Thai Basil: A great herb to try

We don't go to the Asian grocery stores very often. But whenever we go, I make sure that a pack of fresh Thai Basil lands in our shopping cart. Ever since I got back from a Bangkok trip 5 years ago, I have been mesmerised by Thai cuisine. There's something intriguing in Thai cuisine. No doubt it's almost always spicy, rich-because of the coconut milk used. But on top of that there's something else. Something uniquely Thai. Maybe it's the spice and herb they use.

Ironically, the mystery is only solved after 5 years and a move to another continent later. I finally learn that part of the mystery flavor is imparted by Thai Basil. Ever since my first encounter with Thai Basil, I use it in every single Thai recipes. And it never fails to offer the flavor I love and miss from Thailand. Unlike the sweet basil which we use in Italian cooking, Thai Basil has a more assertive flavor. OCT think it's pungent. However, I find it hard to express in words its complexity. For some reason, it reminds me of fennel bulb. Other than that, Thai Basil is a highly compatible herb with Asian cuisine. I like to add it towards the end when cooking red/green curry. Sometime even in sweet and sour dish, which one could associate with Chinese/Thai cuisine.

Recently I find another use of this beloved herb in a recipe from July issue of Bon Appetit. A glance at the ingredient list, I know it would be perfect for our weekly vegetarian meal. The original recipe used egg noodle, but I swapped it with angel hair with no problem. Despite its simplicity, this dish is one which packs with lots of Oriental flavors. The use of three types of fragrant oil with ginger, garlic and vinegar is certainly a clever way to infuse lots of flavors without loading on fat. I further reduced the amount of oil by 1.5 tablespoons and increased 2 more cloves of garlic without missing much flavor. It was a perfect light Oriental meal for summer.

Thai basil may seems unassuming, but adding it to any stirfry, or in this case pasta; would instantly enhance the flavor. If you haven't already tried cooking with Thai basil, I strongly urge to do so. It would certainly surprises you how simple it is to add a "Thai touch" to the standard stirfry.

I am submitting this dish which features Thai Basil as my first entry to Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Myriam of Once upon a Tart this round, and be sure to check out more about Weekend Herb Blogging at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Spicy Sesame Noodle with Chopped Nuts and Thai Basil
adapted from July 2007 Bon Appetit

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced ( I used 4 gloves,because I love garlic!)
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil (I used 1.5 Tbps)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil*
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 1/16 inch in diameter) or fresh angel hair pasta ( I used dried angel hair)
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves

*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.

Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce. Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles. Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour. Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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Just dinners

I better blog about what we had for dinners before I totally forget about them. Not that any of them were memorable or spectacular, but I just want to leave a record of what we have been eating lately. And hopefully be able to trace the culprit/s of my recent weight gain!

With the abundance of asparagus this time of year, we couldn't resist another meal of asparagus pesto melts. It's a new favorite for us. OCT thought it's fancy enough to entertain friends with these. But I am not sure. It's always messy when we eat them. (Think asparagus rolling down from the sourdough everytime OCT had a bite) Maybe I should try to add more sauce or cheese to glue the fillings together. But I am hesistated to do that.



Our little endeavour to go meatless once a week went well. This week, we had pasta primevera on Tuesday night. It wasn't as nice as the meatless meal we had last week, but it was ok. With lots of broccoli (OCT's fave), asparagus (my fave), among other green veggies, we had a filling and guilt-free dinner.



Thai Shrimp Cakes, is one of the recipes I attempted as I am cooking through my Thai Cookbook. If it's not because these cakes had to be deep-fried, I would have made them ages ago. The perfect opportunity arose when we had friends over for dinner last week. I guess sometime I just need a little nudge to go the extra mile. I would never have the motivation to make this dish just for the two of us.


Coming back to the Shrimp Cakes. Eventhough I have never ordered this appertiser from Thai restaurants, I liked how it turned out nonetheless. The taste of curry and shrimp in every bite was just fantastic. However, OCT thought it was a waste of fresh shrimps, as the curry taste has overpowered the fresh shrimps. The shrimps could taste better in other dishes, he reasoned. Maybe he's right, I will just use smaller shrimps when I make these again.

Pasta Primavera
Adapted from Cookinglight

2 cups green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 2 ounces)
6 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (omitted)
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (used flat leaf parsley)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add peas, and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes.

Combine half-and-half and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half-and-half mixture and salt to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

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More Thai Cuisine: Thai Seafood Noodle

I think I am hooked on Thai food. Fish sauce, to be more specific. Yes, I know it's weird, but I am afraid I have fallen in love with fish sauce. The complex taste that I savoured in so many Thai dishes, but could'nt pinpoint what was THAT ingredient that contributed to the exciting taste. Now I know. It's fish sauce.

Thais are clever, because they use fish sauce in place of salt. With fish sauce, they can achieve more sophisticated flavours with fewer ingredients.


This recipe that I have choosen for our weeknight meal is an " all-in-one-wok winner".Although OCT may not be the most picky eater, he insists on having a balance meal everyday. With balance, I mean the inclusive of carbohydrate ( any type of grains, preferably rice), protein (in the form of meat, definitely not TOFU, we consider tofu a vegetable dish. weird, i know) and fibre (which is vegetable). The Thai Seafood Noodle I have selected, consists of all of the above. And it tastes great.




(Recipe will be uploaded soon)

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Pineapple Fried Rice and Onion Mustard Monkey Bread

I made more rice the previous night so that I could have enough to experiment on another Thai recipe - Pineapple Fried Rice. Although we have been making our version of Pineapple Fried Rice for quite some time now, I decided to follow the recipe and see how different would it turn out compared to ours.

According to the book, this recipe uses only fish sauce and soy sauce to flavour the meat and rice. My usual version normally include sesame oil, oyster sauce, ketchup and rice vinegar. But the simple version from the book actually yields a more authentic Thai flavour. The taste and smell of fish sauce is more distinct here, without the distractions from other sauces.

The original recipe called for cashew nuts, but I used peanuts, because that's what I have on hand. The marriage of crunchy nuts, soft tangy pineapple chunks, juicy prawn and chicken with rice make this Oriental Fried Rice a destined crowd pleaser.

The cold weather also make me crave for some warm fresh bread. As a result, I made half a recipe of Onion and Mustard Monkey Bread from Food and Wine magazine. It would be the perfect side dish with roast chicken or pot roast. But we were too engrossed with the fried rice and ended up not eating much of the bread. I kept 4/5 of the bread in a paper bag, hoping that it will not turning into an inedible rock the next day. It looked absolutely stunning when it first came out from the oven. From the little piece that I ate, I know that this is going to be a keeper. As for OCT? He prefers RICE over any other types of grains anytime. He will be very grumpy if he didn't get his RICE fix every few days.....

Onion Mustard Monkey Bread
adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope dry active yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 teaspoon chopped thyme


In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the milk and sugar and heat just until warm. Transfer to a large bowl, stir in the yeast and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt until a sticky dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 5 minutes. Oil the bowl and return the dough to it. Cover with plastic and let stand in a draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Butter a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch log and cut each log in 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, 6 minutes. Stir in the mustard, chives and thyme. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter; stir until melted. Season lightly with salt and transfer to the large bowl to cool slightly. Add half of the dough balls and turn to coat with the onion mixture. Arrange the balls in the bottom of the pan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand until risen to the top of the pan, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Bake the bread in the lower third of the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden. Cover the pan loosely with foil, reduce the oven temperature to 375° and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until risen. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Set an inverted plate on top and turn the bread out onto it. Set another plate on top and invert the bread so it’s right side up. Break into rolls or cut into slices.

MAKE AHEAD: The bread can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight.

Note: I halved the recipe, and make it in a 9-inch loaf pan.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice ( Khao Phad Suparod)

2.5 cups cooked rice
4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast
8 large shrimps, shelled, deveined (5 oz/150g)
1/2 cup pineapple chunk
6 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 eggs
3 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews
2 stems green onion, thinly chopped
strips of red pepper
fresh coriander leaves
slices of tomato and cucumber

Slice the chicken into 1/4inch/5-mm strips. Reserve along with the shrimps.

Heat oil in a wok (or a large frying pan) until it is just about to smoke. Add garlic and stirfry for 30 seconds. Add chicken and shrimps and stirfry for 1-1.5 minutes, until the meats have turned white, then decrease heat to medium high. Break the eggs directly into the wok. Fry the egg without breaking them up for 2 minutes, until they are partially set.

Push the eggs and meat to one side of the wok, and add the rice to the other side. Add soy sauce and fish sauce on the rice and then using a shoveling motion, combine the 2 sides of the wok, tossing- stirring for 2 minutes, mixing the rice with the eggs, chicken and shrimp, working from the bottom up so that all the rice has a chance to fry in the oil and everything is integrated.

Sprinkle black pepper on the rice and add cashews, green onion and the reserved pineapple chunks. Toss-stir for 1- 2 minutes, folding the new ingredients into the rice and then remove fom heat. Transfer to a serving dish and top with red pepper strips and fresh coriander leaves.

Garnish sides with slices of tomato and cucumber. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-4

Note: Use the ingredient list as a guideline and season the fried rice as you cook.

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Exploring Thai Recipes

One of the highlights on this week's menu is Thai food on Wednesday. I got this Thai recipe book from the library that really put me into the mood of cooking Thai food. Building on what I have on hand, I decided to make a Sweet and Sour Pork and Shrimp with Green Beans in Chilli Sauce.

In many ways, recipes from Southeast Asia share many similarities. Like the condiments they use. But here, I want to talk about Thai Food only. Most of the Thai recipes use soy sauce, lime leaves, lime juice, fish sauce, different kinds of curry pastes, tamarind and coconut milk. Fish sauce in particular, is the essence of Thai food (in my humble opinion, of course). It never fails to appear in any recipes. I guess they use it in the same way we use salt?

Because I wanted to get the flavor right, I followed the recipe religiously. Most of the time when I cook, I just eyeball everything. But not on this. I didn't want to mess with this and end up having yet another disappointing dinner. My effort was paid off when we finally sat down for dinner. Both dishes turned out great~

I am so proud that I made the sweet and sour sauce from scratch! Although it was not exactly my own recipe, but nevertheless, it's still better than using the ready mix sauce that who knows how much MSG is in there! And the aroma and bright colours of this dish lifted up my spirit on the cold gloomy night.

The Shrimp with Green Beans in Chilli Sauce was nice too. Except that it's kind of too spicy for both of us. I believe this can easily modified to suit our taste in the future. But I like the technique of stirfrying the curry paste before adding other ingredients, instead of diluting the paste first, like in other recipes. The heat of the pan helped the curry paste to release some of its flavour before it was mixed with the prawn and green beans. It would have been nicer if I have lime leaves and lime on hand. I am sure the dishes would taste more authentic that way. But for the time being, lemon juice is a good substitute.

With dishes like these, it's no surprise that we each had an extra bowl of rice.

Sweet and Sour Pork (Moo Preow Waan)

10 oz trimmed pork tenderloin
1/2 tsp tomato paste (or 2 tbsp of ketchup dissolved in 1 tbsp water)
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice (or white) vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 small onion, roughly chopped
1/3 medium red pepper, cut into 1 inch/2.5 cm squares
1/2 small tomato, cut into 1 inch/ 2.5cm chunks
1.5 inches english cucumber, cut into 1 inch/2.5 cm wedges
1 cup pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch/1 cm pieces
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
pinch black pepper
strips of red pepper
fresh coriander leaves

Slice tenderloin into strips that are 1/4 inch/5mm thick, 2 inches/5cm long and about 1 inch/2.5cm wide. If you find it difficult to cut thinly through fresh meat, leave it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden slightly, then slice. Reserve.

In a small bowl mix together tomato paste, water, fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice and sugar and beat until blended. Reserve.

Heat oil in a wok (or a large frying pan) until it is just about to smoke. Add garlic and stirfry for 30 second. Immediately add reserved pork and stirfry for 2-3 minutes until all th pork has fried in the oil and is turning white. Add onion, red pepper, tomato, cucumber and pineapple as well as soy sauce and black pepper and stirfry for 2 minutes, unitl all the vegetables have begun to wilt.

Add reserve sauce (tomato paste etc, stirfry for 1-2 minutes until everything is integrated and shiny. Dissolve cornstarch in water, add to work and stirfry for less than a minute, until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Take off heat.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with stips o red pepper and coriander leaves. Serve immediately, accompanied by steamed rice.

serves 4.

Shrimps with Green Beans in Chili Sauce (Phad Prik Khing Goong)

4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp red curry paste
2 lime leaves, cut into quarters
1 cup water
16 large shrimps, shelled and deveined (10 oz/300g)
14 long green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch/2.5c.m pieces
1 tbsp sugar
strips of red pepper
fresh coriander leaves

Heat oil in the wok (or a large frying pan) on high heat until it is just about to smoke. Add the red curry paste and stir to dissolve for 30 seconds. Turn heat down to medium low and stir cook for another 30 seconds. Add lime leaves and stir fry for 1 minute. Turn heat back to maximum and add 1/2 cup/ 125ml of the water and stir cook for 1 minute.

Add shrimps, green beans and sugar. Stir fry for 1 minute. Turn heat down to medium heat, and add the rest of the water (1/2 cup / 125ml). Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until shrimps are pink white and springy. Take off heat.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with red pepper strips and coriander leaves. Serve immediately, accompanied by steamed rice.

Serves 3 to 4.

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