Pad Thai

Tags

Chicken, noodles, pad thai, shrimp, thailand, tofu

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is basically a Thai noodle stir fry with a delicious sweet-sour sauce topped with peanuts. It is made with thin, flat rice noodles and includes bean sprouts, spring onions and scrambled eggs and either chicken , prawns or tofu. The sauce is what makes the dish and it includes fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and tamarind. What is tamarind you might be asking. It is THE ingredient that gives the sauce the flavour it is known for. Authentic Pad Thai is made with tamarind pulp which comes in a block the size of a bar of soap (easily available on Amazon) which is soaked in hot water before being pushed through a sieve to remove the fibers and seeds. You are then left with the paste. If you can find the tamarind puree in a jar, use that instead by all means.
Making Pad Thai is very easy but be sure to have all your ingredients measured and ready to go as you need to move quickly.
I have added peanut butter in my sauce which I think gives the dish an added creaminess and boost of yumminess.
I think this recipe tastes amazing but do not take my word for it… try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Let me tell you a bit about the history of Pad Thai. There is not a dish that screams “Thailand” more than Pad Thai. It is the national dish and eaten literally on every street corner in Thailand but would you believe that it actually did not exist before WW2?? Crazy isn’t it? But true.
Pad Thai was invented in 1938. Thailand suffered a shortage of good quality rice at this time due to the war and serious floods. Plaek Phibunsongkhram who was the PM at the time encouraged people to eat noodles instead. Noodles used only 50% of the grain so were more economical and cheaper to produce.
The government of Thailand created the dish Pad Thai to protect the rice resources. They told the public that by eating this new dish they were helping their country. Several sources say there was a competition to create a national dish using noodles and Pad Thai was the winner.
The government gave out recipes to restaurants and in mail boxes and even offered free carts to people willing to set up stalls and sell in the streets.
So let’s get on with the recipe.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 7oz / 200g flat rice noodles
• 3 T oil (canola, peanut – not olive)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8oz / 250g chicken cut into very thin slices or 8oz / 250g shrimp, raw, shelled and de-veined
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g / 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 5 spring onions or garlic chives (¼ cup) chopped 
• 4 T dry roasted peanuts, chopped
• 2 limes
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For the sauce

• 3 T nuoc mam / nam pla fish sauce
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 3 T light brown sugar
• 2 T tamarind from pulp (see directions)
• 1 T sriracha hot sauce (optional)
• 2 T peanut butter (optional)

Method:

• Cut enough of the tamarind pulp to provide 2T after the following process.   Pour ½ cup boiling water over the tamarind pulp, cover and place aside for 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes break up the pulp in the hot water and then press the mixture through a fine meshed strainer/sieve.  Discard the solids.
• Cook noodles according to package instructions, just until tender.  Rinse under cold water
• Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, tamarind paste and peanut butter.  Mix well and set aside.
• Heat a wok or large pan over high heat.  Add oil.
• Add the bell pepper, cook until it softens slightly
• Add garlic and chicken or shrimp.  If using shrimp they will cook very rapidly, about 1-2 minutes until just pink.  If using chicken, cook until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes
• Push the chicken/shrimp to the side of the wok
• Add the eggs and stir as they cook but do not touch too much
• Add bean sprouts, noodles and sauce. Toss well.
• Switch off the stove
• Add spring onions, peanuts and coriander
• Serve immediately with wedges of limes

Bon appetit

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Chicken sosaties

Tags

barbeque, BBQ, braai, cape malay, Chicken, curry, kebabs, skewered foods, sosaties, traditional food

Sosaties are one of the great  traditional South African braai (barbeque) foods of all time.  Sosaties are not just any old kebabs.  They’re usually lamb meat on skewers, marinated in a distinctive aromatic Cape Malay-style sauce.  The term derives from sate (“skewered meat”) and saus (spicy sauce).  There are a few variations to the sosatie marinade, but most at least include apricot jam, curry powder and onions. The combination of fruit and curry flavors is something you’ll see often in  Cape Malay recipes, like the classic bobotie, and give such delicious results.

Today, I have decided to do a chicken sosatie.  See Lamb sosaties for my lamb sosatie recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut up into large cubes
1 large green pepper
1 onion
12 dried yet plump apricots
marinade:
3 small onions, diced
1-2 small chili peppers or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons/ 30 g curry powder (depends on the strength)
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander/cilantro
10 dried apricots, cut into tiny pieces
175 ml/ ¾ cup apricot jam
50 g / ¼ cup light brown sugar
150 ml / ⅔ cup white wine vinegar
300 ml / 1¼ cup water

Method:

Peel and dice the onions
Cut up the peppers finely
Heat the oil over medium heat, add the onions and chili and cook until just translucent
Add the curry, turmeric, bay leaves, ginger and coriander and allow to cook for a minute
Add the apricots and all the remaining ingredients and leave to simmer about 15 minutes
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, about 3 hours
When cool, add the marinade to the meat and place in the refrigerator for about 24 hours ideally (minimum 4 hours)
Now cut the peppers and onions to the same size as the meat cubes
When ready to grill, thread four meat pieces alternating with green pepper, onion and apricot to make a sosatie
Remember to soak the skewers first if you are using wooden ones so that they do not burn
Heat the BBQ to about 250°C/500°F
Cook the kebabs about 10 to 15 minutes
Turn several times to make the edges golden, basting with the marinade
Enjoy! Lekker eet! Bon Appetit!

Wine suggestion: Viognier or Chenin Blanc go well with this spicy dish but if you prefer a red, Shiraz or Grenache are equally good choices

Keralan chicken curry with chillies and coconut milk

Tags

Chicken, coconut milk, curry, keralan, yoghurt

Kerala, located on the palm-fringed coast of South West India, has a very distinctive cooking style which reflects its verdant, tropical climate. Coconuts are abundant there and many recipes therefore call for the addition of coconut milk. The use of spices are generous yet not hot, rather very flavourful.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, lightly whisked
• 1kg / 2lbs chicken on the bone, skinned and jointed
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 green birds eye chillies, slit length-ways
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup / 150g tomatoes, pureed to a smooth paste
• 1/2 cup / 125ml water
• 1/2 cup / 125ml thick coconut milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander, to garnish

For the paste

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2.5cm / 1″ piece ginger, roughly chopped
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 4 dried whole kashmiri red chillies (or any dried mild chillies)
• 2 heaped tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp black peppercorn
• 5 green cardamom pods, seeds only

Preparation:

Put the turmeric, yogurt and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix well
Add the chicken pieces and leave to marinate for about an hour
Meanwhile, make the paste
Place a sauté pan over a low heat and add oil, followed by ginger and garlic
Sauté for about a minute, then add all the paste ingredients and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes until lightly coloured
Leave to cool, then put the mixture in a blender, add 50-70ml water and blitz to a fine paste
Set aside
Heat a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan over medium heat and add the 3 tbsp of oil
Add the birds eye chillies, letting them sizzle for a few seconds
Add the onion and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes
Pour in the pureed tomatoes and stir well, cooking for 3 minutes
Add the spice paste and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring well, until the sauce thickens slightly
Increase the heat slightly and add the marinated chicken pieces, stirring well to coat them with the spice paste
Fry for 4 minutes until lightly coloured
Add the water and season to taste
Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
Add the coconut milk, stir well and simmer for a further 5-7 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened
Garnish with chilli flakes or coriander and serve with rice and or poppadoms and chutney
Enjoy!