VEGETARIAN

THAI


TASTY THAI VEGETARIAN
AND VEGAN RECIPES



CHEF TUMMY

VOLUME 1
2015
 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
YOUR “HOW TO” GUIDE TO MAKING TASTY AND AUTHENTIC
THAI VEGETARIAN FOOD
RECIPES
THAI TASTY TOASTED CHILE CASHEWS
THAI TOFU LETTUCE CUPS
BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH SWEET SPICY ROASTED CHILE SAUCE
PHAT THAI — THAI STIR-FRIED RICE NOODLES
THAI RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT STIR-FRY WITH ROASTED
CHILE PASTE
TOFU RICE SOUP WITH ZESTY LEMONGRASS AND BASIL
HOT AND SOUR TOFU SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS “TOM YAM”
STYLE
ZESTY THAI FRESH VEGETABLE SALAD WITH CRUNCHY PEANUTS
NORTHEASTERN THAI STYLE BAMBOO SHOOT SALAD
MUSHROOM SALAD WITH TANGY LIME AND CHILE DRESSING
VEGETABLE STIR-FRY WITH RED CURRY PASTE
STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH THAI CILANTRO “THREE
BUDDIES” PESTO PASTE
STIR-FRIED TOFU AND VEGETABLES IN PEANUT-GINGER SAUCE
STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH SAVORY SAUCE
STIR-FRIED RICE WITH THREE-COLOR VEGETABLE
THAI GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD
THAI RED CURRY WITH TOFU, RED PEPPERS AND GREEN BEANS
THAI GREEN CURRY WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS, ONION AND
ZUCCHINI
THAI MASSAMAN CURRY WITH POTATOES AND ONIONS
HOW TO MAKE THAI JASMINE RICE
 COCONUTTY COCONUT JASMINE RICE WITH GINGER
BANANAS COOKED IN SWEETENED COCONUT CREAM
PALM SUGAR CUSTARD STEAMED IN A KABOCHA SQUASH
LEMONGRASS LEMONADE
HOW TO MAKE THAI RED CURRY PASTE
HOW TO MAKE THAI GREEN CURRY PASTE
HOW TO MAKE THAI MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE
HOW TO MAKE THAI ROASTED RED CHILE PASTE
HOW TO MAKE THAI ‘THREE BUDDIES” PESTO CILANTRO PASTE
HOW TO MAKE THAI SAUCE OF LIFE — CHILE, SOY SAUCE, SUGAR
AND LIME JUICE TABLETOP CONDIMENT
HOW TO MAKE THAI FRESH VEGETABLE STOCK
HOW TO MAKE “MY MOUTH LOVES ME” CUCUMBER RELISH
HOW TO MAKE TANGY TAMARIND LIQUID
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED RICE POWDER CROUTON
TABLE OF EQUIVALENT MEASURES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

Thai cooking offers a delicious variety of vibrant flavors, exciting colors,
perfumed smells and satisfying textures for any one seeking inspired vegetarian
eating. When eating Thai food, the mouth, the eyes and the nose do a dance like
a combination of the limbo and the tango.

Thai cooks and eaters highly value vegetables and fruits as they are available all
year long, right from the family garden, nearby fruit trees, the many fresh
markets or plucked from bushes by the side of the road.

The Thai dietary practice of enjoying a variety of these fresh foods combined
with quick cooking techniques lends itself to making the freshest and most
flavorful vegetarian food. Vegetarian cooking, with its gentle treatment of the
Earth, is especially revered by Thailand’s followers of Buddhism.

Where Do The Recipes Come From?

These recipes were collected over a nine-year period when I lived in Thailand.
During that time, I first went to Thai language school so I could speak and read
at a basic level, and later attended several professional Thai cooking classes.

Then I went directly to the source to feed my curiosity about Thai food.

I decided to leap before I looked — I went on an ultimate food journey, learning
to cook from the real experts — the awesome Aunties and Uncles who make
traditional Thai food in their homes and family restaurants.

I took a 6,002-mile motorcycle trek all around the county to learn how to cook
authentic Thai food. I wanted to really understand the ingredients and what
cooking techniques would make the best tasting Thai dishes.

I went from the top to the bottom and from side to side in Thailand (a country
about the same size as Germany or Italy) on a banana-yellow Honda 125-cc
motorcycle for eight months during 2007-2008. Every where I went I was able to
learn about Thai cooking from generous cooks who let me watch and help them
make memorable meals. I learned the key to Thai cooking is the skillful
combination of fresh ingredients with simple techniques that coax out the true
flavors. I learned an enormous variety of vegetarian recipes during this trip and
the many trips I have taken since. I also taught vegetarian Thai cooking at my
Thai cooking school and these recipes were the favorites from my students from
over 30 countries.

Thailand Is A Paradise For Vegetarian Eaters

Shopping and cooking in Thailand is a paradise for vegetarians. The sheer
variety of vegetables and fruits in a typical Thai market is staggering — row
after row of bright red and green chiles, sprawling vegetable displays with five
types of eggplant, three types of basil, and bucket after bucket of fresh mint,
lemongrass, cilantro, plus stacks of oranges, dragon fruit, bananas, pomelos,
watermelons, and a dozen other fruits.

These recipes have been adapted from traditional Thai family recipes. Where
Thai cooking uses fish sauce and fermented shrimp paste to add salt to dishes,
we have substituted soy sauce. Please see the next section for tips and techniques
on how to select and prepare these vegetarian ingredients.

We will teach you how to select the right ingredients to make memorable meals
at home and make your food taste authentically delicious. Choosy cooks choose
carefully and we will guide you to the right choices.

Enjoy this collection of Thai vegetarian recipes and please see our website for
new recipes.

The website is www.cheftummy.com.
YOUR “HOW TO” GUIDE TO MAKING
TASTY AND AUTHENTIC THAI
VEGETARIAN FOOD

Here are some suggestions on what ingredients to use, substitutions for hard to
find ingredients, plus some cooking tips and techniques.

• Many commercially made Thai curry pastes are not strictly vegetarian since
they contain a type of fermented shrimp. Included in this cookbook are recipes
for red, green and Massaman style curry paste that have no shrimp or other
animal products. These pastes are easy to make at home and the paste can be
stored in the refrigerator or freezer with great success.

• Vegetable oil is best for Thai stir-fried dishes, never olive oil. Since Thai food
gets most of its flavor from a spicy sauce, an intense curry paste or other strong
ingredients, the neutral taste of vegetable oil is preferred to the fruity taste of
olive oil. You can use vegetable oil or canola oil or other nut oils as you prefer.

• Cilantro and coriander are the same herb. The seeds are usually called
coriander seeds (we see these seeds in the curry paste recipes).

• Italian parsley is not a substitute for cilantro. Ever. They resemble each other
but they don’t taste the same.

• The flavor in the cilantro plant is concentrated in the roots and stems, not the
leaves. If you can buy cilantro with the roots intact, do so. Once you rinse off
any dirt and trim off the root tendrils, you are in flavor city (cilantro stems and
roots are the basis for the highly treasured and revered “Three Buddies”
cilantro pesto paste recipe in this cookbook). The leaves are used for color and
as a garnish in Thai dishes, rather than the basis of cilantro flavor for the dish.

• Thai cooking primarily relies on two chiles: the small but potent Thai “bird’s
eye chile” and the larger, longer, less spicy Thai “sky-pointing chile” fruit (all
chiles and all things with seeds are technically fruits, as you know, Chef!). If
these are not available in your market, we have included specific chile
 substitutes and their appropriate quantities in the recipes.

• When adding strong flavors such as chiles or soy sauce, it is easier to add than
subtract. So add a little of the flavoring at a time and taste to see if you need
more.

• If you have accidentally made a dish too spicy, you can reduce the spice by
adding sugar or honey.

• Thai eaters eat rice with each spoonful of food, so the food is often highly
spiced to serve as a counterpoint to the bland rice. You may adjust any dish to
your own level of spice tolerance as eaters in Thailand also do.

• The serving sizes in this cookbook suggest how much food the recipe makes in
terms of eating a multi-dish Thai meal. Thai eaters like to enjoy several small
portions of various foods, plus rice. If you are going to make a recipe as a
standalone dish, you will have to recalculate the number of servings from each
recipe.

• The hardy coconut palm tree can be found all over Thailand’s central and
southern provinces. The white meat inside is used to make coconut cream for
cooking. If you do not have access to fresh coconut, we recommend coconut
cream from a can as the thicker cream has a more luxurious taste relative to
coconut milk. Beware of using coconut cream intended for making sweet
cocktails like Pina Coladas — the added sugar in these types of coconut cream
is unnecessary. So look for brands of coconut cream that have no added sugar.
Reliable Thai brands include Chao Koh, Mae Ploy and Aroy-D.

• Tofu for these recipes should be the firm type, not soft. The type of tofu we
want is alternatively labelled “firm” or “extra firm” or “hard” tofu on the
package. We use the firmest tofu so we can add it to soups or stir-fry it without
it falling apart. We do not use the soft type tofu as it disintegrates when
subjected to stir-frying. Typically, the tofu we use is sold in 14-ounce
containers. Each 14-ounce container has roughly 4 cups of tofu.

• When the recipe directs you to stir-fry, this means moving your spatula under
the food and flipping it in the pan so the ingredients come in contact with the
hot pan, and with each other. Since the amount of heat in your cooking pan
will vary according to the heat your stove generates and the thickness of the
 pan you use, please pay careful attention when stir-frying so the food is moved
frequently and does not burn.

• Thai cooking places some importance on cutting the ingredients the same size
so they cook at the same rate in the hot cooking pan. Please pay attention to the
measurements in the recipes. Also, we have written the recipes so the densest
ingredients that take longer to cook are added first, giving them the time to
cook.

• There is a conversion table for metric users at the end of this cookbook to
convert Imperial ounces to metric measurements and Fahrenheit to Celsius.

 RECIPES

THAI TASTY TOASTED CHILE CASHEWS

INTRODUCTION

These salty bar snacks are always big hit. The hardest part of the recipe is not
eating all of them before your guests arrive! So I make two batches, and share
one with my valued guests — the rest are for me, because I deserve them.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as an appetizer • Prep time is 2 minutes • Cooking time is 5
minutes • Total time 7 minutes INGREDIENTS

• unsalted cashew nuts, 8 ounces (or can use salted cashews — see the
instructions) • vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon • garlic, 1 tablespoon, peel removed
and finely chopped • scallions or spring onions, 3 tablespoons, root removed
and stalk finely chopped • lime juice, 1 tablespoon • crushed dried chiles, 1/2
teaspoon (the kind you see as a topping in a pizza parlor) • salt, ¼ teaspoon or
to taste INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok on your stove burner. Turn on the heat under the pan
to medium-high. Do not add the vegetable oil, Chef — that is for preparing
the other ingredients. We are going to first dry roast the cashew nuts to give
them a toasted flavor. If you cannot find unsalted cashews, don’t worry; just
adjust the amount of salt you add later.
2. Scatter the cashew nuts in the dry pan, and stir until they are golden brown,
about 2 minutes. The length of time it takes to make any stir-fried dish will
vary according to the amount of heat your stove generates and the thickness
of your cooking pan. So pay attention, Chef, to this step so the cashews do
not burn. Remove the toasted cashew nuts and set aside in a bowl. We will
add these toasted nuts to the rest of the ingredients in a minute.
3. In your cooking pan, heat the vegetable oil and fry the garlic until light
brown, about 1 minute.
4. Add the cashew nuts back to the cooking pan and sprinkle the crushed dried
chiles over them. Add the spring onion and stir-fry for 1 minute until the
spring onion gets soft.
5. Add the lime juice and salt and stir. Place the cooked cashew nuts in a
serving bowl and serve warm.


THAI TOFU LETTUCE CUPS

INTRODUCTION

This easy to make dish uses playful lettuce cups to hold the zesty tofu stir-fry.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 6 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •

Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time is 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • shallots or red onion, 4 tablespoons, skin
removed and finely minced • garlic, 2 tablespoons, skin removed and finely
minced • fresh Thai chile, 1 teaspoon or more to taste, finely minced • tofu,
the firm kind, about 2 cups, cut into 1/2-inch squares • soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
• lime juice, 2 tablespoons • iceberg lettuce or the stouter sections of Bibb
lettuce, 6 lettuce leaves, core removed, leaves separated into “cups”
• cilantro, 1 cup, minced finely INSTRUCTION

1. Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. When the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat
the pan.
3. Add the garlic, shallot and fresh chiles and cook for 1 minute, stirring
constantly.
4. Add the tofu pieces and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the soy sauce and lime juice. Cook only 30 seconds while stirring to
combine with the rest of the ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat and
let the food cool for 2 minutes.
6. Using a serving spoon, portion the tofu stir-fry equally into 6 of the lettuce
cups.
7. Garnish the tofu stir-fry with the cilantro leaves.


BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH SWEET SPICY
ROASTED CHILE SAUCE

INTRODUCTION

This dish is a feast for the eyes with a great color contrast between the orange
squash and the green spinach.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 30 minutes in the oven • Total time is 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• butternut squash, about 1 pound, cut into two halves with seeds removed •
vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • garlic, 1 tablespoon, skin removed and coarsely
chopped • onion, 1 medium, skin removed and cut into 1-inch strips,
approximately 1 cup • baby spinach leaves, approximately 8 cups, packed •
roasted red chile paste, 2 tablespoons, store-bought or home made (see the red
chile paste recipe in this cookbook) • soy sauce, 2 teaspoons, or to taste •
water or vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon (see vegetable stock recipe in this
cookbook) INSTRUCTION

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Prepare the butternut squash by cutting in the squash in half. Scoop out the
seeds. Place the two halves of the squash on a baking sheet. Roast in the
middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes or until tender. You can check the
doneness of the squash with a fork — when the fork can pierce the squash
with slight resistance, it is ready to be removed from the oven. When cooked,
remove from the oven and let cool. Once the squash is cooled, peel the
squash and cut into 1-inch square pieces.
3. Place a skillet or wok on top of the stove and heat over medium heat for 30
seconds.
4. Add the vegetable oil to the cooking pan and swirl it around to coat the
surface of the pan.
5. Add the garlic and onion pieces and cooking the pan, siring frequently so all
sides of the garlic and onion come in contact with the hot pan. Cook 2
 minutes until the garlic and onion have softened.
6. Add the squash and the spinach to the pan and stir with confidence — the
spinach will wilt as it comes in contact with the hot pan.
7. Add the roasted red chile paste, soy sauce and water or vegetable stock. The
water or vegetable stock helps steam and flavor the spinach, so continue to
stir with vigor so all parts of the spinach come in contact with the hot pan.
8. Continue cooking about 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach has changed from
the dry and matte finish appearance to sleek and shiny, all covered with the
vegetable oil, chile paste, soy sauce and water or vegetable stock.
9. When all the spinach has wilted and changed color, remove the food from
the heat and place in a serving dish.


PHAT THAI — THAI STIR-FRIED RICE
NOODLES

INTRODUCTION

One of the best known and best loved Thai dishes, Phat Thai translates to “Thai
stir-fried rice noodles” — a dish everyone loves. This dish is very popular
because it easy to customize it by adding many different ingredients to the rice
noodles and it can be altered to each diner’s love for spicy or salty or tangy
flavors.

It is far easier to quickly make one serving of Phat Thai well and then quickly
make another, rather than to try to make a larger quantity and overwhelm the
pan. So cook up one for your guest and then make another — once you have the
ingredients ready, the cooking time is brief.

Chef, do give your self the best chance of success by reading the recipe
carefully, twice. The successful, prepared cook has all the ingredients carefully
measured and ready to add to the dish in the proper sequence, in a timely
fashion, to get the best result.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 1 as a main course • Prep time is 20 minutes, including time for the
noodles to soften in hot water • Cooking time is minutes • Total time is 25
minutes INGREDIENTS

• dried rice noodles, 6 ounces — the Phat Thai noodles are usually made in
Thailand’s Chantaburi province and resemble Italian pasta shapes like
fettuccine • vegetable oil for stir-frying the dish — as much as 1 cup for
cooking the noodles, depending on how dry the noodles are and the heat your
stove generates. Phat Thai can take a surprising amount of oil to ensure the
noodles don’t burn in the pan, Chef!
• garlic, 1 tablespoon, skin removed and coarsely chopped • egg, 1, taken out
of the shell and beaten to combine the yolk and white • vegetable stock, 1/4
cup, (can use store-bought or see the recipe in this cookbook) • tamarind
liquid, 2 tablespoons (can use store-bought or see the recipe in this cookbook
or you can substitute lime juice) • yellow bean paste, 1 tablespoon • sugar, 1
 to 2 teaspoons • soy sauce, 1 tablespoon • red chile flakes, 1/2 teaspoon.
Please note that the spice level in dried chile flakes can vary considerably, so
add a little and taste the dish to see if it spicy enough for you. You have been
warned.
• peanuts, dry roasted and salted type, 1/2 cup, pieces separated • bean sprouts,
2 cups. Note we will use 1 cup in the stir fry and use 1 cup as garnish on the
plate • scallion or green onion, 3 stalks, roots removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• lime, 1 fruit, cut into quarters INSTRUCTION

1. Preparing the noodles: the Thai rice noodles have to be soaked in warm
water until they are pliable, then drained and cooked in hot oil with the rest of
the ingredients. Place the noodles in warm water and let soak for 20 minutes.
When you see the noodles have gone from an opaque color to a white color
and from stiff to pliable, they are ready to be drained. Drain the noodles well
and keep near the stove for cooking.
2. Preparing the dish: heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 2
tablespoons of vegetable oil to the hot cooking pan and coat the inside of the
pan evenly. Add the garlic pieces and stir-fry them for 1 minute until light
brown all sides. Once the garlic is browned, remove from the pan and set
aside for future use in the dish. Leave the oil in the pan.
3. Add the beaten egg and use your spatula to spread the liquid egg all around
the pan. Add more oil if you need to — we want the eggs soft with no hard
edges and no dried egg as a result of not having enough oil in the pan. As the
egg begins to set, use your spatula to break apart the egg to make soft
scrambled eggs. Remove the cooked eggs from the pan and set aside for
incorporation in the dish later. Leave the oil in the pan.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the cooking pan and swirl the oil in the pan so all
parts are covered — this helps to keep the noodles from sticking to the pan.
Add the noodles to the pan and use the spatula to separate the noodle strands
and position them across the center of the pan so the noodles get a chance to
cook.
5. Add the flavorings now: add the vegetable stock, tamarind liquid (or lime
juice), yellow bean sauce, sugar, soy sauce and toss the noodles in these
flavoring liquids.
6. Again move the noodles in the pan so they are stretched out and come in
contact with the hot pan.
7. During this cooking process, add vegetable oil to the pan if the noodles look
like that are sticking. Phat Thai takes a surprising amount of vegetable oil,
 doesn’t it, Chef!
8. Add the cooked garlic, chile flakes and about half of the chopped peanuts
and mix in with the noodles by scooping under the noodles and flipping them
repeatedly.
9. Add half of the bean sprouts to the pan and stir to mix with the rest of
ingredients in the pan. Now test several pieces of the noodle — the noodles
should be slightly resistant to the tooth. You can evaluate whether you want
to further customize the dish by adding more soy sauce to make it saltier or
more red chile flakes to kick up the spice.
10. The final touch before plating the dish is to squeeze two of the lime slices
over the dish to give it that bright citrus taste.
11. Now we make the plate look pretty: using a spatula, you can slide the
cooked noodles out of the pan on to a serving plate. Now take the reserved
peanuts and place them in a heap along the side of the serving plate. On the
other side, please place the reserved bean sprouts. Nicely done, Chef. Now
you can artfully arrange the remaining two slices of lime on the plate as you
like. Step back and admire your creation.
12. After you present the completed Phat Thai to your guests, inform them they
can mix in the bean sprouts on the plate and the peanuts on the plate into the
noodles. You might also suggest they can customize their own plate of food
by adding some lime juice from the two limes slices, as well.
13. Phat Thai is best eaten with a spoon and chopsticks, or a fork if you like.


THAI RED PEPPER AND EGGPLANT STIR-FRY
WITH ROASTED CHILE PASTE

INTRODUCTION

The recipe blends the five main flavors of Thai food: the savory and spicy taste
of roasted chile with sweet red bell peppers, salty soy sauce and the slightly
bitter eggplant for a harmonious flavor. You can use commercially made roasted
chile paste or use the recipe included in this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes
• Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• red bell pepper, about 1 cup, stems and seeds removed, pepper cut into 1-inch
by 1/2-inch pieces • eggplant, 2 purple Japanese type, about 3 cups, cut into
1-inch pieces • vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons • red onion, about 1 cup, stem
and skin removed, cut into 1-inch by 1/4-inch pieces • garlic, 3 tablespoons,
skin removed and coarsely chopped • sugar, 1 tablespoon (can use palm sugar
or brown sugar) • water or vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon • soy sauce, 2
teaspoons • roasted red chile paste, 2 tablespoons (can use store-bought or see
the recipe in this cookbook) INSTRUCTION

1. Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.
2. Add the vegetable oil and swirl it in your cooking pan so the surface is well
coated.
3. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry in the hot oil until the onion changes
color and looks glossy. If the garlic begins to burn, remove the pan from the
heat and lower the heat under the pan. Continue to cook until you see the
onion has changed color, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the eggplant pieces and move them through the oil frequently so each
side of the eggplant gets coated with the oil. Cook the eggplant for 5 minutes
until the pieces become tender but are not falling apart. The amount of time
the eggplant will take to cook will vary, depending on the thickness of your
cooking pan and the heat generated by your stove, so give some attention to
this part of the recipe.
5. Once the eggplant is cooked, add the chile paste, sugar, water or vegetable
stock and soy sauce and toss all the ingredients well in the pan.
6. Add the red pepper slices and toss with the other ingredients. Continue
tossing until the red pepper slices get tender, about 2 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and taste the dish to determine if it has the balance you
like. At this time, you could add more roasted chile paste if you want more
spice or more soy sauce if you want more the dish more salty.


TOFU RICE SOUP WITH ZESTY LEMONGRASS
AND BASIL

INTRODUCTION

This soup is both hearty and refreshing with the clean, citrus taste of lime juice
and lemongrass. This dish gets great flavor from vegetable stock and there is a
recipe for the vegetable stock in this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• vegetable stock, 5 cups (store-bought or see the recipe in this cookbook) •
lemongrass, 5 stalks, roots trimmed off, stalk cut into 3-inch pieces and each
piece split down the middle to release the flavor within • sugar, 1 teaspoon,
white granulated sugar is preferred • tofu, the firm variety, 8 ounces, cut into
1-inch chunks • cooked rice, 2 cups, preferable Thai long-grained jasmine rice
(see the recipe for cooking rice in this cookbook) • button mushrooms, 8
mushrooms or about 3/4 cup, stems removed, cleaned, thinly sliced • plum
tomatoes, 3 tomatoes, stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces (can substitute 8
cherry tomatoes, cut in half) • lime juice, 4 tablespoons • cilantro leaf, 2
tablespoons roughly chopped • fresh basil, 2 tablespoons, roughly torn
INSTRUCTION

1. First, we make a broth out of the lemongrass. Place a large saucepan over
medium-high heat. Add the vegetable stock, lemongrass and sugar to the pan.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and add the lemongrass. Reduce the heat
to medium-low and boil the vegetable stock and lemongrass for 5 minutes —
the boiling liquid helps draw out the citrus flavor of the lemongrass. After 5
minutes, strain out the lemongrass pieces and discard.
2. To the vegetable stock, add the tofu, cooked rice and mushrooms. Increase
the heat to medium and simmer the soup until it starts to boil again, about 2
minutes. Now remove the soup from the heat.
3. Now add in the tomatoes and most of the lime juice. Taste the dish — it
should have a tangy taste from the lime juice and the lemongrass. If you like,
 you can add more of the reserved lime juice.
4. Add in the cilantro and basil. Place all this in a serving bowl and enjoy!


HOT AND SOUR TOFU SOUP WITH
LEMONGRASS “TOM YAM” STYLE

INTRODUCTION

This is a Thai classic that gets great flavor from mushrooms with the excellent
blend of spicy from the chiles and tangy / sour from the lime juice, lime leaf, and
lemongrass. You can easily adjust the tangy and spicy elements of the soup to fit
your own palate.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 7 minutes • Total time is 12 minutes INGREDIENTS

• vegetable stock or water, 4 cups, (use store-bought stock or see the vegetable
stock recipe in this cookbook) • tofu, 1 cup, the firm type of tofu, cut into 1-
inch cubes • lemongrass, 3 stalks, tough roots removed, outer skin removed to
reveal the purple rings on the inside stalk, with these stalks cut into 2-inch
pieces and bruised to let out the flavor concentrated inside the stalk •
galangal, 2 tablespoons, skin removed and discarded, with galangal cut into
1/4-inch coins • wild lime leaf, 10 leaves, center rib removed and discard,
roughly torn in two pieces (sometimes this herb is also labelled “kaffir lime
leaf”) • Thai “bird’s eye chile”, 2 chiles, stem removed and bruised with a
knife to release the spice inside • scallion or green onion, 3 stalks, roots
trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces • button mushrooms, 1 cup, stems
removed and cut into quarters • lime juice, 2 tablespoons • soy sauce, 1
tablespoon • sugar, 1 teaspoon • cilantro leaf, 1/2 cup, for garnish
INSTRUCTION

1. Place a saucepan over medium high heat on your stovetop.
2. Add the vegetable stock or water and bring to a boil.
3. When the stock or water has boiled, add the lemongrass, galangal, wild lime
leaf, chile and scallion / green onion — the hot liquid will help accelerate the
flow of the flavor in the ingredients into the liquid.
4. Cook for 5 minutes at a mild boil until you see the lemongrass change color
from a bright green to a duller washed out color — this means the flavor in
 the lemongrass has been released into the liquid.
5. Now add the tofu, mushrooms, lime juice, soy sauce and sugar and stir well
so the sugar dissolves in the hot liquid.
6. When the soup reaches the boil again, the ingredients are cooked. Turn off
the heat under the pan.
7. Place the cooked soup into a serving bowl.
8. Garnish with the cilantro.

ZESTY THAI FRESH VEGETABLE SALAD
WITH CRUNCHY PEANUTS

INTRODUCTION

Millions of times a day, Thai eaters enjoy a fresh vegetable salad made
memorable by combining fresh vegetables with a dressing of tangy lime juice,
salty soy sauce, spicy chiles and a bit of sweet, nutty palm sugar. Toasted
peanuts give the salad a bit of crunch, too.

Most often this salad is made with unripe papaya. Thailand and other tropical
countries have fresh, tart raw papaya fruit all year round. Since most papaya in
Western countries has matured into the ripe, orange, sweet fruit by the time we
see it in the fresh food markets, we can make this salad with grated carrot to give
it the fresh, juicy, tart taste of the original.

If you have access to green papaya, you can use it alone to make the salad, or
mix one-half papaya with one-half carrot for a more colorful dish.

This dish is called “Som Tam” on Thai restaurant menus. In Thai culinary terms,
“Som” means “tangy” and “Tam” means to pound and mix the ingredients
together so they are well blended in the salad.

This salad gets its unique, fresh taste by throughly mixing the dressing
ingredients of the chile, garlic, sugar, lime juice and soy sauce so the dressing
evenly coats the carrot, tomato, green beans and peanuts. This clean, harmonious
balance excites the mouth without adding lots of fatty calories.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as a side salad as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time
is 8 minutes • Cooking time is 3 minutes for toasting peanuts • Total time is
11 minutes INGREDIENTS

• carrot, 4 cups, carrot skin peeled off and the carrot grated or sliced into 1-inch
slender matchsticks • green beans, 2 cups, beans trimmed at both ends and cut
into 1-inch pieces • cherry tomatoes, 12, tomatoes sliced in half • garlic, about
1 tablespoon, finely minced • 1 Thai hot chili – you can add more if it is not
 spicy enough for your liking; slice the chile into the thinnest rings you can so it
spreads the chile heat evenly through the rest of the dressing • lime juice, 3
tablespoons • soy sauce, 1-2 tablespoons, to taste • sugar, 1 teaspoon •
unsalted peanuts, 4 tablespoons, hard outer shell removed, toasted in a dry pan
for about 2 minutes until light brown but not burned INSTRUCTION

1. Dry roast the peanuts. We dry fry the peanuts to give them a toasted, smoky
flavor, so no oil is needed in the wok or saucepan. Place a dry wok or
saucepan over medium heat. Add the peanuts to the pan and stir constantly
for about 2 minutes to prevent them from burning. When you see the outside
of the peanuts get a little brown, the peanuts are ready. Remove the peanuts
from the pan into a mixing bowl and let cool.
2. Add the garlic, chile, sugar, lime juice and soy sauce to the peanuts in the
mixing bowl. Stir the mixture throughly so the sugar dissolves in the lime
juice and soy sauce, about 20 seconds.
3. Add the carrot, tomato and green beans into the mixing bowl and mix to coat
the vegetables with the dressing. Taste to see if you have achieved a balance
between salty, sweet, tangy/sour and spicy. If the salad is too spicy, add a
little more sugar, as it reduces the sting of chile. Serve at room temperature.


NORTHEASTERN THAI STYLE BAMBOO
SHOOT SALAD

INTRODUCTION

I learned this dish when visiting friends in the rural Northeastern city of Udon
Thani. It uses the simple but delicious roasted rice powder crouton on top that
adds crunch and fragrance. The roasted rice powder crouton recipe is included in
this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time is 10 minutes INGREDIENTS

For The Main Salad

• garlic, 1 tablespoon, skin removed and finely chopped • green onions or
scallions, 2 stalks, approximately 1/4 cup, sliced thinly across the stalk •
shallots, 2 tablespoons, skin removed and finely chopped • vegetable stock, 2
tablespoons (can use store-bought or use the recipe included in this cookbook)
• bamboo shoots, 1 can or 14 ounces, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces if
whole. Some Asian markets have a display of bamboo shoots they have
prepared and these can also be delicious • lime juice, 2 tablespoons • red chile
pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon or to taste. Please note that the spice level in dried
chile flakes can vary considerably, so add a little and taste the dish. You have
been warned.
• soy sauce, 1 teaspoon or more, to taste • sugar, 2 teaspoons, white granulated
sugar is best • mint, 1/2 cup of leaves to use as garnish • roasted rice powder
as a Thai crouton, 1 tablespoon (the recipe can be found in this cookbook) To
Accompany the Salad • savoy cabbage leaves, 4 leaves, cut into 3-inch
pieces so you can use them to pick up the salad like a scoop and eat it, Chef!
• green beans, 10, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths INSTRUCTION

1. In a bowl, place the garlic, green onions or scallions, shallots, vegetable
stock, lime juice, red chile flakes, soy sauce, and sugar and mix together so
the sugar is dissolved in the stock, lime juice and soy sauce. Add a few of the
 mint leaves; reserve some for garnish.
2. Open the can of bamboo shoots, drain off the liquid, rinse the shoots and
drain one more time. Usually the pieces are to large to fit on a fork, so cut the
bamboo pieces into matchsticks about 1-inch long and 1/4-inch wide.
3. Add the bamboo shoot slivers to the ingredients in the bowl and mix together
well. Now taste the dish and see if it pleases your palate for the balance of
salty, spicy, sweet and tangy. You can adjust the seasoning as you like now
that you understand the basics of this dish.
4. Place the salad in a serving bowl. Add some of the mint leaves as a garnish.
5. Sprinkle the roasted rice powder on top.
6. You can arrange the cabbage leaves and green beans on a plate. These are
served to provide a cool, pleasing taste in the mouth in contrast to the spicy
and tangy notes of the salad.


MUSHROOM SALAD WITH TANGY LIME AND
CHILE DRESSING

INTRODUCTION

Two kinds of mushroom give that full flavor in the mouth to this tangy and spicy
salad.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 8 minutes • Total time is 13 minutes INGREDIENTS

• vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • garlic, 1 tablespoon, skin removed and coarsely
chopped • onion, yellow, 1/2 cup, skin removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• button mushrooms, about 2 cups, stem removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces •
oyster mushrooms, thick stem trimmed, torn into bite size pieces, about 2 cups
• vegetable stock, 1/2 cup (can use store-bought or see the recipe in this
cookbook) • lime juice, 3 tablespoons • scallion or green onion, 2 stalks,
about 1/2 cup, thinly sliced across • mint, 2 tablespoons, finely chopped •
shallot or red onion, 1 tablespoon, skin removed and finely chopped • soy
sauce, 1 teaspoon • sugar, 2 teaspoons, white granulated sugar is best • red
chile pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon or to taste (beware — different brands can
vary considerably in how much spice is in the chile flakes, so consider yourself
warned, Chef) • roasted rice powder, 1 tablespoon (see recipe in this
cookbook) • lettuce, Bibb or iceberg leaves to line the serving plate.

INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok over medium heat and let warm for 30 seconds.
2. Add the vegetable oil and let warm for 30 seconds.
3. Test if the vegetable oil is hot enough by adding one small piece of garlic to
the oil; if the garlic sizzles upon hitting the pan, the oil is ready for the rest of
the cooking steps.
4. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes while tossing frequently in the hot oil.
When the onion has turned from white to glossy and almost brown, you are
ready for the next cooking step. Every stove emits different amounts of heat
and pans can vary in thickness and therefore how much heat reaching the
 food can vary, so keep a watchful eye on the onions so they do not burn.
5. Add the garlic and toss well in the oil with the onion.
6. Add the button mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently with
the onion.
7. Add the oyster mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes with the button
mushrooms, garlic and onions. You will know this part of the cooking
process is complete when you see all the ingredients are glossy and have
reduced in size as the water has evaporated out.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and reserve on a plate to cool.
9. In a bowl, mix the lime juice, scallions or green onions, soy sauce, mint,
shallot, sugar and chile flakes. Mix this well so the sugar dissolves.
10. Now add back the cooked onions, garlic and mushrooms and stir well to
combine.
11. Place this salad in a serving bowl.
12. Sprinkle the roasted rice powder over the top and serve.


VEGETABLE STIR-FRY WITH RED CURRY
PASTE

INTRODUCTION

This is a quick and delicious favorite that uses red curry paste to flavor the
vegetables (there is a recipe for red curry paste in this cookbook).

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-dish That meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time 10 minutes INGREDIENTS

• vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons • tofu, the firm kind, 2 cups, cut into 1/2-inch
squares • green beans, 1 cup, tops and tails trimmed and cut on the diagonal
into 1-inch pieces • red curry paste, 3 tablespoons • eggplants, the purple
Japanese, 2 about 8-inches long, stem removed and discarded, cut diagonally
across the eggplant into 1/2-inch slices (diagonal looks cool, Chef) •
vegetable stock, 1/2 cup (see the recipe for vegetable stock in this cookbook)
• soy sauce, 2 teaspoons • sugar, 2 teaspoons, white granulated sugar
preferred • basil leaves, 1/2 cup • red bell pepper, 1 cup, stem and seeds
removed, cut into 1-inch by 1/4-inch slivers INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok over medium-low heat.
2. Add the vegetable oil in the cooking pan and let heat for 30 seconds.
3. Add the curry paste and mash it into the oil in the pan so the curry paste gets
evenly distributed in the oil — we want it to evenly coat the other ingredients
so pay attention to this mashing. Cook about 2 minutes until the paste is
fragrant.
4. Throw in the green beans, eggplant, vegetable stock, soy sauce and sugar
and mix well so the sugar dissolves in the cooking oil and vegetable stock.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stir-frying the vegetables so they get coated with
the curry paste flavored oil.
5. Now add the tofu and toss with the vegetables so the tofu is well coated with
the seasonings, about 2 minutes.
6. To gain style points and make your dish look cool, you can stack up the basil
leaves on top of each other, then roll them into a cylinder like a cigar, and
 deftly cut across the leaves to make slender strips. You want to do this. You
will look cooler than you already look.
7. Now turn off the heat under the pan and add the artfully cut basil leaves and
the red pepper strips. Toss to combine and place in a serving dish.


STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH THAI
CILANTRO “THREE BUDDIES” PESTO PASTE

INTRODUCTION

This simple stir-fried dish gets great flavor from the cilantro, garlic and pepper
pesto paste that is nicknamed the “Three Buddies” since the three ingredients
pair so well together. The paste is a snap to make in a mortar or kitchen
appliance and the recipe is included in this cookbook. This paste is always made
fresh in Thai kitchens and so is not seen sold in containers in a supermarket (as
is the case for curry pastes).

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes to make
the paste and prepare the vegetables • Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time
is 10 minutes INGREDIENTS

• vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • onion, 1 cup, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• carrot, 1 cup, peeled and cut into matchsticks measuring 1-inch by 1/4-inch
• green beans, 1 cup, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
(diagonal cut looks cool) • “Three Buddies” paste, 1 tablespoon (see the
recipe in this book — not available in stores) • soy sauce, 2 teaspoons or more
to taste INSTRUCTION

1. Please a skillet or wok over medium heat. Allow to heat 30 seconds.
2. Add the vegetable oil and swirl it around in the cooking pan so the pan
surface is coated.
3. Add the “Three Buddies” pesto paste and mix well with the oil. If the paste
sticks to the cooking pot, add more vegetable oil and lesson the heat (burned
paste does not taste good, Chef). We want to paste to get warm but it does not
have to cook long, so let’s move on to the next cooking step, Chef.
4. Add the onions and stir-fry for 1 minute until the onion turn glossy.
5. Add the carrots and green beans and stir-fry for 1 minute.
6. We want the vegetables to have a little resistance to the tooth, so turn off the
heat under the cooking pan.
7. Add the soy sauce and mix well with the ingredients. Now taste the dish and
 see if it is salty enough for you.


STIR-FRIED TOFU AND VEGETABLES IN
PEANUT-GINGER SAUCE

INTRODUCTION

Tofu and vegetables get a flavor boost from a peanut-ginger sauce. Serve with
pickled cucumbers (recipe in this cookbook) for a low-calorie, nutrient-packed
vegetarian meal.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes to make
the paste and prepare the vegetables • Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time
is 10 minutes INGREDIENTS

PEANUT-GINGER SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• water, 5 tablespoons • smooth natural peanut butter, 4 tablespoons • rice
vinegar or white vinegar, 1 tablespoon • soy sauce, 2 teaspoons • honey, 2
teaspoons • ginger, 2 teaspoons, peel removed and finely minced • garlic, 2
teaspoons, peel removed and finely mince TOFU AND VEGETABLE
STIR-FRY INGREDIENTS

• vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • tofu, the extra firm type, 4 cups. Drain and
rinse tofu; pat dry, slice the tofu block crosswise into eight 1-inch-thick pieces,
then coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces.
• baby spinach, 4 cups packed • sliced mushrooms, 2 cups, stems removed,
sliced into 1/4-inch slices • scallions, 4 stalks, approximately 1 cup, root
trimmed and discarded, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds INSTRUCTION

1. For the peanut-ginger sauce, whisk the water, peanut butter, vinegar, soy
sauce, honey, ginger and garlic together in a bowl and reserve.
2. Place a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
3. Add the vegetable oil and let it warm 30 seconds.
4. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to
turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
5. Then flip the tofu to the other side and let cook on that flip side until the tofu
 is brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the spinach, mushrooms, scallions and the peanut-ginger sauce and
cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Taste the
dish to see if you want to adjust the seasonings.
7. Remove from the heat and place in a serving dish.


STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES WITH SAVORY
SAUCE

INTRODUCTION

This stir-fry uses a sauce you make that will stick to the vegetables and give
them a wonderful taste and appearance.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 10 minutes •
Cooking time is 5 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• carrot, 1 cup, top removed, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices • broccoli, 1
cup, cut into florets • galangal or ginger, a thumb-sized piece, skin removed
and cut into matchstick pieces • shiitake mushrooms, 5 mushrooms, stem
removed and cut into 1/4-inch slices • baby bok choy, 1 cup, leaves cut into 2-
inch pieces • red pepper, 1/2 cup, cut into bite-size pieces • green pepper, 1/2
cup, cut into bite-size pieces • scallion or spring onions, 2 stalks, about 1/2
cup, roots removed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces SPECIAL STIR-FRY
SAUCE: • vegetable stock or water, 1/4 cup (see the vegetable stock recipe
in this cookbook) • soy sauce, 2 tablespoons • lime juice, 1 tablespoon •
garlic, 2 tablespoons, peel removed and finely minced • Thai chile, 1
teaspoon, finely minced • sugar, 1 teaspoon, white granulated sugar is
preferred
• arrowroot powder or cornstarch, 1 teaspoon dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
(this arrowroot or cornstarch helps the sauce thicken so it coats the vegetables)
INSTRUCTION

1. We will start by making the stir-fry sauce. Place a saucepan over medium
hot heat.
2. Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, lime juice and sugar. Cook for 30
seconds or until the sauce begins to bubble.When sauce begins to bubble,
turn down the heat to medium-low.
3. Now add the minced garlic and arrowroot or cornstarch you dissolved in the
water. Stir until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Reserve this
sauce for adding to the stir-fry we will make next.
4. Do a taste test on this sauce. You're looking for a balance of salty from the
soy sauce, spicy from the garlic and chile, tangy from the lime and sweet
from the sugar. You may adjust these flavors to suit your own palate.
5. Now we will make a stir-fry that will incorporate this sauce. Place a skillet
or wok over medium-high heat and let warm for 30 seconds.
6. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl to coat the pan. Add the carrots,
mushroom, galangal / ginger and broccoli to the cooking pan and stir-fry for
1 minute.
7. Add the rest of the vegetables, and continue stir-frying another minute or so
(until the broccoli turns bright green). Now pour the stir-fry sauce you made
earlier into the cooking pan.
8. Stir-fry over heat briefly just long enough to mix the sauce in and then
remove from heat.
9. Do one last taste test. If not salty enough, add more soy sauce. If too salty,
add another squeeze of lime juice.


STIR-FRIED RICE WITH THREE-COLOR
VEGETABLE

INTRODUCTION

Stir-fried rice is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand: it makes efficient
use of rice that is leftover from another meal and the traditional flavorings of
vegetable oil, garlic, onions and mushroom sauce make this a dish suitable for
all diners.

The most successful stir-fried rice dishes uses rice that has been previously
boiled, cooled and then made slightly dry so the rice grains absorb the other
flavorings in the dish. The steps outlined below have yielded me the best success
in getting the rice dry enough to absorb all the flavoring and not have the rice
clump in the wok while making the rapid stir-fry. When hot and steaming rice
emerges from the rice steamer, the steam coming out of the rice makes it hard to
the rice to absorb the other flavorings in the dish. Hence, we use cooled rice.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 60
minutes, including cooking and cooling the rice • Cooking time is 10 minutes
• Total time is 70 minutes INGREDIENTS

• rice, 4 cups of cooked and cooled Thai jasmine rice (see recipe below for
preparing the rice) • vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • garlic, 1 tablespoon, skin
removed and finely minced • onion, ½ cup, skin removed and cut into 1/8-
inch dice • soy sauce, 2 tablespoons • mushroom sauce, 2 tablespoons •
sugar, 1 teaspoon, white granulated sugar works best • green beans, 1 cup, top
and tail trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces • Thai “bird’s eye
chile”, 1 chile, stems removed or other spicy chile INSTRUCTION

STEP 1 — PREPARE THE RICE PREFACE: STIR-FRIED RICE IS MADE WITH
JASMINE RICE THAT HAS BEEN COOKED, COOLED AND THEN STIR-FRIED WITH
WHATEVER INGREDIENTS YOU FAVOR. IT IS BEST OF USE COLD RICE THAT HAS BEEN
WELL RINSED OF ANY STARCH SO THE INDIVIDUAL RICE GRAINS ARE SEPARATE AND
CAN ABSORB THE FLAVOR OF THE GARLIC, ONION AND MUSHROOM SAUCE THAT
ARE TRADITIONALLY USED IN THE DISH.

Rinsing The Raw Rice Grains:

1. Wash jasmine rice thoroughly to get most of the rice starch off each rice
grain.
2. Place the amount of rice you wish to cook in a bowl and fill the bowl with
water to a couple of inches above the rice.
3. Massage the rice grains in the water to loosen the starch and drain off the
water using a colander or strainer.
4. Repeat this between five and seven times until the water being poured out of
the bowl runs clear.
5. The amount of starch on the rice can vary according to the brand, so use
your own judgement on how many times you must rinse the rice.

Cooking The Rinsed Rice:

1. Place the 4 cups of rinsed rice in your cooking pot and add 6 cups of water
so the rice is covered by the water.
2. If you are using an electric rice cooker, turn on the cooker and wait until the
rice is cooked.
3. If you are preparing the rice in a cooking pot on top of the stove, bring the
rice and water to a soft boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and
cook with a cover on the pot for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, lift off the cover of the cooking pot.
5. If the rice looks like it has absorbed all the water, turn of the heat under the
cooking pot. Remove the rice from the heating source and leave the pot on
the stove with the cover on so the cooked rice can start to cool.

Cooling The Cooked Rice:

1. After the rice is cooked, spread out the cooked rice on a plate so it cools and
get dryer.
2. You should also massage the rice grains after they have cooled so they don’t
clump together.
3. After the rice is completely cooled and the rice grains are separated, you are
ready to make the stir-fry.

Step 2 — Cooking The Stir-Fried Rice:

1. Heat a wok over medium high heat for 30 seconds and add the vegetable oil.
2. Swirl the vegetable oil in the pan and let heat 30 seconds; test to see if the oil
is hot enough by adding a small piece of garlic; if the garlic immediately
bursts into flame, the oil is too hot. If the garlic starts to brown nicely, add the
other garlic pieces and stir-fry them for 15 seconds.
3. Add the onion pieces and stir-fry them in the pan for 1 minute until they turn
glassy and soft.
4. Add the green beans and chile and toss with the oil, garlic and onion for 1
minute.
5. Add the rice and mix well with the vegetables. Use your spatula to mix and
separate the rice in the pan so there are no clumps of rice.
6. Add the soy sauce, mushroom sauce, sugar and mix well into the rice.
7. Continue stir-frying the ingredients, frequently mixing in the rice with the
other ingredients. Taste one of the green beans; if it is crisp but not raw, the
dish is finished cooking.
8. Turn off the heat under the pan and place the rice on a serving platter.

CHEF TUMMY TIP: TO MAKE YOUR SERVING PLATE LOOK ATTRACTIVE, YOU
CAN DEPOSIT THE COOKED RICE INTO A BOWL, PACK THE COOKED RICE IN THE
BOWL AND THEN DECANT THE CONTENTS ON TOP OF A SERVING PLATTER – THIS
MAKES THE RICE HAVE A UNIFORM SHAPE WITH SOME VERTICALITY. THAI
KITCHENWARE STORES ALSO SELL SPECIAL TEFLON COATED RICE MOULDS IN A
VARIETY OF SHAPES.


THAI GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD

INTRODUCTION

The grilling takes away any bitter taste from the eggplant and the dressing gives
your mouth a zing. The pickled garlic is available at Thai and Asian specialty
stores and is a great thing to have in your arsenal to give a briny garlic flavor to
dishes.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes
• Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• Thai chile peppers, 2 chiles, stems removed and bruised to release the spice •
soy sauce, 2 tablespoons • lime juice, 2 tablespoons • sugar, 1 tablespoon
(can use granulated sugar or palm sugar or brown sugar) • pickled garlic
juice, 1 tablespoon • pickled garlic, 2 tablespoons sliced • shallots or red
onion, about 3 tablespoons, stem removed, peeled and thinly sliced • long
purple Japanese eggplants, 2 eggplants, stem removed, see grilling instructions
below • cilantro leaf, 1/2 cup for garnish INSTRUCTION

1. Make the salad dressing by combining the chiles, soy sauce, lime juice,
sugar, pickled garlic juice, pickled garlic and shallots or red onion in a bowl
and mixing with a whisk or fork. The flavor profile of the dish is equal
proportions of sweet, salty and tangy. Of course, you may adjust the
flavorings to fit your own palate.
2. Grill the eggplants over a charcoal or gas grill. When they are charred on the
outside and soft on the inside, remove from the heat and let them cool. Peel
off the blackened skin. Cut into 2-inch chunks and place on a plate.
3. Spoon the dressing over the cooked eggplant.
4. Garnish with the cilantro.


THAI RED CURRY WITH TOFU, RED PEPPERS
AND GREEN BEANS

INTRODUCTION

Thai curries are the easiest dishes in the Thai cooking repertoire — you just
combine the coconut cream, curry paste and ingredients in a cooking pot and
cook! Thai curries are so easy to customize for your preference in salty and
spicy, so you can play with the proportions of the flavorings of this dish to make
it yours! Please note many of the red curry pastes in the store contain shrimp
paste and so are not strictly vegetarian. A vegetarian red curry paste recipe is
included in this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 2 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes
• Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• coconut cream, 3 cups • red curry paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons, to taste (a red
curry paste recipe is included in this cookbook) • red pepper, 1 cup, cut into
1-inch pieces • green beans, 1 cup, ends trimmed off and cut 1-inch pieces
(cut the pieces on the diagonal for a nice appearance) • tofu, the firm kind, 2
cups, cut into 1-inch pieces • sugar, can use either palm sugar or brown sugar,
1 tablespoon • soy sauce, 1 teaspoon or more to taste INSTRUCTION

1. Prepare the coconut cream. Give the container a good shake to mix the
liquids inside together in case they have separated while on the shelf.
2. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the coconut cream and heat for
1 minute. This will allow the sweet smell of the coconut to be released and
having hot coconut cream helps the red curry paste to dissolve easily.
3. Add the red curry paste to the coconut cream and stir to dissolve the red
curry paste. Remember, it is easier to add than subtract in cooking, especially
when working with spicy ingredients. So you can play with the recipe and
add some red curry paste, taste the dish when done cooking and decide if you
want to add more of the spicy paste the next time you prepare it. No one size
fits all in terms of how spicy a dish should be, so you can experiment with
different brands of curry paste (or your own homemade paste from the recipe
 in this book) and reach your happy point.
4. Add the tofu to the coconut cream and red curry paste. Stir to separate the
pieces so each comes in contact with the coconut cream and curry paste.
5. Add the red pepper pieces, the green beans, sugar and soy sauce.
6. Turn up the heat to medium high and cook the vegetables until they soften,
approximately 5 minutes. Stir and taste occasionally to see if the vegetables
have softened but not become lifeless and limp. The time it takes will vary
according to the heat your stove generates and the thickness of the pan you
use, so pay some attention to this part.
7. Now taste the dish — if you like, you can add more soy sauce or curry paste
to achieve the balance we seek of salty, spicy and sweet.


THAI GREEN CURRY WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS,
ONION AND ZUCCHINI

INTRODUCTION

The green color in green curry comes from fresh green Thai chiles pounded into
a paste with the green skin of a kaffir lime and green lemongrass. The green Thai
“bird’s eye chiles” are quite spicy, so palm sugar is used in the dish to balance
out the chile fire. A recipe for green curry paste is included in this cookbook or
you can use a paste purchased at the store. Please note many of the green curry
pastes in the store contain shrimp paste and so are not strictly vegetarian.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 2 people as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes
• Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

• coconut cream, 3 cups • green curry paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons, depending on
your palate • yellow onion, 1/2 cup, skin removed and chopped into in 1/2-
inch pieces • zucchini, the purple Japanese kind, about 1 cup, the top and tail
removed, and cut into 1-inch square pieces • bamboo shoots, 1 8-ounce can,
drained and rinsed, cut into 1-inch by 1/4-inch pieces • sugar, 1 tablespoon,
palm sugar or brown sugar • soy sauce, 1 teaspoon or more according to your
taste • cilantro leaf, approximately 1/2 cup for garnish on the curry
INSTRUCTION

1. Prepare the coconut cream. Give the container a good shake to mix the
liquids inside together in case they have separated while on the shelf.
2. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the coconut cream and heat for
1 minute. This will allow the sweet smell of the coconut to be released and
help the green curry paste to dissolve easily in the hot coconut cream.
3. Once the coconut cream is hot, add the green curry paste and stir well to
dissolve.
4. With vegetable curries, you want to add the denser ingredients first to give
them time to soften in the boiling coconut cream. So add the onion and
bamboo shoots and stir to separate the onion layers and bamboo shoots.
5. Add the sugar and soy sauce and stir to mix well.
6. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 7 minutes, taste one of
the onion pieces to see if it has softened. If the onions have lost their acidic
taste and are soft we are ready for the next step.
7. Add the zucchini pieces and cook an additional minute. Taste the zucchini
and see if it has reached the proper state of softened but not mushy. The time
it takes this dish to cook will vary according to the heat your stove generates
and the thickness of the pan you use, so pay some attention to this part.
8. Once you are satisfied that the vegetables are cooked, taste the dish and see
if you want to add more soy sauce to make it saltier and/or more green curry
paste to make it spicier.
9. Pour the green curry into a serving dish and scatter the cilantro leaf on top to
garnish. Take your right arm, place it across your body with your hand
behind your left shoulder, the palm facing your back. Now pat yourself on the
back for a job well done, Chef!


THAI MASSAMAN CURRY WITH POTATOES
AND ONIONS

INTRODUCTION

Massaman curry should be a balance between spicy from the chile paste, sweet
from coconut cream and sugar, sour/tangy from the tamarind liquid or lime juice
and salty from the soy sauce. Since no two palates are alike, you will use your
own preferences for salty versus spicy and sweet versus sour to guide how you
flavor your own creation.

A short history and language lesson: This dish is commonly called “Massaman
curry” where Massaman notes the Indian or Persian origins of the dish made by
people of the Muslim faith who emigrated to Thailand and brought with them
the dried spices such as cardamon and cinnamon that give this dish its unique
flavor. Massaman means “Muslim” in Thai, hence the name of the dish.

The Massaman curry paste includes dried chiles and dried spices such as
coriander seed, and cloves, as well as other dried spices and pounded shallots,
garlic, galangal and other fresh ingredients. Many of the Thailand’s Muslims
live in Southern Thailand, and this dish is widely cooked in the South.

To allow the rich flavor of the spices to marry with the potato and onion, this
dish can be cooked ahead of time and served reheated the next day.

Please note many of the Massaman curry pastes in the store contain shrimp paste
and so are not strictly vegetarian. A vegetarian Massaman curry paste recipe is
included in this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 2 people as a main course as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep
time is 5 minutes • Cooking time is 15 minutes to cook the curry • Total time
is 20 minutes INGREDIENTS

• coconut cream, 3 cups • vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons • potato, 2 cups, peeled
and cut into 1-inch-square pieces • onion, 1/2 cup, cut into 1-inch pieces •
Massaman curry paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons, or to taste • tamarind liquid, 2
 tablespoons or 3 tablespoons lime juice (see the recipe for making tamarind
liquid in this cookbook) • palm sugar, 1 tablespoon (you can substitute brown
sugar or cane sugar) • soy sauce, 1 tablespoon • cashew nuts or peanuts, 2
tablespoons, unsalted and dry roasted over low heat in a dry pan until fragrant,
about 2 minutes (optional) • cilantro leaves for garnish, 1 tablespoon
INSTRUCTION

1. Prepare the coconut cream. Give the container a good shake to mix the
liquids inside together in case they have separated while on the shelf.
2. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the coconut cream and heat for
1 minute. This will allow the sweet smell of the coconut to be released and
help the Massaman curry paste you will add to dissolve.
3. Add the Massaman curry paste and stir well so it dissolves into the warm
coconut cream.
4. With vegetable curries, you want to add the denser ingredients to give them
time to soften in the boiling coconut cream. So add the potatoes and onions to
the coconut cream.
5. Now increase the heat to medium high and cook the potatoes and onion for
about 7 minutes. When you can pierce the potatoes easily with a fork, they
are done.
6. You can customize the dish for your own preference for adding a tangier
taste with the tamarind juice, a saltier taste with the soy sauce and a sweeter
taste with sugar. Remember it is easier to add than subtract these flavors, so
add a little and taste the dish. Add these ingredients to your own taste. Now
taste the dish to see if it pleases your own preference. You can adjust the dish
by adding small portions of the tamarind juice, soy sauce or sugar until you
achieve the balance you prefer. Every cooks’ palate is different so you must
rely on your own tongue and preference.
7. Once you are satisfied you have achieved a balanced flavor through your
careful addition of the flavorings, place the Massaman curry in a serving
bowl.
8. Sprinkle the toasted nuts on top of the Massaman curry, if using nuts.
9. Add the cilantro leaf to the top of the serving bowl to add a little green color.


HOW TO MAKE THAI JASMINE RICE

INTRODUCTION

Rice is central to the Thai diet so here are some fun facts about rice: • One way
in the Thai language to ask in a friendly way how someone is doing by saying,
“Have you eaten rice yet?” where rice is a synonym for food. By inquiring if
someone has eaten food /rice, you are showing you care about them.

• Rice is the main carbohydrate in Thailand since wheat for bread or pasta does
not grow in the country and potatoes are not as frequently grown.

• Thai food is often spicy or piquant to serve as a counter point to the bland rice.

• The most common type of rice grown and eaten in Thailand is jasmine rice —
so named since the rice looks like the white petals of the beautiful jasmine
flower.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 1 minute •
Cooking time is 30 minutes • Total time is 31 minutes INGREDIENTS

• jasmine rice, 2 cups, washed and rinsed twice, then strained (this gets the
starch off the rice and helps each grain of rice be separate and not clump when
cooked) • water, 3 cups INSTRUCTION

1. Place a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium high heat.
2. Add the water and rinsed rice and bring to a boil.
3. Stir the rice in the cooking pot. Place the cover on the cooking pot.
4. Turn down the heat under the cooking pot to the lowest setting.
5. Cook for 20 minutes. Then check to see if the rice grains are tender and all
the water has been absorbed.
6. The time it takes to cook the rice can vary depending the age of the rice
(older rice is drier and takes less time to cook), plus the amount of heat your
stovetop generates and the thickness of your cooking pan. So watch the rice
in the final moments to see if it is fully cooked but not yet burned, Chef.
7. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat under the cooking on.
8. Remove the saucepan from the heat with the lid still on the pan and let the
rice rest for 10 minutes with the lid on — this will help the rice reabsorb
some of the steam in the cooking pan.
9. Before serving, you can fluff the rice with a fork and serve the rice hot or
warm. Any left over rice can be used in soups or rice stir-fried dishes so don’t
you throw that rice away Chef!


COCONUTTY COCONUT JASMINE RICE WITH
GINGER

INTRODUCTION

This recipe combines two prominent Thai ingredients — jasmine rice and
coconut cream to make a lush version of mealtime rice. The sweetness of this
dish makes it a nice partner with the more spicy dishes in this cookbook.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 30 minutes • Total time is 35 minutes INGREDIENTS

• coconut cream, 14 ounces, same as 1 3/4 cups or 1 can • water, 2 cups •
ginger, 1/2-inch, peeled, and cut into 1/8-inch coins • Thai jasmine rice, 2
cups • salt, 1 teaspoon • cilantro leaf, 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTION

1. For making the rice, you will need a saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
2. Combine the coconut cream, water, ginger slices and salt in the saucepan
and bring the contents to a rapid boil.
3. Add the rice and stir to combine so each grain of rice comes into contact
with the water and coconut cream.
4. Let the rice come to a boil again. Then lower the heat to the lowest setting,
place the cover on the pot and let cook for approximately 25 minutes. You
will know the rice is cooked when you see the liquid has been absorbed into
the rice. If you have a rice cooker, let the magic machine do the cooking for
you. After 2o minutes, please check to see most of the coconut cream and
water has been absorbed, If not, cook an additional few minutes. The amount
of heat your stove generates and the thickness of your cooking pot will
influence how long it takes the rice to cook, so pay attention during this phase
of the recipe, Chef!
5. After the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and let the saucepan stand
with the cover on for 10 minutes.
6. When you are ready to serve the rice, remove the cover from the saucepan.
Fish out the ginger slices and discard.
7. Put the rice in a serving dish and garnish with the cilantro leaves.


BANANAS COOKED IN SWEETENED
COCONUT CREAM

INTRODUCTION

Funny Thai Names For This Dish: “Bananas Dressed Like Nuns” or “Bananas in
Nunhood” or “Bananas Ordained as Nuns”

What Do Nuns and Bananas Have To Do With Each Other?

Many Thai dishes have a straight forward names that outlines the ingredients and
how they are cooked, such as “Stir-Fried Shrimp” or “Boiled Rice Soup”.

This Thai dessert has a unique name as it uses the word “nuns” and does not
specify the cooking method. The ingredients and cooking method have nothing
to do with nuns, but I have heard the story behind the name “Bananas in
Nunhood", or simply “Bananas Cooked in Sweetened Coconut Cream.”

The most common explanation is that Thai Buddhist female nuns wear white
clothes while they are living at a temple, while the male monks wear saffron-
colored robes. So this recipe with white bananas, white coconut cream, white
sugar and white salt resembles the white clothes worn by the nuns.

It is one of the easiest Thai desserts to make, and it helps to clear and to sweeten
the palate after a spicy Thai meal.

The dish can be eaten warm, at room temperature or after being cooled in the
refrigerator. I like to add a sprig of mint on top for decoration and flavor, but my
Thai cooking partners attest this is not necessary or traditional.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 2 people as a dessert • Prep time is 3 minutes • Cooking time is 4
minutes • Total time is 7 minutes INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups coconut cream • 2 medium bananas, cut down the middle and then
into 1-inch pieces so the bananas can get submerged in the coconut cream for
 cooking • 1 tablespoon white cane / castor sugar, not palm sugar or brown
sugar • 1/4 teaspoon salt (it is a Thai thing to make desserts slightly salty —
optional for you) • a few leaves of mint for garnish (optional but tastes good
and looks pretty) INSTRUCTION

1. Measure the coconut cream into the saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
3. Add the sugar and salt and stir to dissolve in the coconut cream.
4. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the banana pieces. Cook at a gentle boil
until the bananas are soft around the edges but still have a firm texture. The
bananas should have a little hardness but not be boiled so long they are
mushy. Test a banana piece with a fork to see if it is tender. Depending on the
ripeness and density of your bananas, this can take 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Once tender, remove from the heat and place in a serving bowl. Garnish
with a few mint leaves.
6. This dish can be served hot, warm, room temperature or chilled, according to
your preference.


PALM SUGAR CUSTARD STEAMED IN A
KABOCHA SQUASH

INTRODUCTION

This is a favorite dessert that looks so impressive on a serving plate. It is one of
the first things I learned to cook in Thailand and I feature it at dinner parties. It
can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, so that you have one
dish already made for your party that you don’t have to worry about.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 8 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 10 minutes •
Cooking time is 90 minutes, plus hours of cooling the dessert • Total time is
95 minutes INGREDIENTS

• kabocha squash, measuring about 5-inches high and 8-inches across, a hole
cut around the stem, stem removed and the seeds and membranes inside
removed and discarded, squash rinsed out with water and inside and outside
dried • eggs, 4 large (can use chicken or duck) • vanilla essence, 1 teaspoon
• palm sugar, 1/2 cup • granulated white sugar, 1/2 cup • coconut cream, 1
cup • flour, 1 tablespoon • salt, 1/2 teaspoon INSTRUCTION

1. The custard is going to cook inside the squash shell, so make sure all the
seeds and membranes inside the squash are cleaned out.
2. In a food processor bowl, place the eggs, vanilla essence, palm sugar, flour,
white granulated sugar, coconut cream and salt. Pulse until the sugar has
dissolved into the liquid.
3. Strain this mixture through some cheesecloth. Place the strained mixture in
the squash.
4. Place the squash with the custard inside on a heat-proof plate — this will
make the squash easy to get into the steamer and out after the custard has
cooked.
5. Place the squash filled with the custard mixture in a steamer.
6. Now place the lid of the steamer on top of the steamer and make sure it fits
snugly so the steam gets trapped inside.
7. Turn on the heat under your steamer to medium-high. Once your steamer is
 producing steam, turn down the heat to medium-low.
8. Steam for 90 minutes. Check periodically that there is enough hot water in
your steamer.
9. Check to see if the squash is done by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the
custard through the hole at the top. If the toothpick comes out clean, the
custard is done.
10. Carefully remove the custard from the steamer. Allow the custard to set
firm. You can let the custard cool in the refrigerator. When fully chilled and
set, you can cut the custard into slices and see the pretty contrast between the
bright orange squash and the lighter-colored custard.


LEMONGRASS LEMONADE

INTRODUCTION

Lemongrass grows wild all over Thailand and is used to add a citrus flavor to
many dishes. Here we take lemongrass and use it to infuse water for a refreshing
lemongrass lemonade.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 2 minutes •
Cooking time is 3 minutes • Total time is 5 minutes, plus time for the liquid to
cool INGREDIENTS

• water, 3 cups • sugar, 1/4 cup, granulated white sugar works best •
lemongrass stalks and leaves, 2 cups, cut into 1-inch pieces. Discard the root
and tough outer layers; the real flavor of the lemongrass is in the inner stalk
and the color of this lemonade comes from the leaves.

INSTRUCTION

1. In a saucepan, heat the water over medium-high heat until the water boils.
2. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.
3. Pour this hot sugar water into a blender.
4. Add the lemongrass to the blender and pulse the ingredients. You can stop
now and then to use a spoon to push the various bits that collect on the side of
the blender down towards the blades. Continue the pulsing and scraping for 2
minutes.
5. Take this green lemongrass elixir and strain it through a fine mesh strainer
or cheesecloth.
6. Chill the lemongrass lemonade and serve over ice cubes
HOW TO MAKE THAI RED CURRY PASTE

INTRODUCTION

This is a vegetarian version of Thai red curry paste. The original Thai version of
this paste contains a briny paste made of dried and fermented shrimp; here we
substitute salt to make this vegetarian. This paste is best kept in an airtight
container and will last in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer for three
months. I like to divide the paste into 2 tablespoon portions and freeze in those
small ziplock sandwich bags — so when I want some curry paste, I just grab it
from the freezer, let it thaw and cook myself some Thai delight!

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Use as needed in curries and stir-fried dishes • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 10 minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

A Note on Chiles: The choice of chiles can vary widely depending on where you
are shopping. For this recipe, you can use chiles from the market labelled “dried
Thai bird’s eye chile” or “dried Thai chiles” or you can substitute chiles labelled
chiles de arbol or chiles japones. All of these chiles are tasty.

• dried chiles de arbol or dried chiles japones or Thai “bird’s eye chiles”, 20
dried chiles, stems removed • lemongrass, 2 tablespoons, roots removed,
outer layers removed, using the thin purple rings at the bottom of the stalk,
thinly sliced • galangal, 2 tablespoons, skin removed, thinly sliced • kaffir
lime rind, 1 teaspoon, chopped (can substitute the peel of smooth skinned
Mexican or Persian lime), use only the green skin and not the white pith from
the lime • cilantro, 2 tablespoons, stems and roots are preferred, or leaves
(most of the flavor is on the roots and stems of the cilantro plant) • shallots or
red onion, 1 tablespoon, skin removed, thinly sliced • garlic, 2 tablespoons,
peel removed, thinly sliced • salt, 1 teaspoon • cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon,
briefly toasted in a hot pan • coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon, briefly toasted in a
hot pan • white pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok over low heat and let heat 30 seconds.
2. Add the cumin seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan, about
30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the heat
 and reserve.
3. Add the coriander seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan,
about 30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the
heat and reserve.
4. Using spice mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted cumin and
coriander seeds into a fine powder.
5. Now we use a mortar and pestle or rugged kitchen appliance with sharp
blades to pulverize the rest of the ingredients to make the paste.
6. Place the salt in the mortar or the machine.
7. Add the cumin seed and the coriander seed you just ground into powder into
the mortar or machine.
8. Add the small but powerful red chiles and pulverize them into a paste.
9. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime rind, cilantro, shallots and garlic
and pulverize them. Add the white pepper powder and mix well.
10. Congratulations! You just made Thai curry paste!


HOW TO MAKE THAI GREEN CURRY PASTE

INTRODUCTION

This is a vegetarian version of Thai green curry paste. The original version
contain a briny paste made of dried and fermented shrimp; here we substitute
salt. This paste is best kept in an airtight container and will last in the refrigerator
for a month or in the freezer for three months. I like to divide the paste into 2
tablespoon portions and freeze the paste in those small ziplock sandwich bags —
so when I want some curry paste, I just grab it from the freezer, let it thaw and
cook myself some Thai delight!

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes about 1 cup of paste • Prep time is 5 minutes • Cooking time is 10
minutes • Total time is 15 minutes INGREDIENTS

The choice of chiles can vary widely depending on where you are shopping. For
this recipe, green chiles are essential and I listed the type of Thai chiles that
would be used. If you cannot find the chiles that are 3 t0 4-inches long labelled
“Thai sky-pointing chiles” and the chiles 1 to 2-inches long labelled “Thai bird’s
eye chiles” in your market, I suggest you substitute the more frequently available
green serrano or green jalapeño chiles — your green curry paste will still taste
excellent as these chiles are similar in flavor and spicy punch.

CHILE SUBSTITUTIONS

Try green serrano chiles, 4 fresh, stem removed or jalapeño chiles, 4 fresh, stems
removed Note: Either the serrano or the jalapeños would be substituted for the
Thai chiles, not both, Chef!

• long green chiles, 5 fresh, usually 3 to 4-inches, stems removed (usually
labelled in the market as “Thai sky-pointing chiles”) • small Thai green
chiles, 20 fresh, usually 1 to 2-inches long, stems removed (usually labelled in
the market as “Thai bird’s eye chiles”) • lemongrass, 2 tablespoons, roots
removed, outer layers removed, using the thin purple rings at the bottom of the
stalk, thinly sliced • galangal, 2 tablespoons, skin removed, thinly sliced •
kaffir lime rind, 1 teaspoon, chopped (can substitute the peel of smooth
 skinned Mexican or Persian lime), use only the green skin and not the white
pith from the lime • cilantro, 2 tablespoons, stems and roots are preferred, or
leaves (most of the flavor is on the roots and stems of the cilantro plant) •
shallots or red onion, 1 tablespoon, skin removed, thinly sliced • garlic, 2
tablespoons, peel removed, thinly sliced • salt, 1 teaspoon • cumin seeds, 1
teaspoon, briefly toasted in a hot pan • coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon, briefly
toasted in a hot pan • white pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok over low heat and let heat 30 seconds.
2. Add the cumin seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan, about
30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the heat
and reserve.
3. Add the coriander seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan,
about 30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the
heat and reserve.
4. Using spice mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted cumin and
coriander seeds into a fine powder.
5. Now we use a mortar and pestle or rugged kitchen appliance with sharp
blades to pulverize the rest of the ingredients to make the paste.
6. Place the salt in the mortar or the machine.
7. Add the cumin seed and the coriander seed you just ground into powder.
8. Add the two types of green chiles and pulverize them into a paste.
9. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime rind, cilantro, shallots and garlic
and pulverize them. Add the white pepper powder and mix well.
10. Congratulations! You just made Thai curry paste!


HOW TO MAKE THAI MASSAMAN CURRY
PASTE

INTRODUCTION

The word “Massaman” for this type of curry refers to the Thai word for people
of the Muslim faith. 400 years ago, followers of Islam from India came to
Thailand and brought with them spices that were used in their native cooking.
These spices include nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. This Thai curry gets its
wonderful smell and taste from these spices. And the recipe gets its name from
these ancient Indian Muslim traders.

Your kitchen will smell like a spice cabinet when you make this paste and curry.
Friends and family will be lured into the kitchen by the aroma and will
complement you and thank you for cooking for them.

In this curry paste, we remove the spicy seeds from the dried chiles, making this
paste less spicy relative to other curry pastes.

This is a vegetarian version of Thai Massaman curry paste. The original Thai
version of this paste contains a briny paste made of dried and fermented shrimp;
here we substitute salt. This paste is best kept in an airtight container and will
last in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer for three months. I like to
divide the paste into 2 tablespoon portions and freeze in those small ziplock
sandwich bags — so when I want some curry paste, I just grab it from the
freezer, let it thaw and cook myself some Thai delight!

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes about one cup • Prep time is 30 minutes, including soaking the chiles
• Cooking time 15 minutes, including toasting the spices • Total time is 45
minutes, but only about 15 minutes of activity INGREDIENTS

A Note on Chiles: The choice of chiles can vary widely depending on where you
are shopping. For this recipe, you can use chiles from the market labelled “dried
Thai sky-pointing chiles” or you can substitute chiles labelled chiles de arbol or
chiles japones. All of the chiles are tasty.

• dried chiles de arbol or dried chiles japones or dried Thai “sky-pointing
chiles”, 20 dried chiles, stems removed, seeds removed, chile cut into 1-inch
pieces and soaked in hot water (see note below) • lemongrass, 2 tablespoons,
roots removed, outer layers removed, using the thin purple rings at the bottom
of the stalk, thinly sliced • galangal, 2 tablespoons, skin removed, thinly
sliced • kaffir lime rind, 1 teaspoon, chopped (can substitute the peel of
smooth skinned Mexican or Persian lime), use only the green skin and not the
white pith from the lime • cilantro, 2 tablespoons, stems and roots are
preferred, or leaves (most of the flavor is on the roots and stems of the cilantro
plant) • shallots or red onion, 1 tablespoon, skin removed, thinly sliced •
garlic, 2 tablespoons, peel removed, thinly sliced • salt, 1 teaspoon • cumin
seeds, 1 teaspoon, briefly toasted in a hot pan • coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon,
briefly toasted in a hot pan • white pepper powder, 1/2 teaspoon • ground
cinnamon, 1 teaspoon • ground cloves, 1 teaspoon • ground nutmeg, 1
teaspoon • ground cardamon, 1 teaspoon INSTRUCTION

1. Take off the stems of the chiles and shake out the seeds. Most of the spice in
chiles is in the seeds and the membrane inside. This dish gets it flavor from
the dried spices we will add, rather than from chile heat, so we remove the
chile seeds.
2. Using kitchen shears, scissors or a knife, cut the chiles into 1-inch pieces.
Place the cut up chiles in a bowl and add hot water. Let them soak for 30
minutes. This soaking process makes it easier to pulverize the chiles so this
ingredient combines equally and easily with the other ingredients. After 30
minutes, drain the water off the chiles.
3. Place a skillet or wok over low heat and let heat 30 seconds.
4. Add the cumin seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan, about
30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the heat
and reserve.
5. Add the coriander seeds and toast while moving them briskly in the pan,
about 30 seconds. Don’t let them burn, Chef! Once toasted, remove from the
heat and reserve.
6. Using spice mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted cumin and
coriander seeds into a fine powder.
7. Now we use a mortar and pestle or rugged kitchen appliance with sharp
blades to pulverize the rest of the ingredients to make the paste.
8. Place the salt in the mortar or the machine.
9. Add the cumin seed and the coriander seed you just ground into powder.
10. Add the soaked red chiles and pulverize them into a paste.
11. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime rind, cilantro, shallots and garlic
and pulverize them.
12. Add the white pepper powder and mix well.
13. Add the ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamon and mix well in
the paste.
14. Congratulations! You just made Thai Massaman curry paste!


HOW TO MAKE THAI ROASTED RED CHILE
PASTE

INTRODUCTION

This paste makes stir-fried dishes come alive. We roast whole chiles, shallots
and garlic to get a delicious smoky flavor and combine these ingredients with
chiles, sugar, tangy tamarind and salt soy sauce.

The Thai name for this paste is Nahm Prik Pow and I always remember that
name since the chiles in this paste pack a pleasing punch, like a “POW” in your
mouth! It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes about 1 cup; most dishes require 2 tablespoons of the paste • Prep
time is 2 minutes • Cooking time is 15 minutes • Total time is 17 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• dried red chiles, 1/2 cup. There are several types you can use: Thai “bird’s eye
chiles”, or chiles japones or chiles de arbol — look for these in the Asian or
Mexican / Latin American section of your supermarket • shallots, 8 units or
about 1/2 cup, with the peel on • garlic, 10 large cloves or about 1/2 cup, with
the peel on • vegetable oil, 1/2 cup • sugar, 3 tablespoons (can use palm
sugar or brown sugar) • tamarind liquid, 3 tablespoons (you can buy this
product or make it from the recipe in this cookbook) • soy sauce, 1 tablespoon
INSTRUCTION

1. Place a skillet or wok on the stove over medium-low heat. Add the chiles
and stir frequently so each part of the chile gets charred by the heat. Stir-fry
like this for about 4 minutes or until you see the chiles darken in color. Then
remove from the heat and let cool on a plate.
2. Add the shallots and garlic to the cooking pan and move them with a spatula
so the outside skin gets charred and the insides get soft, about 7 minutes.
Carefully remove from the pan and let cool on a plate.
3. Once the chiles are cooled, take off the stems and tops of the chiles and
shake out most of the seeds. The spicy heat in chiles is largely concentrated
 in the seeds, so here we are keeping the chile flavor while managing the spicy
heat. Cut the chiles into small pieces the size of a grain of rice. Place the
chiles in a blender or food processor. Now wash your hands and the cutting
board and knife.
4. Remove the skins from the roasted shallots and garlic, and discard the skins.
Place the peeled shallots and garlic in the blender with the chiles. Pulse or
blend the ingredients together for 20 seconds and then scrape down the sides
of the machine bowl with a spoon. Pulse for another 20 seconds or until the
ingredients are finely chopped.
5. Add 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil into the blender and pulse for another 30
seconds until you get a smooth paste. Remove this mixture from the machine
and place it in a bowl.
6. Now back at the stove, heat a wok or skillet over medium heat. Place the
remaining 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in the pan and let heat for 30 seconds. Add
the chile, shallot and garlic paste to the pan.
7. Cook it in the oil until the paste becomes darker and you can smell its heady
scent. This will take between 3 and 5 minutes, depending on the heat your
stove generates and the thickness of your cooking pan. Once the paste has
turned that darker color, remove it from the heat and let it cool in a bowl.
8. Add the sugar, tamarind liquid and soy sauce to the bowl with the chiles,
shallots and garlic, and stir well. Transfer the paste to an airtight jar and keep
in the refrigerator. Each time you use the paste, give it a good stir so the solid
ingredients combine with the vegetable oil. The paste will last up to a month
if stored in the refrigerator.


HOW TO MAKE THAI ‘THREE BUDDIES”
PESTO CILANTRO PASTE

INTRODUCTION

The traditional Thai name for this paste is the “Three Buddies” since the three
ingredients of cilantro and garlic and pepper go together so well. It can be stored
in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week or frozen up to a month.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes 3 tablespoons, enough to make the stir-fried vegetable recipe in this
cookbook • Prep time is 5 minutes • Cooking time is 0 minutes • Total time
is 5 minutes INGREDIENTS

• cilantro, 1 cup packed, leaves, stems and trimmed roots • garlic, 1
tablespoon, skin removed and roughly chopped (makes it easier to pound if
you are using a mortar • white pepper powder, 1 teaspoon • salt, 1/2
teaspoon INSTRUCTION

1. If using a mortar and pestle, place the garlic and the salt in the mortar and
pound until you have a smooth paste. If using a kitchen machine, you can add
all the ingredients into the machine’s bowl and process until the paste is
smooth.
2. If using a mortar and pestle, add the cilantro to the garlic and salt and pound
until the green cilantro is incorporated in the paste.
3. Add the white peppercorn and mix in with the paste.
4. Store in an airtight container — I find ziplock bags are easy to unfreeze
when I want to make a meal.


HOW TO MAKE THAI SAUCE OF LIFE —
CHILE, SOY SAUCE, SUGAR AND LIME JUICE
TABLETOP CONDIMENT

INTRODUCTION

Where Western dining tables feature salt and black pepper to season dishes, Thai
diners combine the salt and spice in one tabletop sauce, with chiles and a salty
sauce mixed together. This sauce can be used to increase the spicy and salty
flavors of any dish. As this simple sauce is so delicious and so commonly seen in
Thai restaurants, I call this the “Sauce of Life.” This recipe has been adapted to
vegetarian diets by substituting soy sauce for Thai fish sauce.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Add as needed to food to make life worth living • Prep time is 2 minutes •
Cooking time is 0 minutes • Total time is 2 minutes INGREDIENTS

• soy sauce, 2 tablespoons • lime juice, 1 tablespoon • chiles, 1 spicy little
chile such as the chiles usually labelled “Thai bird’s eye chiles” or “Thai
chiles”, usually 1 to 2-inches long, stem discarded and chile chopped into
slender 1/4-inch rings • sugar, 2 teaspoons, white granulated sugar is best in
this recipe INSTRUCTION

1. Add the soy sauce, lime juice, chiles and sugar to an airtight container.
2. Mix well to dissolve the sugar in the soy sauce and lime juice.
3. Mix well before each use. Use as needed and store in the refrigerator when
not using. Will last about 2 weeks.


HOW TO MAKE THAI FRESH VEGETABLE
STOCK

INTRODUCTION

Vegetable stock is so easy to make and greatly boosts the flavor of dishes. I
make the stock, let it cool and then freeze the stock in a clearly marked ice cube
tray. So, whenever I need some stock for a recipe, I have a convenient cube
equalling 1 tablespoon that can be brought to room temperature and used. I take
the frozen cubes out of the specially labelled ice cube tray and keep the
vegetable stock cubes in a zip lock bag for future use.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes 5 cups of stock • Prep time is 5 minutes • Cooking time is 30
minutes, largely not needing to watch the pot • Total time is 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• water, 3 quarts • carrots, approximately 4 cups, tops removed and peeled, cut
into 1-inch chunks • celery, approximately 3 cups, leaves removed, cut into 1-
inch chunks • onion, approximately 1 cup, stem removed, peeled and cut into
1-inch pieces • ginger, a 2-inch piece, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rings •
dried mushrooms, 5 mushrooms, shiitake or Chinese mushrooms are best •
cilantro roots, stems and leaves, about 1 cup, roughly chopped (if you can get
cilantro with roots, bravo — make sure you clean the roots well) • garlic, 5
large cloves, peeled, cut in two INSTRUCTION

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the water and all the
ingredients to the pot.
2. Bring to a brisk boil and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
3. Skim off any foam that rises to the top of the water and discard this scummy
foam — it doesn’t taste good.
4. Let this cook over the lowest heat for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, strain the vegetable stock through a sieve and let cool to
room temperature.
6. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze as discussed in the Introduction.


HOW TO MAKE “MY MOUTH LOVES ME”
CUCUMBER RELISH

INTRODUCTION

This simple cucumber, onion and peanut relish is served to give a flavor contrast
to rich dishes such as the coconut cream-based curries. Once you have had this
dish, you will make it again and again. It keeps in the refrigerator for about three
days.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Serves 4 as part of a multi-course Thai meal • Prep time is 5 minutes •
Cooking time is 2 minutes • Total time is 7 minutes INGREDIENTS

• water, 1/2 cup • vinegar, 1/2 cup, distilled white vinegar is best • sugar, 1/2
cup, white granulated • salt, 1 teaspoon • cucumber, about 14-ounces, see
instructions below • red onion or shallot, 1/2 cup, skin removed, finely
minced • peanuts, dry-roasted, finely chopped, 1/2 cup • cilantro, roughly
chopped, 3 tablespoons, plus 1 tablespoon of the leaves reserved for garnish
INSTRUCTION

1. Place a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Let this come to a soft boil, and stir to
dissolve the sugar and salt in the water and vinegar. Let this cook for 2
minutes until the liquid gets slightly thicker, then remove from the heat, place
in a bowl and let cool.
3. Peel the cucumber and cut into quarters. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
Cut each quarter section into 1/4-inch slices so you have cute little cucumber
triangles.
4. Add these cucumber triangles to the bowl with the cooled vinegar and water
mixture.
5. Add the onion and cilantro to the bowl and stir to mix.
6. When serving this relish, divide the cucumber relish into even portions
among your guests.
7. Sprinkle the peanuts on top and garnish with the loose cilantro leaves.
8. When eating, all these ingredients can be mixed together and then eaten as a
 relish with the other fine food you have made!


HOW TO MAKE TANGY TAMARIND LIQUID

INTRODUCTION

Tamarind is a tangy fruit with a seed inside. Here, the fruit of the mature
tamarind gets soaked in water to get the pulp so we can add a tangy / sour note to
dishes.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Use as needed to add a tangy flavor to food • Prep time is 2 minutes •
Cooking time is 28 minutes, mostly idle time • Total time is 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• tamarind pulp, 1/2 cup • water, 1 cup, hot INSTRUCTION

1. Place the sticky tamarind paste in a bowl and cover with the boiling water.
With a fork, mash the tamarind in the hot water and let stand for about 30
minutes, occasionally stirring it with a fork to separate the tamarind pulp from
the seeds.
2. Once the hot water and time have loosened the tamarind pulp, massage the
seeds one time with your fingers to release the last of the pulp. Now strain the
liquid through a fine mesh sieve and rub the seeds on the strainer to get the
last of the tamarind fruit off the seeds. Discard the seeds.
3. Store this in an airtight container.


HOW TO MAKE ROASTED RICE POWDER
CROUTON

INTRODUCTION

In the European and American tradition, toasted and flavored bread cubes called
“croutons” are added to salads to gave the dish a little crunch. Thai salads use
dry roasted and toasted rice that has been ground into a rough powder to add a
nutty taste and heavenly fragrance to salads.

INVESTMENT OF TIME

• Makes about 5 tablespoon servings • Prep time is 1 minute • Cooking time
is 5 minutes cooking, plus 1 minute grinding • Total time is 7 minutes
INGREDIENTS

• Thai jasmine long-grained rice, 1/4 cup, dry (or you can use Thai “glutinous
rice” also known as “sticky rice” or “sweet rice”), or another type of rice such
as Japanese sushi rice.

INSTRUCTION

1. Place a wok or small skillet over low heat. Add the rice grains to the hot
pan.
2. Stir and shake the pan continuously so the rice turns a light brown in the pan
but does not burn. Depending on the heat your stove emits and the thickness
of your cooking pan, this process can take between 3 and 5 minutes. Resist
the temptation to increase the heat to shorten the cooking time, Chef. Higher
heat will cause the rice to burn, and if the rice burns, tears will fall down like
rain as we cannot use burned rice — it is too bitter. So, slow and steady wins
the race in this dish.
3. When the grains of rice are evenly browned, remove from the heat and let
cool in a bowl.
4. Now we grind the roasted rice grains into a coarse powder. If you have a
rugged mortar and pestle, you can add the rice to the mortar and use the
pestle to grind the rice into a rough powder. You will likely have some fine
powder and some broken pieces of rice. This is the result we want — whole
grains of the rice are too tough to chew. If you have a stout kitchen spice
 grinder or other kitchen appliance with blades, you can pulse the rice grains
until you get that fragrant chunky powder.
5. Reserve in an airtight container.


TABLE OF EQUIVALENT MEASURES

This table is for converting common Imperial measurements to Metric, and vice
versa.

Liquid and Dry Measures


A WORK OF LOVE

Thank you so much for purchasing this book — it is the result of nearly a decade
of travel and research and cooking and testing. If you enjoyed the book, please
leave a review on Amazon — it helps other people interested in vegetarian
cooking find the book and use it for better, healthier, tastier life! Many thanks!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chef Tummy writes recipes, stories, books and songs about food, especially Thai
food.

Chef Tummy was born on the rocky coast of Maine and went to school in
Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has worked as an aide to a U.S.
Senator, as a Washington representative for a Silicon Valley technology
company, as an investment manager, as well as stints as a waiter, cook and
caterer, wedding planner and officiant, house painter, butler, Christmas tree
farmer, English teacher and factory worker.

He is a 1985 graduate of the University of New Hampshire and a 1996 graduate
of Columbia Business School.

Chef Tummy attended the Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts (SITCA) Thai
Cooking School on Koh Samui for the Intensive Ten-Day Thai Food and Fruit
Carving Course in 2004. The course was taught by SITCA owner Chef Roongfa
Shringnam.

He later studied with Thai Chef Dusit Limmathuroskul, owner of Haadlad
Prestige Resort & Spa. With Chef Dusit, Chef Tummy designed, opened, owned
and operated the Chef Tummy Thai Cooking School on Koh Phangan from 2008
to 2013 and taught Thai cooking to students from 30 countries. Chef Tummy’s
cooking partner is Chef “Princess” Atjima Muangman of Surat Thani, Thailand.

Chef Tummy took a 6,002 mile motorcycle trip around Thailand to taste the four
main regional styles. Chef Tummy wrote a full-length book about the trip,
including hard-to-find Thai recipes, also available on Amazon.

Chef Tummy’s writing about Thailand and Thai food has been published in The
World is a Kitchen anthology (2005) and in S.E.A. Backpacker Magazine
(2008).

Chef Tummy can often be found wandering through Thai markets looking for
something to eat or playing guitar and singing in any place that has cold beer.

Chef Tummy’s recipe videos and songs can be seen on www.YouTube.com
under the cheftummycooks page.

He also is a semi-professional wine cellar evaluator. No wines are too expensive
or rare for Chef Tummy to carefully and fully sample on your behalf and
evaluate for merit. He will bring his own corkscrew.

More books on Thai food, Thai travel and Thai culture can be seen on
www.cheftummy.com.