Thai One On: Recipes for a Thai-Inspired Dinner Party - thai dish restaurant welland on

Are you looking for a cooking adventure for your next dinner party?
Take your guests to Thailand to experience the elegance and exotic nature of Southeast Asian cuisine.
Don't be intimidated by strange ingredients and complex preparations.
This girl from Iowa came with me to bring home a love of Thai food for my friends and family.
The recipe I adapted for our "Thai cuisine" is simple enough that the average chef can master and use the ingredients on the shelves of most grocery stores, however, the taste you will find in your favorite Thai restaurant is not lacking.
With these recipes and my advice on planning your own Thai holiday menu, you and your dinner guests can easily enjoy Thai cuisine.
An ethnic culinary experience that grew up in Iowa often has nothing more adventurous than the American-style Chinese cooking from cans, on plain instant noodles, accompanied by those crunchy little? My post-
Moved to Chicago after graduation, where there are many different communities that offer opportunities for food exploration, something I never imagined during meat and potatoes --filled youth.
Just a few steps away from the hotel, or take a taxi to enjoy authentic Chinese, Indian and even Egyptian cuisine.
But Thai food is my favorite.
I tasted Thai food for the first time in Thai Star Cafe©In Chicago, there is a small restaurant with a Formica table top and rickety chairs and torn vinyl mats on it.
Even though the surroundings reminded me of my grandmother's kitchen more than Bangkok, I was rolled into another world.
In this new world, food is promoted to a harmonious combination of artistic form, taste, texture and fresh ingredients.
This is the most delicious food I have ever had.
Thai food soon became a pillar of my diet.
In many late nights at my Chicago law firm, my colleague
The workers and I would order from our favorite Thai restaurant and then have dinner together in the conference room.
When accompanied by fresh spring rolls, Curry, Dongyin Gong soup, green papaya salad, beef with basil leaves and other delicious food we share, the long hours of work become tolerable.
I also like to share the experience of Thailand with guests from other places.
One weekend, when a group of my Iowa friends came to visit, I took them to the best Thai restaurants in Chicago for dinner.
Although they were initially skeptical about unfamiliar food, it wasn't long before they put the plate on the table and tasted everything.
When I returned to Iowa in 1994, what I miss most about Chicago was the supply of Thai food.
Within a two-block radius of my apartment, there are not at least six Thai restaurants, but none within a relaxing drive.
While things have changed over time and there are a few options nearby right now, I have to learn to cook Thai food.
The first time I tried Thai food was prawn soup.
One Saturday morning, I first went to small Asian markets in Cedar Pez, the only game in town at the time.
I'm glad to find a big walk-
In the cooler filled with fresh Thai ingredients, including lemon grass and kaffir lemon leaves, this is everything I need for my soup.
I cooked a large pot of extra spicy soup in the kitchenette of my apartment, loaded it into the car, then went to my sister's house where I fed it to my brotherin-law.
I will never forget his reaction.
The soup was so hot and sweaty that he stopped eating until every drop was gone.
I converted to Thailand for the first time.
Shortly after my first attempt at Thai cooking, I established the Thai festival tradition among my friends and family.
Everyone brought Thailand.
Inspiration for a dish or two can be shared, and the meal time is up to several hours.
Now, after countless Thai food, we have become an excellent Thai chef.
Our fridge and tea room are stocked with daily Thai ingredients such as fish sauce and chili garlic sauce.
We no longer keep recipes for the Thai Festival;
Dishes such as pad thai have become part of a daily dinner.
First, collect as many culinary adventurers as possible.
Whether you order at a restaurant or cook at home, the best thing about Thai food is that daily meals can easily become a festival group event.
You can have Thai food together.
The more diners, the more variety of dishes you can order or prepare.
When planning a menu for your Thai festival, remember that there is no main course for Thai food.
Instead, a series of dishes are served at the same time.
The ideal food is a harmonious blend of spicy and cool, sweet and sour, crispy and tender.
All senses should be involved.
Match a steaming curry with a cool crisp salad.
Add a soup, a noodle and a rice.
There is a large amount of condiments and sauces on hand (peanut butter is always the most popular) and additional spices can be added depending on the individual taste of each diner.
Fresh tropical fruit is served for dessert.
Don't forget the cocktail.
Tropical fruit drinks like Mattel are well matched with spicy food (although not from Thailand, the name is appropriate ).
Or offer Thai beer like Singha or Chang.
The possibilities are endless.
The following recipe will get you started. Gin kow!
Also known as the holy basil.
This basil is considered sacred by Hindus, it has purple stems and jagged --
Leaves on the edge with a slight anise scent.
Commonly used in stirring
Fried meat dishes.
It can be replaced with ordinary sweet basil.
Green mung bean shoots.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, remove the root and green case before use.
: Also known as cellophane noodles, these are thin translucent dry noodles made of mung bean starch.
It can be replaced with thin rice noodles or Angel noodles.
: Also called chili sauce.
A hot condiment made of red pepper and garlic.
A small amount is used for adding heat to soups and sauces, or for table condiments.
: It is also called bird pepper. These 1-to 2-
Green and red chillies are among the hottest varieties in the world.
They are cut into slices or mashed to season soup, salad, curry and sauce.
: Also known as Chinese coriander or coriander leaves.
The leaves, stems, roots and seeds of this carrot family member are all used in Thai cooking.
Leaves are usually used for seasoning and decorating sauces, soups and salads.
The unique flavor of coriander cannot be replaced, but coriander can be replaced by decoration.
: The root-like stem of this ginger plant resembles a rough brown root.
Remove the skin and reach the pepper and sweet meat.
: Also known as the South Liberation Army.
This is a bottled brown liquid fermented by salted fish.
It is widely used in Thai cooking and adds spicy aromas and flavors as a condiment.
Often used instead of salt.
: Used to add subtle floral and flavor to soup and curry.
It is not usually eaten unless cut into very thin slices.
Take it off before serving, like a Baye.
Orange leaves are available in most Asian markets.
If there are no fresh leaves, dry or frozen leaves are used. : A long grass-
Herbs with unique lemon flavor and aroma.
One of the most commonly used herbs in Thai food.
The kernel of the lemon stalk can be eaten when chopped;
The larger part is used to add flavor but is removed before eating.
The skin of half a lemon can replace a lemon grass.
: For salad, stir
Fried dishes as decoration.
Do not replace dried mint without fresh leaves.
: Round crispy translucent sheets made of rice flour, water and salt.
Before using as wrapping paper for spring rolls or summer rolls, replenish the moisture first.
: Flat noodles made of rice noodles, water and salt.
There is a wide variety of width and folding bundles for sale.
: Also known as thin rice noodles.
Soft white noodles made of rice noodles.
Looks similar to the bean thread.
Vinegar made of rice.
: A soft white bean curd block.
The taste is bland but absorbs the taste of the mixed ingredients.
An excellent source of lowfat protein.
Store in the fridge, fill with water for up to 5 days.
This is the first Thai recipe adaptation I made.
8 fresh, red Thai chillies with lemon grass on them, leaving only 6 inch of the stems.
Cut hard roots and dry outer leaves and discard them.
Oblique cut into 1-
1/2 length;
Flatten with a heavy knife.
In a big pot, bring two-
There are 3 kinds of lemon grass, lemon leaves, coriander, ginger and garlic in total.
Heat for 15 minutes.
Strain and discard solids.
Soup in the pot.
Add the remaining lemon grass and chili garlic sauce, sim5 minutes.
Season with salt if needed.
Add the chicken and cook it for about 5 minutes.
Mix the remaining lemon leaves, peppers, coriander leaves and ladle soup in a bowl. Serves 4.
This is not traditional Thai but it is a great appetizer for Thai food
Themed dinner.
GarnishTrim's coriander leaves end on cucumbers.
Peel and cut into 1 \ "pieces.
Use the melon ball, carefully punch the center into the core and keep the bottom intact.
Roast beef in a non-stick frying pan at high temperatures until it is medium rare.
Cool, then chop.
In a large bowl, mix beef with scallions, lemon juice and lime juice, fish sauce, chili, sugar and salt.
Add a beef salad to the prepared cucumber cup.
Decorated with coriander leaves.
24 appetizers.
Change: instead of a cucumber cup, add a beef salad to the endive leaves.
Make two batches of these popular Thai packages as they will be available soon.
For tips on how to assemble, see the sidebar below. Half-
Fill a small pan with water and bring it to a boil.
Add the pork waist and cook until tender for 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the pork, rinse it with cold water, and thoroughly drain it.
When the pork is cooled enough to be processed, cut in half horizontally and cut the grain into 1/8-inch slices.
Cook a large pot of water.
Add the noodles and cook until tender, but still have slight chewy strength, 1 to 2 minutes of rice noodles and 30 seconds of soy sauce.
To prevent sticking together, stir once in a while.
Drain water, rinse with cold water and drain water thoroughly.
Cut to a length of 2 to 3 inch.
Put pork, noodles and the remaining fillings on a large plate.
Work with one piece of paper at a time, soak rice paper in a bowl of hot water until soft (for a few seconds ).
Fill rice paper with each filling ingredient.
Roll like an egg roll, drain the water with a towel for a second or two to remove the excess water and move to a plate with water in it.
Served with chili sauce.
Make 8 spring rolls. Pour about 1/2-
One-inch hot water into a platter.
Work with 1 sheet of rice paper at a time, moisten and soften the rice paper in water for 20 to 25 seconds.
Carefully remove it from the water and drain it from the dry plate towel.
Place the filling on the third place of rice paper.
Roll the paper in half and roll it into a cylinder.
Fold the two sides of the rice paper over the closed filling.
Continue scrolling to 5-
An inch-long cylinder, gently press the end to seal.
If the rice paper looks dry when you use it, brush it gently with more water.
Roll, seal on the tray and cover with a damp towel to keep it moist.
This is a great condiment to eat with fresh spring rolls and also to season for any dish.
The taste of white rice is also good.
Mix garlic, pepper, sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce and water in a small bowl.
Add green lime juice and stir until completely mixed.
Decorate with grated carrots.
This is my adaptation of traditional Thai food.
This recipe is easy to make for a week-night dinner. 2-
Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.
Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Heat the oil in the pan with medium heathigh heat.
Add tofu to cook and stir until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain on paper towels.
Remove all oil except 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan and return-high heat.
Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
Add lemon juice, fish sauce and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in noodles.
Push the noodle mixture to one side of the pan.
Add the eggs and cook without stirring until the part is set and then gently stir until fried.
Stir the eggs through the noodle mixture.
Add tofu, scallions, peppers, coriander and basil.
About 1 minute until the heat is finished.
Serve, order and decorate with ground carrots, bean sprouts and chopped peanuts.
With lime wedges. Serves 4.