How to Make Thai Food

gypsymommy

Here are a few easy steps on how to make Thai food. Thai food is one of the most delicious foods in the world and with these tips you too can enjoy Thai food in your home. Thai food is traditionally very hot, but it comes in four degrees of hot so these tips will help you to tone down or up the degree of hotness you and your family desire.

In order to make Thai food you will  need:

• Knowledge of the procedures involved.
• A great recipe
• The use of hot spices, such as chilies, paprika, turmeric, ginger, curry and garlic

1. Thai Food is Made With the Tongue. The first rule of thumb when making Thai food is to make it with your tongue.  This means that the taste is the way to decide how much spice to put into any food. There are four degrees of hot and this is done with chilies and hot peppers. Learn also how to balance the hot, sweet and the sour.
2. Learn Not to Measure. Unlike traditional American recipes Thai cooks measure with their eyes. A learned chef or cook may use a cupped hand to measure how much a few tablespoons are. As you get experienced in cooking Thai food you too will learn to cook by sight.
3. Ingredients in Thai Food Cooking. Many American and foreigners do not have access to Thai chili peppers or curry leaves.  Many online sites have similar or alternatives available. Red cayenne or jalapenos can be substituted for the Thai chili peppers and then adjust for the hotness. Here is a list of some Thai food ingredients: basil chili peppers, cilantro, coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemon grass, tamarind, turmeric, palm sugar, shallots and shrimp, garlic and ginger pastes.
4. Cooking Equipment. It is fairly cheap to cook Thai food as your main ingredient is a wok and a metal spoon.  A wok may cost from four dollars on up. There are some very expensive stainless steel woks that cost more.
5. Meals and Food. Unlike Middle Eastern food that has one main course meal; Thai food usually has many dishes along with rice. Traditionally a table is set with many foods and then plain white rice is added. Basic fried rice (recipe below) is traditional in most restaurants and homes. To learn how to make Thai food, go to a local and family owned small Thai restaurant and sample the original food.

Traditional Fried Rice
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1/2 cup meat (see variations below)
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 hot Thai chili peppers (jalapenos will substitute)
• 1 tomato thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons coriander, chopped
• 1 cucumber, sliced

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in your wok. When the oil is very hot put in the meat of your choice (vegetarian fried rice is also excellent).
2. Stir fry the meat until done and then remove the meat from the wok and set aside. Next fry the egg and scramble and then remove and set aside.
3. Add in the veggies and cook until tender. Add in the rice (needs to be day old or very dry) to the veggies along with the soy and fish sauce.
4. Quickly stir fry all the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to the stir fry.  Test the rice to see if more seasoning is needed.
5. Add the egg and meat back into the fried rice. Some will desire to have a whole crispy fried egg on top opposed to having one inside the rice itself.
6. Put the rice on a serving plate (this recipe is enough for two people). Garnish with the chopped green onion, sesame seeds and coriander on top.
7. Place the sliced cucumber around the outside edges of the plate. This wonderful Thai food recipe should be served with Thai tea made with milk.

Variations:  Fried rice can become more of a main meal when the following is added: crab, shrimp, beef, chicken, turkey or fish. Veggies can be interchanged as you prefer or have available.

Photo by Photo Bucket gypsymommy. 

How to make chicken stir-fry

thejavadeno1

When you are hungry and want a quick meal fast, chicken or shrimp stir-fry is one of the best. With a few ingredients, some chicken that has been cooked and some delicious basmatti rice, the dish is complete. For those on a diet, you can cut out the oils and add some non-stick spray and cook the veggies in chicken stock. A good trick from Weight Watchers diets.

Going to a Japanese restaurant will make anyone want to learn how to stir fry Chicken and rice. It is so much fun watching the cook, throw the meat up in the air and then chopping it very fast. He pulls his knife from behind his back and cuts,cuts and cuts and then looks at you and smiles with a smirk, and says, "Now, how would you like my job? We all burst out laughing and say nothing, but shake our heads nervously. One such night, I asked for his recipe and here is what he said.

Cut the chicken into small fillets. And place them on a plate ready to saute. Heat the pan to high and add some oil. Drop in the fillets and salt and pepper them. Stir them in the hot oil till they are browned. Add a bit of butter and then the soy sauce. Cook until 3/4 of the way done. Let them cool and then cut into thin strips.
First boil the basmatti rice in water with a dash or salt. When the rise is 3/4 of the way done, remove it from the heat and drain.

In a very hot pan or wok add in some butter and olive oil. The mix will allow the butter to cook to a high temperature without burning. Add in the fresh mixed vegetables.

Ingredients:

• - Peas
• - Green onions, chopped fine
• - Carrots, chopped very small
• - Potatoes cubed very fine
• - 1 green pepper, chopped small

Stir fry the vegetables, moving them quickly as not to burn. After the vegetables are nice and soft, add in the chicken pieces, stirring again.

Now is the time to add the basmatti rice to the mixture. Evenly coat the mixture with all the vegetables, continue to cook for 5 minutes. At this point add in some soy sauce to taste. Some people like a lot of soy sauce and others don't. Add some salt and pepper to season the whole dish with. At this point add in some fresh bean sprouts. Place them in the end as not to cook them too much and leave them more with a crunch. As the dish is nearing completion, make a hole in the center of the dish and add one tablespoon of butter, then cook one egg to a light scramble. Mix the egg throughout the dish and add a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Now the dish is ready to serve. Place the stir fry on a large platter and cut a cucumber in diagonal slices. Place the cucumber all around the dish. Sprinkle the dish with some chopped coriander and a final spraying of soy sauce.. This is the absolute best chicken stir fry in the country. You will not be able to beat this recipe for sure and your guests will be asking for more.

Photo courtesy of Photo Bucket thejavadenol

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet

Courtesy of Crafty_Lady_13

A spinach and mushroom omelet is both healthy and delicious. If you have never had fresh mushrooms you are in for a treat. They are vegetarians replacement for meat. So consider the mushroom your "steak" and you now have a spinach and steak omelet. Button mushrooms are the cheapest and easiest to find. Make sure you do not wash the mushrooms, but merely wipe them with a damp cloth.

There is nothing more delicious than to have a spinach and mushroom omelet for breakfast or even lunch. Especially when you add in the cheese and tomatoes for that extra tasty flavor. The best time to eat spinach is in the summer time, picked straight from the garden. It makes you think of Jaime Oliver and his cooking show. Enjoy this omelet and make two as you will definitely want more.

Note: If you are heart conscious, you can reduce the butter and oil and use a non-stick spray in the skillet. You can use 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites instead of the 4 whole eggs.

Spinach and Mushroom Omelet Ingredients:

• 4 organic free range eggs
• 1/2 cup of thinly sliced button mushrooms
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1/2 cup of chopped baby tomatoes
• 2 green onions chopped finely
• 1/2 cup of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, or ricotta)
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• Salt and pepper to season
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter or 2 teaspoons of virgin olive oil

Method of Preparation:

Preheat a oven to 450 degrees.

1. Chop all the veggies and set them aside.
2. Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 teaspoons of virgin olive oil.
3. When the fats have melted, add the mushrooms and onions and saute until the mushrooms are lightly brown and soft.
4. Remove the mushrooms and the onions. In the same saucepan place the spinach and wilt the spinach and when almost done add the tomatoes. Cook a few minutes more. Remove from the pan.
5. In a separate bowl, place the eggs, milk and salt and pepper. Beat the eggs with a wish until light and fluffy.
6. Check the skillet to see if it has enough oil to keep the eggs from sticking. If it does not have enough, add enough oil and brush over the skillet. Add in the egg mixture and tilt the skillet to evenly spread the mixture over the entire pan.
7. Drop the mushrooms and onions sparingly around the pan. Now add in the spinach and tomato mixture around the mushrooms.
8. Cook the omelet over low to medium heat and with a spatula keep checking the underneath of the omelet. When it is set and slightly brown, sprinkle the cheese on top.
9. Place the whole skillet under the broiler for around 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked on top and the cheese is bubbly.

Remove from the oven and slide onto a plate and serve with some arugula leaves and a few slices of melon. If you like you can add some extra seasoning on top also.

For an extra bit of wonderfulness, have a salad of watercress and pomegranate seeds on the side or a nice pomegranate juice cocktail. Adding a spinach and mushroom omelet, not only makes you healthy, but extremely happy.

Holiday Recipes - Almond Squash Au Gratin and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Holiday recipes - Enjoy Almond Squash au Gratin and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist

The holidays are a time for feasting on delightful dishes for many of us, including a world of side dishes. Some of those dishes can contain ingredients that are less than healthy though. Here are two healthier side dishes that are sure to please you and your holiday guests this year:

Almond Butternut Squash Au Gratin

This is a tasty casserole dish that would be especially good for Thanksgiving and the year's end holidays, but it would also be a pleasing dinner addition year round. As a bonus, it can be easily made vegan style.

Ingredients

*One 2 1/2 lb butternut squash
*1/3 cup butter (or a trans-fat free butter substitute if you want to go vegan - try to avoid products containing canola, corn oil or soy)
*1/4 cup flour
*1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
*1/4 tsp paprika
*1/4 tsp turmeric
*1/4 tsp mustard powder
*1/2 cup nutritional yeast
*1/2 cup ground almonds or almond meal
*2 tsp lemon juice
*1/2 cup milk - preferably raw organic (or almond milk for vegan variety)

Instructions

1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2)Grind almonds in food processor.

3)Mix paprika, turmeric and mustard powder into vegetable broth.

4)Melt butter (or butter substitute) over medium heat. Whisk in flour slowly until smooth and bubbly. Slowly add broth and spice mixture, whisking all the while. Whisk in nutritional yeast and continue whisking until mixture is thick and bubbly (about 2 minutes). Turn up the heat if it's not getting thick and bubbly. Stir in lemon juice and about half the ground almonds. Turn heat off.

5)Slice squash in half vertically and peel and seed. Slice into 1/4 inch slices.

6)Place slices in a pot, cover with water and bring water to boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander.

7)Place squash in a 10" diameter casserole dish, gratin dish or baking pan. Pour milk over the slices and stir enough to make sure the slices are all saturated. Pour your sauce on top and stir into the top layer of squash. Sprinkle remaining almonds on top. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.

Serves about 4

Sour Cream and Chives Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

*4 large potatoes (Idaho or russet, organic is much preferred)
*1 cup MSG-free chicken broth
*Sea salt to taste
*Freshly ground black pepper
*2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
*3 tablespoons low-fat sour cream (made from organic raw certified milk)

Directions

1)Peel the potatoes, cut them in half and place them in a pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer until the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork (about 30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes). Drain.

2)Bring the chicken broth to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

3)Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork, or use a food mill. Slowly add the stock until the desired consistency is reached.

4)Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the sour cream and chives.

Yields 6 one-half cup servings.

Healthy Tip

Have you ever checked the label on store-bought sour cream? Chances are that it contains ingredients such as: cultured cream, whey, modified food starch, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, guar gum, carrageenan, calcium sulfate, potassium sorbate and/or locust bean gum.

That is not real sour cream! Plus, the dairy may have come from cows given growth hormones and antibiotics, and "modified food starch" is often used to hide dangerous MSG.

Try this healthy substitute in place of store-bought sour cream:

http://www.tbyil.com/Homemade_Sour_...

To see other healthy holiday recipes:

http://www.tbyil.com/Healthy_Holida...

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.

Photo courtesy of www.tbyil.com

Permission to post article on this blog was granted by Tony Isaacs, Author.