Naturally Delicious Thai Recipes by ChefAlyssaHan

Naturally Delicious Thai Recipes The 18 recipes are curated by the renowned Thai chef Alyssa! It has a hint of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and sharp flavours for you to try.

Chef Alyssa Han

Disclaimer The recipes in this E-Cookbook are a body of work developed over time. I have tested these recipes before publishing and sharing them. If a recipe does not turn out for you, please do not hesitate to try again. Furthermore, the adaptation of some ingredients has been used, added by choice and the preferred style by me, Chef Alyssa. If you have allergies or other preferences, substitute them with a similar flavoured ingredient. All the recipes provided are purely for informational and educational purposes. Lastly, I hope you will enjoy trying out these recipes with your family and friends.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank everyone who has helped me directly and indirectly. Without the support and words of encouragement, this E-Cookbook would not have been possible. Firstly, Simon Philipp, the Founder and Chief Explorer at Expique, I want to acknowledge his support in co-creating this E-Cookbook during our time at the cooking school in the Flower Market, The Market Experience. Additionally, I want to thank the former instructors and chefs of The Market Experience Cooking School: Chef Tum, Chef Nan, our kitchen assistants, and Khun Yai, for the laughter, fun and great food we made together in the kitchen with our students. I am thankful for Chris Wotton, an English writer, who cooked with us at The Market Experience. He participated, recorded these recipes and shared them with us. His involvement served as the starting point for this ECookbook. I am grateful for Pacharee Pantoomano, international marketing and brand communications strategist and the founder of Brandnow.asia. She brought up the idea of a recipe book and was the driving force for the project. Lastly, I send out a big hug of appreciation to Methawee Barrows. She supported and brought this E-cookbook to life.

Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………..……9 Main ingredients…………………………………………………….………..10 Chef’s choice…………………………………………………………….…….12 Stir fries…………………………………………………………………………20 Curries…………………………………………………………………………..30 Desserts……………………………………………………………………..….34 Drinks………………………………………………………..…………………..40 Appendix………………………………………………………………..………46

Introduction For the love of Thai food, it is my goal to share the recipes that I can cocreated at the cooking school, The Market Experience. It was part of the cooking school tradition to email the E-Cookbook to the customers who participated in our program. Due to the pandemic, the cooking school was closed down in 2021. This year, I thought we would continue the tradition to share these recipes with customers and online supporters to celebrate Thailand's New Year 2022. These recipes were formulated based on the ingredients I could find in the flower market. Working with Chris for a year, our kitchen crew developed 15+ recipes, including drinks. Therefore, I want to publish and share it with those who love Thai cuisine. For people who love Thai food, there are so many recipes from many Thai chefs and cooking schools. These recipes from this eBook can help you understand the ingredients that you can use in Thai cooking. It also allows you to adapt and create them wherever you are. There is a guide on finding the substitution for ingredients and adjusting to your preferred flavour with ingredients that you can find where you are, including the way you eat, from being pescatarian to vegetarian. The ingredients in this eBook will inspire you to touch upon homemade ingredients by making them in a Thai way but still having fun with the cooking. Some recipes, including the drinks, will show you that flowers can make your cooking interesting and tasty. After testing all of these recipes and teaching in our cooking classes for three years, I am thrilled to share my creation, which I hope will bring much joy to your kitchen and dining table. Chef Alyssa.

Main Ingredients

Garlic Paste This simple yet versatile aromatic paste is used in several Thai recipes. The recipe below makes around a teaspoon of paste, but you can easily multiply the quantities if you want to make a batch in advance. 1⁄4 tsp coriander root (or 1⁄2 tsp coriander stem) 1 tsp baby garlic cloves, unpeeled (or 1 tsp regular garlic, peeled and minced) 10 white peppercorns

1. Pound all the ingredients together with a pestle and mortar until they form a coarse paste. If you are unable to find coriander root, substitute with the chopped stem from a bunch of coriander leaves. If you only have black peppercorns, they will work just as well. Baby garlic cloves, like the ones in Thailand, work best. Their softer skins mean they can be thrown straight into the mortar without peeling. If you can't find them, use the same quantity of peeled and minced regular garlic cloves. 10

Chef’s choice

Tom Yum Gung One of Thailand’s most famous dishes, Tom Yum is an addictively hot and sour soup that’s most commonly served with prawns – however, you can replace the prawns here with fish, squid, chicken, tofu, or mushrooms. 2-3 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 stalks lemongrass, bruised

stems, roughly chopped

500 ml seafood or chicken stock

1 tbsp thinly sliced galangal

2 kaffir lime leaves

2 tbsp tamarind paste

1 wedge lime 1 tbsp coriander leaves, to garnish

2 small red shallots, halved and bruised

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp chilli jam, to garnish

1 tsp bird’s eye chillies, bruised

2-3 dried chillies, to garnish

3 stalks sawtooth coriander leaves and

1 tbsp deep-fried shallots (optional)

1 coriander root, bruised 3 tiger prawns

1. Bring the stock to the boil over a medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes, and cook for one to two minutes until they begin to add some colour to the stock. 2. Add the shallots, cook for another one to two minutes, and then add the coriander root, followed by the galangal, lemongrass, deep-fried shallots (if using), and kaffir lime leaves. 3. Stir in the bird’s eye chillies, fish sauce, and tamarind paste, and reduce to a medium heat. Check the seasoning and, if required, add more fish sauce to taste. Bring back to a simmer, then add the prawns and half the chopped coriander and sawtooth coriander leaves and stems. Cook the prawns through, then remove the soup from the heat. 4. Meanwhile, squeeze the juice of the lime into a serving bowl, then add the remaining chillies and remaining coriander and sawtooth coriander leaves and stems, and mix to combine. 5. Pour the soup over the top, and then spoon over the chilli jam, coriander leaves, and dried chillies. Serve with steamed rice. 12

Tom Kha Gai Tom Kha Gai is a favourite both within Thailand and at Thai restaurants overseas. This fragrant chicken soup combines the heady spices of tom yum with the delicious creaminess of coconut milk. 235 ml chicken stock

100 g chicken thigh, diced

120 ml coconut milk

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp thinly sliced galangal

1 tbsp tamarind paste

1 coriander root, bruised

2 kaffir lime leaves, torn

2 stalks lemongrass, bruised

5 bird’s eye chillies, bruised

3 straw mushrooms, halved

1 wedge lime

3 small red shallots, peeled and halved

3 stalks sawtooth coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped

1. Bring the stock to the boil over a medium-high heat. Add the coconut milk and bring back to the boil. 2. Add the galangal, bring back to the boil until the coconut milk cracks, and then reduce to a medium heat. 3. Add the coriander root, lemongrass, mushrooms, and shallots, and bring to a simmer. 4. Add the chicken, kaffir leaves, fish sauce, and tamarind paste, then taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. 5. Stir in the bird’s eye chillies, take off the heat, squeeze in the juice of the lime wedge, and add the coriander and sawtooth coriander leaves and stems. 6. Transfer to a bowl and serve with steamed rice.

Mushroom Laab Laab, a delicious northeastern Thai salad that is slowly gaining more recognition abroad, is often served with minced pork. Other popular versions are made with minced beef or catfish, but this vegetarian-friendly version – whipped up with meaty mushrooms – is a fabulous alternative that's insanely addictive. 65 g mushrooms 3 tbsp rice flour 1⁄2 tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar 1⁄2 tsp ground white pepper 235 ml vegetable oil Juice of a small wedge of lime

2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

1 tsp minced red bird’s eye chillies

1 tsp finely minced galangal

1 tbsp roasted rice powder

1 tbsp lemongrass, thinly sliced

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp mint leaves 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp sliced shallots

2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp palm sugar 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp deep-fried shallots (optional)

1. Clean the mushrooms and pat them dry, then mix with the rice flour, salt, sugar, and pepper until well coated. Shake the mushrooms in a strainer to remove any excess batter. 2. Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat until a mushroom dropped into the oil begins to brown and crisp instantly. Fry the remaining mushrooms for two to three minutes until crispy, then pat dry with a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. 3. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl, squeeze the lime juice over them and toss with a spoon, then leave to cool. 4. To the bowl of mushrooms, add the kaffir lime, galangal, lemongrass, mint, coriander, shallots, bird’s eye chillies, and roasted rice powder, and stir well to combine until the mushrooms are well coated. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chilli powder.and dried chillies. 5. Taste, and adjust the seasoning according to preference. Serve with sticky rice. 16

Flower Tempura With Chilli-Coconut Dipping Sauce This dish is an authentic tribute to The Market Experience's prime location inside Bangkok's Pak Khlong Talat flower market. Flowers make excellent tempura that's deliciously crispy and beautiful! The secret ingredient here is the limestone, which helps achieve a killer crisp finish. For the sauce:

For the tempura:

1 tbsp chilli jam

1 tsp limestone

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 litre cold water, plus 120ml

Juice of 1 lime

150 g tempura flour

1 1⁄2 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp white sugar

2 tbsp coconut milk

A pinch of salt

3 tbsp evaporated milk

A pinch of turmeric powder

1 tbsp crushed bird’s eye chillies

A large handful each of butterfly pea flowers, bougainvillaea flowers, and green beans. Chopped into pieces around 4 cm long

1 tsp minced garlic 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves A pinch of deep-fried shallots (optional)

500 ml vegetable oil

1. To make the somtum dressing: moderately pound the garlic and chilli together in a pound mortar. Vary the number of chilies depending on how spicy you like it. Add in the dried shrimp and string bean, peanuts and lightly pound them. 2. Add in the palm sugar, tomato, fish sauce, tamarind sauce, lime juice and mix it all in. Pour in the shredded coconut shoot and mix them well with other ingredients before serving. Add some extra peanuts for flavour (optional). 3. To make the tempura batter: mix in the tempura flour and salt together in a large bowl, make a well in the middle and pour in cold water, whisk until well combined and smooth. Stir in the turmeric powder. 4. Heat up the vegetables in a pan. Dangle the flowers and shred carrot in the flour batter until lightly coated, then fry in the oil in batches until cooked through, crispy, and golden-brown. Remove from the pan, pat dry with a kitchen towel. 5. To make the tamarind sauce: on low heat for 5 minutes, add in soy sauce and fish sauce, palm sugar, caster sugar, tamarind concentrate, white vinegar. 6. Lastly, plate all dishes together to your style. 18

Stir-fries

Pad Krapao Moo Sap With Fried Egg Another well known Thai dish often served with a fried egg on top. Pad krapao can be made with any protein – replace the minced beef with minced or sliced chicken, pork, duck, lamb, shelled prawns, squid, or tofu. For the paste:

1 tsp holy basil flowers or 1 kaffir lime leaf, finely chopped (optional)

1 tbsp baby garlic cloves

2 yellow chilli, sliced

1 tbsp finely chopped bird’s eye chillies

1 coriander root, finely chopped

5 white peppercorns For the stir-fry:

4 tbsp beef or chicken stock

150 g minced pork

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 whole snake bean/long beans, cut into 1 inch

1 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp fish sauce

2 banana chilies/ 1/2 red bell peppers, cut into squares

1 tsp white sugar 1 cup of holy basil leaves (half to deep fry and half to cook in the

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. First, make the paste. Pound the baby garlic cloves, chillies, coriander root, peppercorns, holy basil flowers, kaffir lime leaf (if using), and yellow chilli (for colour) to a fine consistency in a pestle and mortar. 2. Deep fry half cup of fresh holy basils till it is crispy for garnishing, set aside, then add the paste and stir until aromatic. Add the minced pork, increase the heat slightly, add 3 tbsp of the stock, and stir to combine. 3. Throw in the snake bean, bell peppers, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, and stir again until the beef is cooked through. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to preference. 4. Add the holy basil leaves and the remaining stock, stir through and cook for another 30 seconds, then serve with steamed rice. Including holy basil flowers in the paste adds an extra hit of peppery, anise-heavy basil flavour to the final dish – but the flowers can be hard to find outside Thailand, where bunches of basil leaves are often sold without them. If you can't get hold of them, replace them with a kaffir lime leaf in the paste or leave them out altogether. 20

Guay Teow Kua Gai These stir-fried noodles aren't the most famous Thai street food, but their peppery flavour makes them a favourite among those who love the taste. Look for the fermented Chinese lettuce leaves and crispy squid in specialist Asian food stores – the latter can be replaced with mushrooms if you can't find them or if you wish to make the dish vegetarian (in which case, supplement the chicken with tofu). 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onions

5 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp salted fermented Chinese lettuce leaves

1⁄2 tsp white pepper, plus extra to garnish

150 g chicken breast fillet, diced

80 g crispy squid (or mushrooms)

1 tbsp baby garlic cloves

150 g flat wide rice noodles (sen yai)

2 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp white sugar 1 tsp white vinegar

Lettuce leaves, to garnish Sriracha sauce, to garnish 2 eggs

1. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce and 1⁄2 tsp of the pepper, then add the chicken, massage gently to coat, and then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for around an hour. 2. Heat 3 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium-high heat until sizzling, then add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, sizzle, and become fragrant. Add the chicken, and raise the heat to high, turning the chicken frequently to ensure it cooks evenly and to prevent it from sticking to the pan. 3. Add the crispy squid (or mushrooms) to the pan, and stir well to combine until both the squid and chicken are half-cooked, then remove from the pan from the heat and set aside. 4. In a clean pan, heat the remaining oil over a high heat, and then crack in the eggs and scramble them. Add the noodles, toss gently, and then transfer the chicken and squid to the pan, and stir through. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and the remaining pepper, stirring after each addition. 5. Add the fermented lettuce, stir through, and then add the spring onions. Stir through to cook until slightly softened, and then serve on a small bed of lettuce leaves, with an extra sprinkling of white pepper, and a squirt of Sriracha chilli sauce on the side. 22

Beef Pad Kee Mao Various stories exist as to the background to this famous noodle dish, the name of which translates as ‘drunken noodles’. The most common theory is that Pad Kee Mao gets its name from the need for its heat, spiciness and saltiness to take the edge off the end of a hard night of drinking.

For the beef:

1 tsp corn flour

200 g sirloin brief, cut against the grain into bite-sized pieces

1 tbsp vegetable oil A pinch of black pepper

1 tbsp oyster sauce For the chilli oil:

2 dried red Serrano chillies, roughly chopped

3 tbsp vegetable oil

A handful of holy basil leaves

1 tbsp chilli powder For the noodles:

1 spring young green peppercorns, chopped in half

150 g flat rice noodles

2 kaffir lime leaves, left whole

1 tbsp bird’s eye chillies

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp baby garlic cloves

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp white sugar

2 fingers krachai (wild ginger), julienned

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 long green beans, chopped into 2 cm lengths

3 tbsp water A small handful of holy basil leaves

1. Marinate the beef ahead of time. Add the oyster sauce, corn flour, vegetable oil and pepper to the beef, and massage briefly by hand. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. 2. Prepare the chilli oil. Heat the vegetable oil until sizzling, and then fry the chilli powder, Serrano chillies and holy basil leaves, until the basil is crispy. Remove the basil leaves and chillies with a slotted spoon and set them to one side, and reserve the infused oil. 3. Gently separate the strands of noodles from one another, and add 2 tbsp of the chilli oil to infuse. Meanwhile, pound the bird’s eye chillies and baby garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar, and set to one side. Next steps are on page 50*. 24

Pad Chaa With Chicken This is a stir-fry dish that represents the typical flavours of Thai cuisine: it is spicy, salty, and a little sweet at once. Ideally, this dish is quickly flash-fried over relatively high heat – the name comes from the sizzling 'Chaa' sound that the ingredients make as they are all thrown into the pan. The two dominant flavours here come from the krachai, commonly translated as wild ginger or finger-root, and the young green peppercorns. 250 g of chicken thing, cut into bitesize 4 fingers of krachai (wild ginger), finely julienned 120 g snake beans, chopped (or 60 g apple aubergines and 60 g pea aubergines) 1⁄2 green Serrano chilli, roughly chopped 1⁄2 red Serrano chilli, roughly chopped 235 ml chicken stock

2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp water 1⁄2 stem young green peppercorns, left on stem 4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn 1 tbsp fish sauce 1⁄2 tbsp white sugar 2 tbsp vegetable oil 8 bird’s eye chillies, flattened under a knife

1. First, make the pad chaa paste* (see page 46). 2. Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and then set aside. 3. Set a pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and the pad chaa paste, and allow to infuse. Stir until the paste is sizzling and fragrant. The garlic pate should turn golden brown. Add the chicken and stir until both sides are around half-cooked, then remove the chicken and set aside. 4. Add the wild ginger to the pan, followed by 2 tbsp of the stock and story until reduced slightly. Add the snake beans ( or aubergines if using instead), Serrano chillies, young free peppercorns and another 2 tbsp of the stock. 5. Return the chicken to the pan, stir to combine the flavours and cook through. Stir in the kaffir lime leaves. If the pan seems a little dry, add another tablespoon of stock. 6. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and water, and keep stirring, then add the bird’s eye chillies, taste to check seasoning and spice levels, and adjust to suit. Next steps are on page 51*.

Fresh Lemongrass Chicken Spring Rolls These healthy fresh spring rolls pack a delicious crunch and are served alongside a sweet and sour tamarind dipping sauce. Use whatever herbs and crunchy green vegetables you can get your hands on to make your favourite combination for the filling. For marination:

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp garlic paste which is grounded (garlics, coriander roots, and peppercorns)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp chopped lemongrass

For the chicken:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 chicken breast, about 300 g, butterflied

4 pandan leaves, torn

For the rolls:

Small handful mint leaves

6 rice paper sheets

Small handful sawtooth coriander

6 baby gem lettuce leaves

1⁄2 carrot, cut into batons

Small handful sweet basil leaves

1⁄4 cucumber, peeled and cut into batons

1 tbsp palm sugar

1. Soak the dried Serrano chillies in warm water, and set aside for 30 minutes.Then marinate the chicken, mix together all the marinade ingredients until well combined, then marinate for one hour. 2. Add the oil to a pan and set over a medium-high heat. Lay the pandan leaves around the edges of the pan, leaving a space in the middle big enough for the chicken pieces, and allow the pandan flavours to infuse with the oil for a minute or two until fragrant. 3. Place the two marinated chicken pieces between the pandan leaves, and allow to cook for around 3 minutes on each side, until lightly charred but without the chicken drying out. When the chicken is cooked through, a fork lightly stuck into it will pull out easily (it won’t remain stuck in the chicken when lifted up). Remove from the heat, but leave the chicken to rest in the pan for two minutes more, before removing from the pan and shredding into bite-sized pieces. 4. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce* (see page 48-49). Pat dry and coarsely chop the rehydrated Serrano chillies, and pound two tablespoons of them with a pestle and mortar. Add the garlic paste and shallots, and continue to pound to a fine consistency. Next steps are on page 52*. 28

Curries

Panang Curry This popular red curry variant is a little sweeter than other Thai curries, with a thicker, creamier texture and the added flavours of peanuts and kaffir lime. 235 ml coconut cream

2 tbsp pea aubergines

160 ml coconut milk

3 red jalapeño peppers, sliced diagonally

2 tbsp red curry paste 1 tbsp peanuts, boiled to soften

3 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced diagonally

3 whole nutmeg

2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

200 g pork/chicken, cut into strips

1 1⁄2 tbsp fish sauce

1. Pound the curry paste, peanuts, and nutmeg to a fine consistency in a pestle and mortar, and set to one side. 2. Bring half of the coconut cream to the boil in a large pan until it cracks and begins to release oils on its surface. Add 3 tbsp of the curry paste to the pan, and stir to combine well – the consistency should be thick and creamy rather than soupy. 3. Add the remaining coconut cream to the pan, and stir through, then add the chicken or pork, and stir it to ensure it is well covered by the curry sauce. 4. Stir in the pea aubergines, all the while gradually adding as much of the coconut milk as necessary to maintain the same creamy consistency and prevent the curry from drying out. 5. Throw in the jalapeño peppers and bird’s eye chillies, followed by the fish sauce, white sugar, and palm sugar, and stir well. Add a little more coconut milk if required, and cook for around one minute more, until the chicken is cooked through. 6. Add the kaffir lime and basil, stir through briefly, and then take off the heat. Taste, and season accordingly – if it’s on the salty side, add the remaining coconut milk (add up to around 5 tbsp more if needed), and then allow the curry to simmer down in order to thicken it up again. 7. Serve with steamed rice. 30

Chicken Massuman Curry This immensely popular southern Thai curry is influenced by the cuisines of India and Malaysia and has a sweet and mild flavour rather than the intense spiciness of other Thai curries. Also, unlike most other Thai spices, it's enriched with plenty of fragrant dry herbs, the rich aromas of which shine through in the final dish. Massaman is delicious with on-the-bone or sliced chicken, beef, lamb, or goat – whichever meat you use, and it needs time to cook slowly and allow the flavours to develop fully. 350 ml coconut milk 235 ml coconut cream 1 large bone- on chicken thigh, cut in big chunks 4 small shallots

2 tbsp water/chicken stock 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 3 tbsp toasted peanuts 2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp tamarind paste 1 tsp roughly chopped coriander leaves (optional, to garnish) 3 tbsp of massuman curry paste*

1 tbsp palm sugar 1. Bring the coconut milk to the boil in a pan over a high heat, then add the chicken. Cook until the coconut milk begins to crack and release oils on its surface, then add the water/chicken stock. Add potatoes and 4 shallots and continue to cook through, stirring the coconut milk slightly around the edges of the chicken. Once the shallots are transparent and potatoes are getting softer, reduce the heat to medium-high, and remove from the heat and set to one side once the chicken is roughly halfcooked on one side. Leave the coconut milk to add in the curry later. 2. In a separate large pot, bring half of the coconut cream to the boil on a high heat until it cracks and releases oils on its surface, then reduce the heat to medium-high, and add 3 tbsp of the curry paste* (see page 47). Stir until combined, and cook through until fragrant in order to further release the oils, then add the remaining coconut cream. 3. Throw in the sweet potato, then cover it with the coconut milk from the pan that cooked with the chicken, shallots and potatoes. Heat through for one minute, then add the chicken, and use a spoon to gently baste the chicken with the liquid. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the peanuts over the top, then taste, and add any remaining curry paste to taste. Cover the pan with a lid, and continue to heat through until the chicken is cooked. 4. Combine the fish sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl, until the sugar is dissolved as much as possible. Add 1 tbsp of the mixture to the curry, stir through, and then add 1 tbsp of the tamarind paste and mix again. Taste, and add more palm sugar, fish sauce, or tamarind paste according to preference. Next steps are on page 53*. 32

Desserts

Gluay Buat Chee This traditional, creamy Thai dessert continues to be a winner. Choose bananas that are still fairly firm and less than ripe to hold their shape when stewed rather than simply deteriorating into mush. 470 ml coconut milk 120 ml coconut cream 340 g whole, unpeeled semi-ripe bananas 1 1⁄2 tsp salt 2 tbsp white sugar (more if the bananas are less sweet) 1 tbsp palm sugar 4 pandan leaves

1. Steam the whole, unpeeled bananas over a pan of simmering water for around 20 minutes, until the colour of their skins begins to turn brown and a metal skewer comes out easily. 2. Let the bananas cool, and then peel and chop them – halving them lengthways, and then again across - into pieces of around 7 cm long. 3. In a large pan over a high heat, bring the coconut cream and coconut milk to the boil, stirring continuously. Add the bananas and the pandan leaves, followed by the white sugar, palm sugar, and salt. 4. Cook until the bananas are soft, taste the liquid and adjust the sweetness as necessary, and then remove from the heat and serve. In Thailand, this dessert is most commonly made with the short dwarf banana variety called 'Nam wah' (also variously known as horse banana white banana, and burro banana). If you can't get hold of this type, any semi-ripe, fairly firm bananas will do. Using a mixture of palm sugar and white sugar achieves the best flavour profile but, if you don’t have any palm sugar to hand, replacing it with more white sugar will come close enough. 34

Water Lily Steamed Cakes Water Lily Steamed Cake is a simple dessert made with edible parts of a lotus. The lotus provides it with a chewy texture that makes the dessert very enjoyable to munch on! Thai people tend to use coconut palm sugar as it gives off a light colour and also a unique flavour from the coconut flowers! 1 cup lotus stems (shredded pumpkin/cantaloupe can be used)

1⁄4 cup shredded fresh coconut

1⁄4 cup rice flour

1⁄2 tsp salt

2 tbsp tapioca flour

1 tbsp palm sugar

1⁄2 cup coconut cream

2 tbsp corn flour

1⁄4 cup white sugar

2 pandan leaves (tied in knot)

1 cup coconut cream

1. Clean the lotus stem then peel the skin till you can see the white part. 2. Cut the stem into 2 inch length then soak it in salt water for around 10 minutes/ optional. Add the rice flour, tapioca flour, and a pinch of salt. 3. Mix all the flour then add sugar and shred coconut milk a little by little. Stir the batter until it is incorporated. 4. Squeeze the soak lotus stems and add to the batter then add half of shredded coconut. Mix well. 5. Place Talai cups and warm them in a steamer for 5 minutes, (Talai cup are small sauces of 8 cm diameter and 1.5 cm deep). 6. Fill the batter into the cups and leave the room for topping then continue cooking on high heat for 20 minutes. 7. Let the steam cakes set and then add the coconut, palm sugar topping & shredded coconut. 8. To make the coconut topping: add the coconut in the pot, then mix the corn flour with whisk. Turn on the heat and add in the palm sugar, salt and knot of pandan leaves. 9. Cook the sauce on low heat till the sauce gets thicker. Pour onto the water lily steamed cakes once cooked. 36

Sangkaya Egg Custard In Chinese Pumpkin This popular Thai dessert is easy enough to make – even if it takes a little time – but looks supremely impressive when served as individual slices of custard-filled pumpkin. Chinese pumpkins are the variety used in Thailand, but any small, firmshelled edible squash or gourd would work. 1 small Chinese pumpkin (around 400 g after flesh removed, including the top) 5 duck egg yolks 170 g palm sugar 6 pandan leaves 1. Cut the top of the pumpkin, and scoop out and reserve the contents. Add two of the pandan leaves to a large pan of water, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Place a steamer tray over the water, put the hollow pumpkin on the tray and replace the lid, and steam for 15 to 20 minutes until softened, then remove from the heat. 2. Meanwhile, make the custard. Combine the egg yolks in a bowl with the coconut cream and palm sugar, and whisk gently to combine without creating too many air bubbles in the process. 3. Throw in the remaining pandan leaves, and use your hands to scrunch them up to release their oils – almost as if you were washing clothes by hand – and further mix together the custard with your hands until it is foamy and any lumps have disappeared. 4. Remove the lid of the pumpkin pan and return the pan to a medium-high heat. Remove the lid of the pumpkin, and pour the custard into the pumpkin up to around half an inch short of the top. Replace the lid of the pan, bring the water to the boil, and reduce the heat slightly. 5. Leave to cook for around 30 minutes, checking the custard regularly, until it rises to the top of the pumpkin and the handle of a metal spoon comes out clean. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then serve. Duck eggs give a much richer, creamier texture, but if you can’t find them then chicken eggs will do just fine. If you don’t have palm sugar available, use regular granulated white sugar instead. 38

Drinks

Roselle Drink Known as ‘Nam Krajeab’ in Thailand, this drink can be found all around different cities! Roselle drink is a lightly sweet, sour, and refreshing juice. Recommended to drink on a hot sunny day to feel energised again! 3 litres of water

1 tsp salt

1 cup of dry dates

Sieve cloth

1 cup of roselle

400g of sugar

1. Clean the dry dates with water, rinse them. 2. Boil water in the pot, add dry dates and roselle. Cook for 20-30 minutes till the colour is burgundy. 3. Use sieve cloth or strainer to sieve only the juice in the pot. 4. Add sugar and salt in while the juice is hot and let the sugar dissolve. 5. Taste the sweetness of the juice: sour, sweet, and salty. Adjust flavour to your liking! 40

Butterfly Pea Pandan ‘ Nam An Chan’ as known in Thailand, is another healthy and refreshing drink. Butterfly pea pandan has many health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and reducing stress. The aromatic smell of the pandan and colour of the butterfly pea is a marvellous mix. 3 litres of water

6 pandan leaves (tie 2 leaves together into the knot, total 3 knots) 300 g of sugar

1 tsp salt 3 tbsp of butterfly pea flowers

Sieved cloth

1 tbsp shredded gingers

1. Add water into the pot and then add 3 knots of pandan leaves into the water. 2. Boil the pandan water till the aroma of pandan comes out then take all pandan leaves out of the pot, add sugar. 3. Let the sugar cook to sweeten the pandan juice then add salt, lower the heat to medium heat. 4. Add butterfly pea flowers in the pandan juice till the colour is light blue, add in all the gingers. 5. Cook for 3 minutes then strain out the flowers and gingers. Leave the juice to cool down. Serve with ice or chill in the refrigerator for later! 42

Tom Yum Mocktail Tom Yum Mocktail is a refreshing, frizzy, herb drink with a sweet taste of brown sugar. This mocktail is best paired with any Thai dishes. Change the level of spiciness to your likings! 2-3 tbsp of brown sugar

2-3 leaves of kaffir lime leave

1/2 lime

1 chilli

1-2 pieces of lemongrass (cut into 2 inches long)

Ice A little bit of salt

1-2 pieces of galangal

Soda water

1. Put the brown sugar into a glass. 2. Now put the lime juice into the glass. Pound the lemongrass, galangal to let the aroma comes out. 3. Tear kaffir lime leaves into small pieces to let the aroma come out. 4. Pond a little bit of chilli. If you don't want to be too spicy, you pound just only 1-2 times. 5. Put all the herbs into the mixing of lime juice and salt. 6. Add the ice, pour soda water into the glass. Stir well and decorate nicely with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves. 44

Appendix

Pad Chaa With Chicken Paste 2 coriander roots, coarsely chopped

1 tsp young green peppercorns, removed from stem

2 tbsp baby garlic cloves 1 tsp bird’s eye chillies

1 tsp holy basil flowers (or 2 tsp holy basil leaves, finely chopped)

2 fingers of krachai (wild ginger), coarsely chopped

Pinch of salt

1. To make the paste, pound all of the paste ingredients with a pestle and mortar until relatively fine. You should have around two tablespoons of paste. 2. Add this paste at step 2 of making Pad Chaa With Chicken.

Chicken Massuman Curry Paste 5 dried red Serrano chillies

1⁄2 nutmeg

1 tsp toast sliced galangal

5 cloves 6 cardamom pods 2 bay leaves

1 tbsp toast sliced lemongrass

1 cinnamon stick 2 star anise

1 tsp white peppercorns

1 tsp shrimp paste 2 whole shallots

1⁄2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp coriander roots A pinch of salt

1 tsp toast baby garlic cloves

1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds

1. Soak the Serrano chillies in water at room temperature for 45 minutes, then set aside. To make the curry paste, break open three of the cardamom pods and empty the contents into a shallow pan, along with the remaining dry spices, and toast over a medium-low heat to release the smells and flavours, until the spices just begin to brown. 2. Allow to cool, then grind everything, and set aside. Reserve another three whole cardamom pods, and 2 bay leaves. 3. In a pestle and mortar, pound the soaked chillies, coriander roots, and salt to a coarse paste. (If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can also do this in a food processor, but you will need to add a little liquid, which will in turn slightly dilute the flavours.) Add the dried spices, and continue to pound until you achieve a relatively fine consistency. 4. Add toast (galangal and lemongrass), continue to pound, and then add the shrimp paste, and toast (garlic and 2 shallots), and keep pounding until you have a fine paste, then set aside. 47

Nam Jim - Sweet, Chill, Sour Spring Roll Dipping Sauce Thai dipping sauce, AKA Nam Jim in Thai, is commonly used for Thai appetisers. Nam Jim can be created with different kinds of chillies, types of cooking, and seasonings. My recipes of Nam Jim are easy to adapt to a vegetarian and non-vegetarian version. The portion can be for 3-4 servings. It can last in the fridge for approximately 3 weeks. Tamarind sauce - vegetarian:

1⁄4 cup palm sugar

2 tbsp white vinegar

200 ml tamarind concentrate

2 tbsp caster sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1. Heat the wok at high heat, Add Tamarind concentrate, bring to boil. 2. Then add soy sauce, then palm sugar. After the palm sugar dissolved then add white vinegar and caster sugar. 3. Cook the sauce under the low heat for 5 minutes. Make sure the sauce is reduced and turn syrupy, set aside to cool before serving. Tamarind sauce - non vegetarian:

1⁄4 cup palm sugar

2 tbsp white vinegar

200 ml tamarind concentrate

2 tbsp caster sugar

1⁄4 cup fish sauce

1. Heat the wok at high heat, add tamarind concentrate, and bring to boil. 2. Then add fish sauce, then palm sugar. After the palm sugar dissolved then add white vinegar and caster sugar. 3. Cook the sauce under the low heat for 5 minutes. Make sure the sauce is reduced and turn syrupy, set aside. 48

Nam Jim - Sweet, Chill, Sour Spring Roll Dipping Sauce Chilli paste:

2 tbsp of chopped coriander roots

1⁄4 cup dried Serrano chillies (Soak the Serrano chillies in water at room temperature for one hour, then set aside)

2 tbsp of chopped shallots 2 tbsp of chopped onions 3 tbsp of Tamarind sauce

2 tbsp of chopped garlic

Make the chilli paste- half is used for vegetarians and another half for nonvegetarians. Add all ingredients of the chilli paste to the electric blender. Grind them all together to make a smooth paste. Thai sweet, chilli, tamarind sauce-vegetarian Nam Jim: 1. In a pan, add 1 1⁄2 tbsp of vegetable oil: rapeseed, canola, soybean, or sunflower, then fry half of the chilli paste till it fragrance and lower the heat briefly. 2. Stir to combine, and then bring to the boil again. Add all tamarind sauce. Stir in the salt, then take off the heat and allow to cool. Thai sweet, chilli, tamarind sauce-non-vegetarian Nam Jim: 1. In a pan, add 1 1⁄2 tbsp of any cooking oil that has less trans fat; it can be vegetable oil. 2. Then fry half of the chilli paste till it fragrance and lower the heat briefly. Stir to combine, and then bring to the boil again. 3. Add all tamarind sauce. Stir in the salt, then take off the heat and allow to cool.

Beef Pad See Mao 4. Discard the excess chilli oil from the pan, add 3tbsp vegetable oil, and place over a high heat. Add the minced chillies and garlic, and stir until sizzling and fragrant, then add the marinated beef and continue to stir. 5. Add the green beans, krachai, green peppercorns, and kaffir lime leaves, and then the fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir through, then add the water and bring to a simmer. Throw in the noodles and, using tongs or a pair of large chopsticks, toss them around for a minute to prevent them from sticking and to ensure they are nicely coated in the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning to preference. 6. Remove from the heat, add the holy basil leaves, and toss the noodles once more before serving to make sure they are separated from one another. Including holy basil flowers along with the leaves gives an even deeper flavour. If you can’t get hold of them, just leave them out and use the leaves alone. If you can’t find wild ginger, then a mixture of galangal and regular ginger will come close – use around twice as much galangal as you do ginger.

Pad Chaa with Chicken 6. Stir in the holy basil leaves, allow to cook for 30 seconds more, then remove from the heat and serve alongside steamed rice. Decorate the pad chaa with basil leaves and julienne red Serrano chillies. If you can’t find wild ginger, then a mixture of galangal and regular ginger will come close - use around twice as much galangal as you do ginger. If you can’t get hold of bird’s eye chillies, or you want to tame the fieriness of the dish, you can replace the bird’s eye chillies in the paste with one larger, milder Serrano chilli, and cut down the number of bird’s eye chillies in the dish itself or replace them with Serrano chillies. Pad Chaa can also be made with fish, meat, and other protein.

Fresh Lemongrass Chicken Spring Rolls 5. In a pan, bring the water to the boil. Add the chilli paste and lower the heat briefly, stir to combine, and then bring to the boil again. Stir in the palm sugar and white sugar, then add the tamarind paste and vinegar, and stir again. Stir in the salt, then take off the heat and allow to cool. 6.To make the spring rolls, briefly soak a rice sheet in water, then lay it on a flat surface. Arrange small amounts of the lettuce, sweet basil, sawtooth coriander, mint, carrot and cucumber in a horizontal line across the centre of the sheet, along with two pieces of the chicken. Roll up the rice sheet, tucking it tightly around the fillings and folding in the sides, until formed neatly into a roll, then use a sharp knife to cut into pieces. Repeat with the remaining rice sheets and fillings, then serve with the dipping sauce.

Chicken Massuman Curry 5. Toss in the bay leaves and the remaining whole cardamom pods, and continue to baste the chicken with the curry sauce to prevent it from drying out, all the while tasting and adjusting the seasoning accordingly. Add the onion, and continue to cook until the potato and chicken are both well cooked through. Take off the heat, sprinkle the coriander leaves over the top, and serve with steamed rice. Using sweet potato adds a nice flavourful twist to this curry, but you can substitute it for regular potato if you prefer. If you can’t find coriander roots, use the stems instead; likewise, replace palm sugar with white sugar if necessary.

Are you ready to start making unforgettable dishes? Collect your ingredients, and let’s get started!

There are 18 mouth-watering recipes for you all to recreate at home. Chef Alyssa has revealed her top tips to make all the dishes a winner. From drinks and traditional desserts to stir fry noodles and flavourful soups, they are fantastic dishes for all occasions.

YouTube

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Naturally Delicious Thai Recipes

Articles inside

Drinks