milk
vegetable oil for greasing pan
roti jala cup or kitchen funnel
Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the salt and eggs. Add the coconut or fresh milk gradually, stirring to make a smooth batter.
Lightly grease a frying pan, preferably non-stick, with a little oil. Hold a roti jala cup, a Japanese soy sauce dispenser with a narrow hole, or a regular kitchen funnel with the end partly closed with one finger to let through a thin stream of batter, over the frying pan. Use the other hand to pour in about ¼ cup of the batter, swirling the cup or funnel rapidly in circles over the pan to make a lacy pattern as the batter goes in. Allow the pancake to set on top, then turn over and cook for another 30 seconds. Use a spatula to fold the pancake in half, then half again, and transfer to a plate. Continue, greasing the pan after each pancake, until all the batter has been used up. If the batter thickens towards the end, add a little more milk. Serve with any curry.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 7 min Cooking time: 40 mins
prawn satay satay kung
Satay — skewers of seasoned meat, poultry, or seafood grilled to perfection over charcoal — is most commonly associated with Malaysia and Indonesia, but the Thais also prepare some amazingly good satay in the south. In this version, the natural sweetness of prawns is accentuated by the marinade of coconut cream, galangal, lemon grass, and spices. You could eat these with a peanut dipping sauce, but I think a squeeze of lime or lemon juice is all that's needed (and it's fat-free as well).
4 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh galangal
2 stems lemon grass, tender inner part of bottom 3 in (8 cm) only, thinly sliced
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup (125 ml) coconut cream
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 lb (1 kg) large or medium raw prawns, peeled and deveined, leaving head and tail intact
bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large lime or lemon, quartered
Put the coriander and cumin seeds in spice grinder and process until fine. Add galangal, lemon grass, sugar, salt, pepper, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon of the coconut cream and process to a smooth paste.
Transfer the spice paste to a bowl and stir in the remaining coconut cream and water, mixing to make a smooth marinade. Add prawns and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature minimum 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Grease the grill of a barbecue or broiler with oil. Heat until very hot. Thread a prawn horizontally onto each skewer, then cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 minutes; check to see if prawns are cooked. Serve accompanied by lime wedges.
Serves: 4-6 Makes: about 20 sticks Preparation time: 12 min Cooking time: 5 min
deep-fried thai prawn or fish cakes tod man kung/pla
If you've ever visited any of the coastal areas of Thailand, you're sure to have encountered this popular street snack, fried on the spot for you at food stalls. Tod Man Kung (or Tod Man Pla, if you're using fish) has a characteristic springy texture, and is wonderfully flavored with kaffir lime, curry paste, and fish sauce. Serve the prawn or fish cakes with Thai sweet chili sauce, which you buy off the shelf at most supermarkets.
2 lb (1 kg) fresh prawns, peeled and de-veined, or 1¼ lb (600 g) boneless white fish fillet, skinned and cubed
3-4 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (page 164)
2 tablespoons cornflour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 egg white
2-3 string beans, very finely sliced, optional
4 kaffir lime leaves, cut in hair-like shreds, or 2 spring onions, finely minced
2 medium ripe tomatoes
½ large or 1 small cucumber
vegetable oil for deep frying
Thai sweet chili sauce to serve
Put the prawns or fish into a food processor, add the curry paste, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, fish sauce, and egg white, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the long beans and kaffir lime leaves.
Wet your hands and shape about ¼ cup of the prawn or fish mixture into a ball. Flatten it slightly to make a circle about ¾ in (2 cm) thick. Put on a plate and continue until all the mixture is used up.
Slice the tomatoes. Rake the cucumber lengthways with a fork to score the skin, then slice thinly. Arrange tomato and cucumber in alternating slices around the edge of a serving dish.
Heat oil in a wok. When it is hot, add a few prawn or fish cakes at a time and deep fry until cooked, turning so they turn golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towel and transfer to the serving dish.
Serves: 6-8 Makes: about 8 large pieces or 24 bite-sized pieces
Preparation time: 25 min Cooking time: 15 min
sweet corn fritters tod man khao phod
I thought sweet corn fritters were as American as apple pie until I came across an excellent Thai version in the southern city of Nakkorn Si Thammarat. Fresh sweet corn kernels are mixed in a batter with Thai curry paste, soy sauce, and fish sauce — and what a superb difference those seasonings make. If you can't get fresh sweet corn, you could use defrosted sweet corn kernels, but avoid the canned version as the texture is disappointingly limp. These tasty fritters are ideal as a snack or appetizer, or you could just as easily serve them as part of a main meal.
4 tablespoons plain flour
4 tablespoons rice flour
1½-2 tablespoon red curry paste or curry powder
1 tablespoon fish sauce
tablespoon light soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
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