I've always liked Thai food, but since going to Thailand twice now, I have a new found appreciation for it. Thai food ranks right up there as one of my favorite cuisines. (I have a three way tie going between, Thai, Vietnamese & Mexican.)
This is the first Thai dish I tried cooking on my own, and I must say, it wasn't too shabby. One thing I learn while at cooking school in Thailand is not to substitute ginger for galangal even though they are in the same family. If you can't get fresh galangal, but dried, buy NEVER, NEVER use ginger. The chef at Phuket's Thai Cookery School said if you have to use ginger, you should just go out to dinner instead. Another thing I learn about ingredients is you should never leave out the kaffir lime leaves. You can buy them dried if you can't find any fresh. You can use 'regular' lime juice if you can't find a kaffir lime.
This is the first Thai dish I tried cooking on my own, and I must say, it wasn't too shabby. One thing I learn while at cooking school in Thailand is not to substitute ginger for galangal even though they are in the same family. If you can't get fresh galangal, but dried, buy NEVER, NEVER use ginger. The chef at Phuket's Thai Cookery School said if you have to use ginger, you should just go out to dinner instead. Another thing I learn about ingredients is you should never leave out the kaffir lime leaves. You can buy them dried if you can't find any fresh. You can use 'regular' lime juice if you can't find a kaffir lime.
TOM KHA KAI
serves 2
1 3/4 cup coconut cream
2 shallots peeled and crushed
6 bird's eye chilies (crushed - use more or less depending on how spicy you like it.)
1 inch piece of fresh galangal sliced or 5 slices of dried
1 stalk of lemongrass cut diagonally
2 1/2 cups straw mushrooms, if you can't find straw mushrooms use a mushroom you really like. (cut into quarters)
3 cherry tomatoes
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3/4 cup chicken breast, sliced thin
2 tsp fish sauce
1 TBL lime juice
1 tsp palm sugar (if you can't find palm sugar, you can use honey)
1 stalk of spring onion (for garnish)
1 tsp cilantro leaves (for garnish)
1 tsp chili oil - for topping
Put coconut milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add shallots, chilies, galangal, lemon grass, tomatoes and kaffir lime leaves and simmer till fragrant, about 1- 2minutes.
Add chicken and cook for 1 minute then season with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice simmer for another minute or till chicken is completely cooked. Serve sprinkled with chili oil, cilantro leaves and spring onion.
serves 2
1 3/4 cup coconut cream
2 shallots peeled and crushed
6 bird's eye chilies (crushed - use more or less depending on how spicy you like it.)
1 inch piece of fresh galangal sliced or 5 slices of dried
1 stalk of lemongrass cut diagonally
2 1/2 cups straw mushrooms, if you can't find straw mushrooms use a mushroom you really like. (cut into quarters)
3 cherry tomatoes
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3/4 cup chicken breast, sliced thin
2 tsp fish sauce
1 TBL lime juice
1 tsp palm sugar (if you can't find palm sugar, you can use honey)
1 stalk of spring onion (for garnish)
1 tsp cilantro leaves (for garnish)
1 tsp chili oil - for topping
Put coconut milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add shallots, chilies, galangal, lemon grass, tomatoes and kaffir lime leaves and simmer till fragrant, about 1- 2minutes.
Add chicken and cook for 1 minute then season with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice simmer for another minute or till chicken is completely cooked. Serve sprinkled with chili oil, cilantro leaves and spring onion.
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