Do you find yourself cooking at home even more than usual during these times? Do you want some variety in your meal planning?
What about ethnic dishes for a change?
Many Thai dishes are influenced by the Chinese, as many native Thais, like many of my friends in Thailand, are of Chinese heritage.
This drunken chicken noodle dish does not have alcohol as an ingredient, but the name refers to how much alcohol you will want to drink to combat the heat of the dish! So get your Singha beer to drink with this dish.
Thai Drunken Noodles
Sripraphai Restaurant, Manhattan
Serves: 6
2 14-ounce packages 1/4-inch wide flat rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Thai chilies
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla, which is Thai, or nuoc nam, which is Vietnamese)
1/4 cup black soy sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 large plum tomatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
4 Anaheim chiles or 2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves or regular basil leaves
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and Thai chiles, saute 30 seconds. Add chicken and next four ingredients and saute until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add noodles, tomatoes and green peppers, toss to coat. Transfer to a large platter, sprinkle with basil leaves and serve.
Note: I made this dish but could not find wide rice noodles so used thin rice noodles instead. I also did not put any chiles so children would also enjoy it. I replaced the black soy sauce with regular soy sauce and molasses to taste.
• • •
Another Thai dish is this Penang rice salad:
Nasi Kerabu
Penang Rice Salad
Serves: 4
1 3/4 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
1/3 cup packaged unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 cup fine-quality dried shrimp, 1 ounce (choose bright pink ones)
1 large lemongrass stalk, 1 or 2 outer leaves discarded and root end trimmed
3 (2 1/2-inch-long) fresh or thawed frozen Kaffir lime leaves
1 (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh or thawed fresh turmeric, finely grated
1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise, or 3/4 cup
5 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh Vetnamese basil or fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is clear, then drain well in a sieve. Combine with 3 cups fresh water in a 2 1/2 quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, then transfer 5 cups to a large shallow baking pan and cool to warm room temperature. Reserve remaining rice for another use.
While rice is cooking, toast coconut in a dry heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 4-6 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl to cool. Pulse in grinder once or twice (do not overgrind or you will end up with coconut butter), then return to a small bowl. Finely grind until very fluffy, about 1 minute. Thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalk and very finely mince slices. Cut out central veins and stems from lime leaves with a sharp knife, then slice leaves lengthwise into hair-thin strips.
Toss together rice, coconut, dried shrimp, lemongrass, lime leaves, turmeric, shallot, basil mint, 2 tablespoons lime juice, white pepper and salt until combined with additional salt and lime juice if necessary. Serve immediately.
• • •
Lemongrass is an important ingredient not only in Thai but also Vietnamese cooking.
Roasted
Lemongrass Chicken
Serves: 4
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 fresh lemongrass stalks, tough leaves removed, 4 inches of thick end finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili-paste sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 3-pound chicken, quartered
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Whisk 1/4 cup oil, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoon sugar and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken, turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet (reserve marinade in bowl). Cook for 4 minutes.
Turn chicken, add reserved marinade to skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 175 degrees, about 25 minutes.
Transfer chicken to plate.
Add 1/2 cup water, lime juice, remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar to skillet. Bring to boil. Remove from heat, spoon fat from the surface and strain pan juices into small pitcher. Serve chicken with pan juices with yellow rice.
Yellow Rice
Serves: 4
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice or basmati rice, well rinsed.
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 scant teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic, saute until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add rice, broth, salt and turmeric. Bring rice to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.
