Fiery Thai Salsa

Serving Size: 4 Categories: Oriental Sauces and Preserves 3 Cups cucumberschopped seeded peeled 1 Cup green onionchopped Cup radisheschopped Cup fresh mintchopped 3 Tablespoons fresh gingerminced & peeled 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoons sesame chili oil Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until juicy, about 1 hour. Stir before serving cold.

Garlic Sauce
Categories: Curries, Thai, Sauces, Pastes, Dips Yield: 1 recipe cup Water cup White vinegar cup Sugar 1 tsp. Chili paste 2 tsp. Garlic, finely chopped tsp. Salt Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel pot. Boil slowly until the mixture is reduced by half. Cool & let it thicken until it is the consistency of unwhipped heavy cream. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Serve at room temperature. Serve as a dip for any fried food that may not be particularly sweet in itself. To make a smooth sauce, blend the ingredients in a blender before cooking.

Ginger Sauce
Categories: Curries, Thai, Sauces, Pastes, Dips Yield: 1 recipe 1 tbs. Garlic, finely chopped 2 tbs. Brown bean paste cup Ginger, finely chopped 1 each Serrano chili, stemmed & finely chopped 2 tbs. White vinegar 1 tbs. Sugar 1 tbs. Soy sauce 3 each Cilantro sprigs, chopped Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Use immediately or at least within 6 hours of preparation, as the flavours will get stronger the longer the sauce sits. This thick, dark, rich & spicy sauce goes well with as a dipping sauce with bland foods such as tofu.

KWANS SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

Serving Size: 1 Categories: Sauces 1 cup Sugar 2 tsp. Salt cup Vinegar This is an all-purpose sauce that is used as a base for other sauces. It will keep for about 6 months in a covered jar in the refrigerator. From Thai Cooking From the Siam Cuisine Restaurant (North Atlantic Books, 1989). Combine sugar, salt and vinegar small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar and salt are dissolved, stirring occasionally. Makes 1 cups. PER TABLESPOON: 35 calories protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 178 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

Nam Jjim Polamai

Fruit Based Dip
Ingredients: 2 T minced garlic 2 T kapi (shrimp paste) 2 T lime juice 2 T [palm] sugar 2 T fish sauce Instructions: Lightly fry the shrimp paste to bring out the aromas, and discard any oil that is forced out by the heat. Mix the ingredients with half the fish sauce in a food processor and taste add more fish sauce until it is just salty enough for you. Variation: add [up to] 6 finely sliced red chilies. Once you have your dressings, you are ready to make one of a number of Thai dips. 1:) Nam Jim Mamuang prepare one cup of shredded green (i.e. unripe) mango, and combine it with the dressing. Variation instead of shredding the mango just julienne it. If you use the chili variation of the dressing the result is a Som Dam Mamuang (an Isan variant - the normal som dam is made with papaya). 2: Use a cup of coarsely chopped pineapple (nam jim sapparot). 3: Try a cup of any chopped fruit. 4: A variation my wife calls Nam Jim Luk Koei (kai luk koei is son in law eggs and is done with fried hard boiled [quails] eggs in a caramelized onion sauce). Take a cup of mixed round things - maraschino cherries, cherry tomatoes, cocktail olives, hardboiled quails eggs. Mix with the dressing [s] and serve on cocktail sticks.

A variation my wife calls devils finger food

Take about 2 T of shrimp paste, and fry it. Mix in about 1 T of sliced red chilies. Use this mixture to stuff pitted olives (instead of the usual bland pimento) and serve it with a hot version of the chili dressing from above.

Nam Prik Makham Piag

Tamarind Dip
Categories: Thai, Dip Yield: 1 Servings 1 c Makham piag (sour tamarind) paste c Kung haeng (dried shrimp) c Hom daeng (shallots), chopped 2 tbs. Kratiem (garlic) chopped 2 tbs. Nam pla (fish sauce) 1 tbs. Prik ki nu haeng daeng (dried red chilies) 1 tsp. Kapi (fermented shrimp paste 1 tsp. Nam tan paep (palm sugar) This dip is made from mature, or brown, sour tamarind. This should be peeled before use, and the fibrous strands within the pod, and the seeds of the fruit discarded. You may also buy tamarind in a compressed block, and this is equally suitable. This recipe is an example of Thai unwillingness to let anything go to waste: tamarind water is used as an ingredient of many dishes, and is prepared as shown below. Yet this dip is something to use the tamarind paste that otherwise might be discarded. In general we make tamarind juice (nam makham piag), when we need to use it. All that is required is to store the paste in a jar until you have enough to make the dip. However dont make the mistake we did once of using a Tupperware container to store the paste - the tamarind stained it and we were never able to get it clean. Use a glass-preserving jar and keep it in the refrigerator. Place two tablespoons of tamarind paste (3 if the seeds are still in place) in a jug, and pour 1 cup of boiling water over it. Leave to steep for 15 minutes, then mash thoroughly and leave to steep for a further 15 minutes. Pour the mixture through a muslin bag, and squeeze thoroughly to extract as much juice as possible. The juice is nam makham piag (tamarind juice), and may be used in other recipes. Ensure that you discard any remaining seeds or fibrous material from the pulp and reserve it. You need 1 cup of exhausted tamarind pulp for this recipe. Pound the shrimp in a mortar and pestle. Dry fry the chilies until aromatic, then crush. Place the shallots and garlic, unskinned, under the grill or broiler, and toast until aromatic and the skins begin to discolor, then peel and chop. After preparation you should have the quantities listed. Fry the shrimp paste in a very small amount of oil until aromatic. Combine the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle (or food processor), then fold in the tamarind paste. Serving & Storage Accompanies fish dishes or vegetable crudits. Will keep 2-3 weeks in a refrigerator.

Piquant Thai Dipping Sauce

Serving Size: 4 Categories: Sauces Low Fat Thai cup Tomato sauce 3 tablespoons Lime juice 2 tablespoons Light brown sugar teaspoon Chinese chili sauce 1 Garlic cloveminced 2 teaspoons Fresh mint leavescoarsely 1 teaspoon Lime peelgrated or minced 1 tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon Cold water In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili sauce, garlic, mint and lime peel. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Return sauce to a low boil and stir in enough of the cornstarch mixture to lightly thicken sauce. Strain sauce through a sieve placed over a small serving bowl. Let sauce cool at least 10 minutes; sauce is best at room temperature. Serve with chilled shrimp. Nutritional analysis per serving: 33.1 calories; trace grams total fat; (0= grams saturated fat); 0.1 grams protein; 3.7 grams carbohydrates; 0= milligrams cholesterol; 98.1 milligrams sodium.

Red Curry Sauce

Categories: Condiments, Spices, Sauces, Thai Yield: 1 cups 1 tbs. Fried garlic in oil 1 tbs. Fried shallots in oil 4 tbs. Red prik kaeng (chili paste) 1 c Coconut milk 2 tbs. Prik chi fa daeng (red jalapenas), sliced finely 2 tbs. ginger 2 tbs. Fish sauce Pinch of sugar The common thread of all these is to prepare a sauce base. Similar sauces can be made from any Thai curry paste: the basic method is simple: the paste is fried, dissolved in coconut milk, and a colorant, taste extender and flavor element are added. Note fried garlic in oil and fried shallots in oil are so basic that most Thai cooks keep some ready made. It will keep in the fridge for two or three months. It is best made in a small deep fat fryer. However if you dont have any put a tablespoon of oil in a medium hot wok and stir fry a tablespoon of garlic (or shallots) until they just change color and the oil becomes aromatic. RED CURRY SAUCE In a wok heat (or cook) the garlic and shallots, and add the prik kaeng, and stir until combined and aromatic. In a wok push it up the side of pan away from the heat. If you are using a saucepan remove and set aside. Heat the coconut milk until nearly boiling and lower the heat. Add the chili paste, a quarter at a time, and stir until dissolved. Now add the remaining ingredients, and stir until heated through. You can increase or reduce the shallots/garlic and chili paste together by a factor of two (i.e. if you halve the chili paste, halve the garlic and shallots also. If you double them double them all). Similarly the jalapenas, ginger and fish sauce can be adjusted by up to a factor of two to give the flavor balance you want. Ginger gives the dish and afterburn. You can use any mixture of khing (common green ginger), kha (galangal), or kachai (lesser ginger) you wish.

Saus Kacang
Categories: Sauces, Thai Yield: 8 servings Pan drippings 3 tbs. Peanut butter, crunchy 1 Thai chili 1 tsp. Salt Onion 3 tbs. Tamarind water 1 Garlic clove 1 c Coconut milk tsp. Shrimp paste Calories per serving: 67 Fat grams per serving: 4 Approx. Cook Time: 0:15 Grind together pepper, onion, garlic, & shrimp paste. Fry together in a little vegetable oil until the onion is golden. Add the pan drip- pings. Add the peanut butter, salt, and tamarind water. Stir and cook, adding coconut milk, until the sauce is the consistency of thick gravy.

SHRIMP PASTE DIPPING SAUCE

NAM PRIK GOONG SIAP
Serving Size: 4 Categories: 8 Green Thai Chili Peppers 6 Cloves Garlic 2 tbs. Shrimp Paste c Fish Sauce (Nam Pla) 1/3 c Lime Juice 3 tbs. Palm Sugar 10 Whole Large Dried Shrimp Or Prawns, Rinsed In Warm Water VEGETABLES Snake Beans Or Long String Beans Green Onions/Scallions Or Spring Onions Tomatoes Broccoli Sugar Peas/Snow Peas Place the chilies, garlic and shrimp paste in a mortar and mash with a pestle until the garlic is crushed and combined with the other ingredients. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar; gently mash together. Alternatively, use a blender. Add the whole dried shrimp and combine. Remove to a serving bowl and allow the shrimp to soak in the sauce for about 15 minutes. Serve as a dip for the raw or steamed vegetables.

Thai Barbeque Marinade

Ingredients: 3 tablespoon 2 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 4 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 2 tablespoon 2 tablespoon Instructions: Mix in a food processor or with a whisk, coat meat, leave to marinade overnight (or at least 6 hours). Barbeque, broil or grill to taste. fish sauce rice wine (or sherry if you cant find it) sesame oil sugar chopped garlic freshly grated ginger honey

Thai Chili Fish Sauce

Categories: Thai, Sauces, Barbecue Yield: 8 servings 6 tbs. Thai fish sauce 5 tbs. Thinly sliced scallions 3 tbs. Fresh lime or lemon juice 3 tbs. Finely chopped cilantro 1 tbs. Minced Serrano chilies 2 tsp. Roasted chili paste tsp. Minced garlic Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 days.

Thai Style Basil Dipping Sauce

Serving Size: 1
Categories: Sauce 1/2 Cup 1/4 Cup 1/2 Cup 2 1/2 tbs. 6 cloves 2 2 tbs. rice wine vinegar white wine vinegar light corn syrup Fish sauce (Nuoe Mam) garlic -- peeled Serrano or Jalapeno chilies -- seeded and chopped Sugar

1 Cup

fresh basil leaves lightly packed -- chopped

In a non-aluminum saucepan, combine the vinegars, corn syrup, fish sauce along with four tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil and stir. Remove from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature. In a food processor, combine the garlic, chilies and sugar and quickly puree. Add the cooled syrup and process in one or two bursts just to combine. Add basil and briefly process until basil is minced. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Yield: 3 cups

Tofu Sauce
Categories: Curries, Thai, Sauces, Pastes, Dips Yield: 1 recipe 1 c Palm sugar c White vinegar c Water tsp. Salt 2 ea. Serrano chilies, stemmed & finely chopped 3 tbs. Roasted peanuts, ground 3 ea. Cilantro sprigs, chopped Mix the first five ingredients in a pot & bring them to a slow boil over moderate heat. Cook, uncovered, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. When ready to serve, pour the mixture into a small serving bowl & garnish with peanuts & cilantro. This dip is intended to be served with deep-fried tofu. If keeping in the refrigerator, keep without the garnish. In a sealed jar it will keep for 2 months.