pests. Therefore,
Thailand has become internationally recognized as a leading
exporter of this unique rice.

Thai Hom Mali Rice

Thai Hom Mali Rice has enjoyed an international reputation for
its aroma and the texture which is tender and versatile to blend
effectively with a wide variety of dishes. Grown only in
Thailand, Thai Hom Mali Rice is the world's only indigenous rice
with a natural fragrance.

Hom Mali, generally known as "Fragrant Rice" or
"Jasmine-scented rice", grown in Thailand has quality that its
variety grown in other parts of the world does not have!

Thai Hom Mali Rice is a traditional strain of rice which
originated from a small village in central Thailand called Bang
Klar. In the early 1970s, co-operation between the private and
government sectors, seeking alternative rice varieties for
export, saw Thai Hom Mali Rice planted in the Northeastern
Region. the result were excellent and today the Northeastern
Region produces the finest quality Thai Hom Mali Rice.

It is also very nutritious. Thai Hom Mali Rice is a high fibre
grain containing vitamins B1, B2, Niacin, Carbohydrate and
protein. It is also rich in minerals such as Iron, Calcium and
Phosphorous.

Thailand is the top rice exporting country in the world,
averaging 6 million tones a year, about a quarter of which is
Thai Hom Mali.

About the Author: http://www.bathbeautybest.com/
http://www.ivehomespa.com/ http://www.thaiseosubmit.com/

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=124164&ca=Food+and+Drinks

X-mas...pinoy-style

2008-11-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

By Karla Gae Pascua

As early as when the months of the year begin to end with "-ber", Filipinos are bursting with anticipation for that special magic the Christmas season never fails to yield. Anywhere else in the world, Christmas is a December "thing". Here in the Philippines, however, it lasts all the way into the Feast of the Three Kings, sometimes even onto the Chinese New Year. Indeed, with all the holiday hoopla, Christmastime in the Philippines is anything but boring.

Christmas the Filipino way would not be the same without the "people traffic" inside and outside department stores and tiangges as shoppers clamor to get the best buys of the season. Pinoys at home meanwhile, spiffy up the house with decorations and strategically placed speakers, from which the sounds of Christmas will be heard.

You also have fidgety children and over-anxious parents and yayas who bribe the children into "being good", else Santa Clause doesn't come for a visit this year. Anything for that red fire truck or Barbie doll, the kids would think, but how would they know whether jolly ol' St. Nick is just a fraud or not? Anyway, the trick turns out to be just as good a disciplining method for any other day of the year as it is during Christmas time.

Several traditions remain uniquely Filipino. The misa de gallo for example. Filipinos have been religiously attending these dawn masses, more commonly known as Simbang Gabi, ever since Fray Diego de Soria popularized it in Mexico in 1587. In the Philippines, Simbang Gabi novena devotees brave the dark and morning chill of daybreak to preserve the tradition. Of course, there is always the lure of fresh bibingka and puto bumbong to stiffle the yawns and prevent heads from nodding off to sleep.

The onslaught of parols, paper lanterns made of Japanese paper glued to a star-shaped bamboo frame, is another unique sight to behold. These glittering configurations may be seen hanging everywhere: from window sills, bedecking a tree out on the lawn or hung from street lights, even from highway posts. Sometimes, people fix parols atop one end of a long pole while they bury the other end deep enough into the ground to keep it steady. The more modern parols, the 10-foot plus urbanized ones, decorate the facades of office buildings and hotel lobbies. Aptly, the more modest ones are the kind you see hanging from homes. Whatever the size or shape, parols will always be part of the Filipino Christmas.

Along with the parol, the belen is also a main attraction closely identified with the Pinoy Christmas. The sight of the holy family in a manger with animals and the three kings surrounding it, renders a certain serenity to the household --- a feeling of holiness which just about anyone can use a little bit of during this season.

Of course, every Filipino Christmas is sure to include a noche buena. Sometimes it is a feast of jamon, queso de bola, relleno, roast turkey, castanas, and fruit cake. Sometimes, it's plain pancit, fried chicken, hotdogs and lugaw. It's a feast, nonetheless, and shouldn't really matter as long as the family is together. Getting ready for the noche buena, as far as saving up, decorations and presentation is concerned, may start as early as right after this year's meal. Year-in and year-out, people are putting away any amount of extra cash they might have with hopes of adding yet another "viand" to next year's noche buena table.

The Filipino way of celebrating the yuletide will not be the same without the children's hopeful "mano pos" --- sometimes in the churches, often times in the homes of their ninongs and ninangs. You also have the songs from yesteryears played over practically all the radio stations in town. Sure, the same song might vary a bit, depending on whose version the disk jockey chooses (Gary Valenciano's or Regine Velazquez's "Pasko na Sinta Ko"), but listeners do not usually mind as long as the songs add to their Yuletide merry-making.

Of course, what would Christmas be without the usual caroling and Christmas songs? In the suburbs, kids as young as six years old are taught Christmas carols, accompanied by the jingle of flattened bottle caps strung together through the middle by a thin wire. They are then encouraged to go singing around the neighborhood and along the streets in order to spread some of the yuletide cheer to weary motorists.

As Filipinos are generally musically inclined, there are many people who would not dare pass up a new album, especially if it's a Pinoy Christmas album. A refreshing change to hear original Pilipino music on the airwaves as opposed to listening to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," many Filipino artists now have their Christmas records in several music bars.

One such album that is undoubtedly OPM is Bukas Palad Music Ministry's "Pasko Na!", which is distributed by BMG Pilipinas. Consisting of 18 orginal songs, mostly penned by founders Fr. Manoling Fransisco, S.J., Norman Agatep and Jandi Arboleda, "Pasko Na!" relives a uniquely Filipino and Christ-centered season.

For those unfamiliar with Bukas Palad, they are a liturgical group composed of college students and young professionals who first got together at the Ateneo de Manila University in 1986. They were the ones who gave strong mass appeal to songs of the Catholic faith such as "Tanging Yaman", "Take and Receive", "Anima Christi" and "Hindi Kita Malilimutan". After eight albums and more than 13 years of concerts around the nation, Bukas Palad offers to the public their latest album which is flavored with the group's own style of a mix of pop, jazz, soul, gospel and broadway-inspired music.

"Pasko Na!" is filled with the energy and soul becoming of the modern, yet traditional, Filipino Christmas. The album guarantees that people are still capable of realizing a Christmas that's liberating and joyful, despite whatever problems the weary year may have brought on. These themes are reflected in such songs as "Himig ng Hangin" and "Pasko ng Paglaya" by Jandi Arboleda and Fr. Manoling, respectively. A must-have for this year's holiday season, "Pasko Na!" is now available in all record bars nationwide.

Filipinos do not really have to be over-flowing with wealth to enjoy Christmas. Expensive decorations and a feast fit for a king at the noche buena table are things most Filipinos can do without. Afterall, as long as there's the family to celebrate the season with and the traditions to make it more meaningful, the Filipino Christmas will always be special, meaningful and endearingly unique.

About the Author: Karla Gae L. Pascua is a senior copywriter at Agatep Associates, Inc., one of the country's leading public relations agencies. Pascua has been writing professionally for over a decade, seven years of which were under the stewardship of the industry's acknowledged father of public relations, former UST professor, and journalism textbook author, Charlie Agatep.

Source:www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1296&ca=Culture

Top 10 Must-Not-Miss Thai Food

2008-11-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

By Siwawut Chaiya

Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is
well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding
spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is
cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices
which are beneficial to health.

The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of
five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The
one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in
seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is
eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the
staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north
and northeast of Thailand.

Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while
you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since
there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this
guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic
ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.

The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must
not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the
popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here
are the winners.

10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with
Cashew Nuts)

Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the
overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland
taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly
sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly
satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.

9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)

Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among
foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour
dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable
fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast
Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a
special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)

Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef.
Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is
relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry,
Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with
warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng
expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some
people.

7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)

Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for
its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally
means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh
vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans
and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad
vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle.
Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice.
Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low
calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish
that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m
ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its
strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and
swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you
really want to try.

6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)

This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined
with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo
Sa-Te makes a savory hors d'oeuvres that will appease any taste
buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with
two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground
peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a
sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and
cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.

5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)

Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom
Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will
fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear
chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish
sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass,
shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma.
My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you
should not miss it by any means!

4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)

Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it
deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and
popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with
many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut
milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned
with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to
the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is
probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.

3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)

Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Kai”, you
would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that
chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually
used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated
as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and
tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from
green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness
of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with
steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom
Jeen” likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.

2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)

This national dish prides itself for its long history traced
back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of
Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and
the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors. The
stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and
comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your
appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two
different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad
Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind
juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and
garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style
is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily
found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the
West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its
original country is a way to go.

1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the
optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly
one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a
blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass,
kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There
are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy
soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the
broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder
flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns,
chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is
the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is
the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is
definitely a signature dish of Thailand.

Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many
health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether
Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be
somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each
dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use
of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because
it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood
pressure and cancer.

No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate
intake comes into play. From Mcdonald’s burger to Japanese
Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption.
Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and
fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still
order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food - tasty
and healthy!

About the Author: My name is Siwawut Chaiya, 23. You can call
me Tom for short. I'm a writer from Chiang Mai Thailand. You can
email me at tommilicious@gmail.com. The full story plus photos
can be viewed at
http://www.thailand-travelonline.com/thailand-reviews-recommendations/top-10-must-not-miss-thai-food/575/.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=305596&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Tips For Cooking Authentic Thai Food

2008-10-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

By Napatr Lindsley

Like Thai Food? Love to cook? Perhaps your first attempt did
not turn out like in the picture or taste like at the
restaurant. Well, do not give up on cooking Thai food. Some Thai
dishes may seem difficult because of a long list of ingredients
and instructions. Thai cooking is all about ingredients and
preparation. In Thailand, frozen or canned food is not very
common. Thais love fresh ingredients. Thailand is one of the
lucky countries in the world that has abundant vegetables,
exotic fruit, seafood, etc. There is a well-known verse in
Thailand describing abundant food resources: "Nai Nam Mee Pla
Nai Na Mee Khao" which means "In river, there is fish, in the
field, there is rice." This article will start with some general
tips and then move in to specific tips for each food category.

Ingredients

Ingredients are the most important part of authentic Thai
cooking. If you live in Thailand or in Southeast Asia, finding
fresh Thai ingredients is easy. But if you live somewhere else,
finding fresh ingredients can be difficult or troublesome
especially for those who do not live in a city. If you decide to
make Thai dishes, first invest a little of your time getting to
know the ingredients. Then find the nearest Asian grocery store.
If you like, call to see if they carry ingredients you are
looking for. For instance, if you are looking for "Winter
Melon", not all Asian grocery stores carry it. If you prefer,
buying online can safe you driving time. If you cannot find
fresh ingredients, try frozen and canned foods. In my opinion,
most frozen products are the next best thing to fresh food. For
instance, stir-fried shredded ginger with pork has two main
ingredients: shredded ginger and pork. Shredded ginger? Sounds
like lots of work to use fresh ginger. One might try a jar or
can, but the taste and aroma of the ginger are not the same as
the fresh version. It is not difficult to make shredded ginger
if you have the right peeler. Try your best to find fresh
produce, as it will be a good start to cooking authentic Thai
dishes.

Equipment

Thais use a wok and pot in most dishes with the exception of
desserts. For desserts, it is not required but it is recommended
to use a bronze wok (Ka Ta Thong Lueng). Other common equipment
includes a mortar and pestle. In Thailand, gas stoves are the
most commonly used. Electric stoves are uncommon and not very
popular because heat may not be distributed evenly. Regarding
the mortar and pestle, it depends on one's desire. If you are
going to cook Thai dishes very often, a mortar and pestle can
become handy in your kitchen. Otherwise, using typical kitchen
tools like a knife and cutting board can accomplish the same
goal. Food processors or blenders are another option when it
comes to making pastes.

Preparation

Preparation is also one of the keys to authentic Thai cooking.
As mentioned above, Thai food focuses largely on ingredients and
preparation. Preparation in particular is essential to authentic
Thai food. You may spend more time preparing ingredients than
you actually spend cooking. For instance, it may take about 30
minutes to prepare all ingredients for Tom Kha Gai but you only
spend about 15 minutes cooking. A typical Thai dinner consists
of 4-5 communal dishes. It may take up to 2 hours to prepare all
ingredients, but only 1 hour to make. A few reasons follow
regarding why Thais spend more time on preparation. Thais like
their meat in bite size pieces. Fresh vegetables require time to
wash, cut and maybe pad dry. Pounding spices and fresh herbs is
also common for many dishes. Some desserts like Ta Go (sweet on
the bottom layer with salty coconut topping in a pandanus
basket) require lots of time in preparation starting from
cleaning and cutting leaves and then making baskets. Depending
on the amount of Ta Go you are making, it can take up to hours
just to make those tiny baskets. Don't be discouraged by this
because after preparation, the wonderful dishes are right around
the corner!

Cooking to Your Taste

The art of Thai cooking has placed emphasis on the harmonious
blending of various ingredients, particularly as the individual
ingredients can vary by freshness and so on. Without harmony the
taste and the dish fall short. The five elements of taste in
Thai food are: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and bitter. When
cooking Thai dishes, one may follow a recipe, but use it as a
guideline when it comes to taste. Taste varies for each
individual, sometimes in response to variables such as
ingredient quality or occasion, and thus the tastes of the
recipe author may or may not reflect one's own taste. Following
a recipe is a good idea, but when it comes to taste follow your
own preference. Know your ingredients and start adding flavorful
items in small amounts. For instance, when it comes to curry
pastes and fish sauce, some brands are saltier than others. Most
Thai dishes can be fixed to some extent. If it is too sweet,
adding a little bit of fish sauce will fix the problem and vice
versa. If it is too sour, add a little bit of water; sugar or
fish sauce will help.

Coconut Milk

Thai food and coconut milk almost always go together. Many
dishes require Hua Ka Ti (first pressed coconut milk or creamy
coconut milk) and/or Hang Ka Ti (second or third pressed milk or
water-like coconut milk). To make fresh coconut milk, finely
grated coconut meat is still steeped in warm water, not hot
water. It is then squeezed until dry. The white fluid from the
first press is called "Hua Ka Ti". Warm water is then added
again to make the second and third pressed coconut milk, which
is called "Hang Ka Ti." Finely grated coconut meat is generally
used about 3 times and then discarded. Freshly pressed coconut
milk has a better taste and aroma than commercial coconut milk
in a can.

If you use canned coconut milk, you will need to have a can at
a cold temperature because cold temperatures help separate the
creamy coconut part and the water-like part. The creamy coconut
milk will float to the top of the can. During hot weather, you
may want to leave a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for
a few hours or overnight.

Fried Rice

Good fried rice is not difficult to make. The most important
part is the steamed rice. The rice should be cooked but firm,
not mushy and soft. If steamed rice is soft and mushy, when it
is stir-fried it will all stick together. Good rice in fried
rice should be easy to break up and the grains should stay
intact. So to make the steamed rice, make sure you use a little
less water than normal so that the rice is dryer than normal.
Keeping rice in a refrigerator for 2-3 days is another
alternative, but if your rice is mushy and soft after those 2-3
days, the fried rice will also still clump together. Other keys
to making good fried rice are using a wok and high heat. Heat
must be evenly distributed and consistently hot all thel time. A
wok is recommended for making fried rice but not required.

Curry

There are two main types of Thai curries: coconut-based and
non-coconut based. Those which use coconut milk mostly have
similar initial steps which include separating the coconut oil
and mixing curry paste into coconut milk. These first 2 steps
are keys to perfecting your curry dishes. For instance, if you
are making green curry, red curry, matsaman, or kaeng kari, the
very first step is bringing Hua Ka Ti (first pressed milk or
creamy coconut milk) to a boil until the oil starts to separate.
You do not want to boil too long because you will break Hua Ka
Ti and it will look like little white balls. After adding curry
paste into the coconut milk, stir until the green or red oil
separates and floats to the top. Frequently stirring curry paste
is required because you do not want to burn the paste. Curry
paste may stick to a cooking spoon, so make sure to remove it
from the spoon. During this process, if Hua Ka Ti is getting
dry, add 3-4 tablespoons of Hua Ka Ti at a time to keep the
curry paste from burning. After adding vegetables, do not
overcook them.

Stir-fried

Most stir-fried dishes take a short time to cook, especially
stir-fried vegetables. The main key to most stir-fired dishes is
heat. Heat must be evenly distributed throughout the wok or pan.
Most recipes will suggest to heat up vegetable oil. In this
step, one must make sure that the oil is hot and spread all over
the wok (up to the side) or pan. In some dishes, after adding
meat and/or vegetables, the pan or wok starts to get drier, so
one may add a little bit of water so that the food won't get
burned. For vegetables, make sure they are not overcooked.

Desserts

Thai desserts are not too difficult to make. Some may be easier
than others. Some require more patience and time than others.
Many Thai desserts require one to use the same ingredients, and
substitutes are not recommended. For instance, if Khanom Ta Go
asks for mung bean flour, other flour substitutes usually won't
work well. Khanom Bua Loy requires sticky rice flour, and one
may not use multipurpose flour or tapioca flour or some other
types of flour. In some desserts like potato in ginger syrup,
one can use mixed types of potatoes. Khanom Kaeng Buat can
consist of taro, potato and/or pumpkin. When making Thai
desserts, read instructions carefully.

Ingredients and preparation are the keys to cooking authentic
Thai food. Some of the first few dishes in particular may
require patience. However, once you have gotten to know Thai
ingredients more and more, you will find how easy it is to cook
authentic Thai food. As for Thai desserts, some are very simple
and easy to make and you can perfect them the first time you
try. Some desserts may take practice and time to develop certain
skills. Do not be discouraged by recipe directions or how
beautiful a picture of a dish might be. When you decide to cook
authentic Thai food, gather up some friends and enjoy your
cooking. Have fun!

Napatr Lindsley

About the Author: Get Authentic Thai Recipes at
http://thaicookinghouse.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=295596&ca=Cooking

Tofu Is A Wonder Food

2008-08-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

By Michelle Bery

People become more and more health conscious with each passing year. Fad diets, home gyms, and quick weight loss pills constantly flood the market. However, there has always been one tried and true road to good healthy; healthy eating. Finding ways to eat healthy can be difficult, especially with the high fat and cholesterol content that is found in red and white meats. But there is an alternative that has been long embraced by both eastern culture and vegetarians alike, and that alternative is tofu.

Tofu is made from soybean curd that is pressed into blocks that can be used in various recipes and methods of cooking. Different varieties of tofu are suited for different kinds of recipes. Soft tofu is a form of fresh tofu – produced directly from soy milk- and contains the highest moisture content of all varieties. Its custard-like texture makes it conducive to use as a dessert.

Firm tofu is a form of fresh tofu that has slightly less moisture content than soft tofu. While it is still soft in texture, it is able to hold its shape unlike soft tofu. The firmest form of fresh tofu is dried tofu. Dried tofu has the lowest moisture content and has the firmness of cooked meat. Dried tofu can be sliced, crumbled, or pressed into forms like noodles.

Tofu’s appeal to chefs and diners is two fold. First and foremost, it has very little natural flavor so it can be used in a wide variety of dishes and sauces. Tofu’s lack of flavor allows it to assume the flavors of the recipe without overpowering the dish. Its versatility is also evident in the preparation methods as well. Tofu can be served raw, fried, grilled, stewed, stir fried, in soups, or even as a filling or stuffing. But ultimately, tofu’s wide appeal extends beyond its versatility. Its nutritional benefits make it a food of choice for so many health conscious people. Tofu is low in calories, high in protein, and has no cholesterol. The FDA states that a daily intake of twenty-five grams of soy protein, which is found in tofu, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Tofu is literally a “wonder food” that acts as a canvas for flavors while providing tremendous health benefits. It is no wonder that tofu has become increasingly popular for food lovers and health conscious diners alike.

About the Author: For easy to understand, in depth information about tofu visit our ezGuide 2 href="http://tofu.ezguide2.com/

Source:www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:http://www.isnare.com/?aid=147767&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Thai Chicken Curry in Coconut Milk

2008-08-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of my all time favorite dishes. I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do. If you never had the pleasure of trying Thai curry chicken then I almost can guarantee that you will fall in love with Thai food after trying this chicken recipe.

Thai curry has an absolutely amazing combination of flavors in it, and you can make it as spicy or as mild as you would like by adding less or more of the curry. You can buy Thai curry paste in most supermarkets, or you can look in Asian markets if you can't find it anywhere else. Thai curry is great served with jasmine rice as this type of rice cools and compliments the flavors found in the curry. Also serve with a green vegetable, such as broccoli or green beans.

Vegetable oil 1tbsp
Red curry paste 4tsp
Boneless chicken breasts (skinned) 4
Onion, chopped 1
Sweet red pepper, cut into stips 1
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Coconut milk 1 cup
Fish sauce (if unavailable, use soy sauce) 2 tbsp
Fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp

In a large pan or skillet, heat oil over high heat and stir fry curry paste for about 30 seconds. Add chicken and stir fry for approximately 3 minutes. Stir in onion and fry for a minute. Next, add the red pepper and the lemon rind and continue to stir fry for another minute, or until the onion is see through and soft. Then stir in your coconut milk, fish sauce and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Continue cooking for a few more minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serves 4.

Additional information

1. It is almost always a good idea to have all of your ingredients cut up before hand, because of the quickness of cooking this dish. If you already have your ingredients cut up before hand you can just toss them in and not have to worry about burning anything

2. Since coconut milk is very high in fat, you can purchase light coconut milk as a substitute if you would prefer a lighter dish. However, if light coconut milk is unavailable, you can mix half a cup of coconut milk and half a cup of water together to make you own version of the light alternative. (It just might not taste as good!)

Per Serving (made with light coconut milk)
Calories 251
Protein 34g
Fat 9g
Carbohydrates 9g
Fiber 1g
Sodium 478mg

http://www.articlecircle.com/food-and-drink/recipes/thai-chicken-curry-in-coconut-milk.html

Spices Thai Food Galangal, Nutmeg Tree And Krachai

2008-06-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

By Manora

Galangal

Scientific name:Alpinia galangal (L.) Willd.

Family:ZINGIBERACEAE

Vernacular name:Kha

Galangal is one of the members of the ginger family. It is the rhizome of a plant Alpinia galangal(L.)Willd. The plant is about 1-2 metres high and has long arrow leaves and small white, red-streaked flowers. The rhizomes arc knobbly and ginger-like which are deep orange-brown in colour, aromatic, pungent and bitter. Dried rhzome pieces are tougher and woodier than dried ginger. It is used in soups and stews, but remove before serving as they are unpleasant and woody to chew on. Its piquant taste is akin to cardamon and ginger. Galangals are used fresh in curries and stews. It is an essential component of Thai curry pastes and other Thai cooking. The rhizomes and its essential oil are used to treat catarrh and respiratory problems. It is also carminative and stomachic.

Both the fresh and dried rhizomes are used in Thai-style soups and curries.

Nutmeg Tree

Scientific name:Myristica fragrans Houtt.

Family:MYRISTICACEAE

Vernacular name:Chan – thed

Myristica fragrans is unigue among spice plants as it produces two distinct spices: ntmeg and mace. Nutmeg is the kernel of the seed, mace is the lacy growth, known as the aril, which surrounds the seed. Nutmeg was being used in China as a medicine for digestive disorders. The Indians and Arabs valued it as a treatment for digestive, liver and skin complaints and both nutmeg and mace were held to be aphrodisiacs.the nutmeg tree is an evergreen that grows to 12 metres or more in heght. It has dark green oval leaves and small pale yellow flowers. Nutmeg and mace are similar in aroma and taste, but mace is more refined. The aroma is rich, fresh and warm. The taste is warm and highly aromatic-sweetish in nutmeg and more biter in mace. Europeans have used nutmeg and mace most extensively in both sweet and savoury dishes. Nutmeg is a standard seasoning in many Thai recipes. The flesh of the fruit is used to make a sweetmeat.

An evergreen tree growing to the height of 8 to17 metres. Its leaves are leathery, shiny, dark green and oblong-ovate in outline with acute apex and base. Its pistillate flowers are small, yellow and axillary. Its fruit is a yellow, nearly ovoid, fleshy 2-valved capsule. The seedis surrounded by a fleshy, orange-red to red aril. It is cultivated in the southern part of Thailand.

The dried ripe seeds (nutmeg) and dried arils (mace ) are used as spices. Medicinally it is used as a stimulant and a carminative. The seeds and arils contain myristica oil which is composed mainly of myristicin and saffrole.

Krachai

Scientific name:Boesenbergia rotunda (Linn.)Mansf.

Family:ZINGIBERACEAE

Vernacular name:Krachai

Krachai has finger-like rhizomes, shoots with up to four leaves, and a spike of white or pink flowers with a pink –spotted white lip. They are widely cultivated in Thailand and Indonesia for the spicy flavour. Yellow-fleshed rhizome folavours Thai food including soups, fish dishes, and curries. They are also used to reduce flatulence and to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and worms. In Thailand the leaves are regard as an antidote to certain poisons.

A perennial herb with a small slightly branched dark brown rhizome. The fleshy roots are cylindrical to spindle in shape, yellowish brown in colour and are arranged at right angle to the rhizome. The leaves are fairly large, oval in outline with acute apex. The inflorescence is composed of 4-6 flowers, the lowers blooming gradually from the base towards the apex of the inflorescence. Individual flowers are reddish purple in colour.

The aromatic tuberous roots are used a condiments in Thai food. The rhizomes and roots are rputed to increase physical efficiency. They are used as an antidysentery and a carminative in traditional Thai medicine. The rhizomes contain 0.08 percent of volatile oil, composed of cineol, boesenbergin A, camphor, etc.

About the Author: Find spa beauty gift
Buy bath gift set
Bath and body products

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=113809&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Fried mix-Vegetable

2008-04-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 Lettuces
1/2 can Bamboo Shoots
1 tablespoon Thick soy sauce
2 cups Chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Vegetable oil
2 Chinese Broccoli
1 teaspoon Sasame oil
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
10 Dried black mushroom

Method

Heat the oil in the pan. Fry broccoli until cooked and remove from heat. Leave 4
tablespoons of oil in the pan, pour chicken broth and add lettuce. Cover the pan
for 3 minutes. Then put bamboo shoots, black mushroom, thick soy sauce, sesame,
salt and fried chinese broccoli. Add the cornstarch mixed with water. Stir until
cooked and serve hot.

Note: Available vegetables can be used, for example; young corn,red or green bell
pepper, riped tomato, mushroom etc.

Amazing Thai Recipe

2008-04-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

By Barney Garcia

Bamboo Shoots: Bamboo shoots are called for in many Thai recipes. In order to prepare a bamboo shoot for cooking you need to peel them and boil the white inner stalks for 30 minutes in water. If you are using canned bamboo shoots you will only need to boil them for 10 minutes, or if they are going into curries or soups, boiling might not be required.

Basil (fresh): There are three types of basils used in Thai cooking; sweet, holy and lemon. Sweet basil is much easier to find because it is commonly used in western cooking. Holy basil has a spicier taste and can be recognized by it’s slightly purple leaves. Lemon basil has a lemony flavor and can be detected by its distinct lemony scent. If you can only find sweet basil you can compensate for holy or lemon basil by adding finely chopped chili peppers or a bit of lemon rind.

Bergamot: Also known as kaffir lime leaves has a slightly limey flavor which goes well with all Thai dishes. Since this may be hard to find, granted lime rind can be used in its place although it is a poor substitute.

Chili paste: This can be bought in bottles or tubes in almost any supermarket. Used for adding spice and flavor to most dishes, a particularly popular version by Thai cooks is burnt mild chili paste.

Chinese mushrooms: Mushrooms are added to a lot of Thai cooking and many people chose to use the dried variety because they are cheaper and have just as much flavor and nutritional value. You will need to soak the mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes before using them and the stems are usually discarded because of their tough nature.

Coconut milk: Coconut milk can be bought in cans almost anywhere. If the recipe you are using calls for coconut cream scoop the harder white substance that has formed at the top of the can. If you need coconut milk, stir the can thoroughly before using.

Curry Paste: While some people prefer to prepare their own curry pastes, many bottled curries are available at the supermarket. Most recipes use red, green or yellow curry.

Fish sauce: Made from collecting the liquid off of fermenting salted fish, this pale, watery brown sauce is sometimes used to replace all the salt in recipes. It is very flavorful and compliments all Thai food. It is called for in many recipes but you can also use your imagination with it, as it is very versatile.

Galangal: A close relative to ginger, is used in many curries and soups. Since it is quite rare to find fresh you will probably have to purchase it dry and soak it in water for 1 hour before using.

Garlic: Thai garlic might be available in some Asian markets, however if you cannot find it, the Western variety will work just as well. Use the smaller, tighter cloves on your garlic head for Thai cooking because they are more flavorful and will not be over powered by the other herbs and spices used in your dish.

Ginger: Easy to find and used quite often in modern cooking, ginger is extremely healthy and flavorful. It must be peeled before it is grated or chopped. Fresh ginger is much better than dried, although dried may be substituted if needed.

Lemon grass: Lemon grass is one of the most commonly used items in Thai cooking. It is a long stalk that looks like a small leek. The hard outer portion should be removed and the lower, bulbous part is used. You can either add sliced pieces to your food while it is cooking and remove them before serving your dish, or you can blend them in a food processor so they can be consumed with the dish, which will give it more flavor.

Palm Sugar: Some Thai recipes call for palm sugar which is available in some Asian markets as cellophane wrapped blocks. If palm sugar is unavailable you can substitute with dark brown sugar or real maple syrup.

Rice: Thai people prefer long-grain white Jasmine rice. This is a flavorful and aromatic rice that cools and compliments spicy Thai dishes.

Rice papers: Used for making fresh Thai spring rolls, you can buy rice papers at any food store. To use soak papers (one at a time) in warmish water until they are soft and pliable, then dry off with paper towel and use immediately.

Sesame Oil: A vegetable oil that comes from pressed sesame seeds and originated in East India. This is a very flavorful oil and works very well with Thai cooking.

Preparation and cooking techniques:

Vegetables: Vegetables used in Thai cooking should be cut as finely as possible. The idea is that the smaller they are chopped, the less time they will need to be cook, therefore retaining as much nutrients as possible.

Stir frying: Most people have cooked a stir fry before, so will be familiar with this method of cooking. Oil should be poured into a wok and vegetables should be added over high heat while being constantly stirred. Vegetables should only be stir fried for a couple of seconds so they remain crisp and brightly colored.

Mortar and Pestles: Perfect for making sauces, curry pastes and salads, every Thai cook should own a mortar and pestle preferably made out of clay or wood.

Mincing: Since Thai cooking uses so many intensely flavorful ingredients they should all be chopped very finely so one flavor never overpowers the other. You should always use a very sharp knife for this.

Roasting and grinding spices: When adding spices and herbs to your Thai dish you should always roast them by slowly heating each spice individually in pan until they begin to crackle and turn brown. When each spice is done roasting they should be ground very finely in a food processor or mortar.

About the Author: Barney Garcia writes about many different topics. www.diets-for-health.info and www.fantastic-detox-diet.info and www.fantastic-detox-diets.info

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=59175&ca=Cooking

Fried crab with curry - Fried rice crackers

2008-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Crab
A large amount of vegetable oil
Cut ginger
Sliced green onion
White wine
Curry powder
Thin soy sauce
Bean oil
Rice crackers

Method

1. Boil crab for 20 minutes.
2. Take the crab's claws and shells out. Cut the crabs into
3-4 pieces.
3. Fry ginger, green onion, white wine, crab, curry powder,
thin soy sauce and a little bit of bean oil. Mix well.
4. Place on serving plate with fried rice crackers aside.

Steamed buns with pork filling (Salapaw)

2008-03-30T23:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 Butter-Milk Biscuits (Pillsbury)

Ground pork (pork with fat)

Soy sauce

Pickled chili

Method

1. Mixround pork with a little of palow powdder. Add a little

bit of catcnup.

2. Shape biscuit into flat and place the pork mixture on.

3. Wrap into small balls and put on pieces of paper rubbed

with oil.

4. Arrange and cook in a steamer.

5. Serve with pickled chili.

Chao Khun salty egg

2008-01-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

12 eggs

3 cups salt

2 cups water

Method

1.Dissoive salt in water over over the heat. Leave untill cool.

2.Put eggs on the deep bowl or bottle and pour the melting salt over eggs.

3.Leave for 10-15 days and then boil them.

4.Take the shell off after boiling.

Thai Food

2008-01-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

By Kazama T.

Thailand have many famous food that being known all around the world such as Tomyumgoong, Pad Tai and etc. Thai Foods have its own characteristic. They are hot, spicy and delicious.

Thai Herb are often used in Thai food such as Chili (Prik), Mint (Saranae), Shallot (Hom Daeng), Galanga (Kha), Lemon Grass (Ta Krai), Lime (Ma Now), Garlic (KraTieam), Ginger (Khing), Basil (Kraprao and Horapa) and etc. Thai food is also the food that control six balance fundamental flavors in every dishes. The six fundamental flavors in Thai food are salty, sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and oily

Salty – Salty in thai food mostly used fish sauce (Nam Pla in Thai). Fish sauce in one of important ingredient in Thai food. Moreover in every meal of Thai people. There is a small bowl of fish sauce included. Anyway Thai food use the other souce for salty, too such as salt or soy sauce.

Sweet – In cooking the sweet in thai food. Mostly sweet in thai food come from sugar (Namtal in thai). There are also many kind of sugar in Thai food, such as brown sugar, coconut palm sugar, jaggery and palm sugar in the form of cakes.

Sour – In Thai food, Sour are from vinegar, lime juice. There are also the ingredient that are not in any foods like tamarine vinegar, citrus hystrix juice, sour orange juice and the sour flavor from tamarine leaf, garcina, garcina leaf and acacia leaf. All these sour flavors are in thai food only.

Hot (spicy) – The spicy flavor in Thai food is very hot, Mostly come from Capsicum frutescents.

Oily – Most curry thai food used coconut cream for oily flavor. Oily in thai foods also come from other vegetable oil or fat.

Bitter – Come from animal entrails and some leaf. Thai people believe that the bitter flavor food have the effect of medicine.

About the Author: Kazama is the writer of
http://www.feelthailand.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=104706&ca=Food+and+Drinks

The History of Thai Food

2007-12-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

by: Andrew Hall

Thai food is famous all over the world. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively bland, harmony and contrast are the guiding principles behind each dish. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. Characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked. Dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all tastes.

The 'Tai' people migrated from valley settlements in the mountainous region of Southwest China (now Yunnan province) between the sixth and thirteenth centuries, into what is now known as Thailand, Laos, the Shan States of upper Burma, and northwest Vietnam. Influenced by Chinese cooking techniques, Thai cuisine flourished with the rich biodiversity of the Thai peninsula. As a result, Thai dishes today have some similarities to Szechwan Chinese dishes.

Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plant and herbs were major ingredients. Subsequent influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and blended with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir-frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese techniques. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Thais were very adapt at adapting foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other dairy products.

Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga. Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting diners to enjoy complementory combinations of different tastes.

A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by a non-spiced item. There must be harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal.

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_234.shtml
http://www.all-free-recipes.com

Kang Taipla

2007-12-07T16:25:00.000-08:00


Ingredients
1  tablespoon  Curry paste
1  can   Anchovy
1  can    Sarsine or Tuna (in oil without tomato sauce)
1  teaspoon  Kamin powder

  Lemon juice or Tamarind juice
  Slice diced bamboo shoots
  Sliced long bean
  Sliced carrot
  Slice diced sweet  potato or red potatoes
1  tablespoon  Budu sauce (optional)
  Fish sauce (nampla)

Tomato aspic

2007-10-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 pack Lemon jelly
2 cups Catchup
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Pound bay leaves
1/2 Cardamon leaf
1 spoon Parsley
3 Ground pepper
1/2 cup Chopped onion

Method
1. Heat together catchup, vinegar, cinnamon, pound bay leaves,
cardamon leaf, parsley, pepper for 15 minutes.
2. Put Jelly in the bowl and mix with the mixture. (in no.1)
3. Bring to cool, then add chopped onion. Mix well.
4. Pour into the plate and keep in refrigerator.
5. Serve with fresh vegetable.

Fish Cake

2007-09-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Fish Cake

Ingredients

2 cups Vegetable oil
1 pound Ground fish
1 teaspoon Curry paste
1 teaspoon Paprika
2 tablespoons Long bean
1/2 teaspoon Fine chopped makrut (optional)
1 Egg
2 Cucumbers

Method
1. Mix well ground fish with curry paste in the bowl. Add paprika to bring color.
2. Well mixed long bean and makrut with the ground fish mixture.
3. Put egg and knead until if gets sticky.
4. Heat oil in the wok (a bowl-shaped metal pan)
Round, flatten the materials and fry in lots of vegetable oil over the medium heat.
heat. Place on the paper towel before arranging on the serving plate.

Sauce
The ingredients and method are the same as fried bean curd sauce. Add 1/4 or 1/6
Sliced cucumbers.

Fried Tofu

2007-05-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ingredients


            2     tablespoons    Vegetable oil
            1     tablespoon     Fine chopped garlic
            1     pack           Soft Tofu (diced cut 1×1”)
            1/2   tablespoon     Chopped young ginder
            1                    Bell pepper (1 red and 1 green) 
                                cut 4 pieaces and slice
            1/2   cup            Long cut  thin pork or chicken
            4-5                  Cleaned cut green onion
            2     tablespoons    Maggi sauce
            2     tablespoons    Oyster sauce
            1/2   tablespoon     Roasted curry paste
            2     tablespoons    Sugar
            1     tablespoon     Hot water

Method
          
            1. Heat oil in the pan.
            2. Fry garlic until brown and set aside.
            3. Fry Tofu until brown and set aside.
            4. Fry pork or chicken with ginger, bell pepper. Add maggi,
               oyster sauce, roasted curry paste, sugar, water.
            5. Put Tofu and fried garlic. Mix well and add chopped green onion.

Won Ton Soup

2007-03-14T01:59:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Ground pork
Coriander root
Pepper
Garlic
Won-ton pastry
Broth (chicken or pork)

Method
1. Boil the broth.
2. Mix ground pork with ground coriander root, pepper,
chopped garlic.
3. Place pork mixture in the middle of Won-ton pastry.
4. Fold over in the shape of Won-ton and press corners of
wrapper together with water.
5. Put wrapper wonton into boiled broth.
6. Serve hot in the serving bowl. Garnish with chopped headlettuce, chopped spring onions, dried salty lettuce and pickled chili.

picture form http://susanmernit.blogspot.com/Wonton_Soup.jpg

Mushroom Soup (Esan-Style)

2007-03-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients


1 can     Anchovy
3 packs   Enoki Snow Puff mushroom or
          Oyster mushrooms
1 handful Basil leaf

Method
1. Heat anchovy with ½ cup of water over medium heat until
   anchovy gets dissolved.
2. Add cleaned mushroom.
3. Add Basil leaf when the material gets boil and remove from
   heat.

Note: Be able to add egg when the material gets cooked.

picture from
http://www.bettermeals.com/images/meals/mushroom_soup.jpg

Crispy-pork Salad

2007-02-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

Ingredients


1/2     kilogram Pork(with fat) boil and cut into pieces
        Mushroom (soak to bring soft and pour hot water over and drain)
1       Sliced cucumber
1       Chopped head lettuce
1/2 cup Mint leaves

Dressing
2   Bell peppers
2   tablespoons Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1   tablespoons Sugar
1   teaspoon Ground garlic

Mix all ingredients with the dressing.

http://static.flickr.com/52/127241160_018f15de72_m.jpg

Sweet & Sour Chicken (Gai pad preaw warn)

2007-02-14T20:21:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 cup boneless skinless chicken cut into small pieces.
1 cup cucumber cut into cubes.
1 cup caned pineapple chuck.
1 tomato cut into four.
1 onion cut into four.
1 carrot cut into cubes (however you want).
2-3 tablespoons green onion.
1 tablespoon sugar.
1 tablespoon fishsauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 bellpepper cut however you want
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1 teaspoon corn starch add to 2 tablespoons water

Method
In saucepan, brown garlic and add chicken, stir well till chicken is almost cook.
Add fishsauce, vinegar, tomato paste, and sugar, stir well.
Add carrot, pineapple, cucumber, bellpepper, and onion, stir.
Add 1/4 cup of water.
Add tomato and stir well.
Taste and add if needed.
Add corn starch, wait till thicken (make sure chicken is cooked), sprinkle green onion.
Serve with rice.

Thai salad (somtam)

2007-02-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients


1               Kohl Rabi
2-3 Carrot
1/2 cup         Ground dry shrimp
4 tablespoons   Fish sauce (nampla)
2 tablespoons   Sugar
1 tablespoons   Tamarind juice
1/2 teaspoon    Chili powder
1 teaspoon      Ground chili
1 tablespoons   Lemon juice
1 teaspoon      Chopped garlic

Method

1. Peel and grate Kohl Rabi and carrot. Put in salad bowl.
2. Add all ingredients in salad bowl and mix well.
3. Serve with favorite fresh vegetable.

Note: Mix everything when it's ready to serve.
Be able to substitute Kohl Rabi with chopped cabbage

picture fromhttp://www.thaicuisineonline.com/images/p_somtum.jpg

Thai Fried Rice (Kao Pad)

2007-02-09T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
2 T   Cooking Oil
3     Clove, garlic minced
1/2 c Sliced pork
2   c Cooked white rice
2     Fish sauce
1     Sliced Lemon
1     Egg
1 T   Tomato Paste
1 T   Sugar
1/2 t White pepper
1/2   Medium size onion
1     Tomato cut into 4
      Chopped green onion and cilantro

Cook'em
Heat pan, add oil, garlic stir until garlic is brown. Add pork stir until done.
Add egg and scramble until cooked. Add rice stir well.
Add fish sauce, sugar, and tomato paste. mix well.
Continue stiring until all ingredients are well mixed.
Add onions and tomato chunks.
Toss in green onions and cilantro and sprinkle with white pepper. Serve with cucumber and sliced lemon on the side.

http://www.siamweb.org/

Tom Yum Kung

2007-02-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients


1/2 kg.             Shelled prawns
1   cup             Cleaned mushroom (cut in half)
2-3 pieces          Galingale (Kha)
                    Ground lemon glass (cut in 2 inches long)
2-3 leaves          Makrut
2-3 pieces          Broken chili
1 1/2 tablespoons   Lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons   Fish sauce
2 1/2 - 3 cups      Broth

Method
1. Put Kha, mushroom, prawns in boiled broth.
2. After boiling, put in lemon grass, makrut and fish sauce.

Serving
Put the cooked materials in a soup bowl. Add boiled broth
and chili, squirt in lemon juice.

Spicy, beef salad(Larb Nuea )

2007-02-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

To day i have thai food recipes is spicy, beef salad(Larb Nuea )

Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 cups ground beef
2. 1 tablespoon chopped red onion or shallot
3. 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (grounded)
4. 1 teaspoon chili powder
5. 1 tablespoon kao kua (see glossary)
6. 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
7. mints leaves
8. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
9. 1 tablespoon fish sauce
10. some green vegetables such as lettuce, long green beans

1. In saucepan, Brown ground beef, with 1 teaspoon cooking oil, until pink is gone.
2. Place in a mixing bowl, let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Season the beef with fish sauce, lemon juice, coriander powder, kao kua and chili powder.
4. Add green onion, chopped red onion.
5. Put in a serving plate, top with mint leaves.
6. Serve with vegetables

Amazing Thai Recipe

2007-01-30T23:14:00.000-08:00

Amazing Thai Recipe

Chao Wang Food And Thai Food Of Each Festival

2007-01-29T19:57:00.000-08:00

Chao Wang Food And Thai Food Of Each Festival

By Manora

Chao Wang Food:

(Food Prepared for Royal or High-Class Families)

The food which is prepared for Royal family members or of the high-class people is different from that of the ordinary people. The Chao Wang food has its own delicate cooking; for example, Khieo Wan Kai must have only chicken meat without any bones, whereas the ordinary people’s Khieo Wan Kai contains with chicken both of meat and bones. The Chao Wang Namprig has beautifully carved vegeytables, side by side, to take with.

Some Bits about Thai Food:

Thai food is a Thai national symbol. It reveals the characteristics of the Thai people: their delicate taste, discipline, rules of conduct, artistic taste and human relationship. Thai food has its unique name with précis meaning of feature, flavor or the methods of cooking, Tong Yip and Foi Thong are examples of Thai sweets in this case. To understand causes and effects of Thai food cooking is to achieve.

To preserve the Thai nationality, the learners of how to cook Thai food should both keep Thai national values of the past and also accept any new ones.

Thai Food of Each Festival:

Thai food is cooked in agreement with Thai festivals organized according to Thai religious customs.

The fifth Month (April):

The old Thai New Year is celebrated in this month of April (between April 13 and April 15). To relieve the hot weather in the summer month, the dainty Khao Chae, (-a luncheon dish which includes rice served in scented water with jasmine and rose petals, and with seven or eight side dishes-), is used to serve monks, relatives and friends in the merit-making occasion. Kaaraamae (a Thai caramel) is made as well as Khao Niew Dang (Sweetened red glutinous rice) to give among friends and relatives.

The Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Months:

The Eighth Month (July) is in the rainy season and the Buddhist Lent. Fruits are in abundance so they are preserved in many techniques of cooking: stirring, or cooking as well as soaking in thick syrup. Durian Guan, Kluai Guan, Kluai Taak, Sabparod Guan are examples. Fully ripe chillies are sundried for the needed time. Fully ripe and sour tamarind is pitted, sprinkled with salt, pasted and preserved for the coming days. Fishes which are also plentiful, are sundried or grilled, for the next days.

In these months, Thai people do their merit-making at the temple. They offer foods to the monks in the form called “Salaag Puut”, that is, the monks are offered foods by drawing slots. The baskets offered to the monks, contain with both fresh and dried foods. The people, offering foods to the monks, are very exited to see who is going to get their basket by drawing lots.

The Eighth Month is also the time for young Thai males to enter the monkhood. Folks helps bringing foods and sweets to join the occasion. The foods are of various kinds with ingredients of vegetables, fishes, coconut or sugar. One example of these is Yam Kamoei cooked with any food stuff found at hand but delicious with its sauce made with crunched, red chillies, garlic, vinegar, fish soy, lime and sugar.

Main dishes are often many kinds of curries and lon (a kind of sauce served with raw vegetables). For the funeral, Plara Lon(a sauce made with fishes which are fermented by salted and roasted rice) and foods with noodle-ingredients are avoided because of Thai superstition of death prolongation.

The Ninth Month (August):

The Ninth Month is the most favorable month for wedding ceremony, new house merit making, and age meritorious performing. Favorite Thai sweets, symbolized fortunes and honors, Khanom Chaan (sweetened, light color pudding with many layers) and Khaaw Niew Kaew (sweetened, glassy glutinous rice) are favorably cooked.

The Tenth Month (September):

The Tenth Month (September) is the month for Sart Thai Festival.

Krajaa Sart (sweetened, forested, and popped rice mixed with peanuts and sesames ) and Khaaw Yaa Koo(a cake made of sugar boiled with water received from crunched young rice grains) are popular sweets.

The Eleventh, Twelfth Monts:

The Eleventh Month (October) and the Twelfth Month (November) are months of Krathin Ceremony (the offering of Krathin Cloths to the monks) and Oogpaansaa (the outing of the Buddihist Lent ). Khaaw Tom Paad (glutinous rice wrapped by banana or bamboo leaves cooked by steaming ) are offered to the monks in this festival. Other favorite foods are rice cooked and wrapped in lotus or banana leaves accompanied by fried food such as Paad Prig Khing, dried curries, Namprig Makaam Paad, Namprig Makaam Piak and Namprig Taa Dang including salted food as salted meat and salted eggs, along with vegetables plucked along the way.

The Fist Lunar Month (Dyan Aaai or January)

The Fist Lunar Month (Dyan Aaai or January) of the old days was full of shrimps in the canal. Tha main ingredients of food in this month, then, were shrimps.

About the Author: skin lightening skin whitening
natural hai rcare products
breast enhancement cream

Source: www.isnare.com

The Charm Of Thai Food

2007-01-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

The Charm Of Thai Food

By Manora

Thai food always has various kinds of vegetables as main ingredients. These can be found in Kaeng Liang, Kaeng Som, Kaeng Noppakaaw, Kaeng Kae, Kaeng Nor Mai. and Kaeng Hua Pli. Of the “yam” (salad) type, are Yam Hua Pli and Yam Kalaampli. There are many foods that are good eaten with vegetables. Isaan’s vermicelli, as well as that of the South, Kaeng Tai Pla and Kaeng Lyan are very delicious having vegetables as their parts. The Som Tam of any region either Issan’s Som Tam Malakor or the North’s Tam Som O or Tam Mamuang are to be with Chaom’s tops, Chapluu leaves, Kratin’s tops and Tong Laang’s tops. For Plaa (a Thai saled with raw or partially cooked meat), Lon (a kind of shrimps or crab sauce) and Lap (a kind of minced beef, or chicken or pork salad), including Namprig (Chilly sauce), raw or boiled vegetables are needed to eat with.

The Thai food of the Centra part needs vegetables to be side by side; examples are Khanomchin Namya and Namprig Chaonaa. Bai horapa (Sweet Basil ) and Pagkaad Hom (Romain lettuce) are served with Po Pia Tod (Spring rolls). Various kinds of Miang (minced meat wrapped up by leaves): Miang Khanaa, Miang Mamuang, Miang Kaam are served with fresh vegetables.

Besides producing fibre, the green leaves of Khannaa, Pakbung, Tamloeng and lettuce help reduce the body’s lack of Vitamin B2 when taken with meat. Vegetables’ green leaves consist of Vitamin A which is very useful to the body, taken with the fat in cooking oil. Deep green and yellow vegetables produce Betacarotine, an anti-cancerous substance which turns to be Vitamin A needed by human body.

Yam (Thai salad) has a small quantity of meat but its main ingredients are vegetables. All yams have fat ingredients; examples are Yam Yod Krathin, Yam Bai Bua Bok, Yam Hua Pli, Yam Tawai, Yam Mamuang, Yam Yuan, Yam Yai, and Yam Woon Saen.

As the Thai food’s ingredients are small quantity of fat and meat (with about 20% of fat), the Thai people, then, are fortunate in their fat taking less than the western people, and less risky of having breast cancer.

The Values of Thai Food:

1. Food Values: Thai food has values obtained from ingredients which are vegetables, spices and herbs.

2. Herb and Spice Values: As Thai food has its main ingredients consisting of herbs and spices , then, it has a great value.

3. Folk Wisdom and Art and Culture Values: In general, each of the Thai food has its own natural flavor and features, for example, Kaeng Khi Lhek, which consists of the leaves of Khi lhek with their bitter flavor but by the old genertion’s folk wisdom in mixing these bitter leaves with spices, coconut milk and meat, Kaeng Khi Lhek becomes a delicious cuisine.

The Charm of Thai Food

Thai food is an international favorite. The charm of Thai food depends on:

1. Flavor: Each Thai dish has more than 3-4 flavors. The ingredients of each dish help not only harmonize all different flavors but also make delicious. Miniature egg plants with their bitter flavor in Kaeng Khieo Wan help reduce the greasiness and the hot flavor.

2. Decoration: Thai food has an attracting decoration inducing to appetite and it is also convenient to take.

3. Ingredients: The flavor of Thai food cames from herbal spices without flavoring substances.

4. Values: Thai food has both values of nutrition and medicine.

5. Harmony : Thai food can be harmoniously taken with other food, for example, Panaeng Kai can be used as sandwich filling. Paad Kaaprao as spaghetti’s top over.

About the Author: Skin whitening
Body care products
Spa products spa treatment

Source: www.isnare.com

Spices Thai Food Galangal

2007-01-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

Spices Thai Food Galangal, Nutmeg Tree And Krachai

Food For Health - Thai Food

2007-01-22T20:21:00.000-08:00

Food For Health - Thai Food

By Manora

There are no less than 200-300 Thai dishes. Each has its own characteristics in flavor and feature.

It is not difficult to cook in the pre-historic era. Humans began their eating with raw trees: flowers, leaves, roots and bulbs. After having tasted the vagetables’bland flavor, they added some sour ones to make tastier, or mixed variety of vegetables. Later, they knew how to make simple cooking, for example, burning vegetables or putting rice into roasted bamboo (which was called “kaawlaam” or a glutinous rice with coconut cream topping stuffed in a bamboo section and roasted). As the time passed by, they knew how to cook in various ways: frying, making soup or curry, steaming, making yam (salad) and preserving.

Food cooking is both science and art. Some foods need time, man power and delicacy in cooking, including an artistic decoration. Cooperation in cooking helps create unity and warmth among family members.

The process of Thai cuisine explains Thai life: its tradition, custom and culture as well as confirms that Thai family is a big one in which its members live together with warm relationship. In cooking Thai food, family members have their share of helping, as a teamwork. Either the grown ups or the young ones, males or females, can participate. In some old families, the elders knew how to manage the young off springs giving their hands in cooking. Small kids could help with light works, e.g., nipping off miniature egg plants, or sweet basils from the stem; whereas the bigger ones could peel onions, garlics, pluck off vegetables, squeeze coconut meat, and pound chillies and spices, for example.

Accordingly, it is clearly seen that food cooking creates closeness among family members in talking and chatting to one another. Young kids knew how to help, and to cook as well as to be trained to have responsibility and discipline in working. The whole family, then, has a warm relationship and in turn produces worthy people for society in general.

Names:

Thai food always has its meaningful names which indicate its features or methods of cooking. Khanom Pui Fai is light, soft and yellowish white like cotton wool. Mi Krop (Crispy noodles) must be crispy. In the old days, most Thai people usually had a sense of humour and they often named foods, poetically, to stimulate the appetite. Among those foods are Jorka Lonson (Black bean in coconut milk), Naree Jaamseen (Banana in coconut milk) Ho Mujcha Chailai (Steamed curried fish), Paad Paakdong Fong Raga (Pickled vegetable fried with egg)

The Flavor of Thai food:

Regional Dishes :

The North: The food of the North has its light flavor, with a little spices, not very hot with chillies, not salty and without sugar, except in Phak Jo, Kaeng Kae, Kaeng Oom Moo, Sai Uaa, etc.

The North-East:The North-Eastern food has a strong flavor with chillies, salt, herbs and spices. Examples are Lap Pradook, Som Tom, Oomsab Tomsab, etc.

The Centre:The Central food has a moderate flavor with herbs and sugar. Kaeng Khieo Wan, Kaeng Som, Tom Yam, Tom Khaa Kai, Phanaeng, Choochee, are examples.

The South:The South has a very strong flavor of food with spicy herbs. Examples are fried or grilled tumeric-powdered fish, Kaeng Lyan, Tom Som, Pla Krabok and Kaeng Taipla.

About the Author: Bath and body lotion
Health spa teen
Bath and body shop and bath body work

Source: www.isnare.com

Hot And Spicy thai food

2007-01-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

Hot And Spicy - Is That What Thai Food All About?

By Witit Sujjapong

Of course not. But, for better or worse, Thai cuisine cannot losen its association with that hot and spicy taste of chilies. People tend to overlook the many other herbs and spices that combine to give Thai food its range of delicacy. It is the very delicate interplay of herbs and spices that makes Thai food so well-loved among all peoples of the world.

The single most outstanding charater of Thai culinary may be the harmonious blend of the three S's of flavor - spicy, salty and sour. This is achieved fundamentally by the three key ingredients.

Chili - Spicy

Despite the paramount importance of chili or "prik" in Thai cooking, it is believed that Thai people only acquired the love for the spicy taste of chili in the 16th century. It is not clear whether the Portuguese or the Spanish merchants were responsible for introducing this chili pepper to the old Siam. In any case, Thai people have since mastered the use of this spice in their cooking blending it with other herbs and flavorings.

The green or red "prik kee noo", literally "mouse dropping chili" is the tiniest but packs a memorable wallop. Don't ever eat it one whole or you can burn your tongue instantly.

Fish Sauce - Salty

"Nam pla" in Thai, the second most important ingredient of Thai food. It is derived from brewing fish or shrimp mixed with salt and decanting the fermented result into bottles. Don't mistake this with Chinese or Japanese soy sauce. Its aroma of fermented fish can be annoying but when blended into other ingredients it becomes more subtle and unbelievably tasty.

Lime - Sour

"Manao" (lime) and sometimes "magrood" (kaffir lime) are used at every opportunity in a variety of Thai dishes. Its main role is to suppress the salty taste and strong aroma of fish sauce.

One very simple use of the 3 main ingredients of Thai cooking is a "prik nampla" sauce where chili is added to fish sauce with some lime and garlic. Add a few drops of this to any Thai dish like "gai yang" (grilled chicken), "khai jeow" (fried egg) or even plain white rice and you can enjoy the punch of spicy, salty and sour Thai flavor. This is what most Thai people cannot do without. And a Thaiphile cannot go about talking Thai food without ever trying "prik nampla" himself!

About the Author: Witit Sujjapong is the web master of http://www.thaiphile.com, a website specialized in things thai.

Source: www.isnare.com