Thai Night!

Most of these things you will have to find in an Asian food market.  They are worth searching for!


Larb Gai (Thai chicken salad)
Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
2 TBS sliced shallot
2 TBS finely chopped spring onion (Green onions may be substituted)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
3 TBS roasted rice powder (khao koor)
2 TBS ground Thai chili (which is pretty spicy, if you want it milder take off 1 TBS)
3 TBS fresh squeezed lime juice
3 TBS fish sauce
1 head of cabbage


Cook the chicken in a skillet with 2 TBS lime juice over med-high heat.  Stir until done.  Transfer cooked chicken into medium mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Core and cut cabbage into wedges.  Line the bed of a oblong plate with some cabbage leaves.  Place the chicken mixture in the center of the plate.  Place the cabbage wedges along the side.  I eat this by placing some of the chicken salad on a piece of cabbage.  Yum!


Pad Thai
Ingredients:
1 egg
4 tsp fish sauce
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp ground Thai chili
1 shallot (minced)
2 TBS sugar
2 TBS tamarind
1/2  package Thai rice noodles (often called Thai rice sticks)
2 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 lb shrimp (optional, may also use other meats)
1 cup chives
2 TBS peanuts
1 1/3 cup bean sprouts
1 TBS turnip


This is best done in a wok but any big deep pan will do.  soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients (about 15 minutes).  Cut chives into 1 inch long pieces.  Rinse the bean sprouts (reserve half for serving fresh).  Mince shallot and garlic together.  Heat wok on high.  When wok is heated up add oil.  Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove from wok and set aside.  Add shallot and garlic mix to wok.  Keep stirring as you do this.  Stir until they start to brown.  The noodles should be flexible but not expanded by this point.  Drain the noodles and add them to the wok.  Keep stirring quickly to keep things from sticking.  Add the tamarind, sugar, fish sauce, chili pepper and turnip.  Keep stirring.  The heat should remain high.  If your wok is not hot enough then you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point.  Turn up the heat if needed.  Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok.  Crack the egg into the wok. Scramble it until is almost cooked.  Fold the egg into the noodles.  Add shrimp and stir until shrimp is fully cooked.  Add bean sprouts and chives then stir a few more times.  The noodles should be soft and tangled.  Move to serving bowl and garnish with the other half of the bean sprouts.  Enjoy!


I bought the Thai tea in an Asian market pre made in a bottle.  Serve this on ice with a dash of milk or half n half.