Tab Tim Grobb

Tab Tim Grobb - Crunchy Rubies

This is a superb dessert. Most of my Thai friends say this is their favorite.
It certainly is mine.

Ingredients (per 1 serving)
30 grams - Peeled Water Chestnuts, boiled and diced (can use canned)
2 Tbls - Red Color Grenadine
2 Tbls - Tapioca flour
.5 cup Coconut milk
2 cups - Water (for boiling)

Syrup
.5 cup - Sugar
.25 cup - Water
1-2 Pandanus leaves. If you can not find Pandanus leaves, you might try "Essence of Pandanus" which comes in a small bottle. A little goes a long way.

Method:
Cut Water Chestnuts into small pieces and soak in Grenadine for at least 1 hour.


















Prepare syrup by putting sugar, water and pandanus leaves (tear to release aroma) bring to boil then simmer for 15 min (until sugar is disolved).














Prepare Coconut mixture by adding a pinch of salt to the coconut milk in a pan, bring to a boil, keep stiring so it does not separate, then set aside to cool


After Water Chestnuts have soaked for at least 1hr, place into Tapioca flour, shake and evenly coat. Spray some water on the coated water chestnuts to ensure the coating is even and sticks. Once coated, transfer to a dry plate. Also separate each one if they are sticking together.


















Bring 2 cups of water to a boil then add the coated water chestnuts, give a little stir making sure the water chestnuts separate.


When the water chestnuts float to the top, they are done. As they rise to the surface, remove with a strainer and place immediately to a bowl of ice cold water (I also include ice cubes).















When all items are cool, prepare the serving bowl by adding in the coconut mixture along with ice cubes, then add in the "rubies" (water chestnuts). The syrup is very sweet, so pour in a small portion. Serve the syrup on the side for those who wish to add more for a sweeter taste.


The tapioca adds a jelly coating to the crunchy water chestnuts giving this dessert a very unique texture. And excellent taste.

Gai Hor Bai Toey

Gai Hor Bai Toey - Chicken Wrapped in Pandanus Leaves

This is considered Thai Finger Food.

Ingredients (Makes 5 pieces)
70 grams - Chicken thighs cut into 5 bite-size pieces
5 Pandanus Leaves (the wider the better)
1 clove - Garlic
1 Coriander root - roughly chopped
10 Black Pepper Seeds
1 Lemon Grass - cut into pieces
1 Tsp - Sugar
1.5 Tsp - Soy Sauce
2 Tsp - Oyster Sauce
2 Tsp - Sesame oil
.5 Tsp - White Sesame
2 Cups - Vegetable oil for deep fry (recommend Palm Oil)


Methods
Herb Mixture

Pound garilc, coriander root, black pepper seeds and lemon grass together well

Add herb mixture in a bowl with the Chicken pieces then add in Sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white sesame and mix well by hand. marinate for at least 1 hour.

Wrap chicken pieces in Pandanus Leaves

Wrapping methods are varied. You may also use toothpic to hold the wrap, or creat a "pocket" as shown.

Fold down 1/3 of the leaf. The folded part we will refer to as the leaf tip

Pick up the leaf and bring the leaf tip around the back to form a pocket

Insert one chicken piece in the pocket.

Fold the leaf tip down across the front, then around the back. Thread the leaf tip under the front fold. Hold the V bottom of the pocket and pull on the leaf, tightening the leaf around the chicken piece. Set aside for cooking.

Deep fry pieces using medium heat until done (3-4 min). Drain and serve with optional dipping sauce.

Unwrap the leaves before eating.

Ingredients for diping sauce

1 Tbl - Sweet Soy Sauce

.25 Tsp - roasted White Sesame

Kra-Tong Thong

Kra-Tong Thong - Crispy Golden Cups with Filling.


You must have a special cup mold as shown in the picture to the right. They come single and in a set of 4. These can be purchased on-line from most Thai food suppliers. Or if you are in Bangkok ride up to JJ Market. Price is very inexpensive.








Ingredients for Cups (makes 60)
1 cup - Rice Flour
1/3 cup - Wheat Flour
1/2 cup - Corn Flour
1 cup - Water
1 Tbs - Vegetable Oil
1/2 Tsp - Salt
2 Tbs - Sugar
2 Egg Yolks


Mix ingredients well together then gently dip the special cup mold into the batter, just deep enough to coat the side of the mold. DO NOT let the batter get into the mold itself. Take the mold out of the batter, tap on a paper towel to collect any drips from the bottom, then place into the oil just to the rim of the mold. Count to ten, then lower the entire mold into the oil and count to 10. Then begin to shake the mold and the cup should separate and float in the oil. Leave in the oil until golden brown (crispy). The secret to this is making sure the oil is very hot. Recommend to use Palm Oil.

These cups are ready for filling. Some Palm Oil is reddish in colour. If so, the cups will be dark, but the flavor is just as good.

Filling (makes 10 cups)

30 grams- Pork or Chicken, minced

20 grams - Sweet Corn

10 grams - Green Peas

10 grams - Onion, diced

10 grams - Carrot, diced

1 Coriander Root - finely chopped

1 clove - Garlic

7 White pepper seeds

1 Tbs - Vegetable Oil

1 Tsp - Seasoning Soy Sauce

1 Tsp - Sugar

1 Tsp - Oyster Sauce

Garnish: Shredded Jalapeno Chilies, Coriander Leaves

Note: Frozen Vegetable Mix can be substituted. Jalapeno Chilies should be the Thai variety.

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Method:

Pound coriander root, garlic and pepper seeds in a mortar/pestle.

In a pre-heated wok, add oil herb mixture (pounded) and meat. Cook until 1/2 done, add in vegetables and combine well.

Add soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and stir until meat is cooked and the entire mixture appears "dry". Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon in mixture and add optional garnish.

Coca Cola Gai

This is an interesting recipe from northern Thailand.

Ingredients:
Boneless Chicken Breast
Soy Sauce (~ 1 TB per chicken breast)
Ginger ( ~ 1in for 3 chicken breasts - 9mm each)
Garlic (~ 1 clove per chicken breast, crushed)
Olive Oil (3 TB per chicken breast)
Brown Sugar (~2 TB for each chicken breast)
Coca-Cola (for amount - read below)
Steamed Rice and Garnishment (veggies, Thai-chilies, fish sauce etc.)


Steps to prepare:

Heat Oil and Soy Sauce in Wok








Cut chicken into desired piece sizes and sear in the oil and soy sauce.

Mix in Ginger and Garlic and let cook for a minute then add Brown Sugar and continue cooking until Chicken is caramelized.





Pour in enough Coca-Cola to cover the chicken, then add 1/4 more of that amount.

Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for 30 minutes.









Remove the lid and extract the chicken, placing it in a foil wrapper.

Increase heat to medium and reduce coca-cola to syrup.






Serving:

Serve Chicken over steamed rice. Pour a bit of the cooked coca-cola syrup over the chicken and garnish with veggies of choice along with optional Thai chilies and fish sauce.

Cucuzza

Cucuzza (pron: Coo-coo-za)

is an Italian squash harvested in the US at the end of summer.

Cucuzza is usually grown on a trellis. This allows the squash to grow long and straight.

My family grew cucuzza on a standard fence. Sometimes the squash would touch the ground and when it did, it would curl. This is how you might find it sold at your local farmers market.

Here is a picture of a cucuzza before preparation.

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Ingredients:

Cucuzza (peeled and sliced or diced)
Tomatoes (diced vine ripened or Roma / or canned stewed)
Yellow Onion - 1 per squash (thickly sliced or diced)
Garlic 4-6 cloves (minced)
Olive Oil 1 TB
Sweet Basil 10 leaves fresh, or 2 TB dried
Red Chili (optional)
Fava Beans 1/2 cup shelled and blanched (optional - can also use soybeans)
Sugar 1/8 cup per squash
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Water enough to fill pot to 1/2 of the contents
Cheese graded (Parmigiano-Reggiano preferred)
Pasta (optional - Capelli D'Angelo preferred)

Preparation:

Select a pot large enough to contain the entire contents of the recipe.

Peel cucuzza removing the greenish outer skin. Peeling and slice/dicing may be done in sections depending upon the size of the squash.

Add olive to the cooking pot and lightly sauté onion and garlic.

Slice peeled squash in 1/4 - 1/2" slices. Depending upon the size of the piece, it may need to be halved and/or quartered.

Add cucuzza to sautéd onions and garlic.

Add tomatoes, sugar a portion of the basil, chili-pepper (optional), fava beans (optional), and water (enough to cover 1/2 of the ingredients.

Bring water for pasta to a boil, and bring pot with cucuzza to a low boil then set to low. Cook pasta until ready and simmer cucuzza until tender.

Serve over pasta, add cheese and garnish with sweet basil.