Vegetarians of Washington Monthly Dinning Event Thai Dinner Recipes

Ingredients
A.
3 New Mexico hot Chilli pods
10-20 dried Thai chilies
2 tablespoons sliced shallot
6 tablespoons sliced garlic
5 sliced galangal
1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon sliced Kaffir lime peel
1 tablespoon sliced coriander root
7 black peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon dried roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons roasted coriander seeds or powder
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds or powder

B.
1 to 1˝ pounds beef, sliced
1/2 cup coconut milk
6 Kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

1. Put all ingredients from part A in a blender; blend with 1 cup coconut cream until smooth. Add water as needed. This recipe is for cooking with 1 to 1˝ pounds beef.

2. In a saucepan, heat ˝ cup coconut cream until it boils. Pour the coconut cream in a small bowl for later use.

3. Then in the same saucepan, cook curry mix on medium high heat until it starts to show oil on the surface for about 10 minutes. Then stir in beef and ˝ portion sliced Kaffir lime leaves.

4. When beef is cooked remove the saucepan. Do not overcook beef.

5. Pour the curry on the plate and sprinkle the top with the rest of sliced Kaffir lime leaves and heated ˝ cup coconut cream.

Ingredients
1 cup black glutinous rice
8 cups water
˝ cup white sugar
1 ˝ cups coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large saucepan cook black glutinous rice with 6 cups water. If possible soak black glutinous rice with water over night and drain before cooking to shorten cooking time.

2. Bring it to boil then reduce to medium low heat. Cook for 45 minute to one hour or more.

3. While cooking check if it needs more water and stir occasionally. When it comes to desired texture, mix in sugar and cook for five more minutes and remove from heat.

4. In another saucepan, heat coconut cream with ˝ teaspoon salt. Just when it comes to boil, remove from heat.

3.Serve 2/3 cup warm sweet black rice pudding in a bowl, topped with 1/3 cup slightly salty coconut cream.

Servings: 4
Preparation: 20 minutes. Cooking: 10 minutes.

This recipe is inspired and adapted from my friend Pimpa’s recipe. In her original recipe, the main ingredients are dry shrimp, cashew nut and peanut. This recipe will have chicken, cashew nuts and peanuts instead.

Yum Dressing:
2 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons limejuice
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons roasted grated coconut
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

Yum ingredients
1 cup cooked ground chicken
½ cup dry roasted cashew nuts
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
2 medium size shallots, sliced
¼ to ½ cup sliced young lemongrass (remove a few outer layer of lemongrass, about 5 lemongrass to make ½ cup.)
½ teaspoon dry chili powder, or as needed
½ cup cilantro leave

Just before serving, mix Yum ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the Yum dressing over and stir well. Garnish with cilantro leafs when serving.

Cook’s note:
To cook chicken, put ground chicken in a medium size pot. Put it over medium-high heat. Stir until it cooks. This technique is called “Ruen” in Thai. It applies to most meat cooking for Yum and Laab (salad). The result, the meat is cooked and left with some meat broth to benefit the dressing and flavor to the dish. Notice that there is not salt or fish sauce added during the process of “Ruen”. So the meat is plain but ready to absorb the dressing.

For the best result, roast peanut and cashew nut and keep in air tight jar before put it together.

SATAY GOONG

Homemade Seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons garlic powder

Mix all the spices well. Pour the mixture in a spice jar.

Shrimp Satay
Marinate 20 shrimp with a teaspoon of homemade seasoning. Grill on the grilling pan until done.

PICKLED CUCUMBER SALAD

4 tablespoons vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced cucumber
1 to 2 shallots, sliced
½ red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoon crushed dry-roasted peanuts, optional

Mix vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a bowl; then heat in saucepan for 2 minutes or microwave for 45 seconds.

Mix in cucumber, shallots and red pepper. Garnish with crushed peanuts if desired and serve.