Thai Spring Rolls ounces leeks, julienne

8 ounces carrots, julienne 8 ounces celery, julienne 1/2 bulb fennel, julienne 3 Japanese eggplants, julienne 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons grated ginger pulp 1/2 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes Salt and pepper 24 egg roll wrappers 4 cups canola oil

Combine vegetables, blanch in salted water until done. To this mixture add basil, mint, cilantro, ginger, hot chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on egg roll skin, roll like a cigar. Fry in hot oil, until brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Tofu with Thai Curry Sauce Creamy Thai curry sauce gives tofu a spicy, satisfying kick. You can adjust the amount of curry paste depending on your spice preference. Serve with brown basmati rice and lime wedges. Sauce:
1 cup "lite" coconut milk (see Ingredient notes) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon red curry paste, or to taste (see Ingredient notes) 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Tofu & vegetables: 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, preferably water-packed 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups baby spinach (6 ounces) 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced (1 1/2 cups) To prepare sauce: Whisk coconut milk, cilantro, curry paste, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. To prepare tofu: Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Slice the block crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs. Coarsely crumble each slice into smaller, uneven pieces. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add tofu and cook in a single layer, without stirring, until the pieces begin to turn golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Then gently stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add spinach, bell pepper and the curry sauce and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just cooked, 1 to 2 minutes more. Ingredient notes: Look for reduced-fat coconut milk (labeled "lite") in the Asian section of your market.Red curry paste is a convenient way to add heat and complexity to a recipe. Look for it in small jars in the Asian section of the supermarket. Nutrition Information Nutritional Analysis Per serving Carbohydrate Servings 1 Protein 11 g Saturated Fat 4 g Monounsaturated Fat 3 g Sodium 409 mg Exchanges 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 fat (saturated) Calories 179 Carbohydrates 12 g Fat 11 g Cholesterol 0 g Dietary Fiber 4 g Potassium 241 mg Nutrition Bonus Vitamin A (90% daily value), Calcium (20% dv).

Try our Fat & Calorie Calculator for additional information.

Littleneck Clams with Tamarind-Tomato Broth, Scallion, Ginger and Cellophane Noodles 3 ounces tamarind paste (in brick form)
1 tablespoon palm sugar 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed 3 cloves garlic, mashed and minced 16 littleneck clams 1/2 cup cornmeal 4 cups whole plum tomatoes (fresh or canned), crushed 4 ounces cellophane noodles 2 tablespoons ginger juice (from grated and squeezed fresh ginger) 3 tablespoons thick sweet soy sauce (called kecap manis) 1 bird's eye chile, minced 8 Thai basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced (called chiffonade) 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1 medium lemon, zested

In a pot, combine all the tamarind, palm sugar, lemongrass and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Mash the mixture with a potato masher. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth while pressing with the back of a wooden spoon. (This can be done 4 to 5 days in advance.) Keep refrigerated until needed. Purge the clams: In a bowl, combine the clams, cornmeal, and 4 cups of cold water. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 to 40 minutes, to clean out any sand. Remove the clams from the water and discard the water. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seeds (they can be bitter), so that only the juice remains. Set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the cellophane noodles for 4 to 6 minutes, or until done. Strain and put 1/2 cup each of the noodles in 4 wide soup bowls. In a wok fitted with a steamer rack (or circular cake rack), bring the tamarind stock, ginger juice, and tomato juice to a boil. Place the clams on the rack, cover, and cook until they open and release their juice into the broth. Divide the clams among the soup bowls, leaving the broth in the wok. Stir the sweet soy sauce, minced chile, and basil into the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce. Ladle the broth over the clams and garnish with scallions and lemon zest. Serve immediately. Pineapple Fried Rice 1 ripe pineapple, for serving rice (optional)
4 cups cooked longgrain rice, such as jasmine, chilled 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small onion, finely diced 5 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 cup blanched, sliced Chinese long beans 1/2 cup seeded, diced tomatoes 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple 3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

If serving rice in fresh pineapple, halve the pineapple lengthwise, leaving the leafy top intact and cutting through it. Hollow out each half, reserving 1 cup of the fruit for the rice and extra for garnishing. Save remaining pineapple for another use. Make a small slice on the outside of each half to create a flat base to hold the pineapple steady. Set aside. Crumble the cold rice between your fingers to separate the grains, and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet, swirling to coat the pan. Add the onion and toss until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss until fragrant and soft, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger and toss for another minute. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the rice. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes over high heat, then add the beans, tomatoes, and pineapple, and fry 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the fish sauce and sugar, and toss until ingredients are well combined and rice is heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter, or if using fresh pineapple, fill each half of prepared pineapple with warm rice and garnish with extra chunks of pineapple. Fried Rice with Egg

It's simple to change this dish by adding two cups of cooked diced shrimp or chicken instead of egg, says Wilson. If you have a Chinese grocery store where you live, you can sometimes get a nice piece of seasoned and cooked roast pork, all ready cut into little pieces, and then you can have "roast pork and fried rice," which he knows is a real American favorite. 2 cups long-grain converted white rice, rinsed Salt 1/4 cup oyster sauce 2 tablespoons light Japanese soy sauce 3 large eggs, beaten until just blended 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed 2 or 3 scallions, thinly sliced, including some of the green tops, 1/3 to 1/2 cup 2 cups diced store bought roast pork, optional
Sesame oil, as needed At least 1 day before you plan to make the fried rice, place the rinsed rice in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan. Add 2 cups of cold water and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and cook at a gentle boil until the water has cooked down to the level of the rice. With a spoon (not a fork), stir the rice well. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating for 24 hours.

Break up any clumps of the cold rice with your fingers and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce and soy sauce and set aside. Coat a large, nonstick skillet with nonstick vegetable spray and set over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the eggs, swirling them around to make sure they coat the whole bottom of the pan. Cook, without stirring, and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the eggs are firm and cooked through but not yet starting to brown, lifting the skillet and tilting it so that the eggs cook evenly. Slide the eggs onto a plate and when they have cooled, cut into small pieces and set aside. Return the skillet to the burner and heat the oil over high heat. When it is hot, add the peas and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, until the scallions are limp, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice, sauce mixture, eggs and roast pork until well mixed. Continue to cook, stirring, until the rice is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Plate and drizzle with sesame oil, to taste. Red Curry with Vegetables Red Thai curry paste, which flavors this dish, is a convenient blend of chile peppers, garlic, lemongrass and galanga (a root that's similar in flavor to ginger). It can pack a lot of heat, so be sure to taste as you go. Look for the curry paste in jars or cans in the Asian section of the supermarket or specialty store. Make it a Meal: Ladle the stew over rice to soak up every bit of the delicious sauce. 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 pound sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 14-ounce can lite coconut milk 1/2 cup vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth 1-2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons lime juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1 lime, quartered

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, broth and curry paste to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the tofu, green beans and brown sugar; return to a simmer and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are tender-crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in lime juice and salt. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Information Nutritional Analysis Per serving Carbohydrate Servings 2 Calories 348 Carbohydrates 41 g

Protein 13 g Saturated Fat 6 g Monounsaturated Fat 4 g Sodium 451 mg

Fat 16 g Cholesterol 0 g Dietary Fiber 7 g Potassium 578 mg

Exchanges 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, Nutrition Bonus Vitamin A (400% daily value), Vitamin 1 medium-fat meat, 2 fat C (45% dv), Calcium (25% dv), Iron (15% dv). Try our Fat & Calorie Calculator for additional information. Thai Green Curry Paste Recipe Ingredients: 2 fresh green chillies 1 small onion 1 tsp ground coriander 1 lime, juice and rind 1 stalk lemon grass 1 clove garlic 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 cup fresh coriander, stalks & leaves 1 tbls grated fresh ginger 2 tbls oil (vegetable) Directions: Place all ingredients in a food processor. Blend for a few minutes until well processed. Use in green Thai curries. Red curry paste is the same except use 2-3 red chillies instead + 1 tbl paprika. Red is hotter than the green curry. Thai Green Curry Paste Recipe Ingredients 4-6 medium green chillies, de-seeded and roughly chopped 2 shallots, roughly chopped 5cm/2in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 2 garlic cloves, crushed small bunch of fresh coriander, stalks and roots attached if possible 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped (if unavailable, use 2 tbsp dried) 1 lime, grated zest and juice 8 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces (if unavailable, use the grated zest of 1 extra lime) 2.5cm/1in piece galangal, peeled and chopped (if available) 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 2 tsp Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce 3 tbsp olive oil Method 1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a paste. Use straight away or store in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. This quantity is enough for a curry for 8 people. Tip: When your curry is cooked, if you think it is too spicy, add some more sugar; if it isn't spicy enough, fry a little more curry paste in some oil for a minute or two and add to the sauce.