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Kabocha Squash and Basil Stir-Fry

by 7 Comments

One of my favourite dishes growing up is kabocha squash stir fry with scrambled eggs and Thai basil. In Western culture, squash is used for many things but rarely a stir fry, but it really is a fantastic way to do it! Kabocha squash is creamier, sweeter than butternut squash, and bonus: you don't have to peel it!

What is Faktong Pad Kai?

Faktong pad kai ฟักทองผัดไข่ is a stir fry of creamy sweet squash with eggs and Thai basil. Sometimes it's called pad faktong which simply means "stir fried pumpkins," which theoretically can mean any kind of stir fried pumpkin, but this egg and Thai basil version is the most common.

It is one of the most rustic Thai dishes that people often make at home, but it's also a common dish in raan khao gaeng, places that sell curries, stir fries, and other dishes all ready-made, and all you have to do is point to what you want the they will scoop it over a plate of rice.

In Thailand we typically use Thai pumpkins for this dish, but here I use kabocha squash which have a flavour and texture that's basically the same as Thai pumpkins. Thai pumpkins are much larger, so they're often sold pre-cut in smaller wedges, and unlike kabocha, the skins need to be peeled.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success.

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need and important notes about them. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Kabocha squash, cut into bite-sized, ¼" thick slices. It is easiest to first cut into 1-inch thick wedge, then slide the wedge crosswise into ¼-inch thick pieces. Kabocha squash skin does not need to be peeled, however, if you see woody blemishes on the skin, remove those. Having said that, some people prefer peeling at least some of the skin off for a smoother texture.
  • Garlic, roughly chopped
  • Oyster sauce. To make this vegetarian, you can use vegetarian oyster sauce or see my vegetarian sauce modification below.
  • Soy sauce
  • Fish sauce. This is optional, you can simply use more soy sauce, or use the vegetarian modification below.
  • Sugar
  • Ground white pepper, or black pepper
  • Eggs, for vegans you can substitute crumbled firm tofu or omit the eggs altogether and increase the amount of squash slightly.
  • Thai basil or regular Italian basil works beautifully. If you wanna keep it a simple side dish, it'll also be delicious without any basil!

How to Make Kabocha Squash Stir-Fry

Here's a bird's eye view of how to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success. The technique involved might be a bit unusual, so it's one of those recipes that's easier understood visually!

process shots for how to make kabocha stir fry steps 1-4
  1. Heat a little oil in a wok over medium heat and add chopped garlic, stir until the garlic starts to turn golden.
  2. Add squash and toss in the oil. Add the water,
  3. Then add all of the seasoning sauces, sugar, and white pepper.
  4. Cover and let it cook for about 4 minutes if the squash is cut the same size as shown (¼-inch thick). At this point the squash should be a little firmer than ideal. Check the doneness of the squash by poking a piece with a fork and it should go through with a slight resistance.
process shots for how to make kabocha stir fry steps 5-8
  1. Push the squash to the side and add the eggs and break the yolks with your spatula and then let the eggs set without stirring, and you can put the squash on top of the eggs.
  2. Once the the eggs cook until it's about 70% set, then toss gently to mix the egg and the squash and to let the eggs cook completely. Be gentle to keep the eggs in chunks.
  3. Turn off the heat and stir in Thai basil just to wilt.
  4. Serve with jasmine rice or as a side dish to your dinner! This is also a great recipe to serve with some prik nam pla condiment on the side!

Garlic Pepper Chicken (gai pad gratiem)

by 12 Comments

This recipe has become a staple of many HTK fans! It's one of those dishes that looks too simple to be delicious, but trust me, it's going to surprise you in a big way. Gai pad gratiem is a homey, rustic Thai dish that is a staple for many families, especially those with kids.

a plate of garlic pepper chicken

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Chicken breast or thigh, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-cm thick slices.
  • Garlic, chopped
  • Oyster sauce, see my post on how to choose good oyster sauce.
  • Soy sauce, I am using Thai soy sauce for this recipe, but any kind of soy sauce you have is fine (but not dark soy sauce). Learn more about soy sauce here.
  • Golden Mountain sauce, this is another type of soy sauce commonly used in Thai cuisine. It has a flavour similar to Maggi Seasoning, so you can use that instead if you have it, or simply substitute regular soy sauce.
  • Fish sauce, see my post on how to choose good fish sauce here.
  • Black soy sauce, this is the Thai version of dark soy sauce. This is added mostly for colour, and it is okay to omit it if you don't have it.
  • Sugar
  • Ground black and white pepper, I like a combination, but on or the other is also fine.
  • Cilantro, cut the cilantro sprigs in half, separating parts with leaves from parts without. Chop them and keep the two separate. If you don't like cilantro, green onions will work.

How to Make Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Mix chicken with oyster sauce, soy sauce, Golden Mountain Sauce, fish sauce, white pepper, and black pepper. Set aside while you fry garlic.
  2. In a small pot or wok, add about ¼-inch of oil and turn the heat on medium-low, adding one test piece of garlic and wait for it to bubble. Once it bubbles, add the rest of the garlic.
  3. Keeping the bubbling gentle, fry until the garlic turns golden (not brown) and the bubbling has mostly stopped, about 5 minutes.
  4. Drain garlic from oil, reserving the oil.
  5. In a wok, add about 2 tablespoon of the garlic oil and heat over high heat. Pour a tablespoon or so of the remaining garlic oil into the marinated chicken and stir to lubricate. (Keep any extra garlic oil in the fridge and you can use it to cook anything else).
  6. When oil is hot, add the chicken and sugar, then stir until chicken is cooked. You can add a splash of water if the chicken sticks, or if you want more sauce in the final product. You can also add a little bit more black soy sauce if you want a darker colour.
  7. When the chicken is cooked, stir in half of the fried garlic and chopped cilantro stems, and remove from heat.
  8. Just before serving, sprinkle over the remaining fried garlic and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with jasmine rice, but it can also be wonderful when added to other dishes such as pasta, noodles, salads, wraps, and omelettes!

Recipe Card

Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)

by 120 Comments

Tom yum goong maybe the most famous soup of Thailand, but its milder creamier sister, tom kha gai, is my personal favourite. This comforting Thai coconut chicken soup recipe is infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves. It's so easy yet so loveable that when someone asks, "I'm new to Thai food, what should I try/make first?" Tom kha gai is my answer.

A bowl of tom kha gai soup

What is Tom Kha Gai?

Tom kha gai ต้มข่าไก่, which is sometimes spelled tom ka gai or tom kha kai, is one of the most popular soups amongst Thai food lovers. Tom means to boil, kha means galangal, and gai means chicken. So it's a chicken soup whose main flavour comes from galangal, but another key component not mentioned in the soup is coconut milk.

Tom kha gai soup is available at nearly every Thai restaurant overseas, but because it's such an easy recipe, it's a dish that's perfect for simple weeknight home cooking. Though chicken is the original version, you can make tom kha using other proteins. Typically in Thailand, alternative proteins are fish or seafood, as they pair best with the flavour profile of tom kha soup.

Tom kha gai is a great dish to make for a party because it is gluten-free, not too spicy, has easy-to-love flavours, and it can be made vegan with modifications I provide later on in this article.

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients for my tom kha gai recipe and important notes about them. For the amounts, see the full recipe card below. There aren't that many, but each one is critical to the flavour of the soup. Kha in the soup name refers to the galangal, so that's the the one ingredient that cannot be substituted.

ingredients for tom kha gai soup

If you want to learn more about some of the Thai ingredients listed below, simply click the link to watch my "101" videos on them!

How to Make Tom Kha Soup

Here's a bird's eye view of how to make tom kha gai, but to ensure success, be sure to watch the video tutorial in the recipe card below as it's always good to see how it's done, and I often include extra tips you don't want to miss!

  1. Bring chicken stock and salt to a boil, add the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
  2. Add coconut milk.
  3. Add the herbs and chilies.
  4. Add the mushrooms.
Process shots for making tom kha gai steps 5-8
  1. Add about half of the fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Turn off the heat and add most of the lime juice, holding back a little. Taste and add more of the reserved fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
  3. Stir in chopped cilantro and/or green onions.
  4. Serve on its own or with jasmine rice!

Vegan Adaptability

Even though chicken is at the heart of this soup ("gai" in tom kha gai means chicken), there is a way to make a vegan version that's equally satisfying. Here are some simple modifications:

  • Use vegetable broth instead of chicken. I recommend checking out the veggie stock I made for my mushroom tom yum recipe. I don't recommend Western-style store bought vegetable broth as those tend to have a flavour that doesn't work here.
  • Instead of chicken, I love using just a fun mix of Asian mushrooms. Oyster, shimeji, fresh shiitake, or maitake are all great candidates. Of course you can substitute tofu instead if you like it.
  • Add some tomatoes. Since there's only mushrooms, to add some variety and extra umami, I love to add tomatoes. Using halved cherry tomatoes are better as they are less likely to turn to mush in the soup. The combination of tomato and coconut is divine.
  • Use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

Shortcut: Making Tom Kha Gai Without Chicken Stock

If you don't have any chicken stock, you can make tom kha gai with water, but obviously you will be giving up some flavour. But there is a trick that will not result in any flavour compromise! Instead of boneless chicken thighs, use chicken drumettes. The bones and collagen will make the broth rich and delicious, you're basically making chicken stock WHILE making the soup itself! The methods will remain the same, but if your drumettes are large you will need to increase the initial simmering time to 20 minutes.

This is the technique I use in my quick and easy tom yum chicken wings recipe, so check that recipe out if you want to see how this technique works!

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use instead of galangal?

For this dish, nothing. kha means galangal, so you really can't make this soup without it. However, if fresh isn't available, look for frozen galangal which works perfectly, and if needed you can use dried galangal as well.

No, ginger is not a good substitute for galangal. But if you decide to use ginger instead anyway, know that the flavour of the soup is going to be quite different from the galangal version.

Can I make tom kha gai soup in advance?

Tom kha gai is a great soup to make in advance as it keeps well and reheats well. It will last up to a week in the fridge, and it can also be frozen. Ideally you should leave out the lime juice and green onions/cilantro and add them when ready to serve for the best flavour. I'd also put a note on the container to remind yourself to add the lime so you don't forget!

To reheat, you can simply microwave it or reheat it stovetop.

A bowl of tom kha gai soup

Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)

By: Pailin Chongchitnant
Comforting Thai chicken soup enriched with coconut milk and infused with lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves.
4.95 from 56 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings
Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups chicken stock, unsalted, preferably homemade
  • 1 ½ cups coconut milk, (see note 1)
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless skinless, cut 1-inch pieces (see note 2)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed and cut in 2-inch pieces
  • 12 thin slices galangal, (see note 3)
  • 5 makrut lime leaves, twisted to bruise and torn into big chunks
  • 1-3 Thai chilies, to taste, smashed until broken or cut into large pieces
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar,  or granulated sugar
  • 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
  • 2 ½ tablespoon lime juice
  • chopped green onion and/or cilantro, for garnish
  • Jasmine rice, for serving, optional

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Notes

  1. For a lighter soup, you can add reduce the coconut milk by about ½ cup and increase the chicken stock by the same amount.
  2. If using chicken breast, cut into ½-inch thick slices and marinate in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce while you're prepping. Skip step #1 as chicken breast does not need to be simmered and is best cooked only briefly, and omit the salt. Reduce the chicken stock to 1 ½ cups and add it at step #2. Add the chicken breast to the soup at the end along with the mushrooms in step #3 and cook for a couple of minutes just until the chicken is done. Be sure to taste and adjust the salt at the end!
  3. The lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves are meant for infusion only and not meant to be eaten. Please inform your guests or remove them before serving.

FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video to ensure success. If you enjoy them, consider subscribing to the YouTube Channel to not miss an episode. Thank you!

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Instructions
 

  • Bring chicken stock to a boil, then add the salt and chicken thigh. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.
    2 cups chicken stock, ½ teaspoon table salt, 1 lb chicken thigh
  • Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, mushrooms, about half of the fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
    1 ½ cups coconut milk, 1 stalk lemongrass, 12 thin slices galangal, 5 makrut lime leaves, 1-3 Thai chilies, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar, 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms
  • Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add about 2 tablespoon of the lime juice, then taste and add more as needed. Top with green onions and/or cilantro.
    2 ½ tablespoon lime juice, chopped green onion and/or cilantro
  • Serve with jasmine rice as part of a larger Thai meal, or enjoy on its own. See this video about how to eat a Thai meal for how Thai people serve soup!
    (Note: the herbs are for infusion only and are not meant to be eaten. Either remove them before serving or inform your guests.)
    Jasmine rice
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Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 25gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1426mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 52IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 5mg
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Spicy Thai Egg Salad ยำไข่ต้ม (yum kai tom)

by 1 Comment

The best egg salad is a Thai egg salad! Forget the mayo and bring on the fish sauce - this will change the way you think about egg salad forever. It's light and refreshing with bright flavours. Served on its own as an appetizer or with rice.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

The Dressing

  • Thai chilies
  • Lime juice
  • Fish sauce
  • Palm sugar, finely chopped

The Salad

  • Large eggs, duck or chicken
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Green onion, chopped
  • Shallots, thinly sliced
  • Sawtooth coriander, julienned (optional)
  • Lemongrass (from bottom half), finely sliced
  • Dried shrimp

How to Make Spicy Thai Egg Salad ยำไข่ต้ม (yum kai tom)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Bring water to a full boil, then add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. When finished, shock the eggs in cold water. When cool, peel and set aside.
  2. Soak dried shrimp in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Drain, then pound in a mortar and pestle until the shrimp are shredded into fluffy bits. Alternatively, grind dry shrimp in a coffee or spice grinder until fine (no need to soak the shrimp if using an electric grinder).
  3. Pound chilies in a mortar and pestle until there are no big chunks. Add palm sugar and pound to dissolve. Add lime juice and fish sauce, and stir to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  4. Pour the dressing into a mixing bowl (or use your mortar as the mixing bowl if it's big enough!) and toss in all the herbs and half of the dried shrimp.
  5. Cut the eggs in half and place them on a plate, cut side up. Distribute the herb salad over the eggs, and pour any remaining dressing over.
  6. Top the eggs with the remaining shredded dried shrimp. Serve as an appetizer or with jasmine rice as part of a meal. Enjoy!

Authentic Thai Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Tom Yum Gai)

by 12 Comments

Tom Yum Goong (tom yum soup with shrimp) might be the most famous version of this Thai hot and sour soup, but the chicken version is just as delicious and I find it is actually more comforting. There's a little more to it than simply substituting chicken for shrimp, as Thai people have figured out the best flavour pairings for these two different proteins.

a bowl of tom yum chicken

Tom yum is a brothy, spicy and sour soup, infused with the classic Thai herbs: lemongrass, galangal and makrut (kaffir lime leaves). We make all kinds of tom yum in Thailand, so if you're wanting to explore, also check out my tom yum soup with fish, and a vegetarian tom yum soup!

Got ingredients leftover? You must make this easy tom kha gai recipe. It has uses all the same herbs, but is milder and creamier with the addition of coconut milk. If you love tom yum, I know you will also love tom kha gai.

For a Thai soup that doesn't use any hard-to-find ingredients, try this chicken potato soup that is super comforting and was a staple in my family in Thailand!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Chicken stock, unsalted. While it is okay to use store bought stock for an easy meal, for the best Thai flavour I recommend making a batch of homemade Thai style chicken stock, or at least a plain stock that doesn't have distinct flavours of Western herbs.
  • Chicken thigh, boneless skinless, cut in 1-inch pieces
  • Fish sauce. See this post for how to choose good fish sauce
  • Dried spicy chilies, any small dried chilies such as arbol chilies or the kind you find at Chinese grocery stores are fine. (Or substitute fresh chilies)
  • Shallots, cut in half vertically.
  • Lemongrass, bottom half only. Smash the stalk until broken then cut into 1-2 inch pieces.
  • Galangal, thinly slice into rounds.
  • Makrut lime leaves, previously known as kaffir lime leaves
  • Tamarind paste, you can use store bought Thai tamarind paste which is often labeled as "tamarind concentrate". It should be a brown colour with a pourable consistency. Better yet, you can make it yourself using tamarind pulp, use my homemade tamarind paste recipe here.
  • Oyster mushrooms, straw mushrooms or shimeji mushrooms.
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved, or regular tomatoes cut into wedges
  • Fresh lime juice (how much you need depends on the acidity of your tamarind)
  • Sugar (you may or may not need this)
  • Cilantro and or sawtooth coriander. If you're not a fan, green onions will be fine.

How to Make Tom Yum Chicken

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium pot. Then add the chicken, 2 tablespoon fish sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is fork tender.
  2. Meanwhile, place the dried chilies on a sheet pan and, without preheating, broil them on LOW in the oven on the top rack. Keep a close eye on the chilies, this should take just a minute or so once the elements are heated. When the chilies puff up and start to char in a few spots, remove from heat and add them directly to the stock pot. If you want a spicier soup, break the chilies in half before adding.
  3. Turn the broiler up to HIGH and broil the shallots, cut side up, until the edges are charred, about 3-5 minutes. Add them to the stock pot.
  4. Once chicken is tender, add the lemongrass and galangal slices. Then use your hands to grab and twist the makrut lime leaves to bruise them, and add them to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
  5. Add 2 tablespoon of the tamarind paste, mushrooms and tomatoes; bring the soup back to a boil.
  6. Once the soup comes back to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining tamarind, lime juice and fish sauce as needed. If the soup feels a little too tart or too sharp, add a teaspoon of sugar which will help balance the salt and the acid.
  7. Stir in cilantro and sawtooth coriander just before serving. Serve with jasmine rice.

Recipe

Red Curry Stir Fry with Chicken (pad ped gai)

by 6 Comments

Pad ped is a Thai red curry stir fry. It's a fantastic way to get the complex flavours of a Thai curry, but with the speed and simplicity of a stir fry. This pad ped recipe uses chicken, sugar snap peas and tomatoes, but you can change up the proteins and vegetables and use whatever you like. The important takeaway here is how to stir fry with curry paste, you can even change up the paste too!

a plate of pad ped

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Thai Long Bean Stir-Fry (pad tua fak yao)

by 8 Comments

This long bean stir fry was always a favourite of mine when I was little. When I was asked, "what do you want for dinner?" I only ever had a few answers, and this was one of them. The crunchy beans and savoury, garlicky sauce were just so good on hot jasmine rice.

Back then we usually added some thinly sliced pork to make it a bit more substantial, but I changed that up to salted duck eggs which make it a little more interesting, but they are totally optional. Long beans are nuttier and firmer and green beans, but if you can't find them, try using French green beans (the skinnier ones) instead.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Coconut Lemongrass Clams หอยลายต้มข่า (hoi lai tom ka)

by 1 Comment

If you know and love the famous Thai soup "Tom Kha Gai", and you like clams, you're going to absolutely love this recipe! Clams are steamed in a wonderful coconut broth infused with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. There are no better ways to cook clams!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Coconut milk
  • Chicken stock
  • Lemongrass, smashed until broken and cut into chunks
  • Galangal
  • Kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
  • Thai chilies, finely chopped
  • Shallot, thinly sliced
  • Palm sugar, finely chopped or granulated sugar
  • Live clams
  • Lime juice
  • Fish sauce or salt, as needed
  • Chopped cilantro and/or green onions

How to Make Coconut Lemongrass Clams หอยลายต้มข่า (hoi lai tom ka)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Clean the clams well in cold water, if the shells feels slimy, give them a scrub. Discard any clams that are broken or are open and won't close after you tap them.

Purging clams of their grits:

  1. If you buy farmed clams from the supermarket, most of them will have been purged, but if you're buying wild clams, ask the vendor if they have been purged.
  2. If not, place the clams in salted water (3 tablespoon sea salt to 2 L water) for about 1 hour without disturbing them. After this time, they should spit out any sand inside them.
  3. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, shallots lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, Thai chilies and sugar to a large pot with a lid.
  4. Cover and bring to a boil. Add clams, cover and cook for 2-3 mins or until all clams are open. Remove from heat, add lime juice, cilantro, and stir to mix. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or salt if needed.
  5. Transfer to a serving bowl. If any clams are still closed, you can try steaming them again for another minute or so to see if they will open (some clams seem to be late bloomers!). If they still don’t open, discard them.

 

Pan Seared Salmon with Thai Corn Salsa

by 3 Comments

This is one of my favorite healthy meals, and is one of my most underrated recipes! The Thai corn and bean salsa uses the same dressing as Thai green papaya salad. And in fact, the idea came to be because my favourite pounded salad is a version made with corn, such as this corn and cucumber salad. It's easy and tasty, perfect for a weeknight!

a plate of seared salmon with corn and bean salsa

The tart citrusy dressing goes very well with fish, so I decided to use it to top salmon, but any other kind of fish will work. You can also change it up by replacing the beans with more corn or cucumber, it's quite flexible. You can even use the salsa to top a taco!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Salmon filet or other fish of your choice
  • Garlic
  • Thai chilies
  • Palm sugar (or substitute light brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup)
  • Lime juice
  • Fish sauce, see my post here about how to choose good fish sauce
  • Corn kernels, I prefer boiling corn on the cobs for best flavour, but frozen or canned will work in a pinch.
  • Long beans, cut into ¼ inch pieces. You can sub blanched French green beans. Long beans can be eaten raw, but green beans should be lightly cooked.
  • Black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
  • Grapefruit, segmented (see video @2:42 for how to segment a grapefruit)
  • Mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • Cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

How to Make Salmon with Corn & Bean Salsa

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Make the dressing: In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chilies into a fine paste. Add palm sugar and pound until mostly dissolved.
  2. Add lime juice and fish sauce and use the pestle to swirl until the sugar is completely dissolved; set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine the corn, black beans and long beans, toss to mix and set aside.
  4. Cook the fish: You can cook the fish however you like—grill, bake, pan-fry, deep-fry, steam—this salsa works with all methods! For my salmon, I salted the filet and pan-seared it for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium doneness.
  5. When the fish is almost ready, finish the salsa by pouring the dressing over the corn and bean mixture. Add the grapefruit segments (do not add the extra juice), mint, cilantro, and toss to mix.
  6. To serve, spoon the salsa over the fish and enjoy on its own or with some jasmine rice!

Recipe

Thai Fried Bananas (gluay kaeg)

by 18 Comments

When I think about Thai street food, these fried bananas, gluay kaeg กล้วยแขก in Thai, are among the first foods to come to mind. Firm, slightly sweet bananas are coated in a super crunchy sesame coconut batter, it's the perfect snack that stands on that delicious line between salty and sweet. Every year I go back to Thailand, and every year I make sure I get myself some fried bananas. They're THAT good.

To be clear, these are not like the tempura-style fried bananas with ice cream that you find in many American Thai restaurants - those aren't a Thai thing. This recipe is for the real deal Thai bananas you find on the streets of Thailand, and they are more of a snack than dessert. Oh and this recipe is naturally gluten free :).

While you've got the frying oil out, also try this easy Thai-style fried ice cream!

Thai Fried Bananas

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Thai Fried Bananas Recipe

Thai Fried Chicken Recipe - Hat Yai Style

by 52 Comments

My goal for this recipe is to prove to you that Thai fried chicken is the best in the world, no exaggeration 😉. Specifically, Hat Yai style fried chicken; Hat Yai being my hometown in southern Thailand. I’ve had fried chicken from all over the world, and I still haven't experienced one better than ours. Read on, then try the recipe (it's really quite easy) and see if you agree!

a plate of thai fried chicken with fried shallots

What is Thai Fried Chicken?

While this particular style of fried chicken originated from Hat Yai, it's now made all over Thailand because it's that good, (and therefore I'm simply calling them Thai fried chicken going forward). It's so popular that Lays Thailand now makes "Hat Yai Fried Chicken" flavour potato chips!

Thai fried chicken has a few unique features:

  1. The marinade/brine - a unique combination of Thai ingredients give them a distinct flavour; and in my version, the added water acts as a brine, which flavours the meat all throughout, so the meat and the crust are flavourful.
  2. The crust - unlike American style fried chicken, these do not have a thick, chunky, craggly crust. It's a thin and crispy crust that enhances, but doesn't overpower, the meat's wonderful flavour.
  3. The fried shallots - these sweet, crispy flakes of fried shallots compliment the chicken, sweetens the sticky rice, and takes the dish to the next level. You can make uber tasty Thai fried chicken without the shallots, but you cannot call it Hat Yai fried chicken without them.

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need for Thai fried chicken. As you can see, it's really all quite basic, but the result will surprise you.

Note: Some people add spices like cumin and coriander seeds to their Hat Yai fried chicken marinade, but the version that I grew up with doesn't have any spices, which I prefer (biased, I know). I also find this simpler version to be a better "everyday" fried chicken that can go with any side dish, Thai or not.

ingredients for thai fried chicken
  • Bone-in skin-on chicken - I only use thighs, drumsticks and wings. You can use breasts if you like them, but many chicken vendors in Thailand only sell dark meat because breasts can easily become dry. If buying wings, get whole rather than split wings for the more authentic Thai look.
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro stems or roots
  • White or black peppercorns
  • Sugar 
  • Soy sauce - This is one recipe where I strongly recommend getting Thai Healthy Boy Brand soy sauce; either the mushroom flavoured or the regular one. But if you can't find it, other kinds of light or regular soy sauce will work.
  • Fish sauce
  • Water
  • Rice flour
  • Crispy fried shallots - homemade or store bought. If using store bought the shallots can be a little stale, so please see my trick for refreshing and improving them in the recipe card. If making your own, check out this in-depth guide to making fried shallots to ensure success!
  • Sticky rice for serving - this is optional but recommended for the Thai experience. Here are 7 different ways to cook sticky rice.

How to Make Thai Fried Chicken (Hat Yai Style)

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but please watch the full video tutorial to ensure success before you start!

Prepping the Chicken Marinade

process shots for making thai fried chicken steps 1-4
  1. Pound peppercorns, garlic and cilantro stems until fine.
  2. Add sugar and swirl with the pestle to dissolve the sugar and grind the herbs further.
  3. Add soy sauce and fish sauce.
  4. Add the water and mix.
Process shots for making Thai fried chicken, steps 5-8
  1. For drumsticks, make two incision into the thickest part of the meat, one on each side of the leg.
  2. For thighs, make two incisions on either side of the bone.
  3. Pour the marinade onto the chicken and mix well.
  4. Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, (preferably overnight), flipping halfway though. Bring the chicken out at least 30 minutes before frying.

Frying the Chicken

process shots for making thai fried chicken steps 9-12
  1. Add rice flour to the chicken (still in the marinade) until you have a thin batter that thoroughly but lightly coats the chicken.
  2. In a wok or a large heavy-bottomed pot heat about 2 inches of oil to 375°F (190°C) and add as many pieces of chicken as will fit without crowding.
  3. Let the temperature drop to about 300°F ( 150°C) and adjust the heat to maintain it there. Flip the chicken regularly until well browned, and remove them when the internal temperature reaches 175°F (79°C) for dark meat and wings, and 155°F (68°C) for breast.
  4. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating!

To Make the Crispy Fried Shallots

Making homemade fried shallots isn't hard, but you can absolutely use store bought to save time if you'd prefer. But if buying, make sure you use my trick below for refreshing them and they will be 10x better than right out of the bag!

Note: Making fried shallots can be a bit tricky, so below is just an overview of the process - but be sure to watch the video tutorial for details to ensure success, or check out this post for an in-depth discussion on fried shallots!

process shots for making thai fried shallots steps 1-4
  1. Salt the shallots lightly and toss to mix. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water.
  2. Spread the shallots out onto paper towel, and press another piece on top to dry them.
  3. Fry on low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and the bubbling has mostly subsided.
  4. Scoop them out and drain on paper towel.
Rebaking store bought fried shallots for just 5 minutes in a low oven can crisp them up and darken them slightly. This makes them 10x better!

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips for success!

  • If using store-bought fried shallots, they are usually a bit stale as they were fried long ago. Refresh them by baking them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. They will be crispier and ever so slightly darker, and 10x more delicious!
  • If making your own fried shallots, fry them in the same oil that you use to fry the chicken, so the chicken picks up some shallot flavour in the oil.
  • Pull the chicken from the fridge at least 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes from the fridge before frying. If they go into the oil fridge-cold they will take a very long time to cook and you'll risk overcooking the exterior.
  • Choose smaller chicken. Factory-farmed chicken these days can be massive, and in N. America they're much bigger than Thai chickens! If possible, choose smaller chicken and you'll be rewarded with a higher crust-to-meat ratio, and it'll take less time to fry. If the thighs are very big, consider trimming some meat off the sides and frying these off as snacks.

Best Sides for Thai Fried Chicken

You can eat Thai fried chicken with anything you normally love with fried chicken, but for the authentic Thai experience, the following are the classic side dishes.

Thai Sticky Rice

Sticky rice is an absolute must-have whenever Thai people eat fried chicken. While we eat jasmine rice with most meals, the heft and chewiness of sticky rice can better hold up to big pieces of meat than the lighter and fluffier jasmine rice.

It's theoretically optional, but you will never find a fried chicken vendor in Thailand, Hat Yai or otherwise, that doesn't also sell sticky rice. Here are 7 different ways to cook Thai sticky rice!

Green Papaya Salad

Thai cuisine is all about balance, and to balance the salt and fat in fried meats, we turn to green papaya salad or som tum. This is THE salad Thai people eat with any kind of grilled and fried meats.

If green papaya isn't available, replace the green papaya with a coleslaw mix of cabbage and carrots. Or try a similar recipe, like this Thai corn and cucumber salad, that uses a similar dressing and technique.

Before you start, be sure to watch the video tutorial to ensure success! I always include little tips and tricks not mentioned in the blog post. You can also watch it on my YouTube channel!

Thai Fried Chicken - Hat Yai Style

By: Pailin Chongchitnant
Hat Yai fried chicken started out in southern Thailand, but has become beloved all over the country. With a light and crisp crust, flavourful marinade, and crispy fried shallots, these are easily the best fried chicken in the world.
5 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken, (see note 1)
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 8 cilantro stems, chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon white peppercorns, or black
  • 2 ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Thai soy sauce, (see note 2)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • Oil for frying, (see note 3)
  • Fried shallots, store bought or recipe below (see note 4)
  • Sticky rice, for serving (optional)
  • Sweet chili sauce, for dipping (optional, see note 5)

Fried shallots

  • 3 heads shallots, or however much you want
  • a pinch salt

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Notes

  1. I prefer drumsticks, thighs and wings only, but you can also do breasts if you like them. 
  2. Non-Thai soy sauce is okay to use too, but for the true taste of Thai fried chicken, Thai soy sauce is recommended. 
  3. Canola oil, peanut oil or any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil will work. 
  4. I recommend refreshing store bought shallots by spreading them out onto a baking sheet and baking them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 4-5 minutes. This makes them crispier!
  5. In Thailand people often serve sweet chili sauce with fried chicken so the sweet-and-sour flavour can balance the fat and salt. You can buy it or use my easy sweet chili sauce recipe. This chicken is so good I don't think it needs any sauce, but if you already have some, give it a try!

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Instructions
 

To prep the chicken:

  • For drumsticks, score the thickest part of the meat on either side of the chicken, about 1 cm deep, to help the marinade penetrate and to help it cook faster. 
    For thighs, trim off any hanging excess skin, then flip the chicken so the meat side is up, then make a 1 cm incision on either side of the bone (this is the thickest part of the meat).
    1 ½ lb bone-in, skin-on chicken

For the marinade:

  • Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stems and pound into a fine paste. Add sugar and swirl the pestle around to help further grind the herbs.
    5 cloves garlic, 8 cilantro stems, ¾ teaspoon white peppercorns, 2 ½ teaspoon sugar
  • Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and water and stir to mix; then pour into a large zip-top bag or a mixing bowl. Add the chicken, mix well, and let marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Flip the chicken half way through.
    2 tablespoon Thai soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, ½ cup water

For the fried shallots:

  • Slice shallots evenly, crosswise, into 2mm thick pieces and place them in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and give it all a toss to mix, then let it sit for about 10 mins. The salt will draw out moisture from the shallots during this time. 
    3 heads shallots, a pinch salt
  • Spread the shallots out on a paper-towel-lined plate and press another piece of paper towel on top to dry off the drawn out moisture. This helps the shallots crisp up faster, and the salt also seasons them.
  • Add about 2 inches of frying oil in a wok or a large pot (this will also be for your chicken), then add one test piece of shallot into the oil. Turn the heat on high and keep an eye on it.
    Once the test shallot has a constant stream of bubbles coming out, turn the heat down to low and add the remaining shallots, stirring them frequently as they fry, (about 5-8 minutes). Meanwhile prepare a large plate or baking sheet lined with double layer of paper towel. and scoop them out with a wire skimmer once they are golden and the bubbles have mostly subsided . 
  • Once the shallots are golden, scoop them out with a mesh skimmer and drain them on the paper towel. They will darken more after the leave the oil, so take them out a little early. Use this same oil to fry the chicken.

To fry the chicken:

  • Heat 2 inches of oil in a wok or a large pot to 375°F (190°C) on medium heat. Meanwhile, if the chicken is in a bag, transfer them into a large mixing bowl and add about ¾ cup of the rice flour and mix until there are no more lumps (your hands are best for this, but tongs are fine too). Add more rice flour as needed to get a thin batter that thinly, but thoroughly, coats the chicken. If the batter has become too thick, add a little water at a time to thin out. 
    Oil for frying, 1 cup rice flour
  • Once the oil is ready, add half of the chicken (or all of it if you've got the pan space) and allow the oil temp to drop to about 300°F/150°C - and from this point on, adjust the heat to maintain the temperature at 300°F/150°C. 
  • Fry the chicken, flipping them every 1-2 minutes until dark meat reaches 175°F/79°C internal temp, and breast (if using) reaches 155°F/68°C. The chicken should have a deep brown colour. Drums and thighs should take 10-12 minutes, and whole wings about 6-8 minutes; but timing will vary depending on the size of the chicken and how cold they were to start. 
  • Let the chicken cool for 5-10 minutes before eating so as to not burn yourself with incredible juiciness! Serve with sticky rice and fried shallots. I like to put the shallots on the sticky rice, but if not serving sticky rice you can just eat it along with the chicken.
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Top 5 Noodle Soups in Thailand - A Mini Travel Documentary

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When food lovers go to Thailand, the same issue arises: So much good food to try in only so many meals! Noodle soups are one of the must-haves in Thailand, but there are so many different types, which to choose?

In this 2-part mini documentary, I take you around Bangkok to discover my top 5 noodle soup recommendations, PLUS a dessert noodle soup for a sweet finish!

Part 1: Yentafo, wonton noodles, and tom yum noodles + Noodle ordering tips!

Part 2: Guay Jub 5-spice noodle rolls, boat noodles, and bonus dessert noodles!

Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding (kao niew dum)

by 2 Comments

A heart-warming and bowl-licking dessert! If you're looking for an easy Thai dessert that really represents what Thai sweets are all about, this black sticky rice pudding ข้าวเหนียวดำ is the one to make. It is one of my favourite Thai desserts, and one of the first I made after leaving Thailand because the flavours are so nostalgic.

It's also naturally gluten-free and vegan, so anyone can enjoy it.

If you are a fan of sticky rice, also check out my popular classic mango sticky rice recipe or try a fancier version of this black sticky rice recipe with this black sticky rice sundae with caramelized pineapple!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

The Pudding

  • Thai black glutinous rice, make sure it is a product of Thailand as there are many kinds of black rice which are not all the same.
  • Thai white glutinous rice, also labeled as "Thai sweet rice" and this is the same rice we use to make sticky rice.
  • Pandan leaf, optional. You can find them fresh or frozen at the Asian market.
  • Taro root, cut in 1 cm cube. If you don't like taro roots, you can substitute with corn kernels or just omit it.
  • Young coconut meat, cut into short strips, optional. You can buy this in cans at Asian stores that sell a lot of Southeast Asian products.
  • Finely chopped palm sugar. You can substitute with the same amount of light brown sugar or granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Sweet corn kernels, optional

Coconut Sauce

  • Coconut milk, see my post for how to choose good coconut milk
  • Rice flour, or corn starch.
  • Salt

How to Make Black Sticky Rice Pudding

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Soak both types of rice together in room temperature water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. If using taro, put the cubed taro in a small pot of cold water and ¼ teaspoon of salt, bring it to a boil and let it cook for 5-7 minutes until it fully cooks and is fork tender. Drain and set aside. You can cook these in advance for up to a few days.
  3. Drain off the soaking water and add the rice to a small pot.
  4. Add 2 cups of fresh water to the rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until the rice is fully done, stirring constantly after the mixture has become thick, after about 15 minutes. If you don't stir the rice will stick to the bottom and scorch.
  5. After 25-30 minutes, check doneness by tasting, it should still be chewy but no crunchy in the center.
  6. Add the palm sugar and salt and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the taro, young coconut meat, corn kernels, or any other add-ins you want.

For the Coconut Sauce

  1. Dissolve the rice flour in a little bit of water and stir until there are no more clumps. Add this slurry to the ½ cup of coconut milk, and bring the mixture to a boil in a small pot, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. The mixture should be thickened, and will continue to thicken after cooling.
  2. To serve, spoon the rice into a little bowl or cocktail glass, spoon the coconut sauce over the rice and garnish with some sweet corn kernels, if desired. Some people like to stir the sauce into the pudding before eating, others like to keep it a little separate, so do whatever you like!

Rice Balls in Coconut Milk บัวลอย (bua loy)

by Leave a Comment

A classic dessert of Thai cuisine that's fun to make and is a great recipe for kids. Get creative and make them into different colours using different vegetables and juices!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

Dough

  • Glutinous rice flour
  • Cooked and mashed taro root, kabocha squash or other colourful juices such as pandan juice or beet juice*
  • Water, as needed **

Sweet Coconut Milk

  • Coconut milk
  • Water
  • Chopped palm sugar
  • Salt
  • Pandan leaf, optional

Recipe Notes:

* If you want multiple colours in one batch, you can make half this recipe per colour. For example, if you want a three-coloured Bua Loy like I made in this video, you can do ½ cup glutinous rice flour for each colour, and ¼ cup of the flavouring vegetable or juice.

** If you are using a juice to flavour the dough, you don't need to add any more water--the juice would serve as both the flavour and the water in the dough. Squashes can vary greatly in their water content, so the amount of water you need will vary accordingly.

How to Make Rice Balls in Coconut Milk บัวลอย (bua loy)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

For the dough:

  1. Mix the glutinous rice flour and mashed taro or squash using your fingers until well mixed.
  2. Add water, a little at a time, and knead until a dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky or tacky. If it becomes sticky, just add a little more flour and knead until it no longer sticks to your fingers.
  3. Turn the dough onto a cutting board and pat it down into a rectangle a little less than 1 cm thick. Cut the dough into 1 cm-thick strips and separate the strips so they don't fuse back together.
  4. Take each strip and cut them into 1 cm-long pieces so that all your pieces are now roughly 1 cm cubes.
  5. Roll each piece either between the palms of your hands or the tips of your fingers so you have little balls. Now is the time to get your kids and friends involved!
  6. When all the balls are rolled, keep them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap if you are not ready to cook them immediately so they don't dry out.
  7. Bring a pot of water to a full boil, and while waiting for the water to boil, make the sweet coconut milk.

For the sweet coconut milk:

  1. Put the coconut milk, water, pandan leaf, ½ cup of chopped palm sugar and salt into a pot and cook over medium heat, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Taste and add more sugar as needed.
  3. Turn off the heat and remove the pandan leaf.

To cook the Bua Loy:

  1. Have a large bowl of cold water ready beside the pot of boiling water.
  2. Drop the Bua Loy into the boiling water in batches without crowding the pot. Within 1 minute they should float, and as soon as they float, fish them out using a slotted spoon and put them directly in the bowl of cold water (they will sink in cold water).
  3. Repeat until you are finished with all the dough.

To assemble:

  1. Drain the Bua Loy well and add them to the coconut milk.
  2. Heat the coconut-Bua Loy mixture just until it comes back to a simmer so that the Bua Loy can absorb the flavour of the coconut milk, and turn the heat off immediately.
  3. Serve warm or room temperature.

Tips for advanced preparation:

  1. You can make the dough (uncooked) one day ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, well-wrapped in plastic wrap.
  2. You can also make the coconut milk the day before. However, it is best to serve them the day they are cooked as the rice balls will continue to absorb liquid and become mushy over time.
  3. Reheating leftovers after 1 day of refrigeration is doable but the texture won't be as chewy as when they are fresh. I don't recommend keeping leftovers any longer than 1 day.

Custard in a Pumpkin ฟักทองสังขยา (faktong sangkaya)

by 9 Comments

This Halloween you can carve a pumpkin and eat it, too! Faktong sangkaya is a traditional Thai dessert made from a Thai pumpkin or a kabocha squash, filled with coconut custard and steamed.

When you slice this masterpiece, you get a wedge of tender, creamy squash filled with a rich custard. It is as beautiful as it is delicious. In some ways, it's kind of like a deconstructed pumpkin pie without the crust!

It can be a bit tricky to make, so be sure to watch the video tutorial if it's your first time. Not to mention in this video I made the recipe in a bunny costume in the spirit of Halloween, so you should watch it just for that 🙂

Video: How to Make Custard in a Pumpkin

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Kabocha squash - size does matter here, you don't want to go with anything too big or it would take a long time to cook. If anything I would err on the side of smaller squashes. Choose ripe squashes that has a patch of orange on the skin and feels heavy for its size.
  • Coconut milk - Good coconut milk is important in Thai desserts, see this post on how to choose good coconut milk.
  • Palm sugar - This is the key flavour in a Thai custard so don't substitute! Choose Thai palm sugar for the correct flavour. Read more about palm sugar here.
  • Rice flour - Rice flour is traditional but substituting cornstarch or even all purpose flour here would be okay.
  • Salt
  • Eggs + egg yolks
  • Pandan leaf - Another key flavour in Thai custard. If you can't find fresh leaves, look for frozen, which is also sometimes called "screwpine leaves". Pandan extract is not ideal as it tends to taste quite artificial. If you decide to use it, use sparingly as too much of it is unpleasant. If needed, you can omit it and add a teaspoon of good vanilla.

How to Make Custard in a Pumpkin ฟักทองสังขยา (faktong sangkaya)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Cut out the lid of the pumpkin and scoop out all the seeds. Rinse the pumpkin and let dry, upside down, on a towel.
  2. In a pot, add palm sugar, most of the coconut milk (reserve about 2 Tbsp) and pandan leaf. Cook over medium low heat just until the sugar is all dissolved. Set aside.
  3. Add the reserved coconut milk to the rice flour and stir to dissolve.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add all the eggs, the dissolved rice flour, and salt; whisk until well combined. Slowly whisk in the palm sugar mixture. Strain the custard into a spouted container such as a large measuring cup.
  5. Set the pumpkin into a bowl just large enough to hold it. Alternatively, set the pumpkin into a larger bowl and support the sides with scrunched up aluminum foil.
  6. Pour the custard into the pumpkin, just until it touches the pumpkin flesh on the top.
  7. Steam over medium heat for 50 minutes to an hour. To test for doneness, insert a wooden skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean, it is done. You can also use an instant read thermometer and go for a minimum temp of 175°F. Timing is just an estimate, as the size and thickness of your pumpkin will determine how much time is needed. It may longer if your pumpkin is large.
  8. Let cool completely before cutting. To serve, cut the pumpkin into wedges.

Young Coconut Ice Cream ไอติมกะทิ

by 12 Comments

In the heat of Thailand, there is nothing more refreshing than coconut ice cream that is sold by vendors on bikes. Served with sticky rice and topped with all sorts of fun toppings, making this recipe brings me right home!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Coconut milk
  • Coconut water (from a young coconut or pre-packaged)
  • Chopped palm sugar
  • White granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Vodka (optional, see note)

Optional Add-Ins

  • Young coconut meat
  • Jackfruit, canned

Optional Toppings

The vodka helps prevents the ice cream from freezing too hard. Because this is a light ice cream, it can freeze harder than fattier ice creams. If not using, you can also just let the ice cream sit on the counter or in the fridge to soften before serving.

How to Make Young Coconut Ice Cream ไอติมกะทิ

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Combine coconut milk, palm sugar, white sugar, and salt in a pot and cook over medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved.
  2. Stir in coconut water and vodka, if using. Let chill in the fridge completely and churn according to your ice cream machine's instructions.
  3. Add the young coconut meat and jackfruit, or any other add-ins, during the last 1-2 minutes of churning.

Thai Tea Ice Cream (No Machine Method) ไอติมชาเย็น

by 1 Comment

The beloved flavour of Thai Iced Tea in ice cream form, what could be better?? Well, I'll tell you what's better....that this ice cream also requires no ice cream machine! And it only has a few simple ingredients, and it just could not be easier. No eggs, no custard, just a simple combination of whipped cream, condensed milk, and our friend Thai tea leaves. Enjoy!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

Thai Iced Tea Ice Cream

  •  Whipping cream
  • Thai tea leaves
  • Salt
  • Sweetened condensed milk (150 ml)
  • Irish cream liqueur such as Bailey's (optional, see note)

Optional Topping

  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Evaporated milk

The Baileys is added for flavour but also the alcohol to keep the ice cream softer and more scoopable. You do not have to add it at all, the ice cream will just freeze a little harder. You can also add a different liqueur with flavours that you think will go well with the Thai tea.

How to Make Thai Tea Ice Cream (No Machine Method) ไอติมชาเย็น

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Heat whipping cream in a small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cream is steaming.
  2. Add tea leaves and a small pinch of salt, and stir just until the cream boils.
  3. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes (don't leave it sitting until it cools down or it'll be really hard to strain!).
  4. Strain the cream using a fine mesh strainer into a 2-cup measuring cup*, pressing out as much liquid as you can—you should have about 1 ¼ cup of cream, if you have too little, add more fresh cream until you have 1 ¼ cup; if you have a little more, don't worry about it.
  5. Once the cream is cool enough to go into the fridge, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until completely cold; I like to do this step 1 day in advance.
    *Note: If you don’t have a 2-cup measure, you can strain it into a 1-cup measure and another ¼ cup measure. Just make sure you don’t let the first cup overflow!
  6. While the cream is cooling, make the topping by stirring the evaporated milk and condensed milk together. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  7. Once the cream is chilled completely, whip the cream to soft-peak stage using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer. (When the beaters start leaving a trail that doesn’t immediately disappear, you’re at soft peaks.)
  8. Add condensed milk and the Irish cream liqueur and continue whipping until stiff peaks (when you lift your whisk, the peak that forms maintains its shape).
  9. Transfer the ice cream into a metal container and freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid. Alternatively, put the ice cream in between your favourite cookies to make an ice cream sandwich!

Coconut Sesame Granola

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Granola with Traditional Thai Flavours

In Thailand we have a traditional snack called kra ya saat, and it's very much like a sticky granola bar, but made of puffed rice instead of oats. (Or come to think of it, maybe it's more like a Thai version of Rice Krispie squares??). The puffed rice bars are studded with coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts, and held together by a syrup made from palm sugar and coconut milk.

In my house, we LOVE granola and we make it regularly using this amazing granola recipe that I've shared before. But then I thought, hmm, wouldn't it be great if the nutty flavours of kra ya saat were made into crispy granola? I had to try it, and I was blown away by how well it worked and how GOOD it turned out!

I was also shocked by how much it actually tastes like kra ya saat. But honestly I like the granola more because my problem with kra ya saat is that it is rather sticky and not crunchy; but this way I get the flavours of kra ya saat, but with the crispiness of granola. The best of both worlds!

A bowl of granola with dried longans, cranberries, peanuts and coconut

More Breakfast Recipes

  • My Best Classic Granola Recipe - This is the original favourite that I've been making for years.
  • Best Fluffy Pancakes Recipe - Since we're on the topic of breakfast, this one you NEED to try; been making them since 2007.
  • Crispy & Fluffy Waffle Recipe - Another staple breakfast recipe in my household, and also been making these for yearssss.
  • Thai Waffles Recipe - Yes! In Thailand we have our version of waffles too! Flavoured with coconut milk and palm sugar it is considered snack in Thailand, but you can totally have it for breakfast!

Watch the Full Video Tutorial!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Coconut flakes or ½ cup dried shredded coconut
  • Sesame seeds (see note)
  • Palm sugar (½ cup packed)
  • Virgin coconut oil (unrefined)
  • Coconut milk
  • Salt
  • Rolled oats or quick oats
  • Dried fruits, nuts, seeds of your choice (but to stick to the "kra ya saat" theme you want to have roasted peanuts in the mix)

Note: I use half black and half white sesame seeds. While you can do only one type if you'd like, I find the white ones disappear into the granola and you can't really see them in the finished product, and doing all black creates too many "black dots" in the granola which isn't as pretty. Presentation is more of a concern for me cuz I have to take a nice photo for every recipe! You, of course, can do whatever you like 🙂

How to Make "Thai" Granola with Coconut & Sesame

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). Line a large baking pan with parchment paper or silicone liner.
  2. In a dry saute pan, add sesame seeds and toast over medium high heat until the white ones are aromatic and golden brown. If using black ones, they should start to pop, smoke, and become aromatic. Remove and let cool.
  3. In the same pan, reduce the heat to low, add the coconut and stir quickly until it is a deep brown colour (not light brown, you want it darker for a more toasty flavour). This can happen very quickly especially if you're using finely shredded coconut, so be sure to stir very quickly and have a plate ready to remove from the pan. Set aside.
  4. Have the oats ready in a large mixing bowl.
  5. For the syrup: in a small pot, stir together palm  sugar, coconut milk, coconut oil and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and keep cooking until all the sugar is all dissolved, stirring occasionally.
  6. Turn off the heat then stir in the sesame seeds, and if you're using finely shredded coconut or any other small seeds, you'll want to add that into the syrup as well. If using large flakes of coconut you can add it in at the end with the dried fruit.
  7. Drizzle the syrup over the oats and toss to thoroughly and evenly coat.
  8. Spread evenly on the baking sheet, leaving a bit of an empty space in the centre for more even baking (see video).  Bake for 30-35 minutes total, taking it out after about 15 minutes to stir.
  9. When done, the oats should have darkened into a deep golden brown colour and will be completely crispy once cool. They will not be crispy when hot, so to check for crispiness, take a little bit of the mixture and blow on it to cool it down quickly and see. If not yet crispy, keep baking in 5 minute increments.
  10. Leave to cool on the baking sheet, then transfer into a large mixing bowl, breaking large pieces up gently with a wooden spoon.
  11. Stir in coconut flakes and all of your dried fruits, nuts and seeds.
  12. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place and it should last at least 2 months. Note: If using longans as I did, they will dry out after about a month because the oats will absorb their moisture. So if you make a large batch that you plan on keeping for a while, maybe add the longans in when you're eating.

Shrimp & Chili Paste Stir-Fry กุ้งผัดนำ้พริกเผา (goong pad nam prik pao)

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Another dish to add to your quick weeknight dinner repertoire! Shrimp and asparagus stir-fried in a rich sauce flavoured with the iconic Thai chili paste.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Vegetable oil
  • Garlic, chopped
  • Thai chilies, chopped
  • Shrimp, medium sized
  • Asparagus, bite-sized pieces
  • Onion, thinly julienned
  • Any mild red pepper such as bell pepper or spur chilies, julienned
  • Thai basil leaves
  • Sugar*
  • Water, as needed

* Some chili pastes are quite sweet and you may not need to add any sugar at all, so if it's your first time, taste the sauce first before adding sugar!

Sauce

  • Thai chili paste
  • Soy sauce
  • Oyster sauce
  • Fish sauce
  • Water or chicken stock

How to Make Shrimp & Chili Paste Stir-Fry กุ้งผัดนำ้พริกเผา (goong pad nam prik pao)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Combine all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and stir to loosen the chili paste.
  2. Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat, add garlic and chilies and stir until garlic starts to turn golden. Add shrimp and toss quickly just to mix with the garlic.
  3. Add the sauce, sugar, asparagus, onion, and stir until the shrimp are almost done, then add the peppers and continue to toss until the shrimps are fully cooked.
  4. If the sauce dries up, add a splash of water as needed. Turn off the heat and stir in Thai basil, using the residual heat to wilt the basil.
  5. Garnish with a little basil sprig if you like, and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Glass Noodle Stir-Fry ผัดวุ้นเส้น (pad woon sen)

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Pad woon sen or glass noodle stir fry is a staple dish in most Thai homes, mine included. Chewy glass noodles are stir fried with vegetables, eggs and any meat of your choice. It's a great dish if you're inexperienced with stir frying noodles as glass noodles are quick and easy to work with. It's so satisfyingly delicious, and very popular with kids!

glass noodle stir fry with a fork picking up noodles

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

 

Rice Noodle Salad ยำขนมจีน

by 1 Comment

Noodle lovers: here's a refreshing salad that's great as a side dish or on its own 🙂

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Garlic, chopped
  • Vegetable oil, as needed
  • Rice vermicelli (dry weight)
  • Lime juice
  • Tamarind juice
  • Fish sauce
  • Soy sauce
  • Palm sugar
  • Chili flakes, to taste
  • Thai chili paste (optional)
  • Dried shrimp, chopped
  • Lemongrass, thinly sliced
  • Long beans, cut into 1 cm pieces
  • Julienned carrots
  • Cilantro
  • Green onion, chopped
  • Sawtooth coriander or mint leaves
  • For serving: Crispy pork rind or other meats of your choice

How to Make Rice Noodle Salad ยำขนมจีน

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. In a small pot, add about ¼-inch of vegetable oil. Add garlic and fry over low heat until garlic is golden. Drain garlic from oil, reserving the oil.
  2. Boil rice vermicelli until fully cooked and no longer chewy; the time will depend on the size of your noodles, mine are small size and took about 10 minutes.
  3. Drain and rinse under cold water until no longer warm. Let sit on a clean tea towel or folded paper towel to absorb excess water.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine lime juice, tamarind juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, chili flakes, 2 teaspoon of the garlic oil, and Thai chili paste, if using; stir until sugar is mostly dissolved.
  5. Add noodles, long beans, carrots, dried shrimp, cilantro, green onion and sawtooth coriander or mint; toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. To serve, sprinkle with fried garlic and serve with crispy pork rind. You can also top the salad with some sliced steak, chicken or shrimp to turn it into a full meal.

Northern Curry Glass Noodle Stir Fry

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Thanks to Pine Brand Glass Noodles for sponsoring this video!

Classic Northern Thai Dish Originated from Leftovers 

This dish is called gaeng ho, gaeng meaning "curry" and ho means "a mix of stuff". It might seem strange because this dish is a stir fry and not a curry, but here's the story. It started out with people repurposing leftover curry, specifically Hung Lay curry, and turned it into a stir-fry by adding veggies and glass noodles. I guess whoever did it first realized this was delicious, so it became widespread and eventually became an established dish.

But You Don't Need Leftovers to Make It!

If you look for recipes of gaeng ho in Thailand, you'll see that one of the ingredients required is "hung lay curry." Yes, technically you need to buy/make another curry before you can make this dish.

While hung lay curry is out-of-this-world delicious and you should make it one day anyway, I've come up with a way to enjoy gaeng ho without having to have hung lay curry on hand. The key is using the mix of spices in hung lay curry mixed with store bought red curry paste, which is a great basic paste that I love using as a base for building more complex curries without having to make everything from scratch.

Related Recipes

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

THAI RESTAURANTS: Behind The Scenes!

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You take 45 minutes to make a dish that it takes a Thai restaurant 5 minutes to make...how do they do it? How do they prep, organize, and run their kitchens?

In this video I'm taking you behind the scenes of Thai restaurants by visiting my 2 favourite places in Vancouver: Unchai and Maenam. It's an insider's look you probably have never seen before. Watch and take some pro tips home and apply them to your next dinner party!

Special thanks to the Thai Trade Centre Vancouver for sponsoring this video, and to everyone at Maenam and Unchai for allowing us into your kitchens!

IF YOU LIKE THIS VIDEO, ALSO CHECK OUT:

How Coconut Milk Is Made: https://youtu.be/y8pfMn9ci4c

How Rice Noodles Are Made https://youtu.be/4pLceTpeUK8

How Jasmine Rice is Grown https://youtu.be/uE505VKBx2Y

Honey Roasted Pork Tenderloin หมูอบนำ้ผึ้ง (moo ob nampeung)

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My mom came up with this recipe when I was a kid and I've been hooked on it ever since. Tender, juicy roasted pork tenderloin with a sweet-salty sauce, it's great over rice or noodles! Serve it with noodles, over rice, mashed potatoes, or even in a sandwich!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

  • Pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
  • Soy sauce
  • Golden Mountain sauce
  • Tamarind juice
  • Honey
  • Coconut milk
  • Sriracha (you can use more if you want it spicier)
  • Ground white pepper
  • Garlic, grated or finely minced
  • Black soy sauce (for sauce, optional)

To make "Bamee Moo Ob" or Honey Roasted Pork with Egg Noodles

  • Garlic
  • Vegetable oil
  • Baby bok choy, halved horizontally
  • Egg noodles

How to Make Honey Roasted Pork Tenderloin หมูอบนำ้ผึ้ง (moo ob nampeung)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Stir honey and soy sauce together with a fork loosen the honey. Add Golden mountain sauce, tamarind, coconut milk, white pepper, sriracha and garlic; stir until the honey is completely dissolved.
  2. Remove the silverskin from the pork tenderloin and cut the tenderloin in half lengthwise. Poke the pork with a fork to make lots of holes to help the marinade penetrate. Place the pork and the marinade into a zip-top bag and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hour or overnight.
  3. Place a rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet. Remove pork from marinade and place on the rack. Pour the marinade into a small pot.
  4. Preheat the broiler on high and place the pork under the broiler so that it is about 5-6 inches away from the element.
  5. Broil for 5 minutes or until the tops are browned. Flip the pork and broil the other side for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Note: At 145°F, the pork will still be slightly pink inside; this is safe to eat and the pork will be more juicy this way!
  6. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes, tented with foil, before cutting.
  7. Meanwhile, make the sauce by bringing the marinade to a full boil. Taste and adjust the flavour by adding more honey, tamarind, soy sauce, or sriracha, depending if you want the sauce to be more sweet, sour, salty, or spicy.
  8. If you want to darken the colour, add black soy sauce. If the sauce is too strong, you can add a splash of coconut milk or water to mellow it out..
  9. Slice the pork thinly against the grain, and pour the sauce over. 

To Make Bamee Moo Ob:

  1. Fry chopped garlic in some vegetable oil over low heat until golden brown. Drain garlic from oil and reserve both. Click here for a fried garlic video tutorial.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt (about 1 teaspoon per liter of water), and blanch bok choy for about 1 minute or until done to your liking.
  3. Remove with tongs and set aside. If not serving right away, shock the boy choy in ice water bath to maintain its bright green colour; when ready to serve, re-blanch to reheat.
  4. Cook egg noodles in the same pot of water until done (following package instruction). Drain well and add to a mixing bowl. Drizzle garlic oil over noodles, toss and then divide into serving bowls. Arrange bok choy and slices of pork over the noodles. Spoon sauce over the pork, top with fried garlic.
  5. Note: Do not boil the noodles before the bok choy as the excess starch from the noodles may make the water gummy.

Spicy Roast Pork Salad ยำหมูอบ (yum moo ob)

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Turn any leftover meat into a spicy fresh Thai salad! This roast pork salad recipe works with any meat you might have on hand: rotisserie chicken, Thanksgiving turkey, pork chops or steaks!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

  • Lime juice
  • Fish sauce
  • Honey
  • Thai chili paste, optional
  • Thai chilies, minced
  • Honey Roasted Pork Tenderloin or about 200g of any leftover cooked meat you have, such as roast chicken, steaks, pork chops, etc.
  • Cilantro
  • Green onions, chopped
  • Red onion, julienned
  • Grape tomatoes, halved
  • Roasted peanuts or cashews, optional
  • Lettuce for serving, optional

How to Make Spicy Roast Pork Salad ยำหมูอบ (yum moo ob)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Stir together Thai chilies, honey, lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai chili paste. Add pork or whatever meat you are using and toss to mix. Add all remaining ingredients and toss.
  2. Serve with romaine or butter lettuce, and you can use the lettuce leaf to make a wrap.

Five-Spice Roasted Cauliflower

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If you're tired of the same old roasted cauliflower, THIS is the recipe to try and the flavour will blow you away. Roasted cauliflower tossed with garlic oil, crispy garlic and five spice powder...YUM. You can apply the same technique to other roasted vegetables as well, such as Brussel sprouts or broccoli. A great way to get your veggies in cuz trust me it is addictive! And it would make a great side dish at your next Thanksgiving or holiday meal.

a bowl of five spice roasted cauliflower with dried chilies and fried garlic.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you need and important notes about them. For the amounts, see the full recipe card below.

  • Cauliflower florets (about one medium head)
  • Vegetable oil, anything neutral flavoured is fine.
  • Salt, since this recipe calls for "one head" of cauliflower, if your cauliflower is on the small side, reduce the amount of salt slightly. You can always add more later if needed but you can't fix it if it's too salty!
  • Ground white pepper
  • Sugar
  • Five spice powder, store-bought or homemade using my five-spice powder recipe.
  • Garlic
  • Soy sauce
  • Green onions, chopped
  • Spicy dried chilies (optional), such as arbol chilies. Break the chilies in half and pour out the seeds. We use whole chilies for garnish as it makes the dish look much prettier, but if you just want the heat you can also just put some chili flakes into the spice mix itself.

How to Make Five-Spice Roasted Cauliflower

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. You can also preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Toss cauliflower thoroughly with the vegetable oil until thoroughly coated.
  3. If there is oil pooling at the bottom of the bowl, spoon the cauliflower out of the bowl, leaving behind excess oil, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or the air fryer basket. Spread the florets out so they are not touching - you will need to do this in batches if using the air fryer.
  4. Roast the cauliflower for about 10 minutes, then stir the florets to promote even browning and roast for another 4-5 minutes until they have browned nicely. Air fryers will take less time, so keep an eye on them and remove once they have browned around the edges but are still firm.
  5. Remove from oven and leave to cool slightly on the pan until ready to use.
  6. In a small bowl, stir together salt, sugar, white pepper and five spice powder until well combined.
  7. In a wok, add chopped garlic and then add just enough veg oil to almost cover the garlic. Fry gently on medium low heat until the garlic is thoroughly golden, but not brown.
  8. Pour the garlic through a metal sieve without scraping the wok as we want the garlic oil that's stuck on the pan. Reserve the excess oil for another use. Return the wok to medium high heat.
  9. Add dried chilies to the wok and toast until darkened slightly and smells smokey, this will take less than a minute. Add the roasted cauliflower and sprinkle the dry seasoning evenly over them, then pour the soy sauce in around the edges of the wok and immediately toss to distribute the seasoning.
  10. Turn the heat off, add half of the fried garlic and chopped green onion and toss to combine.
  11. Plate, and sprinkle with the remaining fried garlic and green onions. Serve immediately on its own as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Recipe

4 Thai Recipes For Your Leftover Roast

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There may not be any traditional Thai Christmas or Thanksgiving recipes, but there are many ways to turn your leftover Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas roast beef into traditional Thai dishes.

Here are 4 of my favourite ways to use up leftover roasts that are quick and easy (we don't want more work after the big feast, right?!), and so delicious it might make you wonder why you didn't just do this for the dinner to begin with!

Watch: Video Tutorial for All 4 Recipes

You can read on, but if you prefer to watch, here's a video where I go through all 4 different recipes! If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

1. LAAB - Turn it into a Thai Salad

A plate of Thai roast turkey salad with cucumber and green onions on the side

This is my favourite way because it is quick and it makes a light and refreshing dish to offset the rich, heavy meal you just had. In this post and in the video I show you how to make a "laab" (no, it is not laRb ... you do not pronounce any r!) but you can quite easily turn it into a "yum" which is another type of Thai salad.

Check out this recipe for a Thai roast pork salad as a guide for making a "yum" with your leftovers. But you can explore any Thai salad recipes and substitute your leftovers.

GET THE LEFTOVER LAAB RECIPE HERE

2. TOM - Turn it into a Thai Soup

A pot of Thai soup with turkey, mushrooms, and tomatoes with cilantro on top

"Tom" is our term for soups, and you may be familiar with the famous tom yum goong and tom kha gai. In this post I share with you a recipe for a basic tom yum that would work with any leftovers, but luckily many of our soups are quite similar, so here are a few modifications you can make to turn them into a different type of soup.

  • Tom Kha (coconut galangal soup): Substitute ⅓ of the stock with coconut milk, or more if you want a richer soup, and use only 1 stalk of lemongrass and 15 slices of galangal. Omit tomatoes. See this recipe for tom kha gai as a reference.
  • Tom Sap (Northeastern style soup): Use dried chilies instead of fresh, and add 2 tablespoon of toasted rice powder to the soup at the end. If you can find sawtooth coriander (culantro) use that instead of cilantro. If you have my cookbook, I have this recipe on p. 127.
  • Tom Kloang (smoked fish soup): Use half tamarind and half lime juice for the acidity, and add a loosely packed ⅓ cup of bonito flakes. This is a cheat; typically in Thailand we use smoked dried fish which is not available here, so the Japanese katsuobushi (bonito flakes) works perfectly as a substitute. See this recipe for tom kloang as a reference.

GET THE TOM YUM LEFTOVER ROAST RECIPE HERE

3. JEAW - Dip it in a Spicy Thai Sauce

A plate of roasted turkey breast slices, sticky rice, and a bowl of Thai dipping sauce

This recipe is perfect for the perfectly cooked roast beef that you're super proud of and still want to enjoy the roast as is, but maybe with a bit of a different, lighter flavour. Or maybe you ran out of gravy ... isn't that always the case? There's never enough gravy?

"Jeaw" or "nam jim jeaw" is our universal dipping sauce for grilled or roasted meats. Chicken, beef, pork, or even fish; if it was grilled or roasted, we can dip it in jeaw.

I've given you a basic recipe here, but know that you can vary it a lot, especially with how sweet you want the sauce to be. Add more sugar or less sugar, it's completely up to you. You can also substitute some of the lime juice with tamarind paste for a thicker, richer dipping sauce.

If you're not familiar with tamarind, check out this video: Everything You Need to Know About Tamarind. Or watch this video on how to make tamarind paste at home.

GET THE JEAW RECIPE HERE

4. PAD - Turn it into Fried Rice

A plate of fried rice with cucumber and lime on the side

Finally, we cannot talk about leftovers in the context of Asian food without talking about fried rice! "Pad" means to stir fry (yes, that's the same pad as pad thai). It is THE ultimate easy way to use up just about anything in the fridge.

PRO TIP: If you have any delicious meat juice collected on the serving platter, save it and use it as part of the sauce in the rice. If your rice is well cooked (i.e. not too soft) and you don't crowd the pan, you can add about 2 tablespoon of extra meat juice per recipe without worrying about making your rice too soft. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning accordingly - if your meat juice is on the salty side, cut down on the fish sauce or soy sauce slightly.

GET LEFTOVER FRIED RICE RECIPE HERE

Japanese Deep Roasted Sesame Salad Dressing

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The Dressing That Made Me Eat Salad

I am not a green salad person. I do not like green salad. But put this dressing on it and I'll eat an entire bowl anytime.

This recipe is a classic salad dressing that's super popular in Japan, and for good reason. You can put it on a piece of cardboard and it'll be delicious. In Japan, often times it's served simply on shredded cabbage. A pile of cabbage. Yep, that's how good it is.

A Kewpie Copycat Recipe

This is my attempt to recreate the popular Kewpie brand "Deep Roasted Sesame Dressing." My Japanese friend recommended it, and we got hooked after the first try, and I wanted to recreate it as it's not easy to find here in Vancouver.

My version is very close to the real thing taste-wise, the only noticeable difference is mine is a bit less viscous since I don't add the xanthan gum that's in the original. I also add black pepper which I prefer.

1. The original Kewpie dressing we are trying to recreate. 2. Kewpie mayonnaise - essential in getting the right flavour. 3. My preferred mirin in that it doesn't contain added sugar or syrup as many others do.

More Than a Salad Dressing

In Japan this dressing is also used as a dipping sauce for their hot pot (shabu shabu). As I said, it's good on anything! If you want to try making a hot pot, check out my classic hot pot recipe and simply use this dressing instead of (or in addition to) the Thai style dipping sauce.

Important Notes for Success

  • Actually DEEP toast your sesame seeds. Get them darker than you think you should to get that roasted smoky flavour. Get them even darker than what I showed in the video. Admittedly I was nervous to push them further because I didn't want to burn them on camera!
  • Use Kewpie mayo. You might be tempted to use regular Western style mayo, but trust me, they do not taste the same. If you want the awesome flavours I'm raving about, you need the Kewpie mayo. Also be aware that there are "knock-off" brands of Japanese mayo that comes in VERY similar containers, but they are NOT the Kewpie brand and they don't taste the same. Look for the kewpie doll on the bottle!
  • Use neutral oil. For salads you may think you want to use healthy oils like olive oil or coconut oil. Don't! Those have flavours that will mess with the awesomeness of this dressing. If health is a concern avocado oil is what you want to go with - healthy and neutral and it's what I use. Otherwise canola or another vegetable oil works too.
  • If using mirin, look for one with no sugar or syrup. Even though it is optional, if you're going to buy mirin, know that most brands out there are loaded with sugar or corn syrup, but traditionally made mirin should be made by fermenting rice. I like Eden Brand, which is the only one I've seen at a "normal" grocery store that doesn't contain added sweeteners.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

A spoonful of roasted sesame dressing being held over a bowl of dressing. With a green salad on the side. sp

Japanese Deep Roasted Sesame Dressing

By: Pailin Chongchitnant
A delicious copycat recipe of the Kewpie Brand salad dressing. 
4.69 from 16 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 180 ml

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds, (see note)
  • 3 tablespoons Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise , (see note)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil, (see note)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons mirin , (optional, see note)
  • 2-3 teaspoons honey or brown sugar, or sub a sweetener of your choice
  • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Notes

  • (I use avocado oil cuz it's healthy and neutral. If you really want to you can probably use olive oil, but not the extra virgin one cuz that has a strong flavour. You can always try though!)
  • Even if you buy your sesame seeds pre-roasted, you can roast them again to refresh them and get them a little bit darker.
  • Look for the Kewpie brand for the most "authentic" flavour.
  • When choosing Mirin look for a brand that has no corn syrup or sugar added (if possible), such as Eden brand.

FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL

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Instructions
 

  • In a dry saute pan, add the sesame seeds and toast them over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Once they turn golden, turn the heat down to medium and continue toasted until they have a deep, dark brown colour. Once the desired colour is reached, immediately pour onto a plate to cool and stop the toasting.
  • Grind the sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle using a swirling motion until most of the seeds are broken up into a fine meal but you can still see some whole seeds.  Note: You can also grind sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, but be careful not to over-grind. I would do little pulses.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to the mortar (serves as a handy mixing bowl!) and whisk to mix well and make sure the honey is completely dissolved.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. You can also increase the mayo if you want something thicker and richer. If it's the first time you're making it I recommend tasting it with some actual salad leaves rather than tasting it straight up to get a more accurate idea of where you're at.
  • Store in the fridge and mix well before using. This should keep for at least a few weeks.
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Leftover Fried Rice Recipe

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Fried rice is the ultimate way to use up any kind of leftovers, not to mention all the odds and ends of vegetables lingering in your fridge. After an extravagant Christmas or Thanksgiving meal though a plate of humble, comforting fried rice is just so satisfying. And even better when it can use up the leftover roast!

A plate of fried rice with cucumber and lime on the side

Fried rice variations are endless, so be sure to check out some of my most popular fried rice dishes here!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

This recipe is part of the 4 Ways to Thai Up Your Leftovers article, and be sure to check that post out for 3 other leftover ideas!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success! And if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Steamed Egg with Crab and Mushrooms ไข่ตุ๋น (kai toon)

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A childhood favourite that I have perfected over the years. Soft, smooth, and silky—this savoury egg custard can be a served with rice or on its own as an appy or breakfast! If you want this for breakfast, make them in advance and simply reheat them gently in the microwave!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video to ensure success! And if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

For the Egg:

  • White peppercorns
  • Garlic
  • Cilantro roots (or 6 stems), chopped
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Pork or chicken stock, unsalted
  • Eggs
  • Soy sauce
  • Green onions, thinly sliced on a bias

Filling Option 1: Crab

  • Crab meat (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
  • Soy sauce
  • Julienned black fungus (see note)

Filling Option 2: Pork

  • Ground pork
  • Soy sauce
  • Oyster sauce
  • Julienned black fungus (see note)
  • Green onion, finely chopped

Note: Black fungus or cloud ear fungus is a type of mushroom that usually comes dried. You can get them at most Asian grocery stores. Before using, rehydrate them in water until completely softened: about 15 minutes in room temperature water, and 8 minutes in hot water. You can also substitute thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms or small diced carrots.

How to Make Steamed Egg with Crab and Mushrooms ไข่ตุ๋น (kai toon)

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

  1. Preheat a large steamer over medium high heat.

For the egg custard:

  1. In a mortar and pestle, grind white peppercorns into a fine powder, then add garlic and cilantro roots and pound until fine.
  2. Add salt and sugar and grind until the paste is very fine. Add about ½ cup of stock and stir to mix well; set aside.
  3. Beat the eggs gently with a fork, trying not to create air bubbles. Add soy sauce and the remaining stock and stir.
  4. Strain to remove unbeaten egg white bits. Pour the garlic-peppercorn-cilantro-roots mixture into the eggs and stir.

If using crab filling:

  1. Drizzle soy sauce over crab and toss gently to mix. Distribute mushrooms evenly to the bowls or cups you will use to steam the eggs, then top with the crab.
  2. Then ladle in the egg mixture, stirring before you ladle each time. Steam according to the instructions below.

If using pork filling:

  1. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Distribute evenly into the bowls or cups you will use to steam the eggs.
  2. Steam for 4-5 minutes until the pork is cooked. Ladle in the egg mixture, stirring before you ladle each time, and steam according to the instructions below.

To steam: 

  1. Turn the steamer heat down to low so that the water is maintaining just a gentle simmer. Place the cups on the rack and close the lid, keeping it slightly ajar with a chopstick or a wooden spoon to allow excess heat to escape.
  2. Steam until the egg is done, this could take anywhere between 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your cups, the heat of the steamer and the temperature of the custard. The egg will be slightly puffed up when done.
  3. To test doneness, jiggle the cup and and the custard should jiggle slightly like jello, or insert a knife into the custard and the liquid that comes out should be clear. 
  4. Garnish with green onions and extra crab meat (if using crab) or sautéed shimeji mushrooms. Traditionally we serve this with rice, but you can serve it on its own as an appetizer or as breakfast.

To reheat:

  1. Microwave or 40%-50% power in increments of 30 seconds. A safer but slower method is to cover the cups with foil and place in a simmering water bath so that the water comes up ¾ of the height of the cups.
  2. Simmer for 7-10 minutes until the custard is hot. You can test the temperature of the custard using a thermometer (aim for about 135 degrees farenheit), or insert a knife into the custard for 10 seconds, pull it out and feel if the knife is hot. 

 

Massaman Curry Meatloaf

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Massaman meatloaf on a plate with peanuts and cilantro garnish.

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Add some spice to the classic American comfort food! The flavours of all the warm spices in massaman curry goes so well with the meatloaf. The curry paste gets added into the beef itself, but the "icing on the cake" is the rich and creamy massaman curry sauce on top. Since massaman curry always comes with potato, I chose to add chunks of tender potatoes throughout the meatloaf which gave it a terrific creaminess to mellow out the spice.

The Quick-Fix Massaman Curry Paste

You can find premade massaman curry paste at some Asian grocery stores, but in general it tends to be hard to find. The good news is, you can easily turn red curry paste, which is available at most stores, into massaman curry paste with just a few addition of dry spices! I've provided the recipe for this quick-fix "semi-homemade" massaman curry paste below.

Do Ahead Tips

You can mix the meatloaf the day before and just bake it on the day. Since the sauce doesn't need to be baked with the meatloaf like the classic version, you can make the sauce while the meatloaf is baking. You can also just bake it a day ahead and reheat when ready to serve, though I suggest keeping the sauce separate and pouring it on once the meatloaf is heated; it'll look nicer that way!

Thai massaman curry adds fabulous flavours to your meatloaf and meatballs. It's an easy way to change up the classics! #thaifusion #thairecipe #thaicurry

Tamarind: What it is and How to Cook with It

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Tamarind is a important ingredient in Thai cooking, but seeing it called for in a recipe can cause confusion as it comes in many forms at the store. In this article I'll cover everything you need to know about the fruit, including what it is, how to choose, use and store tamarind. Then you'll be ready to confidently use it in pad thai or tamarind shrimp!

If you prefer to see tamarind in action, including how to open and eat whole pods of tamarind, and how to make tamarind paste from pulp, watch this video here! Most of what this article covers is discussed in this video.

Video: Everything You Need to Know About Tamarind

If you prefer to watch, most of what is covered in this article is also covered in this video, plus you get to see it in action and how to eat it!

What is Tamarind?

Tamarind (tamarindus indica) is a fruit tree indigenous to tropical Africa, but is now grown and used in tropical regions around the world, including Thailand! It is a common ingredient in Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, as well as in South America.

In Thai we call is makaam, and it's used mostly in savory dishes in Thai cuisine, though we also make tamarind candies. In many countries, tamarind is also used to make drinks, and you may have heard of agua de tamarindo from Mexico!

In addition to the edible fruit, the leaves are sometimes used in Thai cuisine in soups and curries, and the lumber of the tamarind tree is also used in woodworking.

What Does Tamarind Taste Like?

Tamarind has a dark brown, sticky pulp, similar to dates, and ranges in taste from very sour to very sweet.

Sweet tamarind is not for cooking, but for eating fresh as snacks. You might have seen whole brown tamarind pods packed in a box at an Asian grocery store labeled as "sweet tamarind," that's the one, give it a try!

To eat snacking tamarind, break off the brittle shell and peel off the veins. Then go ahead and bite off a chunk, and then spit out the hard seeds. (Warning, tamarind seeds are a choking hazard for kids!). It has a rather fibrous pulp, but it can all be eaten. Go easy when snacking on these though, as they're known to have a mild laxative effect!

For cooking, you want sour tamarind because it is one of the main acids used in Thai cooking, aside from lime.

Buying Tamarind for Thai Cooking

Most Asian markets should have at least one type of tamarind you can buy, but the options might be slim unless you're at a Southeast Asian market. You can buy sour cooking tamarind for Thai cooking in two major forms:

  1. Tamarind pulp, which yields the best flavour but involves some processing at home.
  2. Tamarind Paste or Concentrate. This is a ready-to-use liquid that is convenient, but not as tasty.

More on these below.

(Note: in my old videos, I used to call liquid tamarind "tamarind juice," but I have moved away from that because there are tamarind drinks on the market labelled as "tamarind juice" which has caused confusion. So I now call it tamarind paste.)

1. Tamarind Pulp

a block of tamarind pulp
A block of seedless tamarind pulp.

If you've seen a dark brown rectangular block labelled simply as "tamarind," that is it. The tamarind has been seeded and then the pulp gets compacted into a block. You will need to dilute the pulp in hot water and strain it before using, but the result is more flavourful and more tart compared to ready-to-use tamarind, so this is my preferred option. Even today, most Thai people still make tamarind paste for cooking at home in this way.

If you want to give it a go, check out my detailed tutorial on how to make tamarind paste. It's simple, and once made it will last in your fridge for up to 6 months or it will freeze indefinitely, so you won't have to do it every time!

2. Ready-to-Use Tamarind Paste or "Concentrate"

a tub of tamarind concentrate held in hand
A tub of ready-to-use tamarind

The simplest way is to buy it as a pre-made, ready to use liquid. This product comes in a plastic tub or a glass jar, and is labelled as "tamarind concentrate" or "tamarind paste."

NOTE: "Tamarind concentrate" is a misnomer! It's made by diluting the pulp with water, so it's actually diluted. But what manufacturers mean is that it's more concentrated than what most Thai people would make at home. This is because adding more water makes it much easier to strain, so people tend to make it more diluted when doing it at home.

IMPORTANT: WHAT NOT TO BUY

This is extremely important. Do not buy "tamarind concentrate" from India. This has been the culprit for many failed pad thai! Indian tamarind concentrate is a true concentrate and much more potent than Thai or Vietnamese tamarind. It comes in a tub and is a black, sticky, very sour paste that cannot be used in the same way as Thai tamarind paste.

Also, if you see a product called "tamarind sauce," check the ingredients because, sometimes, it's a pre-mixed sauce for a specific dish. The ingredients should only say tamarind, water, and a preservative; no added sugar, salt, or any other seasonings.

What Brand of Tamarind is Best?

I don't have a specific brand to recommend for premade tamarind paste because I find them to vary so much, even from batch to batch within the same brand. But the good news is I've yet to try one that is "bad." The worst that's happened is it's weak and you'll need to use more of it. In either case your dish won't be "ruined."

Having said that, if I get a choice, I always choose ones from Thailand (as opposed to Vietnam) simply because I take comfort in knowing that if Thai people made it, they're making it for the purpose that I need.

And I will reiterate: do NOT buy tamarind from India for Thai cooking as it's an entirely different ingredient!

As for blocks of tamarind pulp, all of the brands I've tried have been perfectly fine, so get whatever is available to you.

How to Store Tamarind Paste?

Unopened jars of store bought tamarind paste is shelf stable, but needs to be refrigerated after opening. It lasts me at least a few months, but it'll eventually get moldy so watch out for the fuzz! If you're not a frequent user, freeze tamarind paste in ice cubes and thaw them as needed.

If you make homemade tamarind paste, cook it thoroughly before storing to make it last longer. Keep it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to a few months, or freeze indefinitely. Keep homemade tamarind in small jars because every time you spoon some out you introduce bacteria and shortens its shelf life. And always use a clean spoon! See how it's done in my DIY Tamarind Paste Tutorial.

How to Use Tamarind in Cooking?

Tamarind can be used to add a sour taste in any kind of dish: soup, salad, curry, stir fries, dip, etc. And you can go beyond Asian dishes - I have even seen it used in barbecue sauce!

In Thai cuisine, tamarind is one of our two main sour ingredients, the other being lime. However, unlike lime, tamarind can be cooked for a long time and the flavor won't deteriorate so it's preferred in cooked dishes, such as our sour curry or massaman curry.

The sourness of tamarind is also not as sharp as lime because it's got a note of sweetness to it. The acidity is more gentle so a lot of times we use it in combination with lime in order to have a balance of sharp and rounded acidity, such as in green papaya salad.

Substitutes for Tamarind

Tamarind is often used in small amounts to add subtle acidity. In this case, the flavour of the tamarind doesn't come through, and so it can be substituted with any other sour ingredients such as lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar, or even worcestershire sauce (which actually contains tamarind!).

In places where it is a main flavour-contributing ingredient, such as in Pad Thai, there really isn't a good substitute for it. Years ago when tamarind wasn't so widely available, many Thai restaurants in the United States tried to substitute tamarind in pad thai with ketchup and/or vinegar, but it really isn't as good.

Ready to Cook with Tamarind?

Now that you're all equipped with the knowledge about tamarind, start cooking with it with these recipes!

Thai Brown Jasmine Rice 101

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This is part 2 of special video series "5 Colours of Thai Rice"! After exploring Thailand's staple white jasmine rice, it's time to look at the healthier sister: brown jasmine rice. Now, if you don't like brown rice, hear me out, this is not your average brown rice! Being of the jasmine variety, it's tender, fluffy, and a little nutty, but it still has that same floral aroma we love in jasmine rice. But because it's a whole-grain rice, all of its nutritional benefits are still intact.

About the 5 Colours of Thai Rice Series: Did you know that Thai people nowadays are eating so many colourful varieties of rice? That's right! There are several options of Thai rice you could be having with your Thai meal! In this series, I am giving you the lowdown on 5 types of rice Thailand has to offer, each with its own unique colour, and these are the 5 main types that Thai people now eat on a regular basis. Thank you Thai Trade Center Vancouver for sponsoring this awesome series!

Tips on Cooking Brown Rice

  • I use 1 part brown jasmine rice to 1.5 part water (ratio is by volume, not weight). This ratio is good for rice cooked in a rice cooker or on the stove top. If you want to know how to cook perfect rice on the stove top, check out this video How to cook perfect Thai jasmine rice without a rice cooker. The same process applies to brown rice.
  • If the water has all dried up but the rice doesn't taste tender enough for you, add a little more water and keep it cooking longer (on low heat!).
  • A sign that the rice is tender enough is that the rice grains should look like they've burst open, i.e. the rice has swollen enough that the brown bran "jacket" rips open, exposing the white inside of the grain.
  • To mix white and brown rice, there are 2 ways to do it:
    1. Cook a bunch of brown rice, freeze it in portions, and when you're ready to eat just reheat in the microwave for about 90 seconds and mix as much of it as you want into white rice. I prefer this method because I can cook both types of rice to their own perfection, and I can mix in as much of the brown rice as each diner wants (kids who are used to eating white rice may want to start out with just a little brown rice mixed in).
    2. You can cook them both together in a pot, although I would recommend soaking the brown rice first in water for at least 1 hour and upto 3 hours. If you don't soak it, I find that the brown rice isn't quite tender enough by the time the white rice is done. Of course, this is something that can vary between brands of rice, so it might take a couple rounds of trial and error!

Watch The Full Video!

Thai Jasmine Rice 101 - 5 Colours of Thai Rice Ep.1

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Jump to video!

This episode is part of a special video series: 5 Colours of Thai Rice! Did you know that Thai people nowadays are eating so many colourful varieties of rice? That's right! There are several options of Thai rice you could be having with your Thai meal! In this series, I am giving you the lowdown on 5 types of rice Thailand has to offer, each with its own unique colour, and these are the 5 main types that Thai people now eat on a regular basis.

And of course we have to start off the series with our staple grain: white Thai jasmine rice. Stay tuned for the next episodes in this series, there are many delicious and healthy options to come! Thank you Thai Trade Center Vancouver for sponsoring this awesome series!

Related video: How to cook perfect Thai jasmine rice without a rice cooker.

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Watch The Full Video!