A Twist of Lime

Ingredients for 4 pax

Chicken                                                                                                                                                                                                                       4 large chicken thighs, skin on boneless                                                                                                                                                            salt / pepper / dry chilli (optional)

Curry Sauce                                                                                                                                                                                                                   10gr of fresh ginger
2 fresh red chillies
kaffir lime leaves
50gr of fresh coriander
4 cloves of garlic
1 small stalk of lemongrass
a small bunch of spring onions
corn oil
300ml of chicken stock
200gr of green peas                                                                                                                                                                                                   200gr of small diced potatoes                                                                                                                                                                                   100gr of cherry tomatoes cut in half
400ml of coconut milk
lime juice
soy sauce

Wokinslaw                                                                                                                                                                                                                           50gr of white radishes
50gr of red onion sliced thinly                                                                                                                                                                                     50gr of thinly sliced carrot                                                                                                                                                                                               50gr of red cabbage                                                                                                                                                                                                              10gr of coriander fresh                                                                                                                                                                                                      10gr of basil fresh                                                                                                                                                                                                                30gr of thinly sliced spring onion
1 fresh red chilli sliced thinly
15ml fresh lime juice
5ml sesame oil

Noodles                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  300gr of Rice noodles

Method

Crispy Chicken…..Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and season well with coarse salt, pepper and a pinch of dry chilli (optional), add a little oil to a frying pan once hot, sear the chicken well on both sides, turn over every few minutes and apply a little force on it to get as crispy as possible, remove for the tray slice in equal parts and keep warm
Curry….. Place the peeled ginger with the chilli, kaffir lime leaves, most of the coriander the peeled cloves of garlic, lemongrass and spring onion and Pulse until you have a smooth paste, if it is dense add a drizzle of corn oil. Add the curry paste into a hot saucepan with a little oil and cook by stirring continuously for a few instances, once the aroma is intense add the chicken stock and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the green peas. Turn up the heat under the saucepan.  Add the potatoes and cherry tomatoes, add the coconut milk, combine well. Bring to a gentle boil, check the seasoning add a dash of soya sauce and let thicken.                                                                                                                                                           Soaking the noodles…… place the noodles in a bowl deep enough to accommodate all without being too squashy, add a pinch of salt and sesame seed oil (optional) add 1 litre of boiling water and let soak for a few minutes……once they are soft, drain and place in 4 equal bowls,
Wokin Slaw….Place all the ingredients in a bowl and combine well without bruising too much, 
To Bowl up….Place some of the chicken slices on top of the noodles, add the curry sauce to cover top of the noodles but not the chicken, place a some of the Wokin slaw on top and serve at once …optional a good squeeze of lime………..

Wokin Vietnamese Chicken Salad

For 4 pax

For poaching the Chicken

Ingredients 

 400gr of chicken breast

2 cloves of garlic

10gr of ginger whole peeled

3gr of coriander seeds

1 carrot whole peeled

Salt / peppercorns /

For the salad

Ingredients

40gr of Bean sprouts

20gr of Mint leaf

60gr of fresh Tomato cut very thinly, seeds removed

5gr of fresh thinly sliced red Chili

10gr of fresh coriander

40gr of thinly sliced Celery

Dressing for the salad

 Ingredients

 30gr of Chili Red

20gr of fresh Coriander

10gr of fresh basil leaf / green or purple

10gr of garlic

50ml of fish sauce

120ml of red wine vinegar

30ml of lime juice

15gr of sugar

 Method

Place all the ingredients for poaching except the chicken in a small pot and bring to a gentle simmer, add the chicken and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, turn the heat off and let rest for about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and let cool down. Once cooled slice the chicken very thinly.

For the dressing…… place all the ingredients in a large bowl and let the flavors infuse for a few hours. Strain and keep the aromatic vinaigrette

For the salad place the chicken and all the ingredients in a bowl dress with vinaigrette let marinate for a few minutes then serve by dividing in 4 equal serving bowls with fresh coriander, red chili, mint and basil

Curried Noodles…….delectably spicy……

Ingredients

Chicken

8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in

salt / pepper / dry chilli (optional)

Curry Sauce

10gr of fresh ginger

2 fresh red chillies

kaffir lime leaves

50gr of fresh coriander

4 cloves of garlic

1 small stalk of lemongrass

a small bunch of spring onions

corn oil

300ml of chicken stock

200gr of green peas

200gr of small diced potatoes

100 cherry tomatoes cut in half

400ml of coconut milk

lime juice

soy sauce

Wokin Slaw

50gr of white radishes

50gr of red onion sliced thinly

50gr of thinly sliced carrot

50gr of red cabbage

10gr of coriander fresh

10gr of basil fresh

30gr of thinly sliced spring onion

1 fresh red chilli sliced thinly

15ml fresh lime juice 5ml

sesame oil

Noodles 

250g Rice noodles

Method

Crispy Chicken…..Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and season well with coarse salt, pepper and a pinch of dry chilli (optional), add a little oil to a frying pan once hot, sear the chicken well on both sides, turn over every few minutes and apply a little force on it to get as crispy as possible, remove for the tray slice in equal parts and keep warm

Curry….. Place the peeled ginger with the chilli, kaffir lime leaves, most of the coriander the peeled cloves of garlic, lemongrass and spring onion and Pulse until you have a smooth paste, if it is dense add a drizzle of corn oil. Add the curry paste into a hot saucepan with a little oil and cook by stirring continuously for a few instances, once the aroma is intense add the chicken stock and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the green peas. Turn up the heat under the saucepan. Add the potatoes and cherry tomatoes, add the coconut milk, combine well. Bring to a gentle boil, check the seasoning add a dash of soya sauce and let thicken.

Soaking the noodles…… place the noodles in a bowl deep enough to accommodate all without being too squashy, add a pinch of salt and sesame seed oil (optional) add 1 litre of boiling water and let soak for a few minutes……once they are soft, drain and place in 4 equal bowls,

Wokin Slaw….Place all the ingredients in a bowl and combine well without bruising too much, To Bowl up….Place some of the chicken slices on top of the noodles, add the curry sauce to cover top of the noodles but not the chicken, place a some of the Wokin slaw on top and serve at once …optional a good squeeze of lime………..

Thai Yellow Curry…………. (Gaeng Karee Gai)

 Ingredients

 400gr of chicken breast – thinly sliced

400ml thick coconut cream unsweetened

100ml light coconut milk

1 teaspoons yellow curry powder

60g yellow curry paste

2 medium potatoes – peeled and cut into small cubes and boiled in water for 5 minutes (or other vegetables such as sweet potato, taro root or pumpkin)

15gr palm sugar

30ml soy sauce

 Cucumber Salad

       60ml sugar syrup

       30ml white vinegar

       60gr cucumber, thinly sliced

       20g ground, roasted peanuts

       1 ½  shallots – thinly sliced

       1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves – chopped

       A few slices of big, red chilli

Preparation

1. Put the thick coconut milk into a pot and fry for 3-5 minutes. Stirring continuously, until the coconut oil begins to separate. Then add the yellow curry paste and the yellow curry powder and fry for 1-2 minutes.
2. Once the paste is cooked, add the chicken and potato and cook until the outside of the chicken turns white. Then add the thin coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the palm sugar along the side of the pot until it melts and then add the soy sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the chicken and potato are cooked.
3. Mix the ingredients for the sauce together and serve with the yellow curry.

Thai Red Curry with Chicken & Pumpkin…………………

(Kaeng Phet Gai Sai Fak Tong)

 Ingredients

       50gr red curry paste

       4000ml of coconut milk

       300gr boneless chicken thigh in small pieces (about 3 x 4cm)

       200gr of pumpkin pieces (about 2.5 x 2.5 cm)

       1/2 cup lightly packed fresh sweet basil or 4 kaffir lime leaves

Preparation

Bring coconut milk to a boil in a pot over high heat, stirring frequently. Just before boiling add the curry paste and stir to blend. Once blended in, add the chicken and pumpkin. Boil until chicken and pumpkin is cooked through, less than 10 minutes. Check the pumpkin by piercing with a sharp knife – it should still be bright orange and retain some firmness (al dente) as it will continue to cook once the heat is turned off. When cooked add the sweet basil leaves or kaffir lime leaves, stir in to mix and then immediately remove from the heat. Season with fish sauce if desired (but not normally needed) – it is even better the second day when the pumpkin has absorbed some of the curry spices.

Thai Green Curry with Beef……………………..

 Ingredients

       400gr of beef (not fatty)

       40ml cooking oil (corn, safflower or peanut oil)

       40gr tbsp green curry paste

       350ml of coconut milk

       100 grams grated fresh coconut

       4 Kaffir lime leaves, torn

       5 small fresh Thai Eggplants, quartered

       2 fresh red chilies, sliced diagonally

       5ml fish sauce

       5gr palm sugar

      Sweet Basil Leaves and red chili slices for garnish

Preparation

1. Slice the beef into pieces, about (2.5 x 2 cm) thick.
2. Sautee the green curry paste in oil over medium heat in a wok or Sautee pan until fragrant, reduce the heat, gradually add the coconut milk a little at a time, stir until a film of green oil surfaces.
3. Add the beef and kaffir lime leaves continue cooking for 3 minutes until fragrant and the beef is cooked through. Transfer to a large pot, place over medium heat and cook until boiling. Add the remaining coconut milk, season with palm sugar and fish sauce. When the mixture returns to a boil add the eggplants. Cook until the eggplants are done, sprinkle sweet basil leaves and red chilies over, turn off the heat.
4. Arrange in a serving bowl and garnish with sweet basil leaves and red chilies before serving.

Crab Cakes…………..

by Chefs Eddie Pancamala and Robert Conaway………………..

Thailand the land of smiles, great people and pure artistry

Whilst employed as Italian Chef at the Bangkok Marriott Resort and Spa for the Pre- Opening of the Italian restaurant I had the opportunity to help the executive chef Simon Beaumont and the executive sous Kevin Tompson to establish new standards ad recipes for the wonderful market cafe’……………..The all day dining restaurant with amazing views of the river…………….. here some of the dishes I helped Chef Aruni put together……………..

keep on watching this space………….there is a lot more to come