Thai Food and Recipes

Rice noodles are eaten daily throughout Asia and are now appreciated in the West as part of a gluten free diet. To add these inexpensive and easy to cook noodles to your repertoire, the Western cook needs to learn a few basic cooking tips. Unlike Western style noodles, Asian rice noodles are usually soaked before cooking to soften. This step can seem rather strange but it makes the noodles less likely to clump together, although when pressed for time it can be omitted with care.

Thai Rice Noodles with Coconut Milk (Mee Ga-tee)

250g (8 oz) rice noodles
200g (7 oz) minced pork or prawns (shrimp)
2 cups coconut milk
1 tofu cake, cut into small matchstick pieces
1 red fresh Thai chili, cut into strips
200g (7 oz) bean sprouts
100g (3 1/2 oz) spring onion, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1/4 cup lime wedges
1/4 cup shallots, finely chopped
1-2 tsp ground red chili powder
2 tbs sugar
1/4 cup fermented soybeans
2 Tbs tamarind juice

Preparation:
In a frying pan , over moderate heat saute the coconut milk with the spring onion. Add minced pork or prawn.

Season with fermented whole soybeans , tamarind juice , sugar and red chili powder. Add tofu and stir-fry until all is mixed well. This is the coconut milk mixture. Reserve half of the coconut milk mixture for dressing.

In the pan, stir-fry the remaining coconut mixture with the rice noodles and mix well.

When serving, top with the reserved coconut milk dressing and sprinkle with the red chili and coriander leaves.

Tips:
Usually served with a side dish of shredded omelet, banana buds, bean sprouts, spring onion and lime wedges in separate piles.
Serves 4.

Thai Style Chinese Spaghetti (Khanom Jeen Sao Nam)

250g (1/2lb) somen noodles
2 cups coconut milk
1lb raw prawns, peeled and deveined
4 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 Tbsp palm sugar

Sides
1/2 c young ginger, cut into fine strips
10 fresh Thai chillies, cut into fine strips
1/2 pineapple, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup dried shrimp
1 spring onion

Preparation:
In a pot bring the coconut milk to a boil. Add the prawns. Simmer until the prawns are pink. Season with palm sugar and fish sauce to taste.

When serving, accompany with separate side dishes of ginger, fresh chillies, pineapple, dried shrimp and lime.

To eat, place the Chinese Spaghetti (somen noodles) on individual plates and pour some of the coconut sauce over. Top with some of the side dishes and toss together with the spaghetti.

Tip:
“Sao Nam” was originally popular in the hot season for its light and cooling effect.

Tags: food, noodles, Recipes, Rice Noodles, thai