Pad Thai

[shroomgirl]

mmmmmmm....one of my favorite dishes at the neighborhood thai restaurant is tofu pad thai....any recipes would be appreciated.
also Tom Kha...I love that coconut/lemongrass/chicken broth soup
also the peanut butter/coconut milk/lemongrass with green bean dish pad krow? don't remember the name for sure....
TIA

[nutcakes]

This site is a wonderful resource for Thai recipes and ingreditne descriptions. There are limited recipes, since it promotes her cookbook and cooking classes, but what is there sounds fantastic and she has pad thai. I have a friend who has taken her classes.
http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipe.html

Here is her soup--provided by my friend, there is a seafood coconut on the website.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Tom Kha Gai

4 C water or mild chicken broth

A 2-3 inch section of fresh or frozen Thai galanga, thinly sliced, or 6-8 dried pieces.

2 stalks lemon grass, trimmed and cut at a slanted diagonal approximately 1 1/2" long, bruised with the side of a knife

2 C coconut milk (Mae Ploy or Chaokoh brand if available) Do not shake the can!

1 lb. boneless chicken meat, cut into bite size pieces.

1/2 of a small onion, halved again and sliced 1/8" thick.

4-6 sliced jalapeno, serrano or fresno peppers, to desired hotness (red is especially nice)

4 fresh Kaffir Lime leaves, very thinly slivered (you can sub lime zest)

2 c fresh mushrooms, sliced about 1/4" thick

4-6 T fish sauce, (nam bplah), to desired saltiness (Golden Boy brand)

Juice of two limes - or as needed to balance the sourness

1 T palm sugar - or as needed to balance the sour flavor (can sub a light brown sugar)

1/4 tsp. white pepper

A handful of Cilantro sprigs or leaves

Bring water or broth to a boil in a medium sized pot.

Simmer the galanga and lemongrass in it for 20-30 minutes to draw out the flavors. (I do this with a cover). You can strain out the solids if you want.

Add the thin part of the coconut milk on the bottom of the can, reserving the thick creamy part for later. Bring to a gentle boil and add chicken pieces. Return to the gentle boil and simmer for a few minutes before adding the sliced onion, chiles, and kaffir lime leaf slivers. Simmer another minute then add the mushrooms. Cook a couple of minutes more until the chicken is cooked through and mushrooms are tender.

Add the reserved coconut cream. Stir well to dissolve and blend with soup. Add the ground pepper and lime juice to the desired sourness. Balance the sharp sour of the lime juice with enough palm sugar so that the sweetness and richness of the coconut milk come through. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro.


Notes and Pointers
The coconut "cream" from canned coconut milk can curdle when boiled with water for too long and at too high a temperature. Therefore, add it towards the end of cooking, heating just enought to warm and blend with the rest of the soup. Also, to preserve the fresh taste of the lime juice, always add towards the end of the cooking.

[shroomgirl]

Thank you Nutcakes!

[Live_to_cook]

Shroomgirl: You mean Tom Kha Gai, the chicken soup with coconut milk, lime, cilantro and mushrooms? Definitely use CHAOKOH canned coconut milk if you can get it, it's the best.


TOM KHA GAI (CHICKEN COCONUT SOUP)

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chicken

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 c Coconut milk
6 Thin slices young galangal
2 Stalks lemon grass,
-- lower third portion
only,
-- cut into 1" piece,
crushed
5 Fresh kaffir lime leaves
8 oz Boned chicken breast, sliced
5 tb Fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tb Sugar
1/2 c Lime juice
1 t Black chili paste
1/4 c Cilantro/coriander leaves
-- torn
5 Green Thai chili peppers,
-- crushed

A rich, aromatic dinner soup, which is enjoyed throughout the meal.
Whenever possible, fresh kaffir lime leaves should be used, and their
flavor and aroma is increased when they are torn instead of cut with a
knife. Young galangal is pale yellow, with firm unwrinkled pink shoots.
Fresh young ginger can be substituted if necessary, but the flavor will not
be quite the same.

Combine half the coconut milk with the galangal, lemon grass and lime
leaves in a large saucepan and heat to boiling. Add the chicken, fish
sauce and sugar.

Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked . Add the
remaining coconut milk to the saucepan and heat just to boiling.

Place the lime juice and chili past in a serving bowl, then pour the soup
into the serving bowl.

Garnish with the torn cilantro leaves and crushed chili peppers, and serve.

Typed from: "Thailand, the Beautiful Cookbook". ISBN 0-00-255029-6. by Dale
& Gail Shipp, Columbia, Md.

[shroomgirl]

Thanks guys....I think it will be fun making
a pot of this....used to make hot and sour been years...boy was that exstinsive and there were MANY ingrediants involved, so much better than the dreek you get out.