When it comes to interesting food, it’s hard to beat the complex nature of the flavors of Thailand. Blending traditions of several Southeast Asian countries, Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. As in other Asian cuisines, balance, detail and variety are key elements. Thai food is known for combining three or four taste sensations in each dish, mingling sour, sweet, salty, and bitter flavors.

Thai food is often served with a variety of sauces (nam chim) and condiments. Phrik nam pla (consisting of fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chilies and garlic), dried chili flakes, sweet chili sauce, sliced chili peppers in rice vinegar, sriracha sauce, or a spicy chili paste called nam phrik are common. The spiciness of Thai cuisine is probably one of its most often associated attributes. Cucumber is commonly eaten to cool the mouth after a particularly fiery dish.

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Chili Lime Grilled Shrimp with Peanut Sauce Noodle

An explosion of complex flavors makes this shrimp and noodle dish a winner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw shrimp 15 - 25 count
• peanut sauce (Recipe below)
• carrot cut into matchstick pieces
• jalapeno slivered
• mung bean sprouts
• scallion greens thin sliced
• rice noodles
• chili powder
• cilantro rough chopped
• fresh lime

Instructions

• To make my dish I start by skewering a pound of raw peeled and deveined shrimp. (Soak wooden skewers in water for about an hour before using).
• Spritz the shrimp with cooking spray and dust with chili powder.
• Grill shrimp paying close attention not to over cook. Shrimp are done with they turn an opaque white color. (shrimp on the grill are like luggage at the airport, do not leave unattended)
• Squeeze fresh lime on the shrimp and tent with foil to rest.
• Drop your rice noodles in the pan of boiling water you have ready and waiting. (rice noodles take only about 6 - 8 minutes to cook)
• While the noodles cook, heat your wok or a large pan to a medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and stir fry the carrot and jalapeno for one minute. Turn off heat.
• Add 3 tablespoons of peanut sauce stirring to warm (the residual heat from the pan will warm the sauce)
• Drain the rice noodles and add to your wok. Toss with the peanut sauce to coat. Thin with a bit of coconut milk if necessary.
• Add half of the scallion and toss again.

Serve

• Using tongs place a bed of the peanut sauce covered noodles on a plate or in a bowl. Top with fresh scallion, bean sprouts, carrots, peppers, cilantro, shrimp, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Notes

To successfully make this type of dish you must have all your ingredients prepared and ready to cook. Bring a pot of water to a boil while you grill the shrimp to cook the noodles in at the last-minute. Thai food requires short and quick cooking time. The three most important tips I can offer you is mise on place, mise on place, mise on place.

There is no real right or wrong way to make this type of dish, just do not overcook your ingredients! You can omit items you do not like and add others you do. Remember the prep work for this meal is the majority of the effort. Light and fresh with an amazing combination of flavors, this quick and easy meal just might become a favorite in your home too.

Used as a dipping condiment for spring rolls and satay, this nutty, sweet, hot sauce is also used to dress salads and noodles as in this shrimp dish.

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Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce

Smooth and creamy peanut sauce with a hint of lime and heat.

Course Appetizer, Sauce

Cuisine Thai, Vietnamese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons brown sugar to taste
• 2 – 2 ½ Tablespoons fish sauce vegetarian substitute 2 ½ to 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste or 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk.

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in a food processor.
• Process until sauce is smooth.
• If you prefer a thinner peanut sauce, add a little more coconut milk.
• Hold in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Some of my favorite dishes discovered during my travels in Asia would have to be those prepared using hoisin sauce. This thick, dark, fragrant, pungent condiment is commonly found in Cantonese cooking. Probably the best known uses are mu shu dishes and Peking duck, however hoisin is actually considered a dipping sauce. The word hoisin is a romanization of the Chinese word for seafood “海鮮” as pronounced in Cantonese.

Canton or Guangzhou is located in the southern part of China and was designed following principles of Feng Shui. The traditional theory about geography played a key role in the building laws in ancient China. Cities were to be located with mountains behind them or to the north, and facing flowing water to the south.

The Cantonese language originated in this area and is viewed as part of the cultural identity for the native speakers widely across southern China, Hong Kong and Macau. It is also spoken by overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia (Singapore and Christmas Island), the United States, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Panama, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as parts of Europe. While Cantonese and Mandarin share much vocabulary, the most notable difference between the two is how the spoken word is written. Mandarin, meaning “speech of officials” is a northern dialect found in the capital of Beijing or Peking. Even though Cantonese is the most widely spoken dialect in the world, Mandarin (simplified Chinese) has become popular with recent generations due to the lack of variations in dialect and is now considered the official language of the People’s Republic of China.

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Hoisin Pork with Napa Cabbage

A delicious Asian dish with the deep flavor of Hoisin and a little heat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork tenderloin cut cross-grain into 1/4-inch-thick strips
• 3 Tbs hoisin sauce
• 1 Tbs char siu sauce
• 1 Tbs red chili bean curd
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbs canola or peanut oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 6 cups napa cabbage chopped cross grain into 1 inch strips
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 medium carrot cut into matchstick size pieces
• 2 jalapeno peppers cored and slivered into strips
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Instructions

• Place the pieces of pork in a large bowl. Add about a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well to completely coat the pork with oil.
• In a small bowl, mix the hoisin, char siu, chili bean curd, soy, and vinegar.
• Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Add the pork and cook, stirring, until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add 2 Tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and stir, when it begins to sizzle, add the cabbage, onion, carrot and pepper. Cook while stirring until the cabbage starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Add the hoisin mixture, pork, and half of the chives, tossing, until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let rest for about 2 minutes. Toss well before serving.
• Sprinkle with the remaining chives and garnish with fresh cilantro.
• Serve with rice noodle or rice.

Notes

When preparing any type of stir fry dish, it is important to have your “mise en place”. Have all your ingredients chopped, prepared, and ready to add to the hot pan.

A hand carved stamp that I collected on a visit to Asia.