Patty Shells with Minced Chicken

Patty Shells with Minced Chicken - KRATHONG THONG .

The delicate crisp shells used for this snack are made using a special brass mold. Thin short-crust pastry shells or even vol-au-vent cases can be used instead. 0©

Patty Shells:

1/2 cup (8O g) rice flour

6tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour

4 tablespoons thin coconut milk

2 tablespoons tapioca starch (tapioca flour)

1 egg yolk

l/4 teaspoon sugar

'/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

4 cups (1 liter) peanut or corn oil

Filling

2 tablespoons peanut or corn oil

4 tablespoons finely diced onion

2 cups (200 g) cooked chicken or pork, finely chopped

1/4cup (60 ml) corn kernels (sweetcorn)

2 tablespoons finely diced carrot

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon black soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper Cilantro (coriander) leaves for garnish

1 red chili, finely sliced

Make the patty shells first by mixing all ingredients, except oil, together in a bowl. 1 leat the oil, then dip the krathong mold in the oil to heat up. Dip the mold into the batter and plunge back into oil. Fry for about 5 minutes until light brown, then shake to remove the cup from the mold. Place on paper towels to drain. Repeat to make 20 to 25 cups.

Now make the filling. Put the oil in a hot wok and stir fry onion and pork or chicken for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are fairly soft. Leave them to cool, then divide the filling among the patty shells. Garnish with cilantro leaves and slices of fresh red chili.

Helpful hint: If using a krathong mold, be sure that it is very hot before plunging it into the batter; the batter must adhere to the mold as you put it back into the oil to cook.

Leaf-wrapped Savories

MIENG KUM - Leaf-wrapped Savories

This is the sort of dish eaten at home, rather than at stalls or in restaurants. In Thailand, various edible tree leaves are used, but lettuce leaves make an acceptable substitute. ©

1 head lettuce or bunch of edible leaves

Filling:

5 tablespoons grated coconut, roasted in moderate oven until light brown
3 tablespoons finely diced shallots .
3 tablespoons finely diced lime
3 tablespoons finely diced ginger
3 tablespoons small dried shrimp, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons chopped green bird's-eye chilies

Sauce:

1 tablespoon shrimp paste V2 tablespoon sliced galangal 1/2 tablespoon sliced shallots

2 tablespoons grated coconut

3 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts 2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp

1 teaspoon sliced ginger 1 cup (150 g) chopped palm sugar 2-1/2 cups ( 625 ml) water

Prepare the saucc first. Roast the shrimp paste, galangal and shallots until fragrant, then leave to cool. Place with the coconut, peanuts, shrimp and ginger in a blender or food processor and blend, or pound with a mortar and pestle until fine.

Transfer the mixture into a heavy-bottomed pan with the sugar and water, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer until it is reduced to about 1 cup, then let it cool.

To serve, pour the sauce into a serving bowl and arrange all the ingredients in separate piles on small bowls. To eat, take a lettuce leaf, place a small amount of each of the filling ingredients in the middle, top with a spoonful of sauce and fold up into a little package.

Pork and Tomato Chili Dip

Nam prik Ong • Pork and Tomato Chili Dip

5 dried chilies, cut and soaked 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon finely sliced

galangal 3 tablespoons finely

chopped onion 1 teaspoon shrimp

paste 5 cloves garlic, left whole

3 oz (75 g) ground pork

1 cup (170 g) sliced

tomatoes

2 tablespoons oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 whole cilantro

(coriander) plant l/2 cup (125 ml) water Fresh vegetables: cucumber, long beans, carrot, cabbage Boiled vegetables: long beans, eggplant (aubergine), pumpkin, cabbage

Pound the chilies, salt and galangal in a mortar or process in a blender. Add the onion, shrimp paste, whole garlic cloves and blend or pound thoroughly. Add the pork and continue processing. Finally, add the tomatoes and mix well.

Heat the oil in a wok, then gently fry the chopped garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, add pounded mixture and continue frying over low heat, stirring, until the ingredients take on a gloss. Add the water and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until much of the water evaporates and the mixture becomes fairly thick.

Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and serve with fresh

Shrimp Paste and Coconut Milk Dip

Kapi Kua • Shrimp Paste and Coconut Milk Dip

2 dried chilies, cut and soaked

5 shallots

5 stems lemongrass, finely sliced

3 slices galangal

3 tablespoons minced krachai

3 tablespoons shrimp paste, roasted

1 cup (150 g) coarsely chopped smoked fish

4 cups (1 liter) coconut milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

5 red chilies

Pound dried chilies, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, krachai and shrimp paste with half the smoked fish until well mixed. Heat coconut milk and simmer until oil comes to the surface and the quantity has reduced.

Add the paste and continue cooking until fragrant. Add sugar, the rest of the fish, fish sauce and chilies and simmer until thick. Serve with grilled shrimp or fluffy crisp fish flakes in a pan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Cool to room temperature and garnish with cilantro leaves when serving.

Soy Bean and Coconut Milk Dip

Tan Jiew Lon • Soy Bean and Coconut Milk Dip

5 cups (1-1/4 liters) coconut milk

7 shallots, sliced or crushed

1 cup (250 ml) salted soy beans (tau jiew), rinsed

10 large shrimp (prawns), about 4 oz (125 g), finely chopped

'/2 cup (125 g) pork, finely chopped

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 eggs

5 tablespoons finely shredded red chili

Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves to garnish

Bring coconut milk to aboil. Add shallots, salte,d soy beans, shrimp, pork and palm sugar. Mix well and stir in one egg at a time, stirring constantly. Cook until slightly reduced, then add chili shreds and garnish with cilantro leaves.

Dip with Grilled Fish

Nam Prik Pla Yaang • Dip with Grilled Fish

3-4 red bird's-eye chilies

1 dried chili, cut and soaked

3 cloves garlic, grilled in skin until blackened

2 shallots, grilled in skin until blackened

1 cup (150 g) flaked fish

1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste, roasted

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kaffir lime juice

Pound bird's-eye chilies, then add dried chili, peeled garlic and shallots and continue pounding until ground into a fine paste. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Mix well and add kaffir lime juice. Serve with vegetables and grilled or fried fish.

Green Chili Dip

Nam Prik Noom • Green Chili Dip

1 tablespoon chopped dried salted mackerel

4 tablespoons peanut or corn oil

10 large green chilies, chopped roughly

10 cloves garlic, chopped roughly

6 shallots, chopped roughly

1 tomato

2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon chopped spring onion

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves

Fish sauce, to taste (optional)

Fry the dried fish in the: oil over medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes and drain thoroughly.

Dry fry the chilies, garlic and shallots for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Pound lightly or blend briefly with the fish, then add the tomato. Pound or blend to break up the tomato, then add water, spring onion and cilantro.

Mix well. The sauce should be of a reasonably liquid consistency and a touch salty; if not, add more water or fish sauce as required.

This very hot dip is traditionally served with sticky rice as well as raw cabbage, sliced cucumbers, raw green beans and/or fried or roasted fish.