FRIED FISH MEAT WITH TAMARIND SAUCE [Pla Rad Prik]

originally uploaded by iamcharliebrown.

A popular Thai dish of fried fish with tamarind sauce. It combines many herb such as tamarind, shallot, garlic, coriander, and chilli. Serve hot as part of a main meal.

INGREDIENTS:

• Fish meat (any meaty white fish) weight 400-500 grams.
• 1 tablespoon tamarind
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3 sprigs coriander
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 red or yellow chilies
  (For 2 Serving)
  

HOW TO:
- Fried Fish
1. Score the fish at an angle all the way to the bones on both sides to help it cook faster.

2. Heat oil in a wok, about half a cup or at least to the side of the fish. Fry the fish on low heat, about 5-10 minutes on the first side. Don't try to loosen the fish from the pan until it is done, otherwise, the fish breaks up.

3. When the first side is cooked, flip and fry the other side, for 5 minutes. When the fish is cooked thoroughly, remove and set it on a plate.

**TIP**
For more crispiness of the fish, you just only put fried fish in the oven on 350°F for 10 minutes.

- Topping Sauce:
1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the chopped mixture and stir.

2. Then add tamarind, fish sauce, sugar and a few tablespoons of water. Mix well and let boil. If the sauce gets too thick, add water. It should be the consistency of maple syrup when cooled. The original taste of sauce should be sweet, spicy and sour.

3. When cooked and mixed well, pour the sauce on top of the fish and garnish with coriander leaves.

Pineapple Prawn Curry [Kaeng Khua Supparod]

originally uploaded by kepibear.

This dish does not take long to cook and the main characteristic of this curry is that it does not have very much sauce. The sauce is fairly thick and creamy. If you are unable to find kaeng khua curry paste, red curry paste is a good substitute.

INGREDIENTS :

• Vegetable oil 2 tbsp.
• Kaeng khua curry paste 2 tbsp.
• Coconut milk 1/2 to 1 cup
• Prawns or shrimps, fresh and peeled 1 lb.
• Fish sauce1 - 2 tbsp.
• Sugar 1 - 2 tsp.
• Pineapple, peeled and cubed 1/2 cup
  (1 - 2 servings)

HOW TO:
1. Using a sauce pan or a deep frying pan, heat up the vegetable oil until hot and add the kaeng khua curry paste to the oil. Use a medium heat and take care not to burn the curry paste. Should the paste become lumpy and become difficult to spread and stirfry, add a little coconut milk.

2. Cook the paste for 5 minutes over a low to medium heat. Add coconut milk and blend well. Bring the sauce back to a boil.

3. Once the curry sauce is boiling, add the prawns and quickly season the curry with fish sauce and sugar. When the prawns are almost cooked, add the pineapple and mix well. The curry should be fairly thick, almost the same consistency of white sauce. Spoon this curry into a bowl and serve with rice.

**Tips**
Should your curry be too runny when finished, spoon out the prawns and pineapple and cook the curry sauce until thick, Cream can be used to replace coconut milk but you will not get the coconut aroma in your curry. Again this dish should be eaten with steamed rice or crusty French bread.

Drunken Noodle - [Kuai-Tiao Pad Kee Mao]

originally uploaded by irksomecushion.

This dish is also a lunch favorite amongst Thais. It is a complete meal in itself with ingredients from all the food groups.

INGREDIENTS :

• Vegetable oil 1/4 cup
• Fresh yellow spur chili peppers 2 tbsp.
• Garlic, peeled and chopped 2 tbsp.
• Onion, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup
• Chicken, beef or pork, ground 8 oz.
• Pad thai noodles, soaked and drained 2 cups
• Fish sauce 1 - 2 tbsp.
• Granulated sugar 1 - 2 tsp.
• Oyster sauce 1 tbsp.
• Sweet basil leaves (bai horapha) 1/2 cup
  (For 4 servings)
  

HOW TO:

1. 1. Pound together yellow spur chili peppers and garlic into a paste. If you do not have a pestle and mortar, you can use a food processor or a blender.
   
   
2. Place a large frying pan or wok on the stove and heat up the oil until almost smoking. Add the chili and garlic paste and fry quickly. Before the paste browns add onion.
   
   
3. Allow the onion to cook slightly, add the ground meat and stirfry, stirring constantly.
   
   
4. Add the noodles to the pan. You can use pasta such as cooked spaghetti or linguini as a substitute. Toss and mix well in the pan and season with fish sauce, sugar and oyster sauce.
5. When the noodles are well seasoned and have an almost uniform color, add the fresh basil leaves, toss and mix. Serve immediately.
   

**Tips**
Substitution: This dish can easily be made with pasta that you have available in your kitchen. All you need to do is cook the pasta "al dente", plunge it in cold water, drain and set aside to stirfry.