Titbits
A simple kind of titbit is fun to make.
You need shallots, ginger, lemon or lime,
lemon grass, roasted peanuts and red phrik
khi nu chillies. Peeled shallots and ginger
should be cut into small fingertip sizes.
Diced lime and slices of lemon grass should
be cut to the same size. Roasted
peanut should be left in halves. Chillies
should be thinly sliced. Combinations of
such ingredients should be wrapped in fresh
lettuce leaves and laced with a sweet-salty
sauce made from fish sauce, sugar, dried
shrimps and lime juice.
Dips
Mixing crushed fresh chillies with fish
sauce and a dash of lime juice makes a general
accompanying sauce for any Thai dish. Adding
some crushed garlic and a tiny amount of
roasted or raw shrimp paste transforms it
into an all-purpose dip (nam phrik). Some
pulverised dried shrimp and julienned egg-plant
with sugar makes this dip more complete.
Serve it with steamed rice, an omelette
and some vegetables.
Salad Dressings
Salad dressings have similar base ingredients.
Add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to
enhance saltiness, sourness and sweetness.
Crushed chillies, garlic and shallots add
spiciness and herbal fragrance. Lemon grass
and galanga can be added for additional
flavour. Employ this mix with any boiled,
grilled or fried meat. Lettuce leaves, sliced
cucumber, cut spring onions and coriander
leaves help top off a salad dressing.
Soup Stocks
Soups generally need good stock. Add to
boiling water crushed peppercorns, salt,
garlic, shallots, coriander roots, and the
meats or cuts of one's choice. After prolonged
boiling and simmering , you have the basic
stock of common Thai soups. Additional galanga,
lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, crushed
fresh chillies, fish sauce and lime juice
create the basic stock for a Tom Yam.
Curries
To make a quick curry, fry curry or chilli
paste in heated oil or thick coconut milk.
Stir and fry until the paste is well cooked
and add meats of one's choice.Season with
fish sauce or sugar to taste. Add water
or thin coconut milk to make curry go a
longer way. Add sliced eggplant with a garnish
of basil and kaffir lime leaves. Make your
own curry paste by blending fresh (preferably
dried) chillies, garlic, shallots, galanga,
lemon grass, coriander roots, ground pepper,
kaffir lime peels and shrimp paste.
Single Dish Meals
Heat the cooking oil, fry in a mixture of
crushed chillies, minced garlic, ground
pepper and chopped chicken meat. When nearly
cooked, add vegetables such as cut beans
or eggplants. Season with fish sauce and
garnish with kaffir lime leaves, basil or
balsom leaves. Cooked rice or fresh noodles
added to the frying would make this a substantial
meal.
