Club Food

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 beaten eggs
1 pound carrots, shredded or chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 package lumpia wrappers
4 cups oil for deep frying

Let the frozen wrappers thaw at room temperature for 3
hours.

Using a fork, mix well pork, salt, pepper, onion powder and
garlic powder.
Add eggs and mix well.
Add chopped onion and carrot;
mix well.
Spread one wrapper on a large plate.
Place a large
spoonful of meat-vegetable mixture along the center of each
wrapper.
Make rolls 4 inches long by 1 inch diameter.
Deep fry
until golden brown, using medium heat so the meat is fully
cooked.

Makes 30 spring rolls.

Thai Chicken Salad

4 small dried cloud ears or 2 pieces dried black fungus
1/2 (3 3/4 ounce) package cellophane noodles
2 scallions (with tops), thinly sliced
1 small whole chicken breast, cooked, skinned and shredded
6 medium shrimp, cooked and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
1/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
1 tablespoon minced mint leaves
Romaine or leaf lettuce leaves
Minced fresh cilantro
Dressing

Cover cloud ears with hot water.
Let stand 20 minutes; drain.
Cut into thin slices.
Cover cellophane noodles with cold water.
Let
stand 10 minutes; drain.
Cook noodles in boiling water until
tender, about 10 minutes; drain.
Cut noodles to shorten strands;
cool.

Mix scallions, chicken, shrimp, spinach, peanuts and mint.
Line
a small platter with romaine leaves; arrange cellophane noodles on
top.
Spoon chicken mixture over noodles.
Sprinkle with cilantro and
cloud ears.

Serve with Dressing.

Yields 4 servings.

Dressing
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped

Mix all ingredients.

Spicy Thai Slaw

Source: Delicious Decisions by The Junior League of San
Diego, CA

1 medium cucumber
2 serrano chiles
1 small Savoy cabbage, shredded (about 1 pound)
4 green onions, minced
1/2 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

Peel cucumber and cut in half lengthwise; scoop out and discard
seeds.
Coarsely chop cucumber; set aside.

Rinse chiles; remove and discard stem ends.
Cut chiles in half
lengthwise; remove and discard seeds.
Chop chiles.
Combine
cucumber, chiles, cabbage, green onions, peanuts and garlic in a
bowl; toss well.

Combine oil and remaining ingredients; stir with a wire whisk
until well blended.
Pour dressing over cabbage mixture; toss
gently.
Cover and chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Green Curry Beef

Serves 8.

If you’ve never cooked Thai before, start with this one.
It
introduces you to many ingredients and flavors at once, is spicy
but not too fiery, and is simple to make.
Look for the best quality
commercial curry paste you can.
The first time you make this dish,
start with half the curry paste and taste after combining with the
coconut milk; you can increase the intensity at this point if
desired.
Be sure to use unsweetened coconut milk.

1 pound (450 g) lean beef steak
2 tablespoons (25 mL) peanut oil
3 tablespoons (50 mL) green curry paste, or to taste
1 (14 ounce) (400 mL) can coconut milk
4 fresh red chile peppers, seeded, ribbed and sliced
3 tablespoons (50 mL) fish sauce or soy sauce
2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt
1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar
4 lime leaves
2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 green onions, sliced
Handful of fresh basil leaves

Cut the beef into thin slices about two inches long (you may
want to partially freeze the beef to make cutting easier).
Set
aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet until hot.
Add the oil, and when hot
stir in the curry paste.
Stir fry for 30 seconds.
Drizzle in the
coconut milk, stirring constantly.
Add the sliced chili, fish
sauce, salt, sugar, lime leaves and stock.
Bring to a boil.

Add the beef slices and green onions.
Turn the heat to low and
simmer the dish uncovered for 15 minutes until the beef is tender
and the sauce slightly thickened.

Stir in the basil leaves and cook until wilted.
Serve at once
with plain steamed rice.

Quick Thai Eggplant Soup

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms (caps only,) or use white
mushrooms
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed and cut into 1-inch squares
1 envelope Coconut Ginger Soup Mix (a Taste of Thai brand)
2 chopped plum tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, stems included
8 ounces chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a medium-size pot, heat chicken broth over medium heat.
Add
eggplant and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Add onion, bell pepper, soup mix, tomatoes, coconut milk and
cilantro, and return to a simmer.
Add chicken and simmer for 10
more minutes.
Serve hot as a soup or over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: Cal 379 (56% fat) Fat 24 g (20 g sat) Fiber 5 g
Chol 50 mg Sodium 242 mg Carb 19 g Calcium 51 mg

Thai Beef Salad

From the kitchen of Martin James – Copenhagen, Denmark

1 pound (500g) beef rump steak
1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice
2 tablespoons shredded mint leaves
150g spinach leaves
2 (260mg) Lebanese cucumbers, seeded, sliced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine beef with juice and mint in medium bowl, cover;
refrigerate at least 3 hours or until required.

Heat oiled large pan; cook beef until browned on both sides and
cooked as desired.

Cover beef and let rest 5 minutes; cut into thin slices.
Combine
beef with spinach and cucumber in large bowl.

Gently toss combined vinegar, sauce and sugar through beef
salad.
Serves 4.

Per serving: 8.6g fat; 2g fiber

Thai Pork and Pineapple (Ma Ho)

“Ma Ho” means “galloping horses.”

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground pork
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1 small pineapple, pared, cored and
cut into slices
Snipped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in wok or 10-inch skillet until hot.
Stir-fry garlic
until light brown.
Add pork; stir-fry until brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Spoon off fat.
Add peppers, sugar and fish sauce; stir-fry 2
minutes.
Add peanuts and 2 tablespoons cilantro; stir-fry 1 minute.
Spoon pork mixture onto pineapple slices.
Sprinkle with
cilantro.

Serve with hot cooked rice.

Yields 4 servings.

Vietnamese Pork with Orange Juice and Cilantro

Source: Nothing Fancy by Diana Kennedy

1 (2 1/2 pound) loin of pork, center cut, trimmed
of most but not all the fat
20 small cloves garlic, peeled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro stalks
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 bay leaves
4 whole allspice

Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fat skimmed from the pan juices
3 green onions, trimmed and finely
chopped, with most of the green parts
2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Juice of 2 large oranges
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro stalks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set the rack in the middle
of the oven.

Make 20 incisions all over the pork with the point of a sharp
knife and insert the cloves of garlic.
Season the meat with salt
and pepper to taste.
Set the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and
sprinkle the top thickly with the 1/3 cup chopped cilantro stalks.
Put the broth, bay leaves and allspice in the roasting pan, and
cover the pan tightly with foil so that no steam will escape.

Cook the meat until it is very tender but not falling apart, so
that you can slice it easily — about 3 1/2 to 4
hours.
Set the meat aside on a warm dish for about 15 minutes.
Slice the meat, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.

Meanwhile, degrease the broth.
Put the butter and 1 tablespoon
of the skimmed fat in a saucepan and heat.
Add the onions and 1
tablespoon of the lime juice and fry gently until soft.
Add the
remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice plus the skimmed pan juices
(be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan well for all the scraps
adhering to it), cover the pan and cook the sauce for about 5
minutes.
Add the mustard, orange juice and the 1/4 cup chopped
cilantro stalks.
Cook, uncovered, for about 4 minutes longer.
Pour
some of the sauce over the meat and pass the rest in a separate
dish.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Vietnamese Rice Cake in Banana Leaf (Banh Chung)

2 cups sticky (glutinous) rice, preferably long-grain
1 drop green food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup dried split mung beans
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 ounces pork shoulder or butt or chicken thighs,
cut into 1/4-inch thick chunks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (15 x 17-inch) sheets plastic wrap plus extra
1 (15 x 17-inch sheet aluminum foil
2 (15-inch square) pieces banana leaf
Kitchen string

Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and cover with 3 inches of
water.
Stir in the food coloring, if using, and let the rice soak
overnight.
You should have about 4 cups of rice after soaking.

In a separate bowl, soak the mung beans for at least 4
hours.

Combine the shallots, fish sauce, black pepper and pork pieces
and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Just before cooking, drain the rice and the beans and leave them
in separate bowls.
Add the salt to the rice and stir to blend.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat.
Add the pork
pieces and all the marinade and stir just until the meat is brown
around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the pan from the
heat and set aside.

Using a steamer basket, steam the mung beans over simmering
water until they’re soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat
and set aside.

To make the packet, neatly lay down the wrappers in this order:
one sheet of plastic wrap, the aluminum foil and two sheets of
banana leaves (one perpendicular to the other).
Place 1 cup of rice
in the center of the banana leaf, spreading it over a 5-inch-square
area.
Place half of the mung beans on top then add the pork pieces.
Cover again with the remaining mung beans and place 1 cup of rice
on top.

Bring the narrow sides of the wrappers together.
Fold the
gathered edges over twice, then flatten against the packet.
(You
now have two open ends.) Fold one end over and hold the packet
upright.
Add half of the remaining rice, tapping it and pushing it
down so the packet will be an even square.
Fold the ends (like
wrapping a gift box) and repeat on the other side.

Place the packet with the folded sides down in the center of the
remaining plastic sheet.
Wrap tightly so water will not seep into
the packet during cooking.
Tightly tie the packet with two parallel
strings in both directions (as in a tic-tac-toe pattern).

Fill a large stockpot with water.
Add the packet and bring to a
boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer.
Place a colander or
something heavy to keep the packet submerged in the water.
Cook,
uncovered, for 4 hours, adding more water as necessary.
Remove from
the heat and set aside to cool for 1 hour.

To serve, cut the packet (without unwrapping) into 1/2-inch
slices.
Remove the wrapping and arrange the slices on a serving
plate.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
If wrapped in plastic and
refrigerated, the cake will keep for 1 week.

Makes 1 large packet, or 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 450 calories, 18 g protein, 77 g carbohydrate,
12 g fat (3 g saturated), 34 mg cholesterol, 698 mg sodium, 6 g
fiber

Sesame Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce

1 pound vermicelli or thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
4 green onions, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 (1 inch) piece ginger root, pared and quartered
1/3 cup peanut butter (plain or chunky)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tap water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice or white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Cook spaghetti as directed; drain and rinse with cold water.
Toss with 2 tablespoons sesame oil (this dish can be served cold or
hot).
If you want to serve as a hot dish, do not rinse with cold
water; just drain.

In food processor, finely chop garlic, green onions and ginger.
Add remaining sesame oil and all ingredients.
Process until
thoroughly mixed.
Top each serving of vermicelli or spaghetti with
amount of desired sauce.

Spicy Grilled Thai Chicken

3/4 cup canned cream of coconut
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
8 stems fresh coriander
3 large cloves garlic
3 large shallots
3 anchovy filets
1 teaspoon pepper sauce
2 whole boned, skinned chicken breasts,
cut in half (about 1 1/2 pound)

In blender or food processor, combine cream of coconut, lime
juice, soy sauce, coriander, garlic, shallots, anchovies and pepper
sauce; process until smooth.
Arrange chicken pieces in a shallow
dish or plastic bag.
Pour coconut marinade over chicken.
Let stand
at room temperature 1 hour or cover and refrigerate several
hours.

Arrange chicken pieces on grill about 5 inches from coals.
Brush
generously with marinade; grill 5 minutes.
Turn, brush generously
with marinade; grill 5 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked
through.
Heat remaining marinade; serve as dipping sauce for
chicken.

Serves 4.

Taro Balls in Coconut Cream (Bua Loi Phuak) Thailand

1 cup cooked taro, mashed
2 cups glutinous rice flour
1 cup corn flour
4 cups coconut milk
1 cup palm sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 teaspoons water

Put the glutinous rice and flour and the corn flour in a bowl.
Add the mashed taro and knead to a soft dough.
Add the mashed taro
and knead well.

Roll into tiny balls and set aside.

Dissolve the palm sugar and salt in the coconut milk over a low
heat, stirring constantly.
Bring to the boil and add the taro
balls.
When they are cooked, remove from the heat.
Serve hot.

Yields 4 servings.

Thai Beef Ribbons

1 pound beef flank steak
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame seed, toasted

Soak thirty 6-inch bamboo skewers.
Combine teriyaki sauce,
ginger root, oil, garlic and red pepper.

Cut steak across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices; place
slices in plastic bag.
Pour marinade over steak, turning to coat.
Tie bag securely and marinate 15 minutes.

Pour off marinade.
Thread each slice onto a bamboo skewer.
Place
ribbons on rack in broiler pan so surface of meat is 3 to 4-inches
from heat.
Broil 2 minutes on each side.
Sprinkle with sesame
seed.

Makes 15 appetizer servings of 2 ribbons each.

Contains 64 calories per 2 ribbons.

Thai Cabbage

1/2 head cabbage
2 to 3 tablespoons oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 egg

Slice cabbage into strips, about 1/2-inch wide.
Put oil, garlic,
ginger and soy sauce into hot pan.
Add cabbage; stir and cook for 3
to 5 minutes.

Cover and cook over low heat until it is just tender, about 5
minutes more.
Beat egg and stir into cabbage.
Continue stirring
until the egg is cooked.

Thai Chicken with Cashews

1 whole chicken, uncooked, cut into bite size pieces
Minced garlic
Grated fresh ginger

Sauté uncooked chicken in oil, adding minced garlic
and grated fresh ginger.

When chicken is opaque and nearly cooked add:

1 can water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots
2 small onions, chopped
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

Add broccoli florets and grated carrots.
Cook until all is warm
and cooked.
Serve with a generous amount of sauce.
If the sauce has
cooked down, add more water and spices to your taste.
Serve over
thin noodles or rice.
Pass the cashews so that each person can
sprinkle on as many as they desire.

Thai Chile Beef

1 round steak (or stew meat)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon hot pepper
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup young baby corn
1 onion
1/2 cup water or beef broth
1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Slice the steak into paper thin slices (if it is frozen partly
or very cold this is easier.) Cut into slices 2 x 1-inch thick.
Marinate for 1 hour in the ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic
powder and flour.

Stir-fry in the oil for 2 minutes the hot pepper, bell pepper,
mushrooms, corn and onion.

Add the water and cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the
sauces.
Toss lightly and serve over rice.

Makes 2 servings.

Thai Custard-Filled Pumpkin

1 small pumpkin
5 duck eggs plus 1 chicken egg to make 1 cup
1 cup palm sugar or brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Do not beat eggs.
Use fork to mix eggs and sugar.
Add coconut
milk.
Strain mixture.

Cut off lid of pumpkin.
Remove seeds.
Put boiling water in
steamer.
Place pumpkin in steamer for 3 to 5 minutes to heat.
Pour
mixture into pumpkin.
Steam for about 30 minutes.

To serve warm or cold, cut into wedges like a pie, serving both
the custard and the pumpkin meat.

NOTE: This may also be made using a young coconut instead of a
pumpkin.

Thai Egg Rolls

1 whole chicken breast, deboned
1 small head cabbage
6 carrots
Egg roll wrappers
2 cloves garlic, minced
Soy sauce
Wesson oil
Salt and pepper
1 beaten egg

Dice the chicken breast.
Shred cabbage and carrots.

Heat oil in large skillet, add minced garlic and few tablespoons
soy sauce plus salt and pepper.
Stir-fry chicken approximately 10
minutes or until brown.

Remove chicken to paper towels to drain.

Stir-fry cabbage and carrots for a few minutes in same pan.
Remove vegetables to paper towels to drain.

Combine chicken with vegetables in egg roll wrappers.
Use a
beaten egg to to stick edges together.
Deep fry in hot oil until
golden brown.

Thai Fried Noodles

1 pound Thai rice noodles
10 medium size shrimps, shelled and cleaned
2 eggs
1 cup bean sprouts
1 tablespoon coarsely ground peanuts
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup vegetable oil

If dry noodles are used, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes,
then drain.

In a frying pan put all the oil, brown the garlic until light
brown, add the shrimp and cook until well done.

Add sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and stir together.
Add eggs,
break in the yolk, then add noodles and fry until noodles turn
orange.

Add the bean sprouts to the mixture and fry until bean sprouts
are cooked (about 1 to 2 minutes).

Thai Pork with Cellophane Noodles

3/4 cup cellophane noodles
5 tablespoons stock
2 tablespoons fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice vinegar)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 clove garlic
1 thin slice ginger root
3/4 pound lean pork, sliced paper thin
1 cup shredded spinach
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup slivered sweet red pepper

In a medium mixing bowl, cover the noodles with hot water and
let them soak for 20 minutes.
Drain.
Cut into 1-inch pieces with
scissors.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the stock with the beans, mirin and
cornstarch.

In a wok or large nonstick frying pan, cook the garlic and
ginger in the remaining stock for 1 minute over medium-high heat.
Discard the garlic and ginger.
Stir-fry the pork and noodles for 3
minutes or until pork is cooked through.
Add the spinach, water
chestnuts, peppers and bean mixture.
Toss to heat through.
Serve
immediately.

Serves 4.

Thai Shrimp Salad

3 cups water
1 pound fresh or frozen shrimp in shell
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon grass
3/4 teaspoon chopped, seeded red chile pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon oil
Lettuce

In saucepan bring water to boil.
Add shrimp and simmer for 2 to
3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
Drain.
Shell and devein.

In bowl combine green onion, lemon grass, chile pepper, garlic,
lemon juice and fish sauce.
Add oil.
Mix well.
Add shrimp.
Toss to
coat well.
Cover and chill.

Toss again before serving.
Serve on lettuce-lined plate.

Makes 3 or 4 servings.

Coconut Pancakes (Kanom Kluk —
Thailand)

1 cup rice flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup shredded coconut
Vegetable oil
Red and green food coloring
Sweetened condensed milk
Shredded coconut

Beat flour, sugar, salt, coconut milk and eggs in medium-size
bowl until smooth.
Stir in 3/4 cup coconut.
Divide batter equally
among 3 bowls.
Tint one part of batter pale pink with red food
color, and one part pale green with green food color; leave third
part untinted.
Lightly oil 8-inch nonstick skillet; heat until hot.
For each pancake, pour scant 1/4 cup batter into skillet;
immediately rotate skillet until batter covers bottom.

Cook until top is almost dry and bottom is light brown.
Run wide
spatula around edge to loosen; turn and cook other side until light
brown.
Roll up pancake, and place on heatproof platter; keep warm.
Drizzle with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkle with
coconut.

Makes 18 pancakes.

Thai Curry Noodle Soup (Kaow Soy Kai)

This soup can also be made with large shrimp (Kaow Soy Kung) or
pork (Kaow Soy Moo).

3/4 tablespoon red curry paste (or to taste)
1 teaspoon dark Thai curry powder
2 teaspoons yellow Indian curry powder
4 cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
1/2 pound white chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Chicken stock to adjust consistency, if needed
4 ounces fresh egg noodles, cooked
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Chopped green onion for garnish

In a hot saucepan, add the red curry paste, Thai and yellow
curry powder and stir together.
Add coconut milk and bring to a
boil.
Reduce to a simmer and add fish sauce (salty) and sugar
(sweet) to balance the flavors.
Add cubed chicken meat and cook for
5 minutes or until the chicken is done.
If the soup reduces too
much, add chicken stock to adjust the consistency.

For each serving, place some of the cooked noodles in a deep
bowl and sprinkle the noodles with chopped cilantro.
Pour the soup
into the bowl.
Garnish with chopped green onions.

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a first course.

Thai Chicken with Basil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely
chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts

Cut each breast half into 4 pieces.
Heat oil in work or 12-inch
skillet until hot.
Cook and stir garlic and peppers over
medium-high heat until garlic is golden brown.
Add chicken;
stir-fry until chicken is done, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in fish sauce
and sugar.
Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.
Garnish with lemon
wedges if desired.

Yields 4 servings.

Chile-Vinegar Sauce (Nam-som – Thailand)

Serve with stir-fried noodle dishes such as Pad Thai.

1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 mild chile (such as Cubanelle, Hungarian
wax or banana chile), sliced into rings

Put the vinegar in a small bowl and stir in the sugar until it
is completely dissolved.
Add the chile rings.
Serve with a small
spoon so guests can spoon a little onto their noodles.

Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator; this will keep
4 to 5 days.

Makes about 1/2 cup sauce.

Chinese Greens, Thai Style

1 pound Chinese leafy greens (gai laan or jie lan)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fermented soybean paste (dao jiao)
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1/2 cup water

Wash the greens thoroughly in cold water.
Cut off and discard
any discolored leaves.
Slice any thick stems lengthwise in
half.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the salt.
Toss in the greens, bring back to a boil, and boil for a minute,
then drain and set aside.

Heat a large wok over high heat.
Add the oil and swirl to coat
the wok.
Toss in the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then toss
in the greens.
Stir- fry vigorously for about 1 1/2 minutes, then
add the soybean paste and fish sauce.
Stir-fry for another 30
seconds, then add the water, bring to a boil, and cover.
Cook for
about 2 minutes, then remove the lid.
The greens should be tender
and still bright green.
Turn out onto a plate and serve hot or at
room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6 as part of a rice meal.

Spicy Thai Pasta Salad

1 (12 to 16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons sesame oil or more
6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup peanuts

Cook noodles to al dente.
Mix all liquid ingredients in
measuring cup.
Pour over noodles.
Mix in with cilantro, green
onions, peanuts and red peppers before serving.

Thai Coconut Lime Dippers

Dippers
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed

Fondue
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups hot cooked rice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

To prepare the dippers, trim the fat from the pork.
Spray a rack
that will fit in shallow roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the pork on the rack.
Line the bottom of roasting pan with
foil; place rack in the pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce and
honey; brush the mixture over the pork.
Insert a meat thermometer
into the thickest part of pork.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the
thermometer registers 160 degrees F.
Remove from oven, let stand 5
minutes, then cut the pork into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the sugar snap peas in boiling water for 1
minute or until crisp-tender.
Drain and rinse with cold water.

To prepare the fondue, heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan
over medium-high heat.
Add the ginger and garlic and
sauté 30 seconds.
Stir in the chicken broth, bring to
a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove mixture from heat.

Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with
a knife.
Combine the flour and water, stirring well with a whisk.
Add the flour mixture, coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, brown
sugar, salt and crushed red pepper to the ginger mixture; cook over
medium heat 8 minutes or until slightly thick and bubbly, stirring
frequently.
Pour into a fondue pot.
Keep warm over low flame.
Dip
pork and peas into fondue.

Spoon the rice into the fondue pot after the dippers are eaten.
Heat 1 minute and ladle into soup bowls.

Yields 6 servings.

Cook’s note: This fondue is really a two-course meal.
After
you’ve dipped all the pork and snap peas, add rice to the pot.
It
will soak up the flavor of the seasoned pork and create a
delicious, soupy side dish.