7 Vegetarian Thai recipes

[Guest guest]

Thought you'd be amused...

 

I made my kids eggs, sausage, and English muffins for breakfast. When

they asked me what kind of sausage it was, I replied vegetarian. Their

response? They threw their fists in the air and shouted, " Yay! " I was lucky

to

snag two for myself. They split the rest of the box.

 

Thanks, Guys! You're the best!

 

7 Thai recipes from the BellaOnline Thai Food website:

 

Thai Cucumber Relish (Nam Thaeng Kwa)

 

Combine the following in a saucepan:

• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

• 1/2 cup date palm sugar or splenda

• 1 large Asian type cucumber

• 2-3 Thai chilles (phrik khee nu) minced

• 1/4 cup peanuts, roasted, unsalted and chopped

• 3 cups cilantro leaves and stems, chopped

 

Boil sugar, vinegar, and salt in small sauce pan to dissolve. This

will

take less than a minute. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

 

Peel the cucumber if desired, cut in half lengthwise, thinly slice.

Combine with the sugar mixture in a bowl, carefully mix. You can add the

optional peanuts and cilantro at this time.

 

This must be made just before serving or the cucumbers will not be

crisp.

If you must use regular cucumbers, please remove the seeds by scooping

them out prior to slicing. Makes 1 1/2 cups

 

 

Crispy Sweet Rice Noodles - Thai

 

This dish is always a favorite of children and those who prefer a

not so

spicy dish. You can jazz it up a bit by balancing the sweet-sour-salty-hot

as I usually do.

 

Crispy Sweet Rice Noodles

(Mee Krob)

 

INGREDIENTS :

 

5 oz. very fine rice noodles (fine rice sticks)

1/4 cup finely chopped TVP (chicken or shrimp flavor)

1/4 cup finely chopped TVP (chicken or pork flavor, just use 2 different

kinds)

1 cake firm tofu, cut into matchstick-size pieces and fried crisp

1 Tbs. chopped garlic and shallot

2 Tbs peanut oil

1 Tbs. fermented soybeans

1 Tbs. white vinegar

1/4 tsp red food coloring

1 Tbs. vegetarian fish sauce (nam pla)

4 Tbs date. palm sugar

1 Tbs. lime juice

2 pairs kaffir lime leaves slivered

1 tsp. ground dried Thai chilies or to taste

2 oz. bean sprouts for garnish

chives for garnish

1 Chiles, thinly sliced

1 bunch of cilantro

1 pickled garlic bulb, thinly sliced

3 cups cooking oil

 

PREPARATION:

 

Heat oil in pan to 350 deg F, add some of the vermicelli and fry for

just

a short while until crisp and golden brown, then drain on paper towels.

Repeat until all the noodles are fried

 

Heat a wok or frying pan, add 2 Tabs peanut oil and swirl to coat

the

wok. Add the shallots then the garlic and fry until fragrant. Do not burn!

 

Now add the TVP, seasoning with fermented soybeans, vinegar,

fish sauce, food coloring, sugar, and dried chilies. Stir fry until thick,

 

add the lime juice.

 

Mix and adjust seasonings until a balanced sweet, sour, and salty

flavor

is achieved.

 

Lower the heat, add the noodles and continue stirring in the sauce

until

they stick together; then, add the bean curd and mix.

 

Plate on individual plates piling the noodles into a tall cone like

shape.

Place the bean sprouts along one side and the chives on the other side of

the noodles.

 

Garnish with the pickled garlic, finely sliced kaffir lime leaves,

cilantro, and Chile. Serves four

 

Notes: Fine Rice Noodles (also known as rice vermicelli) are perfect

not

only in stir fries including the popular Mee Grob dish, but also when

added to soups and salads. These noodles are placed in convenient one

person portions, making it easier to create your favorite dishes.

 

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) - Thai

 

Thai salads can be very spicy so use chilies according to your

taste. Begin

with a couple of chilies and add until you like the hotness of the salad.

Remember to balance the hot-sweet-sour-salty taste!

 

This salad is especially wonderful with Thai sticky rice.

I like using a large clay mortar with a wooden pestle, but you can

make it in a wooden salad bowl.

 

Ingredients

3-6 garlic cloves, sliced

2-10 Thai chilies (prik kee noo or phrik chee fa), diced (Serramos are a

good substitution if Thai chiles are not available)

1/2 cup long beans, cut into 2 " pieces

2 tsp. TVP crumbles (shrimp flavor, if possible)

1-2 tsp date palm sugar, to taste

Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste

1 1/2 cups unripe green papaya peeled, julienned

1-2 Tbs. vegetarian fish sauce (nam plah), to taste

4-6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tbs. chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

 

Place garlic and chilies into mortar and pound with pestle until the

mixture forms a smooth paste.

 

Add the TVP crumbles and pound to break them up a bit. Add the date

palm

sugar, juice of 1 lime, the fish sauce and lightly mix with a spoon.

 

Add the julienned green papaya. Toss well with the seasonings. Then,

pounding with one hand and stirring using the spoon in your other hand,

lightly bruise the green papaya until it picks up all the flavorings and

seasonings.

 

Taste and adjust the flavor as needed adding more fish sauce, lime

juice

or date palm sugar to a balanced flavor. Depending on your palate add

additional chilies as this salad should be the hottest part of a Thai meal.

 

Add the tomatoes at the end, stir and bruise slightly to blend in

with the

rest of the salad. Place on a serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts.

 

Serves 2 with a side plate of raw vegetables, as desired for a Thai

meal.

We often serve slices of cucumbers, wedges of cabbage, green onions, and

tomatoes for a cooling effect as needed by dinners, and Boston Lettuce

leaves.

 

Garnish with all or any:

toasted chopped peanuts

sliced green onions

mint leaves

Thai basil leaves (bai Krapoa)

 

Green papaya is available in most Asian markets, or even already

julienned

green papaya is available in some Southeast Asian markets. Sometimes the

already julienned papaya will contain some carrots-if so just omit the

beans. If buying a whole green papaya-pick a firm shinny one. Peel, and

julienne.

 

If serving as an entree: Serve with sticky rice.

 

Pointers:

Sprinkle the julienned papaya with salt, and let stand for half an hour,

then squeeze and discard any liquid. I usually place the papaya between

paper towels, twist to drain off the liquid.

 

The Isan style to eat this dish is place a small spoonful a of som

tam in

a lettuce leaf and eat out of hand. Then take a bite of sticky rice that

you roll into a ball and eat. You alternate the sticky rice, som tom,

cabbage, etc. Great finger food with beer on a hot day!

 

Fried Bananas (Gluay KhaegTod) - Thai

 

If at all possible, use small fragrant bananas (finger bananas)

 

•SERVES FOUR-SIX.

3 cups/'12 oz rice/lour

1 cup/8 fl oz water

1/2 cup/ 12 oz unsweetened grated coconut

3 Tbs plain (all-purpose) flour

3 Tbs sugar or splenda

2 Tbs sesame seeds

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

approx. 6 cups/48 fl oz/ peanut or corn oil for deep-frying

1 lb. small, slightly green bananas, quartered

 

Place all ingredients, except the bananas, in a mixing bowl and mix

thoroughly.

 

Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to about 325°F to 350°F

Dip the banana pieces into the coconut batter and then deep-fry until

golden brown but not dark, about 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for 2 more

minutes. Take out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (paper

towel).

 

Note* Rice flower can be found in Asian Markets

 

Tofu stir-fried with basil (Tao Hoo Pad Bai Kaprao)

 

4 oz. Firm tofu or deep-fried tofu

3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced

4-8 Thai Dragon chiles, minced

1 Shallot, chopped

Splash Vegetarian Fish Sauce, Nam Pla, to taste

1 Tabs Light soy sauce

1 Tabs Dark soy sauce

1/4 cup Stock or water

1 tsp Date Palm Sugar

1 Tab Peanut oil

Generous Sprinkling of White Pepper

1 1/2 cups Holy basil leaves (bai kaprao, torn into smaller pieces

 

Method:

Cut the tofu into 3/4 " pieces.

Heat a wok until hot. Add the peanut oil, add the garlic and ginger,

stirfry until fragrant for about 10-15 seconds, make sure not to allow the

 

garlic to burn or it becomes bitter.

 

Add the tofu and stir-fry again for another minute. Add the light

and dark

soy sauces, the date palm sugar, generous sprinkling of white pepper, and

the stock or water.

 

Stir-fry for one more minute to allow the sauce to thicken a bit and

coat

the tofu. Add basil leaves stir fryinguntil they begin to wilt. Splash

with fish sauce, taste and adjust seasonings to your taste.

Serve with steamed Jasmine rice.

Garnish with additional basil leaves.

Notes: If you can't find holy basil, you can use Thai sweet basil

and mint leaves

torn.

 

Coconut Pancakes (Kanom Krok) - Thai

 

2 cups coconut milk

1 1/2 cups rice flour

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar (date palm sugar if available)

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsweetened, ground coconut (often available in Indian Markets)

peanut oil

 

Popular fillings:

 

fresh corn kernels

scallions, thinly sliced

cilantro leaves

kaffir lime leaves, slivered

 

Whip the coconut milk, rice flour, eggs, sugar and salt together until

very smooth. The batter will be quite thin.

Now carefully fold in 1/2 cup of the coconut.

Lightly grease the pan with peanut oil.

 

Pour batter into the little cups of the cast iron pan or use an

Ebelskiver

pancake griddle. Sprinkle with optional fillings at this time if desired.

Cover with a round lid like from a wok, and cook for a few minutes. Cook

only until the bottom is slightly golden.

 

If you do not have this pan use a small non-stick skillet, 6â€

diameter and

pour a thin layer of the batter and cook and flip over until cooked. Roll

the pancake up and place on a holding plate. Keep warm and continue

cooking the remaining pancakes. Garnish with the reserved coconut.

 

Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl

 

Ingredients

2 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 piece (1 inch) ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame

2 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables

1 tablespoon chopped peanuts

2 scallions, sliced

 

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions. In a skillet, saute peanut butter,

lime

juice, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute. Add edamame and vegetables and

cook for

12 minutes until vegetables are tender; pour over pasta. Top with peanuts

and

scallions.

In Vino Veritas,

*´¨) Janis Abbe

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