The Minimalist; The Essence Of Thai Cooking - low fat thai restaurant dishes

Through mark bittmanoct.
To some extent, it is absurd, even insulting, to try to reduce the whole dish to a few ingredients.
But in fact, many exciting foods in the world have unique combinations and flavors.
For example, any chef with olive oil, lemon, parsley, garlic and tomatoes, as well as several directions, is likely to go to a delicious Western European dish.
It will have a reassuring sense of familiarity.
There are not many Asian dishes.
Even the rather accomplished chefs, when immersed in Eastern cooking, sometimes find themselves fighting trebling.
But the combination and taste of the core is the same: there are only a small amount of Thai ingredients, and most of them are available in supermarkets, and you can copy or improve the dishes at typical nearby Thai restaurants.
There are some ingredients that are unfamiliar to most American chefs, but the dishes I offer here are consistent with the minimalist mission: Although there is no fuss, the result is
I will not pretend, however, that they offer a really wide range of dishes.
Thailand, like Italy, is a country with many local cuisines.
We have cumin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices in the areas we work with India;
The region rich in peppers makes the food very hot, and there are some areas that rely heavily on fresh green pepper.
The location of the country ensures no real Thai food.
So the approach I am providing here is necessarily selective, though not without logic.
Just as the dishes of Paris and Rome combine with the local dishes of their country, we usually think that the taste that belongs to Thailand is the taste of Bangkok.
From a Bangkok perspective, for this discussion, leaving aside the obvious regional differences, there are relatively few ingredients that can be used to define Thai cooking.
There are several overriding principles.
Advertising many Thai dishes is not different from what we call Curry, but although they may contain curry powder, they are more based on a combination of herbs and aromatic vegetables than dry spices.
A typical dish may be a mixture of garlic, scallions, peppers, lemon leaves, sugar, and Gao Liangjiang (or ginger).
This strong combination of flavors has three basic flavors-
Sweet, sour, salty.
Pepper that provides heat (
Not exactly the taste)
, Is also common, but the number of them varies easily and often depending on taste.
During my visit to Thailand last winter, some local residents insisted that it would be wise to learn how to say "not too hot" in Thai, as the food in most restaurants is spicy.
By searching my notes, the word "hot" was found in almost every line.
Herbs are used for fresh dishes, but the sweet Trinity (
Usually palm sugar or coconut milk, but usually ordinary sugar), salty (
In the form of nam pla or fish sauce and salt)and sour (
Several forms of lime, and tamarind)is all-
Important, ideal balance.
Therefore, a common snack that perfectly reflects the taste of Thailand is a green mango slice (which is sour)
Soak in a mixture of salt, sugar and pepper.
Even desserts combine all these flavors;
I had a sweet bean pancake with chili peppers, and the decoration of green onions and green lime.
Rice is served for most foods;
Noodles that are also popular are not considered local. (
When asked about Thai Fried River flour, a chef said to me, "It's not even Thai food, it's Chinese food. '')There is short-grain rice (
Can be cooked like long meat
Grain Rice, the ratio of two portions of water and one portion of rice)
But more popular is glutinous rice, also known as glutinous rice or sweet rice.
Not only are delicious dishes served here, but desserts are also served.
It's great and worth a try.
While the recipes here provide the basics of Thai cooking, these principles can be further reduced.
Just make a basic stir
You can choose to fry or stew, but season with garlic, ginger or ginger, pepper, lemon grass and lime and finish with nam pla.
I promise that this dish will be as legal as what you order from the Thai takeout on the corner ---
This may also make you more satisfied.
It takes a short shopping list to learn about Thai ingredients to make a basic Thai food pantry, and maybe a grocery store in Asia, although many of these ingredients are also sold in supermarkets. CHILIES --
Usually very small, very hot.
If necessary, you can use crushed red pepper slices. (
Wear latex gloves when handling peppers, or wash your hands very thoroughly afterwards. )
Advertising coconut milk--
Which is the most convenient to sell canned goods (
There's even a lowfat version)
But can be made at home: dry 1 cup (unsweetened)
Put a cup of boiled coconut in the blender.
Stir carefully for about 15 seconds and then sit for 10 minutes.
Filter with milk. (
If you wish, you can repeat the process with the same ground coconut and make the second batch of thinner milk. )GALANGAL --
The next of kin of ginger, though a bit pungent.
Ginger is a good alternative. HERBS --
Coriander, mint or basil (
Especially Thai basil, which is especially fragrant)
It is a common ornament.
You can't trade strictly, but you can cheat. LEMON GRASS --Long, scallion-
Like a stalk with an irreplaceable flavor (
No cheating here. .
To use, peel off the hardest outer layer and scratch the stem with the back of the knife.
Or peel off all the tough layers to reveal the soft core and minced meat. LIME LEAVES --
Sale of fresh or dry goods;
Fresh is much better.
Lemon peel can be used as a replacement. NAM PLA --
A ubiquitous fish sauce, made of fermented fish and salt, usually used instead of all or most of the salt in the dish. RICE NOODLES --
Using rice sticks, this is Rome-to-
In most cases, the fettuccine size.
On this page, cook vegetarian rice noodles with basil recipes. STICKY RICE --
Delicious, light sweet rice that needs special treatment.
Take four cups and soak one and a half to two cups of rice in the water for an hour to cover.
Loth bag with cheese (
Or clean kitchen towels)
Then steam the water for about 10 minutes in a covered pan or until it becomes soft. LEMON-GRASS-
Time: 30 minutes 6 cups of chicken soup 3 stalks lemon grass 4 Nickel
Ging3 or 4 small peppers, 2 tablespoons South PLA (fish sauce)
Or taste about chopped oyster mushrooms from 6 to 8 ounces, 2 teaspoons of chopped lime leaves or 1 cup of lime juice from lime1/4 cups of chopped coriander leaves. 1.
Heat inventory with medium heat.
Trim two lemons
The Straw stems of their hardest outer layers, and then graze them with the back of the knife;
Cut them into segments and add them to the stock with ginger and about 1/4 chopped peppers.
The Sim is about 15 minutes and will take longer if you have time.
Peel off all the hard layers from the remaining stems of the lemon grass and chop up its soft kernel. 2.
When you are ready to eat soup, remove the lemon grass and ginger.
Add 1 tablespoon nam pla and chopped mushrooms.
Taste the broth and add more peppers if you wish and some salt if needed.
At the bottom of the 4 warm bowls, sprinkle a little Chilean, lemon leaf or zest, lemon juice, coriander and chopped lemon grass. 3.
Pour the soup into the bowl and add a teaspoon of nam pla to each bowl.
Supply hot pipes.
Output: 4 copies.
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Stewed spicy chicken with lemon grass and lime Time: 45 minutes 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon chopped ginger or ginger 1 teaspoon or taste 1 teaspoon turmeric1 teaspoon grated coriander 1 teaspoon sugar 2 stalk lemon grass 1 3-
Pound heavy chicken, cut into small pieces and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped lime leaves or zest2 tbsp nam pla1/4 cups chopped coriander leaves. 1.
Place the oil in a large, deep frying pan and heat it to medium temperature.
Add scallions, garlic, ginger, and peppers, and stir frequently until the vegetables are soft and mix paste.
Add ginger, coriander and sugar and stir for a minute.
Trim the hardest outer layer of the lemon grass stems, and then scratch them with the back of the knife;
Cut them into parts and add them to the mixture together with 1 glass of water. 2.
Add the chicken, turn it over once or twice in the sauce, then nestle in the sauce;
Season with a little salt and pepper.
Turn down the heat and cover the frying pan.
Cook once or twice until the chicken is cooked for 20 to 30 minutes. Advertisement3.
Uncover the frying pan and raise the heat to mediumhigh;
Chicken skin-side down. Let most (but not all)
After the liquid evaporates, the chicken turns slightly yellow at the bottom.
Stir in lime leaves and nam pla;
Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then decorate and serve with white rice.
Output: 4 copies.
BASILTime vegetarian rice noodles: 40 minutes 12 oz rice stick noodles 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 teaspoon chopped hot pepper, or crushed red pepper slices, or taste 1 teaspoon of sugar salt and 2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper South pla or 1 tablespoon of lime juice or 1/2 cups of chopped Thai or other basil or mint. 1.
Soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 30 minutes.
At the same time, cook a pot of water.
When the noodles soften, Drain the noodles and then immerse the noodles in boiling water for about 30 seconds.
Flush with drainage. 2.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan (
Best not to stick)over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and pepper and stir for about 30 seconds.
Heat to high temperature, add noodles and sugar and stir to the coating.
Season with salt and pepper. 3.
When the noodles are hot, add the PLA and lime.
Seasoning and adjust the seasoning. add basil or mint to stir it evenly.
Output: 4 yellow curry shrimp: 30 minutes 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 cup chopped onion advertise 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon chopped ginger or ginger 1 teaspoon chopped pepper or taste 1 tablespoon curry powder, or taste 1 cup of fresh or canned coconut milk in 1/2 to 2 pounds-to-
Prawns, peeledSalt and freshly ground 2 tablespoons of black pepper nam pla or sample 1/4 cups of chopped coriander or mint leaves. 1.
Place the oil in a large, deep frying pan and heat it to medium temperature.
Add onions, garlic, ginger, and peppers and stir frequently until the vegetables are soft and the mixture is fragrant.
Add curry and stir for another minute. 2.
Add coconut milk, heat to medium-high.
Cook and stir occasionally until the mixture is almost dry.
Add shrimp, a few needles of salt and a little black pepper and stir regularly until the shrimp releases the liquid (
The mixture will get quite wet again)and turn pink. 3.
Add half of the nam pla, stir, then taste, and add the rest if necessary.
Decorated with coriander and served with white rice or glutinous rice.
Output: 4 copies.
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A version of this article was printed on page F00001 of the National edition on October 7, 1998, with the title: minimalism;
The essence of Thai cooking.