A Wednesday Thai feast.

So we thought a Thai feast would be in order for a planning meeting regarding an overseas trip.  HELL YES.  Bought excellent dumplings at the Asian supermarket on Sydney road and made everything else from scratch.  Our guests even knocked back dessert (chocolate Coyo ice-cream with strawberries and desiccated coconut).  That's the sign of a good dinner.  I think.  Or maybe they just hated our cooking so much they wanted to go home and puke.


Also - CHEF'S NOTES.  We added pumpkin and broccoli to the curry, as well as topping it with bean shoots and fried shallots (funions!).  We also cooked the curry for a lot longer (to let the vegetables soften, we thought the eggplant was a bit undercooked). 

And with the mushroom stir-fry - we simply used mixed Asian mushrooms.  They are in season at the moment and SO GRAND.


Okay, I'm done.  Go be Thai.


DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE:

(via taste.com.au)

Ingredients
1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
5 tbs (100ml) light soy sauce
2 tbs Chinese rice wine (shaohsing)*
2 tsp brown sugar


Whisk together.  DONE.


*Dry sherry will substitute.


RED CURRY:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• PASTE:
• 3 shallots OR 1 small cooking onion, diced
• 1 stalk lemongrass (see instructions below) OR 2 Tbsp. ready-bought lemongrass (available frozen at most Asian stores)
• 1-3 red chillies (depending on desired spiciness) or 1-3 teaspoons Thai red chilli sauce
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal, peeled and sliced (may be substituted with ginger)
• ¼ tsp. white pepper (may be substituted with black pepper)
• 2 Tbsp. chilli powder
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground with pestle & mortar (or a coffee-grinder)
• 3 Tbsp. regular (light) soy sauce or tamari
• 1 kaffir lime leaf
• ½ tsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. dried turmeric (or 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric, sliced)
• OTHER:
• 10-15 cherry tomatoes, or 3-4 regular tomatoes, sliced
• 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 small Japanese eggplant, sliced into bite-size pieces (do not peel, as there are vitamins in the skin)
• 1 sweet red pepper, or 1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• optional: 1 small sweet potato (or yam), peeled and cut into cubes
• ½ cup fresh Thai holy basil leaves OR sweet basil
• 1 package wheat gluten “chicken” or “beef”, OR 1 package firm tofu cut into bite-size cubes
• 1 to 2 cans coconut milk (depending on how mild you like your curry, or how much sauce you prefer)

Preparation:

1. For complete instructions on how to buy and cook with lemongrass, see: All About Lemongrass: Your Guide to Buying, Preparing, and Cooking with Lemongrass.
2. To make the paste, place all paste ingredients in a food processor.
3. Add ½ can of the coconut milk and process into a paste.
4. Place paste, wheat gluten or tofu, remaining 1/2 can coconut milk, and limes leaves in a casserole dish.
5. Stir well until paste is thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Then remove from oven and add vegetables. Stir well. (Note: if you prefer more sauce, or if you find the curry tastes too spicy, add 1/2 can more coconut milk.)
7. After another 10 minutes, remove from oven. Check to make sure vegetables are cooked to your liking.
8. Do a taste test for salt and spice. If not salty enough, add up to 2 Tbsp. more soy sauce (or season with sea salt). If not spicy enough, add another red chilli, sliced finely, OR 1-2 tsp. Thai chilli sauce. If too salty, add up to 2 Tbsp. lime juice. If too spicy, add a little more coconut milk (yogurt will work too if you are non-vegan) and stir well.
9. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves (these can be roughly chopped if too large), and serve with plenty of Thai fragrant rice (white or brown) for a nutritionally complete and satisfying meal.

KYLIE KWONG'S STIR-FRIED MUSHROOMS:



Ingredients:

Serve as part of a banquet for 4

3 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon malt vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
5 cm × 2 cm knob (20 g) ginger, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250 g king brown mushrooms, cut into 5 mm thick slices
6 Braised Chinese Mushrooms, halved on the diagonal
2 small sticks celery, cut into 5 mm thick slices on the diagonal
3 tablespoons shao hsing wine or dry sherry
Method

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat peanut oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.

Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds.

Add all of the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2½ minutes or until lightly golden and

just tender.

Add celery and cook for 10 seconds. Add wine or sherry and cook for 1 minute.

Add soy sauce mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds, tossing to coat everything in the sauce.

Serve immediately.