[CH] shared recipes

Chet Bacon (chet@chetbacon.com)
Fri, 07 Apr 2000 05:55:32 -0400

This recipe came to me through another list, but knowing the following
The Colonel had I figured you folks should have these as well.
AAA-Asiancuisine is another great list for collecting Asian ideas.
Thanks Christi!!!

Shortcut URL to this page:
  http://www.onelist.com/community/AAA-Asiancuisine

Chet
******************
[Thai] Basic Curry Pastes
Prik Kaeng Kiao Wan
Prik Kaeng Phet
Prik Kaeng Panaeng
Prik Kaeng Masaman

-----------------------------------------------------------

                 *  Exported from  MasterCook  Buster  *

                        [Thai] Basic Curry Pastes

Recipe By     : Muoi Khuntilanont
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
                        ***NONE***

Thai 'curries' are typically made using a 'curry' paste. However that is
an
oversimplification: firstly the word used for these dishes in Thai is
kaeng
(pronounced 'gang') and it covers soups, stews and of course curries A
paste
which is used could be used just as well for a soup as for a curry.

Secondly of course it is not true that Thais call them curry: the word
for
curry is kari and it is only applied to a small number of dishes: the
dishes
that appear on western Thai restaurant menues as 'curries' are kaengs,
and
they are made not with curry paste but with a sauce made from prik kaeng

(which in this case could be translated better as chili paste).

There are many different prik kaeng in Thai cuisine and from them you
could
make a vast number of different dishes by using different protein
ingredients, and vegetable ingredients and so on to the extent that it
is
said that most Thai housewives could cook a different kaeng every day of
the
year.

However if you know the four basic pastes listed here, and the basic
techniques from my next posting, you can make a vast array of dishes, if
not
perhaps quite one per day for a year.

A rough rule of thumb is that one cup of raw chilis yields a cup or so
of
paste (since there is air in the chilis).  Further it will keep about 3
months in a preserving jar in the fridge.

Since the average kaeng will require (depending on how hot you make it)
between 2 and 8 tablespoons of paste, and since there are roughly 16
tablespoons in a cup, you can scale this recipe up to suit your needs.
Suffice it to say that we make these pastes on a cycle over 8 weeks and
make
6-8 portions of each of them.  As they say in US motor advertisements:
your
mileage may vary!

Converted by MC_Buster.

              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                 *  Exported from  MasterCook  Buster  *

                           Prik Kaeng Kiao Wan

Recipe By     : Muoi Khuntilanont
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           prik ki nu  -- (green birdseye
                        -- chilis)
   5      tablespoons   lemon grass -- finely sliced
  10      tablespoons   shallots  -- (purple onions),
                        -- chopped
  10      tablespoons   garlic -- minced
   5      tablespoons   galangal  -- (kha) grated
   5      tablespoons   coriander/cilantro root -- chopped
   2      tablespoons   coriander seed
   1      tablespoon    cumin seed
   1      tablespoon    freshly ground black pepper
   2      tablespoons   shredded bai makroot  -- (lime leaves)
   4      tablespoons   kapi  -- (fermented shrimp
                        -- paste)
   1      tablespoon    palm sugar.

This is a paste for a green curry, and the 'wan' indicates that it
should be
slightly sweet as well as hot.

If you can't get prik ki nu, you can use half a pound of habanero chilis
or
one pound of jalapena chilis.  If you use the latter deseed them before
use.
Note that if you use a substitute you will get a different volume of
paste,
and that you will need to use different amounts in subsequent recipes.

If you can't get kha use ginger if you can't get bai makroot use lime
zest
if you can't get coriander root, use coriander leaves.

method:

coarsely chop the chilis.

Toast the dry seeds in a heavy iron skillet or wok, and grind them
coarsely.

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process to a smooth
paste.

Place in tightly stoppered jars, and keep in the fridge for at least a
week
for the flavors to combine and develop before use.

The remaining three pastes are all made from dried red chilis: those
sold in
Thailand are frankly stale.  Those sold in Europe and America are
generally
barely fit for human consumption.  If you must use them then break them
up
and shake out the seeds, and soak them in tepid water for about 30
minutes
before use.

Preferably dry fresh red chilis.  All these recipes call for one cup of
fresh red chilis, or half a pound of red habaneros, or one pound of red
jalapenas, deseeded.  Dry them in the sun, or if the climate doesn't
allow
then dry them in a herb desicator, or smoke them in a smoker or over a
barbeque.

The dried chilis (which need not be tinder dry - it is enough to remove
most
of the water) are then toasted under a broiler until *almost* burnt.

Treat this stage with extreme caution: if you overcook them a noxious
gas
closely related to Mustard gas is released.  This is quite dangerous --
at a
minimum cook them in a very well ventillated room with a fan on and have
a
damp cloth ready to cover your mouth and nose in case of emergencies --
and
disconnect your smoke detector/fire alarm!

Converted by MC_Buster.

              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                 *  Exported from  MasterCook  Buster  *

                             Prik Kaeng Phet

Recipe By     : Muoi Khuntilanont
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           prik ki nu daeng  -- (red chilis),
                        -- prepared
   5      tablespoons   lemon grass -- finely sliced
  10      tablespoons   shallots  -- (purple onions),
                        -- chopped
  10      tablespoons   garlic -- minced
   5      tablespoons   galangal  -- (kha) grated
   5      tablespoons   coriander/cilantro root -- chopped
   2      tablespoons   coriander seed
   1      tablespoon    cumin seed
   1      tablespoon    freshly ground black pepper
   2      tablespoons   shredded bai makroot  -- (lime leaves)
   4      tablespoons   kapi  -- (fermented shrimp
                        -- paste)

(Note that except for the sugar and the use of red chilis this is the
same
as the prik kaeng kiao wan)

phet means hot incidentally.

Follow the same procedure as for prik kaeng kiao wan: toast and grind
the
dry seeds, and then blend all ingredients to a fine paste

Converted by MC_Buster.

              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                 *  Exported from  MasterCook  Buster  *

                            Prik Kaeng Panaeng

Recipe By     : Muoi Khuntilanont
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           prepared red chilis
  10      tablespoons   shallots -- chopped
   5      tablespoons   garlic -- chopped
  10      tablespoons   lemon grass -- finely sliced
   5      tablespoons   galangal -- grated
   1                    tablspoon of coriander seeds
   1      tablespoon    cumin seeds
   5      tablespoons   coriander root. chopped
   1      tablespoon    kapi
   5      tablespoons   freshly toasted peanuts -- crushed

This is a paste for a 'dry chili'

follow the same general method, toasting the seeds, then blending
everything
together.

Converted by MC_Buster.

              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

                 *  Exported from  MasterCook  Buster  *

                            Prik Kaeng Masaman

Recipe By     : Muoi Khuntilanont
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           prepared red chilis
   3      tablespoons   coriander seed
   1      tablespoon    cumin seed
   1      tablespoon    cinnamon
   1      tablespoon    cloves
   1      tablespoon    star anise
   1      tablespoon    cardamom
   1      tablespoon    freshly ground black pepper
  10      tablespoons   shallots -- chopped
  10      tablespoons   garlic -- chopped
   2      tablespoons   lemon grass -- sliced thinly
   1      tablespoon    galangal grated
   3      tablespoons   bai makroot  -- (lime leaves, or
                        -- lime zest)
   3      tablespoons   kapi
                        a small amount of salt  -- (pinch)
                        a small amount of turmeric  -- (just a pinch as
a
                        -- colorant).

masaman is a mild hot and sour dish equivalent to the Indian vindaloo.

toast the seeds, and blend everything in a food processor to a fine
paste.

Converted by MC_Buster.

              - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



Christi



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