Thai Cooking Workshop 2016

Thai Cooking Workshop 2016

Thailand is a place where all your senses come alive…..in all aspects, whether it is the jaw dropping scenery, the people full of mirth and joy or most importantly the lip smackingly delicious food! I have never been a follower of ‘exact’ recipes, so when I witnessed a Thai cooking in action, I realised that this was the one for me…..

As my grandma used to say- you can create magic with just your five senses: taste, sight, feel, smell, sound ….. And it stands true in this workshop too. We marveled at the colourful display of the crunchy cucumber cheese rolls, took in the sinful pleasure of the tongue tingling hot and sweet taste of the spicy tom yum soup, the fresh fragrance of lemon grass and kafir lime leaves intermingling with lime, the silken texture of tofu clashing with the roughness of peanuts in the Massaman curry and the peels of laughter and squeals of delight all around the kitchen ….. Who can’t, but fall in love with cooking!!

Recipes of the Thai workshop as below:

CUCUMBER CHEESE ROLLS

NOTE- please let your guests gently know that this is an Amuse-Bouche, and not to be eaten to fill their tummy (mine pounced on it and devoured it in an instant and ordered another bunch straightaway!!)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cucumber, sliced longitudinally with mandolin slicer

1 pack Philadelphia cream cheese

Fine chopped red chillies and water cress for garnish

METHOD:

Make long strips of the cucumber with the slicer. Add a dollop of cream cheese to one end and roll into a tube. Stand upright on a platter and garnish with red chillies and watercress.

WATERMELON WITH CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE, LIME AND BALSALMIC VINEGAR

NOTE: this is a crowd pleaser, a visual treat, so please keep several trays prepared.

Cut watermelon into cubes, arrange on the serving platter. Crumble feta cheese on top. Drizzle lime juice, balsalmic vinegar and mint leaves. the freshness of the mint leaves and tangy lime blends beautifully with the crunchy sweet watermelon….just try it, its magical 🙂

MISHRA’S MAGIC MUSHROOMS 

I always disliked mushrooms till Rashmi made this which blew my non existent socks off…..Quick easy and makes you fall in love with mushrooms again!!!

INGREDIENTS

Good quality clean mushrooms, stalks removed

1 pack Boursin garlic cheese

Finely chopped garlic, pepper and red chillies

Grated cheddar cheese

Butter melted

Rock salt

METHOD

Clean mushrooms, remove stalk and fill the cups with cheese.

Arrange on a baking tray, drizzle with butter.

Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese, garlic, pepper and red chillies.

Season to taste.

Bake in the oven at 190 degrees till the mushrooms are done.

TURKISH FLATBREAD WITH HUMMUS, POMEGRANATE, LIME JUICE

Okay, not technically Thai, but had to add it to the menu because of my fascination for this quick dish. Guaranteed to disappear even before the plate lands on the table.

INGREDIENTS:

Tomato-garlic flatbread

Hummus

Lemon/lime, pomegranate seeds

Nando’s piri piri sauce

METHOD:

Heat the flat bread in the oven till crispy.

Spread hummus generously over it

Drizzle with spicy Nando’s sauce….carefull not to drool over it!!

Scatter chopped coriander, pomegranate seeds.

Sqeeze fresh lime juice over it.

TEAR AND SHARE!!!

TOM YUM SOUP

Guraranteed addiction, you will be making it every week….

INGREDIENTS:

5-6 lemon grass stalks

12 shallots, halved

2-3 galangal

2 cups coriander and basil chopped

20 cherry tomatoes, other chopped vegetables ( mushrooms, baby corn, mange tout, etc)

3 or more lime

10-15 kafir lime leaves

Siracha sauce

Tom yum paste ( home made below or store bought)

METHOD:

Crush lemon grass, add sliced galangal, ginger, torn kafir lime leaves, coriander/basil leaves. Cover and boil till you prepare other vegetables, add the others.

Add lime juice, siracha sauce and tom yum paste.

Serve hot.

TOM YUM PASTE: Heat little oil, add finely chopped onions, saute. Add tamarind concentrate, palm sugar, fish sauce / shrimp paste ( if you want- it enhances the flavour and does not smell), sliced red chillies, chilli puree, lots of soy sauce. Heat till the mix thickens and adjust the taste according to your choice. I prefer sweet and spicy, henc emore sugar in mine.

CHEAT’S VERSION ( Shhhhh….) : Mix Maggie Tamarind ketchup, sweet chilli ketchup, siraccha sauce, maggi chilli sauce and lots of soy sauce.Place water to boil in a large vessel.

MASSAMUN CURRY:

Lovely clash of flavours and colours…..mughal inspired dish

Remember its all about the paste, peanuts and coconut cream!

INGREDIENTS

Massamum curry paste ( store bought- MAE PLOY) 4 tbsp appx

Boiled baby potatoes

Mushrooms, baby corn, mange tout, tofu

Roasted and crushed peanuts – 1 cup

Coconut cream- 2 cans

Kafir lime leaves – 8-12

Maggi tamarind sauce- 4 tbsp

Cinnamon, star anise, cloves

Sliced red chillies

METHOD:

Heat little oil, add masamun curry paste and stir in with the boiled baby potatoes.

Add coconut cream , 1 can and mix well. Add rest of the ingredients including spices and mix well.

After 10 mins or when the vegetables are done, add the remaining can of coconut cream, tamarind sauce, peanuts and chopped red chillies.

Garnish with coriander , serve hot.

PAD THAI NOODLES:

Quick, instant noodle dish. Remember the 2,4,6,8 combination for sauce

INGREDIENTS :

Cooked pad thai noodles- flat rice noodles

Crushed peanuts

Sliced spring onions

Bean sprouts

Bok choi

2 onions sliced

Garlic mince

PAD THAI SAUCE: 2,4,6,8

2= lime

4tbsp- sweet chilli sauce

6tbsp – brown sugar

8tbsp = soy sauce

Red chillies fine chopped

Mix all this with hot water and keep aside.

METHOD:

Heat oil in a wok

Add sliced onions, spring onions, garlic minced, stir

Add eggs and stir well,

Add the noodles, stir

Add the sauce and season to taste

Add bean sprouts, bok choi and peanuts and serve instantly….