Thai Herbs in Thai Food : Part 1

Thai food is composed of herbs as the main compositions which refer to plants and vegetables including seasonings and spices. These represent the identity of the Thai food. Spices are used to season the odors, tastes and colors of the foods and as well to prevent the savory of the meat. Moreover, these spices contain various medical characteristics, thus Thai food is appropriate to good health.


Chilli (Prik)
The popular species of chilli used for cooking are hot chilli, red, green and yellow chilli, sweet pepper, etc. which are different in the levels of its spicy tastes. Chilli can be used both fresh and dried or pickling in vinegar and to every dish that requires hot and spicy tastes. Some are used for smelling and reducing savory and as well to color the decoration. 

Medical application
- digestive
- to protect cancer
- carminative
- expectorant
- relief pain
- relief sickness

Food application of Chilli

• Tom Yum Kung
• Tom Yum Kung
• Tom Kha Kai
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Beef Masaman
• Kaeng Liang
• Kai Phad Phed
• Phanaeng Kai
• Phanaeng Kai
• Som Tum
• Phad Thai
• Khao Phad Kra Prao
• Khao Phad Kra Prao
• Nam Ya Pla

Garlic (Kra - Thium)

Garlic is actually important ingredient in Thai food and found in every recipe prior to fry vegetables and meat. It is also unable to be missed in soup and chilli paste and as well spicy salad. This is including the pickled garlic, garlic plants and fried chopped garlic to sprinkle the food. 

Medical application
- carminative
- reduce blood pressure
- prevent heart disease
- antibacterial, fungal, yeast, virus

Food application of Garlic

• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Beef Masaman
• Kai Phad Phed
• Phanaeng Kai
• Som Tum
• Phad Thai
• Khao Phad Kra Prao
• Nam Ya Pla

Lemon (Ma - Naow)

Lemon juice is used to make sour taste in Tom Yam, Som Tum, Phla, spicy salads and many chilli pastes and as well lemon juice for drink.

Medical application

- expectorant
- carminative
- antiscorbutic 

Food application of Lemon

• Tom Yum Kung
• Tom Kha Kai
• Som Tum

Galangal (Ka)

Galangal is used both its flowers as vegetables and fresh and hard rhizomes. The hard rhizome is very spicy and good to season many recipes of chilli pastes, the fresh rhizome is found good in Tom Kha Kai. 

Medical application
- carminative
- stop the growth of cancer
- antifungal, bacterial and yeast

Food application of Galangal

• Tom Yum Kung
• Tom Kha Kai
• Tom Kha Kai
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Beef Masaman
• Kai Phad Phed
• Phanaeng Kai
• Khao Phad Kra Prao
• Nam Ya Pla

Lemon grass (Ta - Krai)

Lemon grass is spicy and bitter and used for seasoning the Thai food and as the main ingredient in every recipe of Kaeng Phed, spicy salads and Tom Yam. 

Medical application

- carminative
- antibacterial, fungal, yeast
- diuretic

Food application of Lemon grass

• Tom Yum Kung
• Tom Kha Kai
• Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
• Beef Masaman
• Kai Phad Phed
• Phanaeng Kai
• Nam Ya Pla

Thanks : Thaifoodtoworld.com

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Thai Food and Culture

The Importance of Food in Thai Culture

In Thailand, food forms a central part of any social occasions—and vice versa. That is, food often becomes the social occasion in itself, or reason to celebrate. This is partly due to the friendly, social nature of Thai people, but also because of the way in which food is ordered and eaten in Thailand.

In the West, a “normal” restaurant meal consists of a starter followed by the main course and dessert, with each individual ordering only for him or herself. In Thailand, there is no such thing as a starter; neither is there any dish that belongs only to one person. As a general rule, Thai diners order the same number of dishes as people present; however, all dishes are shared and enjoyed together. For this reason, it is better to have many guests at the table rather than just one or two. In fact, many Thais believe that eating alone is bad luck.

After the meal is over, there is no such thing as dispensing with leftovers. Throwing food away enrages the Thai “god of rice”, a female deity who watches over the people, ensuring everyone has enough to eat. Bad luck or even widespread famine may then ensue.

A typical Thai meal includes four main seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.Indeed, most Thai dishes are not considered satisfying unless they combine all four tastes. When eating out, a group of Thai diners would order a variety of meat and/or fish dishes, plus vegetables, a noodle dish, and possibly also soup. Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, or something more exotic, such as colourful rice cakes, depending on the region.

Aside from meals, Thais are renowned “snackers”. It is easy to pick up a quick but delicious snack for mere pennies along the roadside or at marketplaces in Thailand. Popular snacks consist of spring rolls, chicken or beef satay, raw vegetables with a spicy dip, soups, salads, and sweets.

The formal presentation of food is another important aspect of Thai culture. Developed primarily in the palace to please the King of Siam, Thai food presentation is among the most exquisite in the world. Serving platters are decorated with all variety of carved vegetables and fruits into flowers and other pieces of beauty. Palace-style stir-fries include elegantly carved vegetables within the dish itself. For such artwork, Thai chefs use a simple paring knife and ice water (the ice water prevents discoloration of the vegetables as they cut them).

Thanks : About.com

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Sticky Rice Dumplings

Sticky rice dumplings are common throughout Southeast-Asia - both savory and sweet versions. This savory Thai recipe has a healthy chicken and shiitake mushroom filling. These chicken dumplings are then wrapped in banana leaves and either steamed, barbecued, or baked in the oven. Serve them as part of a main course, or as a snack..

They also make a great lunch - just take one of these compact packets to work and microwave it for a quick, deliciously unique lunch..!

Prep Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

MAKES Approx. 6 Large Dumplings

• 1 pkg. banana leaves, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thaw for at least 1 hour)
• 2 cups Thai sweet rice (also known as "sticky rice", available at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 3 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces or smaller
• 1 tsp. cornstarch stirred into 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated or cut into matchstick pieces
• 1/4 cup white wine or sherry (or cooking wine/sherry)
• some toothpicks, twine, satay sticks, or string to secure the dumplings

STIR FRY SAUCE:

• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger), peeled and grated
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (seeds removed if you prefer milder dumplings) OR 1-3 tsp. chili sauce
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• OTHER: oil for stir-frying

Preparation:

1. Place the water in a pot and add the Thai sweet rice. Stir and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes. (Sweet rice has a hard outer shell that needs to soften before cooking.) In the meantime, prepare the chicken, mushrooms, sauce, and other ingredients for stir-frying.
2. After 20 (or more) minutes, add 1/4 tsp. salt and give the rice another stir. Place the pot over high heat. When rice-water comes to a bubbling boil, reduce heat to medium-low (around 2.5 on the dial), so that rice-water continues to boil gently.
3. Place a lid askew so that it is 3/4 covering the pot (while allowing some steam to escape). Cook like this for 10 minutes, or until all (or most) the rice-water has been absorbed.
4. Now turn off the heat and cover completely with lid. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. If you're planning to make the dumplings immediately, place the pot in the refrigerator to cool.
5. Mix 1 tsp. cornstarch with 3 Tbsp. soy sauce until cornstarch dissolves. Pour over chopped chicken breasts in a small mixing bowl. Stir well and set aside.
6. Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil and swirl around, then add the galangal (or ginger). Stir-fry 30 seconds. Now add the chicken (together with the soy sauce/cornstarch). Tip: As you stir-fry, add 1 Tbsp. wine or cooking wine (instead of more oil) whenever the wok/pan becomes dry. After about 2 minutes (or when chicken is cooked), add the mushrooms and stir-fry another 1-2 minutes, or until mushrooms have softened.
7. Add the stir-fry sauce and turn heat down to low while you stir it in. Do a taste-test, adding more lime juice if too salty for your taste, more sugar if too sour, or more fresh chili (or chili sauce) if not spicy enough. If too spicy, don't worry - the spice will be tempered later by the plain-tasting rice surrounding it. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
8. Unfold banana leaves. Using scissors cut one large rectangular piece (approx. 1 foot by 1 1/2 feet). Then cut a smaller piece to go inside (approx. 8-10 inch rectangle). The smaller piece is like a lining (banana leaves are naturally porous).
9. Bring out the sticky rice. Note that rice must be cool enough to work with, since you will be using your hands. Scoop out enough rice to make a square patty in the center of the 2 banana leaves (the patty should be about 4" square or slightly larger, and about 1/2" thick). Now place about 1 heaping Tbsp. of the chicken stir-fry filling (or slightly more) over the rice.
10. Now take another scoop of sticky rice and cover the filling (so that it's almost like a sandwich). Sticky rice is easy to work with - if you find there are places where the filling is left uncovered, simply "patch" these areas with a little more sticky rice.
11. Now fold down the top of the banana leaf rectangle over the sticky rice. Holding this in place, bring up the bottom of the rectangle. Think of wrapping a present or parcel.
12. Fold over the sides of the banana leaf rectangle, so that it looks like a packet. To temporarily keep the packet from opening, turn it upside-down on your counter-top.
13. To Secure your banana leaf packets (keeping them from unfolding), use one of the following methods:
• Using a toothpick: "Pin" the leaf by weaving the toothpick through the various layers (depending on the toughness of the leaves, you may have to do this gently, or the toothpick will break).
• If you have some satay sticks around the house: Snap off the sharp end of one of the sticks (at least 3 inches long) and use this to pin the leaves together (again, weaving the stick through the leaves). Satay sticks are much stronger than toothpicks and won't break.
• Finally, you can also tie the packets with string or baker's twine, like you would a small present.
14. Now you can store your sticky rice dumplings in the refrigerator (no need to cover them, as they are already well protected in the banana leaves), or heat them up right away (30 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees), or you can also microwave them or put them in a toaster oven. These packets are also great barbecued (turn the dumplings to cook on both sides until the leaves turn brown and crispy).
15. Eat the dumplings out of the banana leaves (the leaf lends the dumpling a unique fragrance and flavor). Note that these dumplings stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Thereafter, wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Then simply thaw and heat up for an easy meal or snack. Enjoy!

Thanks: About.com

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