Global Cuisines Archives - Hot Thai Kitchen

Equipment

Large hole grater or use a sharp knife
Glass or metal rectangular mold, no larger than about 8x8 inches

Ingredients

Homemade Glass Noodles (mung bean jelly noodles)

*Makes enough for about 3x of the salad recipe below (6 servings total)

⅔ cup mung bean starch
3 cups water

The Salad (serves 2)

1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil add more for a stronger sesame flavour
9 oz homemade glass noodles (mung bean jelly noodles)
1 green onion chopped
2 teaspoons chili crisp such as lao gan ma
2 Tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts or toasted sesame seeds
3- inch section of an English cucumber julienned
2- inch section of a carrot julienned

Crispy Spring Rolls Recipe

Instructions

For the noodles:

Have the mold ready, which should be a rectangular, heat-resistant container such as a glass food storage container or loaf pan. Size should not be any bigger than 8x8 inches to allow for enough thickness.
Add roughly two thirds of the water to a medium pot and bring to almost a simmer over high heat. Meanwhile combine the remaining water with the mung bean starch and stir until there are no more lumps.
3 cups water, ⅔ cup mung bean starch
Once the water is steaming and bubbles start forming at the bottom (but it's not simmering or boiling), reduce the heat to medium high.
Give the starch mixture a stir once more and pour it into the water WHILE STIRRING with a rubber spatula. Keep stirring constantly until the mixture is thick and uniformly translucent. (I highly recommend watching the video to see what this looks like.) This process should take only 2-3 minutes, so do not walk away or stop stirring. Remove from heat and immediately pour into the prepared container, smoothing out the top.
Let cool at room temperature for about 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or ideally overnight) until the jelly is completely chilled and has become cloudy. (Refrigerating the jelly makes it firmer and much easier to cut/grate the jelly into noodles.)
Unmold the jelly by loosening the sides with a knife (if needed), then turn the mold over and the jelly should just pop out easily.

To cut the noodles (this is the fun part!):

Using a grater: Press the grater gently onto the top of the jelly and pull it towards you, maintaining firm pressure on the jelly as you grate so the noodles are not too thin.
Place the noodles into a bowl and repeat the grating. Once you reach the end of the block, you will find it more difficult to grate, so at this point I switch to a knife and cut them by hand.
Using a knife: Slice the jelly into sheets as thinly as you; aim for somewhere between 1/16 - ⅛ of an inch. Then cut each sheet into noodles about ¼ inch wide (or whatever width you like).
Serving tips: Once you have the noodles you can use them right away, but for a more elastic texture and clearer noodles, I recommend blanching them in boiling hot water for about 10 seconds until the noodles are translucent again. Drain and rinse them under cold tap water until they are completely cooled.

To make the salad:

Make the dressing by grating the garlic with a microplane into a small mixing bowl; or alternatively press or finely mince it. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
1 clove garlic, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Plate the noodles into a shallow serving bowl. (For a nicer presentation, see video for how to make pretty little noodle bundles.) Drizzle the dressing evenly over the noodles, then top with the chili crisp, green onions and roasted peanuts or sesame seeds. Place the cucumber and carrots on the side and serve. Mix everything together before enjoying!
9 oz homemade glass noodles, 1 green onion, 2 teaspoons chili crisp, 2 Tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts, 2- inch section of a carrot, 3- inch section of an English cucumber
*Storage: Leftover salad will keep for a day in the fridge, but the noodles will firm up slightly and become cloudy again, and the noodles will also give off some water as they sit, diluting the dressing. So it is best to not keep any leftovers, but if you must, it will still taste "fine" after 1 day in the fridge.
It is best to grate/cut only as much noodles as you will eat; but if you do have leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for a few days, but they will give off water as they sit and become firmer. Leaving it in a block will minimize water loss.

Video

The post Homemade Glass Noodles with Sesame Soy Dressing appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

10 No-Fail Recipes for Chinese New Year

Pailin Chongchitnant — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:20:12 +0000

Some people know that even though I was born and raised in Thailand, I am a 4th generation Chinese-Thai. There are millions of Chinese-Thais and Chinese food has become so deeply intertwined with Thai cuisine that you cannot really speak of one without the other.

Because of this, Chinese New Year is an important celebration in Thailand, and of course food is at the centre of this celebration! So here are some recipes that I have that could be part of your Chinese New Year table!

Lo Bak Go - Turnip Cake

An absolute classic when it comes to the Lunar New Year. If you make one thing this season, let it be this one. This recipe is my mother-in-law's famous recipe and it's the best I've ever had.

Lo Bak Go Recipe

Crispy Spring Rolls (Egg Rolls)

The filling of these is so good I can just sit with a bowl of it and have it for my whole meal. I got this recipe from my restaurant days and these are still the best spring rolls I've had anywhere.

Steamed Fish with Ginger Soy Sauce

Steamed fish is an integral part of a Chinese feast, and this is my most popular steamed fish recipe with over 1.5 million views on YouTube! And for good reasons, it is incredibly delicious and works with any white-fleshed fish. If using whole fish, the same technique applies, just scale up the sauce amount according to how big your fish is.

Steamed Fish with Ginger Soy Sauce Recipe

Aunty Jenny's Braised Chicken Wings

This recipe is perfect if you don't want a complicated meal for Chinese New Year. It's an easy and simple dish that tastes like you spent hours on it. The first time I had this dish at my mother-in-law's place, I knew I needed a recipe!

Aunty Jenny's Braised Chicken Wings Recipe

Char Siu - Chinese BBQ Pork

This char siu recipe is one of my most popular one with over 1.5 million views on YouTube! I promise you it will be better than anything you can buy, especially when you can cook it to juicy perfection and serve it still-warm from the oven. It takes some advanced planning, but the process itself is really straight forward.

Char Siu Recipe

Siu Yok - Crispy Pork Belly (no fry, no boil, no salt crust)

I don't know about you, but in my world, if you have the sweet char siu, you also gotta have the salty crispy siu yok (aka siu yuk or siu yoke) to complete the pork extravaganza. This recipe is the simplest one you'll fine, with guaranteed bubbly, crispy skin if you follow the instructions.

Siu Yok Recipe

Gai Lan Oyster Sauce Stir Fry

A Chinese New Year feast can be a bit rich and heavy, and this super popular recipe is the perfect vegetable side dish to balance it all. You'll never want to cook gai lan any other way again!

Gai Lan Oyster Sauce Stir-Fry Recipe

Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce

This is my husband's go-to dish at dim sum, so I decided to try to make it at home, and it turned out to be super easy and even more delicious!

Steamed Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Grandma's Hainanese Glass Noodle Stir-Fry

You GOTTA HAVE NOODLES for Chinese New Year, am I right?? This is my grandmother's signature dish, done Hainanese style, which is where she's from. I'm so happy to be able to share our family's beloved recipe with you!

Grandma's Hainanese Glass Noodle Stir-Fry Recipe

Tang Yuan - Black Sesame Rice Balls

In the world of Chinese desserts, this is easily my favourite. The chewy mochi-like rice balls are filled with aromatic roasted black sesame seeds. The best part is the soothing, warm ginger broth that they come in.

Tang Yuan Recipe

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The post 10 No-Fail Recipes for Chinese New Year appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Mother-in-Law's Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 19 May 2023 05:10:04 +0000

Tomato beef stir fry is a nostalgic dish for many Cantonese kids, my husband included. It's a popular dish in Chinese cuisine (specifically Cantonese), but kids in particular LOVE it!

With tender beef slices and a sweet tomato sauce, it's easy to see why. It's an weeknight-friendly dish with simple ingredients that comes together in 30 minutes. It's no wonder this was a regular for my mother-in-law who was cooking for 5-8 people every day!

Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry

My mother-in-law (whom I call Aunty Jenny) is not one to have written recipes, so I had to do primary research and watch her make it. I was delighted to able to recreate a dish that Craig said tastes exactly as he remembers it!

What is Tomato Beef Stir Fry?

In Cantonese this dish is called faan ke ngao yok faan (see how this is pronounced in the video). Faan ke is tomatoes, ngao yok is beef, and faan is rice! A simple stir fry of beef slices and fresh tomatoes in a sweet and tangy sauce served over rice.

In Hong Kong this is a dish you can commonly buy as a cheap takeout meal. For home cooks, it is a popular dish amongst parents because kids just adore this dish...likely because of the ketchup!

Ingredients

The ingredients for beef and tomato stir fry are simple and basic. You don't even need to go to an Asian grocery store to buy anything!

Beef Marinade

Flank steak. Flank steak sliced into thin strips is what my MIL has always used, but she has also made it with pre-sliced hot pot beef (you can see her cook with this beef in the intro of the video). You can use another cut of beef that is not too tough, so anything you'd grill on a BBQ wouldwork. Ground beef is another common variation that is even easier since you don't have to slice it!
Oyster sauce, see my guide to choosing a good oyster sauce.
Soy sauce, see my guide to different types of soy sauce.
Garlic powder, or substitute grated garlic
Ginger powder, or substitute grated fresh ginger
Ground black pepper or white pepper
Baking soda. Adding baking soda to beef is the Chinese restaurants' secret to tender beef in stir fries. The high pH of baking soda prevents the beef from tightening up completely when cooked, which means less liquid is squeezed out and the muscle fibers remain more loose. This means tender and juicy beef without having to splurge on premium cuts.

The Sauce

Ketchup. You may not expect to see ketchup in a Chinese recipe, but the use of ketchup has entered many Asian cuisines! In Thailand we also use ketchup in a few dishes (but never pad thai!) such as this "Macaroni" Stir Fry and American Fried Rice!
Granulated sugar or brown sugar
Salt
Cornstarch

Tip: My mother-in-law made this dish as a very busy cook who had to feed a crowd every night, so she kept it simple. But to make it a little more complex you can also add Chinese shaoxing wine and/or toasted sesame oil if you like these flavours. You can add them either to the sauce or to the beef marinade.

The Stir Fry

Garlic, chopped
Shallots or onion, chopped
Fresh ginger, julienned
Fresh tomatoes, roma tomatoes are preferred because they are the least watery and are not too acidic.
Green onions, white and green part separated and chopped
Jasmine rice for serving
Fried eggs for serving, optional. Aunty Jenny always paired this dish with fried eggs. She liked scrambled eggs but everyone else loved them fried with the yolk still runny.

How to Make Chinese Beef Tomato Stir-Fry

This is a pretty simple dish, but the cooking goes fast! So if this is your first time, I recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure that you go in with a good idea of what needs to happen and in what order.

Divide the flank steak ALONG the grain lines into pieces about 2-3 inches wide. Slice each piece AGAINST the grain into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick. A partially frozen steak will make this job easier.
Dissolve the baking soda in water until fully dissolved.
Add the baking soda solution to the beef and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated.
Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder and black pepper to the beef and mix well. Let sit for at least 5 minutes.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and the water and stir until there are no more lumps. Combine the slurry with the ketchup, sugar and salt.
Stir the sauce until well combined. Note: Typically, cornstarch slurry is added at the end, a little at a time just until the sauce is thickened to the right consistency. But if you measure your ingredients, the amount of starch needed will be pretty consistent, so you can simplify by adding it directly to the sauce.
If serving with fried eggs, cook them to whatever doneness you prefer.
Tip: If you’re frying eggs in the same wok as the stir fry, fry them first so you don’t have to clean the wok in between. If you’re frying them in a separate pan, you can do them at the end so they’re still hot for serving.
Heat a wok or a large nonstick skillet on high heat until hot (or as hot as your nonstick can handle). Add just enough oil to coat the bottom, then add the beef and spread it out into a single layer as much as possible. Let it cook without moving it until browned and about halfway cooked.

Once browned, toss until the beef is about 90% done. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan on medium-high heat, add a little more oil, then add the garlic, shallots and ginger and saute until aromatic and the garlic starts to turn golden.
Add the tomatoes and toss just until the exterior starts to soften; about 30 seconds. If using especially ripe tomatoes, this will take a shorter time, so pay attention!
Turn the heat up to high, then add the beef, the white part of green onions, and all the sauce and toss just until the sauce is bubbling; another 30 seconds or so.

Once the sauce is bubbling and the tomatoes are soft but still holding shape, turn off the heat and add in most of the green onions.
Plate and top with the rest of the green onions. Cook the eggs now if you haven’t done so. Serve with jasmine rice and enjoy!

Tips for Success

I recommend watching the video tutorial first if you have never cooked this before. This dish goes fast, so you need to know what's happening and in what order, and the video will really help with that. In the video I show the cooking in real time so you can see how fast it goes!

When searing the beef, do not cook it well-done. The beef will cook more when you put it back in at the end.
Don't add too much liquid. When you're done stir frying, you may feel like there isn't enough sauce and you might be tempted to add a splash of water. But as the dish sits the tomato juices will continue to come out and create more sauce, so keep that in mind before you add anything!
If you're going to eyeball ingredient amounts, leave the cornstarch slurry for the end. In this recipe I am able to mix the starch right into the sauce because I measure all ingredients and I know exactly how much starch is needed to thicken the sauce. So if you love to cook intuitively and eyeball ingredients, make the starch slurry but leave it until the end so you can add only as much as required to get the right sauce thickness.

FAQ

Can this dish be made in advance?

The dish is best eaten fresh; however the leftovers do keep pretty well. The tomatoes may be a little more mushy than ideal after it's been stored, but the flavour will all still be good. Be careful not to overheat the leftovers to avoid overcooking the beef and tomatoes.

Can I use chicken or pork instead?

If you don't eat beef, you can use another meat and there is no need to change any of the methods or ingredients. I would cut chicken bigger however; ½-inch thick pieces is good. If using pork, use pork shoulder and cut into thin slices just like the beef.

Other Chinese Recipes You Might Like

A great side dish to the tomato beef stir fry is this simple gai lan oyster sauce stir fry.

If you love tomatoey dishes, you must also check out this Chinese tomato egg stir fry. It's even simpler and easier than the beef version.

Aunty Jenny also makes these amazing braised chicken wings with lots of soft sweet onions. But her signature dish might actually be these dim sum turnip cakes (lo bak go) which are the best I've ever had anywhere.

Mother-in-Law's Chinese Beef & Tomato Stir-Fry

A classic Cantonese dish perfect for busy families. Tender beef slices, juicy tomatoes in a sweet and tangy sauce served over rice!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Optional Egg Frying Time 10

Servings servings

Ingredients

Beef marinade:

1 lb flank steak
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ginger powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons water

Sauce:

¼ cup ketchup
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Stir fry:

5 cloves garlic
¼ cup chopped shallot
5 thin slices ginger julienned
1 lb roma tomatoes cut into 6 wedges
2 green onions white and green part separated and chopped
Jasmine rice for serving
4 Fried eggs for serving optional

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Instructions

Divide the flank steak ALONG the grain lines into pieces about 2-3 inches wide. Slice each piece AGAINST the grain into ⅛-inch thick slices. A partially frozen steak will make this job easier.
1 lb flank steak
Dissolve the baking soda in water, add to the beef and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated in the baking soda solution.
½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons water
In a small bowl mix together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder and black pepper and stir to disperse the powdered ingredients. Add to the beef and mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Make the sauce: In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and the water and stir until there are no more lumps. Add the ketchup, sugar and salt and stir to mix.
¼ cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, ½ teaspoon table salt
If serving eggs, cook the eggs to whatever doneness you prefer and set aside. Tip: If you’re going to fry the eggs in the same wok you’re using to make the stir fry, fry the eggs first so you don’t have to clean the wok in between. If you’re frying them in a separate pan, you can do them after the stir fry so they’re hot for serving.
4 Fried eggs for serving
Heat a wok on high heat until very hot. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom, then add the beef and spread it out as much as possible. Let it cook until about half way done, then flip and toss until the beef is about 90% done. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan on medium high heat, add a little more oil and add the garlic, shallots and ginger and saute until aromatic and the garlic starts to turn golden.
5 cloves garlic, ¼ cup chopped shallot, 5 thin slices ginger
Add the tomatoes and toss just until the exterior starts to soften, about 30 seconds.
1 lb roma tomatoes
Turn the heat up to high, then add the beef, the white part of green onions, and all the sauce and toss just until the sauce is bubbling, another 30 seconds or so.
2 green onions
Off the heat and stir in most of the green part of the green onions, leaving some for final garnish.
Plate and top with the rest of the green onions. Cook the eggs now if you haven’t done so. Serve with jasmine rice and enjoy!
Jasmine rice

Video

The post Mother-in-Law's Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Aunty's Best Vietnamese Pho Recipe

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 13:00:00 +0000

I've had many bowls of pho in my life, and then I had the one that blew everything else out of the water. It was made by Aunty Jacqueline, my mother in law's childhood friend from Vietnam where the two of them grew up together. Her beef pho (pho bo) recipe was so much richer, more flavourful and fragrant than everything I've had from a Vietnamese restaurant here.

Now in her 70's, Auntry Jacqueline has been known for her pho bo for decades, but she was the only person who knew how to make it; so I knew I had to preserve it. To my delight, she was happy to share ... and so I present to you, "Aunty Jacqueline's legendary beef pho" recipe!

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Mie Goreng - Indonesian Stir Fried Noodles

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 14:00:00 +0000

Mie Goreng is an Indonesian stir fried noodles recipe that will please just about everyone in the family! Chewy egg noodles tossed wok-fried with a sweet-salty sauce, with lot of crunchy veggies and juicy tomatoes.

Jump to video!

What is Mie Goreng?

Mie Goreng (sometimes spelled mee goreng) simply means "fried noodles", so as you might imagine, there are many many variations of this dish that can be made. So feel free to change up the veggies and protein! The common threads that run through all variations of mie goreng is that the noodles are made from wheat, because "mie" refers to wheat noodles! And the noodles tend to be on the thicker, chewier side. This could be egg noodles, or some people even use instant noodles.

If you need to make this gluten-free, however, you could try substituting rice noodles, and use gluten free versions of the sauces. Check out my recipe for pad see ew with rice vermicelli here as a guide for how to work with those.

If you've got the noodles leftover, try using them in my San Francisco garlic noodles recipe.

Ingredients

I've divided the ingredients into 2 groups: the sauce, and the stir fry:

Ingredients for the sauce

Indonesian sweet soy sauce "kecap manis" (ABC brand is what I use)
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Sambal oelek (chili garlic paste) or sriracha

Ingredients for the noodle stir fry

Garlic
Shallots
Thai chilies (optional)
Shrimp, or another protein of your choice
Vegetables, I'm using carrot, cabbage and Chinese broccoli, but feel free to change these up. Beansprouts would work well here to lighten the dish a bit.
Eggs
Cooked egg noodles, or substitute another chewy wheat noodles or even instant ramen noodles! After all, one of the most popular versions of mie goreng is the Indomie instant noodles!
Green onions
Tomatoes
Fried shallots. These make everything taste better! You can buy them or see this post for how to make perfect fried shallots.

Many of the above ingredients are also used in Indonesian fried rice called nasi goreng. So make that your next Indonesian recipe!

How to Make Mie Goreng

Here's an overview of the steps for making mie goreng, when you're ready to cook, be sure to watch the video tutorial and read the full recipe below to ensure success!

Combine all sauce ingredients together.
In a wok, sear off the shrimp or whatever protein you’re using. When fully cooked, remove from wok and set aside.
Add a little more oil in the wok and add the garlic, shallots and chilies. Sauté until the shallots are translucent.
Add all the vegetables except tomatoes and add a little splash of the sauce, then toss until wilted.
Push all the vegetables to one side of the pan, and add the eggs and scramble slightly.
Put all the vegetables back over the eggs, let it set for another 15 seconds or so, then toss everything together.
Add the noodles, the protein, and the remaining sauce, then toss until all the sauce is well mixed and absorbed.
Turn off the heat and toss in tomatoes and most of the green onions.

Some important notes:

The sauce is also the heart of this dish, more specifically, the sweet soy sauce is the heart of this dish, and to stay authentic to the Indonesian roots, be sure the use the ABC brand! To learn more about types of soy sauces, check out this video here.
I used chilies in this recipe, but they can be easily omitted if you're making it for kids. But you may want to add a bit of black pepper instead.
*Extra Goodies for Patreon Members: In this episode's "Show After The Show" I talk about the cultural context of mie goreng, and also another variation that you can try at home! Click here to find out more about becoming a Patreon member!

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!

Indonesian Mie Goreng | Wok-Fried Egg Noodles

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: 3 Servings

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Ingredients

The Sauce

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp sweet soy sauce "kecap manis" (what is kecap manis?)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
½ Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp sambal oelek (chili garlic paste) or sriracha

The Rest

5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 heads shallots, chopped
Thai chilies, chopped, to taste, optional
15-18 shrimp, or another protein of your choice (see note)
1 cup julienned carrots
1 cup cabbage, chopped
2 cups dark sturdy greens (Chinese broccoli or kale), cut into ribbons
2 Eggs
450g (1lb) cooked egg noodles
Green onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, wedges
Optional: Fried shallots, store bought or homemade (See note)

Ingredients & Kitchen Tools I Use

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Instructions

Combine all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and stir to mix.

In a wok, heat a little oil over medium high heat and sear off the shrimp or whatever protein you’re using. When fully cooked, remove from wok and set aside. Do not clean the wok.

Add a little more oil in the wok as needed, turn heat on to medium low, and add the garlic, shallots and chilies. Sauté until the shallots are translucent.

Add all the vegetables except tomatoes, turn the heat up to medium high, add a little splash of the sauce, then toss until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

Push all the vegetables to one side of the pan, add a little extra oil into the empty space and add the eggs. Break the yolks and let the eggs set half way. Put all the vegetables back over the eggs, let it set for another 15 seconds or so, then toss everything together.

Turn heat up to high then add the noodles, the protein, and all the remaining sauce, then keep tossing until all the sauce is well mixed and absorbed.

Turn off the heat and toss in tomatoes and most of the green onions. Toss briefly just to warm up the tomatoes and mix everything.

Plate. Top with extra green onions and fried shallots if desired, and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Notes

If using a more "bland" protein, like chicken breast, consider marinating it for 10-15 minutes in a little bit of soy sauce just to give it a nice flavour boost.
If using store bought fried shallots, they can be a bit stale and have lost crispness. Refresh them by baking them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes so they are crisp and darken slightly. See this post for a detailed guide to making fried shallots.

The post Mie Goreng - Indonesian Stir Fried Noodles appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 13:00:27 +0000

Beef lovers, this one's for you! Intensely beefy and full of flavour, shaking beef looks premium but it is so easy and quick to put together that you can easily have this on a weeknight. Served with rice, and it's a thoroughly satisfying meal.

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR THIS RECIPE

What is Shaking Beef?

Shaking beef is a Vietnamese dish that really highlights the flavour and texture of beef. The term "shaking beef" is translated from its Vietnamese name bò lúc lắc, and it refers to the act of shaking the wok to toss the beef when cooking.

The beef is marinated and seared in the wok, then served with some veggies, pickled onion, and rice. There's also a tart, salty dipping sauce to complete the meal.

Vegetable choice can be flexible. I like tomatoes for the colour and acidity, but red pepper would also work here. I use butter lettuce for some greens, but if you like peppery bitter greens like arugula or watercress, those are fantastic with this also.

What is the best cut of beef to use?

Choosing beef for shaking beef follows the same rule for choosing beef for a seared steak, because essentially these are little cubes of steaks. Tenderness is important, so nothing chewy here, and flavourful is also a bonus.

Here are some beef cut options:

Tenderloin for maximum tenderness but a milder beef flavour. This is what you want if you're guests include an elderly or someone with TMJ issues. It is very pricey, however, so not for everyone.
Rib-eye (my personal fave) has a great amount of beefy flavour and is quite tender. Also a little pricey, tho not as much as tenderloin.
Top sirloin is an inexpensive versatile cut that's widely available. It's not quite as tender as the two above, but still great.
Tri-tip a great grilling steak that would work well here, but can be hard to find in some locations (certainly is in Western Canada!)

PS. If you're a steak lover, you must check out this super popular recipe for the only steak marinade you need, which also comes with an awesome Thai dipping sauce for steak!

The Optional Dipping Sauce

You'll sometimes see shaking beef served with a dipping sauce that's simply made with coarse salt mixed with black pepper, and a squeeze of lime over it. I don't find that my recipe needs anymore salt, but a squeeze of lime can be nice to cut the grease.

Shaking Beef Recipe Tips

If you prefer the tomatoes or peppers softer, saute them first, remove from pan, and then toss them back in when the steak is done.
Remove the beef from the pan promptly after turning off the heat so they don't continue to cook in the hot pan.
If you like the meat quite rare, cut the beef bigger so it gives you more time to cook the outside without overcooking the inside.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

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Ingredients

250g steak, cut into ¾" cubes (see note)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
½ Tbsp soy sauce
½ Tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp black soy sauce (or sub dark soy sauce and reduce soy sauce amount slightly)
1 big clove garlic, grated
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp cooking oil
A handful cherry tomatoes, pierced with a knife, or julienned bell peppers.
Pickled red onion or another pickle of your choice, optional (see recipe below)
Some salad greens for serving, optional

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Instructions

To make pickled onion: Thinly slice a red onion so you have about 1 cup loosely packed, place into a thick glass jar with a lid. In a small pot, combine ½ cup vinegar (you can use white or rice vinegar), 2 teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt (you can add more sugar if you like a sweet pickle). Bring to a boil, then pour the hot vinegar over the onion until it is completely submerged (you may need to push the onion down a bit). Close the lid and let it sit at room temp until cool. Store in the fridge.

For the Shaking Beef:

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and grated garlic. Toss to mix well and marinade for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice in between.

Once the beef is done marinating, add a little cooking oil and toss to coat.

Heat a wok or a large skillet over medium high heat until very hot, add just a little bit of oil, then place the beef cubes down in one layer on the wok/pan so that they are not touching each other. Let sear without moving the beef until the bottom side has browned well (with a hot pan it should only take 30 seconds to 1 minute), once it is browned, shake the pan to release the beef cubes and toss them so that the beef flips to the other side. If there are unflipped pieces, you can go in and individually flip them with tongs.

Add the tomatoes and scatter them around them pan and let sear for another 20 seconds or so. Shake the pan again to get the tomatoes mixed with the beef. Keep cooking the beef until desired doneness. If you like the beef still pink, you can remove the beef within a minute of adding the tomatoes, otherwise keep cooking and occasionally tossing until done to your liking. Remove from the pan immediately.

Notes

Steak options: Use whatever cut of beef you would want as a big piece of steak. Something tender, preferably. I'm using ribeye, but tenderloin (super tender, more expensive) or striploin (less tender, less expensive) are also good choices.

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Mapo Tofu Recipe

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 13:00:59 +0000

Mapo tofu is easily my favourite Chinese recipe. Soft, silky tofu in a rich, spicy, flavourful meat sauce...it's always a crowd pleaser. There are a few ingredients to get to know if you haven't had much experience with Chinese cooking, but the process is really straight forward and can be a relatively quick dinner. It also keeps well, so make lots and have extra for lunch the next day!

Watch the Video Tutorial for This Recipe

What is Mapo Tofu?

Mapo tofu is an iconic dish of Sichuan cuisine, Sichuan being the southwestern province of China, known for its flavourful, spicy food. Mapo tofu combines two seemingly opposite components - silky, mild tofu and a spicy meat sauce - and they balance each other out in the most spectacular way.

I particularly love mapo tofu because it exemplifies a fact I've been trying to preach to the Western audience: tofu is not merely a meat substitute or just for vegetarian cooking, but an ingredient that is as versatile as any, and has a place in a meat-based dishes as well.

Ingredients

Mapo tofu uses a few ingredients that might be new to you if you've never done any Sichuan cooking before, but no worries, I've got you covered with all the info!

Sichuan peppercorns, toasted. (See note below)
Ground beef
Soy sauce
Garlic
Ginger
Black pepper
Spicy broad bean paste or douban jiang or toban djan (see note below)
Chinese black beans or douchi
Unsalted chicken stock, pork stock, or water
Chinese cooking wine (optional)
Sugar
Cornstarch
Medium smooth tofu or soft tofu
Green onions
Chili oil (optional for garnish)

Sichuan peppercorns

You can buy Sichuan peppercorns at Chinese grocery stores. They come in green and red varieties, either will work and have similar aroma, but I prefer red personally. These peppercorns give a unique aroma and also a tongue-numbing sensation. Some people like a little numbness, others like a lot. To be safe, the amount I provided for this recipe is quite mild, so feel free to add more if you like a lot of numbness!

Spicy broad bean paste - Doubanjiang

Also called "toban djan," this is an important ingredient in mapo tofu, but it is usually available at Chinese grocery stores. Lee Kum Kee is the only brand available at my store, but try googling some images of other brands as well in case the ones you have at your store look different!

Chinese black beans:

This is the stuff "black bean sauce" is made of. But they are not actually black beans! These are salty fermented soybeans that turned black in the process. They are commonly available at any Chinese grocery stores in small bags or in bigger tubs. I always give these a rinse first before using to wash off excess salt. Once you have them, you must try this amazing steamed fish with black bean sauce recipe!

Choosing the right tofu:

You want your tofu smooth and silky, but not so soft that it will fall apart in the dish. So I don't generally go with soft or silken tofu as they're a bit too delicate, but you absolutely can if you can be gentle with it.

The one I use is referred to as "smooth tofu" but you can also get one that's labeled "traditional tofu". There is no firmness designation on this kind of tofu because for Chinese people it's sort of the the "regular" tofu if you will. It is slightly softer than "medium" tofu but firmer than "soft." If not available, soft of medium firm are fine.

Mapo Tofu Step-By-Step Instructions

Add the beef and soy sauce in a hot wok without any added oil and cook, breaking it up into small pieces.
Once the beef is browned, remove from the pan.
Add a little more cooking oil to the pan and saute the garlic and ginger for a few minutes until soft and aromatic.
Add ground black pepper, half of the ground Sichuan peppercorns, the broad bean paste and the black beans. Saute for about 30 seconds

Deglaze with stock, scraping off any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Add the sugar, Chinese cooking wine, and the beef.
Simmer gently for 5 mins to reduce and to allow flavours to mingle.
Dissolve the cornstarch in some water and stir it into the sauce, a little at a time until desired consistency.
Gently add the tofu and nudge it around so it is sitting in one layer. Spoon some the sauce over the tofu, then let it simmer gently for another 5 minutes, and you're done! Serve with rice and garnish with chopped green onions and chili oil, if desired.

Recipe Tips

Actually BROWN the beef. When recipes call for browning ground beef, many people take than to mean just "cook" the beef. If you just cook it until it's cooked, your beef will just taste like...steamed beef. But if you take the time to let the beef actually develop browning, like the crust on a steak, you will be rewarded with robust, beefy flavours that really make a difference.
Don't overdo Sichuan peppercorns. If you've not experienced the tongue numbing effect of Sichuan peppercorns before, start slow as it might feel a little disconcerting at first, and some people don't like it. Put half of it into the dish, and keep the other half on the side and you and add it in after if you decide you like the sensation.

FAQ

How spicy is mapo tofu?

It can be as spicy as you want! If you make the recipe as is, it will be very mild, and the doubanjiang isn't very hot at all (speaking as a Thai person here). This is why I offer chili oil as a way to boost the heat if you prefer it spicier.

What can I use instead of beef?

If you don't eat beef, you can make mapo tofu with lamb or pork. A chicken version works too, but be sure to use dark meat chicken only.

Can I make mapo tofu in advance? How do I store leftovers?

You can make the sauce in advance, and on serving day, reheat the sauce with the tofu. The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Leftovers will also keep in the fridge for up to a week, and it'll probably taste even better! Reheat in the microwave.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Mapo Tofu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

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Ingredients

1 ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted (see note)
200g ground beef
2 tsp soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp spicy broad bean paste (see note)
1 Tbsp Chinese black beans, rinsed and roughly chopped (see note)
1 cup chicken stock or pork stock, UNSALTED, or water
2 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine (optional)
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
350g smooth soft tofu, 1-inch cubes (see note)
1 Green onions, chopped
Chili oil (optional, see note)
Jasmine rice for serving

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Instructions

Toast Sichuan peppercorns in a dry saute pan for a few minutes, stirring constantly until they are aromatic and darken slightly. Grind in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder until fine.

Heat a wok or a saute pan over medium high heat, add the ground beef (no oil needed) and the soy sauce. Cook the beef, stirring constantly to break it up into small pieces, until the water that comes out of the meat has evaporated and the beef is browned slightly.

Turn off the heat and remove the beef with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat behind. If your beef is quite lean and there isn't much fat left, add a little more cooking oil to the pan so there's enough to saute the garlic and ginger.

Turn the heat back on to medium, add garlic and ginger and saute until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add ground black pepper, half of the ground Sichuan peppercorns (or all of it if you like more of the numbness and aroma), the broad bean paste and the black beans. Saute the herbs and seasoning for about 30 seconds, then deglaze with stock, scraping off any bits that are stuck to the bottom.

Add sugar, Chinese cooking wine, and the beef; simmer gently for 5 mins.

Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in about 3 tablespoon of cold water.

When the sauce is done simmering, pour in half of the cornstarch slurry while stirring, and let it come back to a simmer. Check the sauce for thickness, and if it's still too runny, add a little bit more of the cornstarch slurry until the desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Add the tofu to the sauce and gently nudge the tofu around so it is sitting in one layer. Spoon some the sauce over the tofu, then let it simmer gently for another 5 minutes.

Transfer onto a serving bowl, drizzle with more chili oil if desired, and garnish with chopped green onions and some of the reserved Sichuan peppercorns if desired. Tip: Some people do not like the numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns, so it might be safe to serve the extra Sichuan pepper on the side so people can sprinkle on more if they want it.

Serve with jasmine rice, and enjoy!

Notes

Sichuan peppercorns: They come in green and red varieties, either will work, but I prefer red. These peppercorns give a unique aroma and a tongue-numbing sensation which some people don't love. So to be safe, the amount I provided for this recipe is quite mild, so feel free to add more if you like a lot of numbness!
Spicy broad bean paste: Called "douban jiang" or "toban djan," the brand I use is Lee Kum Kee, and is commonly available at Chinese grocers.
Chinese black beans: These are actually fermented soybeans and are widely available; they come in small bags or in bigger tubs.
Choosing the right tofu: You want it smooth and soft, but not so soft that it will fall apart in the dish. What I use is labelled "smooth tofu" or "traditional tofu" which is somewhere between soft and medium. Either soft or medium firm tofu can be used instead, but be very gentle is using soft.
Chili oil: You can buy chili oil but it is also very easy to make. Take any kind of spicy dried chilies and grind it into a powder. Add the chilies into a small pot and add neutral oil at a ratio of about 1 tablespoon chili powder to ¼ cup oil. Gently heat the oil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the chilies turn a little darker and smell smoky. Keep in the fridge to prevent it from going rancid.

The post Mapo Tofu Recipe appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Filipino Adobo with Pork and Pineapple

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 17:04:56 +0000

The classic Filipino adobo is very popular dish on my YouTube channel, but in this version, I'm jazzing it up with some coconut milk and caramelized pineapple. Richer and sweeter than the classic, and SO delicious, and yes, I do like this one better!

I'm using pork belly for this which I think is the perfect fatty tender cut to pair with tart juicy pineapple. I got the idea from you guys! On my original Chicken Adobo video, many of you left comments about your favourite adobo variation, and some people said pineapple, others said coconut milk. I thought it would be fantastic to put BOTH these things in the dish and my gosh is it GOOD!

For something a little lighter, try my classic chicken adobo recipe, and if you're looking for another popular filipino dish to try, this sinigang recipe is a guaranteed winner.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Filipino Adobo with Pork and Pineapple

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

2 lb pork belly, cut into large cubes (for a leaner adobo, use half pork shoulder)
½ onion, cut into strips
6 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup filipino soy sauce (or sub Chinese or Japanese soy sauce)
¼ cup Filipino cane vinegar
1 tsp black pepper, ground
2 bay leaves
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into small bite-sized pieces (see note)
Cilantro or green onions for garnish, optional

Kitchen Tools and Ingredients I Use

Note: It's very important that your pineapple is RIPE, sweet and flavourful. If you use hard, white, underripe pineapple there won't be much flavour added and defeats the whole purpose. I do recommend using fresh pineapple rather than can. It's worth the effort of cutting it, trust me!

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Instructions

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, add a little bit of vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat until hot.
Add pork pieces without crowding them and sear until well browned. Flip and brown the other side. Do this in batches as needed. Once the pork is done, set them aside in a bowl.
If there is too much pork fat in the pot, you may pour some of it out but do not wash the pot. Then add onions and a pinch of salt and cook until it is browned slightly.
Add garlic and stir for one more minute.
Add coconut milk and scrape off all the browned bits from the pot.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, black pepper and stir to mix.
Add pork and just enough water so it barely covers the pork. Close the lid and simmer gently for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until the pork is fork tender.
At about halfway through the cooking, check the amount of the liquid you have in the pot. If it's too much, keep the lid ajar to reduce, if there isn't enough, add some more water. See video for how much sauce you should be aiming for.
Meanwhile, caramelize the pineapple by adding a little oil to a large skillet, and when hot, add the pineapple pieces and sear until browned. Toss them and brown the other side. Set them aside in a bowl.
Once the pork is fork tender, stir in the caramelized pineapple and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning and it's done!
Serve with jasmine rice.

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The post Filipino Adobo with Pork and Pineapple appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Pancit Canton - Filipino Egg Noodle Stir-Fry

Pailin Chongchitnant — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 13:00:47 +0000

Pancit Canton or literally translated as "cantonese noodles" is the Filipino interpretation of Chinese stir-fried noodles. This comfort food is wildly popular and is really easy and quick to make at home. The secret is in getting good noodles and Chinese sausage (lap cheong), and if you can find a calamansi, squeeze some juice on top at the end for a bright citrus finish!

If you're here because you love noodle dishes, try a similar Indonesian stir fried egg noodles (mie goreng) or for something richer try my garlic noodles recipe which is a satisfying, buttery, garlicky side dish!

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR THIS RECIPE

How to Make Pancit Canton

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but I highly recommend watching the video tutorials before you start to ensure success. I often mention extra tips in the video that's not mentioned in the blog post!

Cook the noodles until done, then shock them in cold water and drain.
Sear the Chinese sausages until blistered; remove from the pan.
Sear the shrimp until fully cooked; remove from the pan.
Add garlic and onions and cook until garlic starts to turn golden.

Add the vegetables and about a tablespoon of the sauce and cook until wilted.
Add the noodles and the sauce and toss until the sauce is absorbed.
Add the shrimp and the Chinese sausages back in and toss to combine.
Plate and serve with calamansi or lime juice.

Ingredients and Important Notes

Egg noodles. The kind I use are "semi-dry" - they're still pliable but not yet cooked and you can find them in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. If you use dried egg noodles, you will need to use less weight than called for in the recipe, but I'm not sure how much you'll need, so I suggest just eyeballing the amount and be prepared to adjust the seasoning. And by contrast, if you buy fully cooked fresh egg noodles you will need more weight.
Protein. I'm using a popular combination of shrimp and Chinese sausage, but you can add whatever protein you prefer. If using chicken, pork or beef, I recommend marinating them in a bit of soy sauce first, and sear them off first as with the shrimp.
Sauce. I'm using the trusty trifecta of umami sauces: oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce. Plus a little black pepper of course!
Vegetables. I'm using Chinese broccoli (gailan), carrots, and red pepper, but the choice of veggies are up to you. My general rule is to have at least 1 crunchy veggie and 1 leafy green. Other good options include cabbage, snow peas, green beans or snap peas.
Aromatics. Garlic, onion, and green onions. The usual.
Finishing touch. A squeeze of calamansi juice would be the ultimate Filipino thing to do, and it would brighten up the whole dish. But if you don't have it, a squeeze of lime would work also.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Pancit Canton - Filipino Egg Noodle Stir-Fry

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Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: Serves 3

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Ingredients

1 ½ Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
½ Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp water
Ground black pepper, to taste
½ lb fresh egg noodles, see note
80 g Chinese sausages, sliced
10-12 Shrimp, or as many as you like
½ onion, julienned
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup julienned carrot
2 cups Chinese broccoli, stems thinly sliced on a bias, leaves roughly chopped
½ cup red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, optional, chopped
3 Calamansi or 1 lime (see note)

Note: The kind of fresh noodles I use are the type that is semi-dry...they're still pliable but not yet cooked and you can find them in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. If you use dried egg noodles, you will need to use less weight, but I'm not sure how much you'll need, so I suggest estimating the amount by eye and be prepared to adjust the seasoning. And along the same lines, if you buy fully cooked fresh egg noodles you will need a bit more weight.

If you cannot find calamansi, you can simply use lime, or try looking for frozen juice. If you have some orange juice in the fridge already you can make a mix of orange and lime juice (about equal parts) as I did!

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Instructions

Make the sauce by combining fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper and water in a small bowl.

Cook the noodles: In a large pot of boiling UNSALTED water, add the noodles and cook until they are done. The time will vary depending on the type and thickness of the noodles, so just follow package instructions. Have a large bowl of ice-cold water ready and when noodles are done, immediately shock them in the cold water to stop the cooking and cool them down. Swish them around for just a few seconds and drain immediately. Do not let the noodles sit in the water or they will swell up and get mushy.

This part is optional, but once drained, use scissors to cut the noodles down a few times just so they're easier to toss and eat. Fun fact: for some Chinese people, long noodles symbolizes long life so they do not cut the noodles!

In a wok or a large skillet over medium heat, add just a little bit of oil and add the sliced Chinese sausages. Let the sausages sear and let some of the fat render until they look blistered on one side, quickly flip them and let the other side sear briefly (if there are too many to flip individually you can just give them a quick toss). Be careful with these as the high sugar content in the sausages means they burn quick! Remove from pan, leaving the fat behind.

Sear the shrimp in the rendered fat on both sides just until done, remove from pan.

To the same pan, over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute until the garlic starts to brown. Add all the vegetables and crank the heat to high and toss to wilt. Drizzle about ~ 2 teaspoon of the sauce over the veggies and toss to mix.

Add the noodles, all of the remaining sauce and toss until all the liquid has been absorbed into the noodles and everything is thoroughly mixed. Throw in the sausage and shrimp (along with any juices in the bowl) and toss until combined. Turn off the heat and toss in green onions if using.

Serve with calamansi or lime, and make sure you drizzle some juice on the noodles for added brightness!

The post Pancit Canton - Filipino Egg Noodle Stir-Fry appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Date Truffles (Bliss Balls) DIY Gift

Pailin Chongchitnant — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:00:55 +0000

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There are no better gifts than ones that are handmade with love and care, and this recipe is just the perfect one to make for friends and family! I made these date truffles (some people call them bliss balls) a couple of years ago and gave them to all my friends for Christmas, and everyone loved them. They also last a long time, so you can make them well in advance.

These date balls are made with only dried fruits and nuts, with no added sugar, fat or flour, so if you don't want to indulge in too many Christmas cookies, tame your sweet tooth with these instead! Customize these with your choice of nuts, fruits, spices, flavourings, etc. You can make them more chocolatey by adding more cocoa powder along with a bit of extra hot water (cocoa powder dries up the balls). Enjoy!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Date Truffles (a.k.a. Bliss Balls) DIY Gift

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: Makes about 24-26 1-inch balls

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Ingredients

300 g pitted dates (see note)
¾ cup your favourite mix nuts or seeds, roasted and chopped so the pieces are no larger than ¼-inch
⅓ cup your favourite mix of dried fruits, chopped into ¼-inch pieces (choose ones that are tart such as dried cherries)
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
Other flavourings/spices of your choice (optional)
A pinch salt
Coating: Finely shredded coconut, finely chopped nuts, cocoa powder, or even sprinkles!

Note: I prefer medjool dates which tend to be softer and more moist, making them easier to process, but other dates would work just as well. I usually buy whole dates and remove the pits myself (it's easy to do), I just find that these ones tend to be better quality than ones already pitted.

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Instructions

Remove pits from dates, if any, then process them in a food processor just until they gather into a ball. If your food processor is small, process half at a time so as to not wear out the motor. If you find that the dates are too dry and they're not coming together into a ball, add a splash of very hot water (1 tablespoon at a time) and let it soak into the dates for a minute to soften them. (What I have done in the past when I use dryer dates is soak them in hot water first for just a couple of minutes to soften them. If you do this, the dates can become too moist and will be hard to shape, and you will have to add more cocoa powder to absorb the moisture, which is not necessarily a bad thing!)

In a large mixing bowl, combine all your nuts and dried fruit. Sift the cocoa powder and spices into the mixing bowl, add salt, and then stir everything together, making sure all the dried fruit pieces are well separated.

Add dates, and with CLEAN hands, knead everything together until there are no more dry cocoa. You can add more hot water if the mix seems too dry, or add more cocoa powder if the mix seems too wet. Once mixed, taste the mixture and at this point feel free to add more fruit, nuts, spices, salt or cocoa powder. If you want to add more cocoa powder for a more chocolatey taste, you may need to add more water as well because cocoa absorbs moisture.

Using a disher or a spoon, portion out the dates into desired size. Wet your palms with water then roll the dates into round balls. Toss the balls into your coating of choice and press the coating onto the balls slightly. You can now serve or pack them into a package!

Storage: These will keep at room temperature for a several days in an airtight container, and they are better served at room temp, but I recommend putting them in the fridge for longer term storage.

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Filipino Sinigang with Pork Ribs

Pailin Chongchitnant — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 18:00:08 +0000

I have gotten many requests for sinigang, and I am very happy about that because it's one of my favourite Filipino dishes. I remember the first time I had it I thought, "It's like a Filipino version of tom yum!"

Sinigang is a Filipino sour soup, owing its sour flavour from tamarind. With lots of veggies and hearty meat, this tart soup is both rich and refreshing, if that's even possible.

Nowadays, many people make sinigang using a powdered soup mix, but I make mine completely from scratch and you'll see in the video tutorial that it's really not any more difficult! Feel free to change up the protein if you don't eat pork. Change up the veggies, too, if you like!

Ingredients

Pork spare ribs, chopped into small pieces. You can buy these ribs already chopped at most Asian butchers. If you like pork belly, you can replace some of the ribs with pork belly for a meatier and fattier soup. If you don't eat pork, other meats can also be used, but if using a boneless meat, you need to use chicken stock or pork stock instead of water to ensure good flavour.
Salt
Seedless tamarind pulp or premade tamarind paste. This is the a souring agent and is the most important ingredient in this soup! Store bought tamarind paste is fine, but if you start out with tamarind pulp which will get you even better flavour. In the video I show you how to make just enough for this recipe, but if you want to make tamarind paste in bulk, which is what I do, watch this DIY tamarind paste tutorial.
Red onion
Tomato
Fish sauce
Baby bok choy, water spinach or other greens that you like in soup
Long beans (aka string beans) or green beans, cut into 1"-2" pieces
Taro root, both larger or smaller roots will work, so choose whatever you prefer. Larger ones are a little starchier.
Thai chilies, or another hot pepper.

How to Make Sinigang

Here's a brief look at the steps for making sinigang. Be sure to refer to the full written recipe and watch the full video tutorial below to ensure success!

Salt the pork ribs and sear them in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until browned. You may need to do this in batches.
Add all the pork back into the pot and add water to cover. Add fish sauce, bring to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Skim off the scum then add onion and tomatoes; simmer for another 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile,make the tamarind paste by placing the pulp in a bowl and cover with hot water; let sit until cool enough to handle.

Squish the tamarind with your hand to release the pulp into the water then strain off all the fibers.
Once the pork is tender, add the vegetables in the order in which they take to cook, starting with harder vegetables and ending with leafy greens first.
Season the soup with most of the tamarind paste, then taste and adjust with more tamarind and fish sauce as needed.
Enjoy with jasmine rice

Storing Leftovers

Sinigang is a great dish to make in advance because it keeps well, and tastes even better as it sits in the fridge and the flavours have a change to mingle. It will last at least a week in the fridge, but when reheating, be careful not to overcook the taro.

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Filipino Sinigang with Pork Ribs

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

1 ½ lb pork spare ribs, chopped into small pieces (see note)
1 generous pinch of salt
45g seedless tamarind pulp or 4-5 tablespoon tamarind paste
½ large red or yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 roma tomatoes, large dice
2 Tbsp fish sauce
3 heads baby bok choy, water spinach or other greens you like in soup
1 cup long beans or green beans, cut into 1"-2" pieces
2 cups taro root, large cubes
Thai chilies, crushed just until broken

Note: You can buy chopped up spare ribs at Asian butchers. If you cannot find it, you can simply use a rack of ribs, separated into individual bones; it's just gonna be a bit harder to sear and to eat. You can also substitute other kinds of meat; however, if using boneless meat, you MUST use a good stock instead of water, otherwise your soup will be really weak in flavour and body.

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Instructions

Salt the pork ribs. In a large heavy bottomed pot, add a little oil just to coat. Once oil is hot, add the ribs and sear until browned on both sides; do not crowd the pot, you will probably need to do this in a couple of batches.
Once the pork is all seared, add them all back to the pot and add just enough water to cover the pork by about 1 cm. Add the fish sauce and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until scum and foam has collected on top. Skim off the scum with a fine mesh strainer, then add onion and tomatoes, and simmer for another 45 minutes or until the pork is fork tender.
Meanwhile, if using tamarind pulp, use this time to make tamarind paste. Place the pulp in a medium bowl, cover with off-the-boil water and let sit until cool enough to handle. Squish the tamarind with your hands until all pulp has been released into the water. Strain off all the fibers.
Once the pork is fork tender, add taro cubes and chilies, and simmer for 7 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 2 more minutes, then add bok choy or any leafy greens you're using. Check that the taro is tender by piercing a fork through it and it should go through easily. Season the soup with most of the tamarind juice and then taste, adding more fish sauce and tamarind as needed (note: I used up all of my tamarind juice in the video). You shouldn't need any added sugar for this, but if the soup feels too sour, you can add a little sugar to balance.
Serve with jasmine rice!

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The post Filipino Sinigang with Pork Ribs appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

Pailin Chongchitnant — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 17:00:02 +0000

Jump to video!

I love Indonesian food. I find the flavours similar to that of Thai cuisine yet distinct and wonderful in its own way. Nasi Goreng is a great entry into Indonesian cooking as it's simple, requiring few specialty ingredients, with flavours that are so easy to love.

What is Nasi Goreng?

Nasi goreng literally just means "fried rice." It is a simple dish that you can find on the streets of Indonesia. What I love about it is the rich flavour from the sweet soy sauce and also the fun fixings that are placed around the plate—pickles, shrimp crackers, fried shallots, fried egg, fresh veggies...the options are endless!

There are many versions of nasi goreng, because after all it's just fried rice! So you can imagine that it's a great canvas for all sorts of bits of vegetables or meat.

If you are a fried rice lover like me, check out my other fried rice recipes here!

Ingredients

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's simpler than it looks! Many things can be store bought for made well in advance and kept as pantry/fridge staples.

For the Fried Rice

Shallots
Garlic
Fermented shrimp paste, if you've used shrimp paste in Thai cooking, the Indonesian version is basically the same. It's called terasi in Indonesian, and belacan in Malaysian.
Kecap manis, which is an Indonesian sweet soy sauce
Fish sauce, see also my detailed guide to choosing good fish sauce
Sambal oelek, a vinegary chili garlic paste, the most common one being Huy Fong brand (rooster brand) in a clear tub with a green lid. You can find this at any Asian grocery stores.
Cooked jasmine rice. If you have day old rice, great, it'll make frying it easy, but you don't need it. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a plate and allow it to cool and dry off a bit and it'll work just fine. If you are making rice from scratch for this, put a little less water than you normally do (a ratio of 1:1 is good for jasmine rice).
Salt
Green onion
Optional: any protein/vegetables. You can keep the fried rice simple because it comes with toppings and garnishes already, but if you want to make it a little more substantial, you can add any protein or veggies you like. Leftover cooked proteins are great.

Toppings

Sunny side up fried eggs
Shrimp crackers (krupuk), also called shrimp chips or prawn crackers. You can buy them already fried (these should be disc shape, not sticks) or buy them as uncooked pieces which can be quickly fried at home. Shrimp crackers can be from many countries, but I think the Indonesian version is the best. I recommend using the uncooked pieces, Komodo brand.
Fried shallots, store bought is fine, but if you want to make it yourselfm check out this detailed guide to perfect fried shallots
Fresh tomato and/or cucumber slices
Pickled cucumber & carrots (recipe included)

Indonesian Pickled Cucumber and Carrots (Acar)

This is a very quick pickle that will be ready to use as soon as it cools down, and then it can be stored in the fridge indefinitely like any other pickle.

Carrot sticks
Cucumber sticks
Shallot
Garlic
Fresh chilies (optional)
White vinegar
Sugar
Salt

How to Make Nasi Goreng

Here's a bird's eye view of the steps involved in making nasi goreng, and I've listed them in the order that you should make them. But when you're ready to cook, be sure to watch the video tutorial to ensure success, and read the full recipe card below!

For the pickles:

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, shallots and chilies in a small pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, place carrots and cucumber into a glass jar.
Pour the boiled pickling liquid over the vegetables, making sure everything is submerged. Cover and let cool completely before using. Store in the fridge.

For Fried Shallots:

If using store bought fried shallots, which I'm sure most of you will, refresh them by baking them in a 300°F/150°C oven for just 5 minutes, and they will be crispier, a little more caramelized, and much better tasting.

If making your own, I recommend following this detailed guide on fried shallots as there are a lot of little details to know to ensure they are crispy and not burned and oily!

For Shrimp Crackers (if frying at home):

Break the dry shrimp crackers into 2-3 pieces as they expand a lot once fried (I recommend watching the video to see how much they expand so you can allow for the right amount of room in your pot).
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pot to 375°F (190°C), then turn the heat to low.
Fry the crackers, no more than 3 pieces at a time. Once they puff and expand, which only take a few seconds, they are done. If you want them darker, keep them in the oil a few seconds longer. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Store in an airtight container once cooled completely.

For the fried rice:

Pound garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste.
In a small bowl, combine kecap manis, fish sauce, and sambal oelek; stir to combine.
Fry the eggs sunny side up, or to your liking, and set aside.
If adding meat, cook it in a wok with a little oil just until done, then remove and set aside. If not adding, skip this step.
Add a little more oil to the wok and saute the herb paste until aromatic. If adding vegetables or leftover cold meats, add them now and toss for just a minute or so.
Add the rice, then pour the sauce mixture over the rice and add the salt. Stir the rice, breaking up rice lumps as you go.
Once there are no more lumps and the rice grains are dry, add the meat back in (if using) and turn off the heat.
Toss in half of the green onions. Plate the rice, and arrange all the fixins around/on the rice (See the video for how this is done). Top with the remaining green onions. Enjoy!

How to Serve Nasi Goreng

Like many fried rice dishes, you can serve nasi goreng as a one-dish-meal! It's a flavourful fried rice with everything you need on one plate and doesn't need anything else to complete it, aside from perhaps a nice cold Thai iced tea!

If serving multiple people, I recommend having all the toppings out in bowls for people to dress up their own plate. (But maybe make one plate as a demo). It's more fun that way!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice) Recipe

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Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: Serves 3

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 head shallot, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 - 1½ teaspoon shrimp paste (depending how strong of a shrimp paste flavour you like)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp kecap manis
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sambal oelek
400g cooked jasmine rice, cold if possible
¼ tsp salt
1 green onion, chopped
Optional: any protein/vegetables you want to add (see note)

Note: I've given instructions for using leftover, cooked protein. If you're using raw protein, I would just cook it first, take it out of the pan, and then add it back in when you add the rice.

Fixins

Sunny side up eggs, 1 per person
Shrimp crackers (krupuk)
Fried shallots (see instructions below, or check out this detailed guide to perfect fried shallots)
Fresh tomato and/or cucumber slices
Pickled cucumber & carrots (see recipe below)

Indonesian Pickled Cucumber and Carrots (Acar)

1 cup carrot, cut into 1.5-inch sticks
1 cup cucumber, 1.5-inch sticks
½ head shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Any kind of fresh chilies, to taste (optional)
¾ cup white vinegar
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp salt

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Instructions

For pickles: In a small pot combine vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, shallots and chilies; bring to a boil. Meanwhile, place carrots and cucumber into a glass jar or another container that is heat-proof and acid-safe. Pour the boiled pickling liquid over the vegetables, making sure everything is submerged. Close the container jar, and once it is cooled to room temperature, it is ready to use. Store in the fridge.

For Fried Shallots: Thinly slice shallots lengthwise and spread them out on a piece of paper towel. Sprinkle salt over them and let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the salt draw out the moisture. Once the moisture has been drawn out, pat the shallots dry with a double layer of paper towel. Fry them on LOW heat in a small pot or a round-bottomed wok, with just enough oil to submerge them. Once they turn a deep golden colour, and the bubbling has subsided, fish them out with a mesh skimmer and drain them on paper towel. The may take 7-10 minutes depending on your heat and how much you are frying. They will darken a bit more once you've taken them out, so be careful not to let them get too dark. They also burn quickly so do not walk away!

For Shrimp Crackers: If you wish, break the dry shrimp crackers into 2-3 pieces as they expand a lot once fried. Heat about 1 inch of oil to 375°F and fry the crackers, no more than 3 at a time. Once they puff and expand, which only take a few seconds, they are done. If you want a darker colour you can keep them in a few seconds longer. Let drain on paper towel. Store in an air-tight container once cooled completely. Note: While you're frying, keep the heat low because, unlike most other foods, these crackers do not lower the oil temperature much when they're fried, so the oil can quickly get too hot if the heat is too high.

For the fried rice:

Pound garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste.

In a small bowl, combine kecap manis, fish sauce, and sambal oelek; stir to combine.

Fry the eggs sunny side up, or to your liking, and set aside.

In a wok, add a little vegetable oil and saute the herb paste until aromatic. If adding meat or vegetables, add them at this point and toss just to heat them through. Add rice, then pour the sauce mixture over the rice and add the salt. Turn the heat up to high and toss, breaking up rice lumps by pressing them down with a spatula. Once there are no more lumps and the rice grains are dry and evenly coated in the sauce, turn off the heat and toss in half of the green onions.

Plate the rice, and arrange all the fixins around/on the rice. Top with the remaining green onions.

The post Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice) appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken Recipe (Ga Kho)

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Caramel chicken is a quintessential Vietnamese home cooked meal. This salty-sweet chicken, braised in a savory, sticky sauce, hits all the right spots when you want a simple, comforting meal. It's also very quick to make, with a simple ingredient list - a perfect weeknight meal with many options to adapt it to other meats!

What is Caramel Chicken?

In Vietnamese cuisine this dish is called ga kho. Ga means chicken, and kho refers to dishes involving braising or stewing, and you can make kho using any other meat. A kho using caramel sauce like this one is very common, and the chicken version is particularly easy and fast.

Thit kho is a classic version that involves pork belly and hard boiled eggs, similar to the Thai kai palo minus the spices. But it takes much longer to cook, so the chicken version is a good beginner kho. You can also find kho made with fish!

Traditionally this dish is made and served in a clay pot; but a wok, a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet, or dutch oven will work.

Caramel in a Savory Dish

Using caramel sauce in a savory cooking is a classic Vietnamese technique. So common, in fact, that you can buy pre-made caramel sauce from Vietnamese grocery stores!

At my local Vietnamese grocery store, I found this premade caramel sauce (nuoc mau) made with coconut water, which is made for kho. (PS Not sure what "thin sauce" is about but perhaps lost in translation).

The bittersweet caramel is responsible for the rich colour and also the complex savory-sweet flavors that can't be obtained using plain sugar. It's a simple process but do watch the video if this is your first time so you know what to expect.

If you've made caramel for desserts such as flan or my caramel custard cake, it's the same idea, but you want this to be much darker. The darker the caramel the less sweet and the deeper the flavour, which work better in a savoury dish. But you do not want it burnt, so again watch the video so you can see the colour you're going for!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need for Vietnamese caramel chicken, and it uses mostly basic stuff!

Boneless skinless chicken thighs - bone-in whole thighs will also work, but some modification is needed as discussed in the FAQ below.
Good fish sauce - I specify "good" because it's the main seasoning for this dish and quality will make a difference. Read this article to learn about how to choose good fish sauce. If you're allergic to fish though, you can substitute soy sauce.
Palm sugar or granulated sugar
Rice vinegar as a small amount of acid is added to brighten and balance the sweetness. However the flavour of the vinegar won't actually come through, so other kinds of vinegar or even lime juice will work.
Coconut water; or sub unsalted chicken stock. More on this below.
Garlic
Shallots
Ginger
Ground black pepper
Thai chilies, optional
Green onion and/or cilantro for garnish. Choose either one or both if you have them, but cilantro will add a bit more cooling freshness.
Jasmine rice for serving

How to Make Vietnamese Caramel Chicken

Here's a bird's eye view of the steps, but if this is your first time watch the video tutorial to ensure success!

Cut the chicken into 1.5-inch cubes, mix with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and let it sit while you prep.
In a small saucepan, add the chopped palm sugar and let it melt over medium heat allowing it to caramelize.
If you see some uneven colour, stir to even it out. Let the sugar caramelize until it is a very dark brown.
Turn off the heat and immediately add the coconut water to stop the cooking process. Put it back on the heat and let it cook for a minute more until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Turn off the heat and add the remaining fish sauce and rice vinegar. The sauce can be made in advance and it will keep indefinitely in the fridge.
Heat a wok, a 10-inch skillet or a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a little oil, and saute the garlic, shallots, ginger and black pepper until the shallots are translucent.
Push the herbs to one side and add the chicken; spreading it out into a single layer. Then flick the herbs on top of the chicken and let the chicken sear, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes.
You're looking for the bottom of the chicken to be golden brown.

Give everything a toss and pour the caramel sauce over.
Let it simmer on medium-low or low heat for 15 minutes (look for constant but gentle bubbling) stirring occasionally until the chicken is fork tender. If it becomes too dry, top up with a splash of water as needed.
Off heat, taste and adjust the sauce (this is very important!). If it is too strong or there's not enough sauce, add a little water. If it's too sweet, add more fish sauce and maybe even a touch of vinegar to balance. Or add more sugar! Do whatever you need to do here.
Stir in some green onions and chopped chilies (if using). Plate, top it with a little fresh ginger if you like, and serve with steamed white rice and a side of veggies!

Pro Tip: Make sure you have good ventilation while cooking to avoid having the smell of fish sauce in your curtains for days!

Coconut Water in a Braise?

Let’s talk about the choice of braising liquid. I was surprised by the use of coconut water because in Thailand, we have coconut water out the wazoo, but we don’t use it in this way. That said it adds a natural sweetness and a little more complexity, and it works.

You can use chicken stock instead, but I’d up the sugar by about a teaspoon to make up for the sweetness.

What REALLY surprised me though was finding out that many Vietnamese-Americans use Coco Rico coconut flavoured soda instead! It’s a Puerto Rican drink, but back when coconut water was not widely available in America Vietnamese-Americans started using this as an alternative, and it became a thing. It's safe to say that Coco Rico is now a part of Vietnamese cooking in N. America!

Coco Rico, a coconut flavoured soda often used in kho as a sub for coconut water.

If you're interested in trying it, a word of caution. It’s very sweet, too sweet for me even as a drink. If using, you would have to use less sugar, which means less caramel flavour...in short, I don't recommend it myself.

Note: You cannot just substitute it for coconut water in my recipe or you will end up with an overly sweet dish. I would look for other recipes that are designed specifically to work with Coco Rico.

Why some caramel chicken has no caramel

This dish was popularized in America by a famous Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco called The Slanted Door. I used to work close to it, and just about every table ordered their caramel chicken; including me when I went!

Their recipe has been shared in many publications, but when I saw it, I was surprised to find that there is actually no caramel in their caramel chicken!

What they, and sometimes other people, use is dark brown sugar. I found out that brown sugar is a common shortcut to get that dark colour without the caramelizing step. In a restaurant, this is understandable as it helps with consistency and efficiency. And the dish still tastes good!

For cooking at home though, I think caramelizing sugar yields a better flavour, and at the very least, the traditional flavour of this dish. So I encourage you to make the caramel, especially since it only takes a few minutes for the small amount needed for this recipe.

Storing Leftovers

Caramel chicken keeps very well in the fridge, and it will taste even better the next day. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

Tips for Advance Prep

The caramel sauce can be made in bulk, in advance, and it will keep in the fridge indefinitely. If the sauce is ready to go, this recipe will be super quick to pull off on a weeknight.

The whole dish can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve (a perfect dinner party dish!) Leave the green onions and chilies out and then add them just before serving and after you reheat. You can reheat on a stovetop or in the microwave; and be prepared to add a splash of water to make up for the evaporation during reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use whole bone-in chicken thighs instead?

Yes, with a few adjustments. When you add the chicken to the pan to sear, add it skin side down. Once browned, flip the chicken and add the sauce. You may need to add more water to ensure that the liquid almost submerges the chicken.
Your cooking time will need to be increased to about 40 minutes, so I would keep it loosely covered to prevent it from drying out too much. Flip the chicken a few times in between.
Once the chicken is done, taste and adjust the seasoning, and if it's too diluted, remove the chicken and reduce the sauce further.

How can I adapt this recipe to other meats?

The process is the same, but you will need to change the cooking time according to the meat you use, then adjust the amount of liquid to match the cooking time.
If using pork shoulder and/or pork belly for example, you'll need to cook it for about 2 hours. Read the previous question to get an idea of things you might need to change if using meats that take longer to cook.

Can I use chicken breast instead? Or fish?

I do not recommend chicken breast for any kind of braise since it will dry out. Chicken breast should only be cooked minimally, so if you really want to use it, here's what I'd do:
Make the recipe but do not add the chicken until after the sauce has reduced (so you will just reduce the sauce by itself with the herbs). Once the sauce is thick and sticky-looking, add the chicken and cook just until it's done. Adjust the consistency and flavour of the sauce as needed. The same would apply to fish, which also takes very little time to cook.

How can I make this vegetarian or vegan?

You can certainly make this with tofu or any other vegan meats. Substitute fish sauce with vegan fish sauce or soy sauce. If your protein only takes a short time to cook, follow the instructions for chicken breast in the above question.

What can I use instead of coconut water?

Unsalted or low sodium chicken stock will be fine, but increase the sugar by about 1 teaspoon.

How do I use premade caramel sauce (nuoc mau) in this recipe?

Though I have never done it, theoretically the premade caramel sauce will replace the palm sugar in the recipe. So you can skip the sauce making step altogether and add the nuoc mau and the other sauce ingredients to the chicken after it has seared.
The amount is something you'll have to tinker with. Start with a tablespoon and add more until the desired colour is achieved; and be prepared to add more sugar at the end if needed.

Vietnamese Caramel Chicken - Ga Kho

A homey dish that's a classic in Vietnamese cooking. Sweet-salty braised chicken in a savory caramel sauce served with rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings

Ingredients

1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1.5" cubes
2 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoon palm sugar finely chopped, or granulated sugar (see note 1)
½ tablespoon rice vinegar (see note 2)
½ cup coconut water or unsalted chicken stock
2 tablespoon neutral oil
4 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup julienned shallots about 1 large head
1 ½ tablespoon finely julienned ginger
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Thai chilies chopped, to taste (optional)
1 green onion and/or 4 sprigs cilantro chopped
Jasmine rice and a side of veggies for serving

Instructions

Mix chicken with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and let it sit while you do the other things.
1½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoon fish sauce
To make the fish sauce caramel: In a small pot add the palm sugar and let it melt over medium heat. Allow it to caramelize until the sugar is a very dark brown, almost black.
As the sugar darkens, stir it occasionally to even out the darkness. Once it's very dark brown, remove from heat and deglaze with the coconut water - it will sizzle aggressively. Put the pot back on the heat and keep it cooking for another minute until the sugar is all dissolved (a couple of undissolved bits stuck to the pot is okay).
Turn off the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and vinegar, set aside. Tip: You can make this sauce in bulk, in advance, as part of your meal prep, and it'll keep in the fridge forever.
3 tablespoon palm sugar, ½ tablespoon rice vinegar, ½ cup coconut water
In a wok, on medium high heat, add the oil and sauté the ginger, shallots, garlic and black pepper until the shallots are translucent.
2 tablespoon neutral oil, 4 cloves garlic, ½ cup julienned shallots, 1 ½ tablespoon finely julienned ginger, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Push the herbs aside, add the chicken, and spread it out in one layer, then scoop the herbs back on top of the chicken to protect them from the heat. (You can also remove the herbs from the pan for now to make this less clunky, but this method works fine). Let the chicken fry without moving it until some browning has developed on the underside of the chicken.
Once the chicken has browned, add the caramel sauce and stir to mix. Simmer gently, uncovered, for about 15 mins, stirring every few minutes in between. You're looking for the chicken to be fork tender, and for the sauce to be thickened to a nice consistency.
Once done, taste the sauce (this is very important!). It should be sweet and salty, but if it feels too strong/concentrated, add a small splash of water or coconut water to thin it out. If it tastes too weak/diluted, let it cook for a few minutes longer to reduce (to make this go faster you can remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and then just boil the heck out of the sauce to quickly reduce it).
To finish, stir in chopped chilies if desired, then plate and top with green onions and/or cilantro. Serve with rice and a side of veggies (see below for some suggestions).
Thai chilies, 1 green onion and/or 4 sprigs cilantro, Jasmine rice and a side of veggies

Video

Notes

If you have palm sugar, that's great. But if you don't, white sugar will work fine as you'll still be getting a lot of flavour from the caramel.
The vinegar is there just to provide some acidity to balance the sweetness, but the flavour of the vinegar will not come through; so you can use any other types of vinegar you have, or even lime juice, lemon juice or tamarind.

What to Serve with Caramel Chicken

This dish is great on its own, but it can benefit from a side of vegetables to lighten it up a bit. These two simple veggie stir fries are quick and tasty. If you want something tart and spicy to balance the sweetness though, go for the brussel sprouts or the papaya salad!

If you want to explore more options, check out my salads and vegetables recipes.

The post Vietnamese Caramel Chicken Recipe (Ga Kho) appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Chinese Eggs & Tomato Stir Fry

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Tomatoes and eggs. That's basically it for this dish. But the seemingly simple combination, with the right technique, yields the most comforting and tasty dish. I've tried various cooking methods to arrive at the one that yields perfectly cooked luscious eggs, tender tomatoes, and just the right amount of juiciness to moisten your rice. And it takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish!

Ingredients You'll Need

Here are all the ingredients you'll need. Super simple! But as with all simple dishes, it relies heavily on the quality of ingredients, so choose the best eggs and ripe tomatoes for this one!

Eggs. Quality matters here. I like to use free range eggs with bright orange yolks which I find taste "eggier" and yields a more colourful dish.
Tomatoes. I use roma tomatoes as they are not as watery, but any kind of tomatoes will work for this as long as they are ripe and flavourful.
Fish sauce. You can sub soy sauce for vegetarian.
Soy sauce. You can use gluten free soy sauce as well.
Brown sugar, or white sugar. This is just to boost the sweetness of the tomatoes a little.
White pepper, but black will also work.
Green onions

Step-By-Step:

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but be sure to check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below to ensure success!

Cut each tomato half into 3 wedges, then cut the wedges into thirds.
Beat the eggs with fish sauce and white pepper.
Add tomatoes, soy sauce and brown sugar into a preheated skillet.
Cook until the tomatoes are soft but still holding shape, then stir in the green onions (not pictured cuz I forgot!); remove them from the pan.

Give the pan a wipe then put it back on medium high heat. Add the eggs and quickly scramble them.
Keep scrambling until the eggs are about 80% cooked; there should be a little bit of raw eggs left.
Fold the tomatoes back in just until mixed and there is no more raw eggs.
Immediately transfer to a serving plate and garnish with more green onions.

Pro Tip: No Wok for This Stir Fry

While I use a wok for most stir fries, and you can use a wok for this recipe, I prefer using a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet. It has a large surface area for maximum amount of tomato juices to evaporate, so I won't risk having too much liquid in the dish. You'll also need to lift and scrape the pan in between so a lighter skillet is easier to manage than a heavy wok.

They Key to Juicy and Luscious Tomato & Egg Stir Fry

You might have seen versions of this dish that is drier, like just scrambled eggs with tomatoes in it. It's fine, but once you try a version that's juicy, saucy, with super tender eggs, you will understand why achieving this texture is so important to me.

There's nothing fancy you need to do to get that perfect juiciness - no extra sauce ingredients needed, because it's all in the technique.

Some recipes have you scramble the eggs until fully cooked first, take them out, and put them back in after cooking the tomatoes. With this method, the dish will end up drier because they are fully cooked and cooked twice, so some then add more liquid ingredients like water and cornstarch to get it to be saucy, making this more complex than it needs to be.

Enter the reverse method. If you cook the tomatoes first and take them out, you can add them back in when the eggs are only partially cooked, allowing the liquid eggs and tomato juices to mingle, creating a luscious, custardy texture. And the eggs are cooked only once, making it easier to achieve that just-cooked-enough tenderness.

This technique is much better understood via video, so make sure you watch the demo before you start!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can this be made vegetarian?

You can use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

How can I make more or less of this recipe?

This is a great recipe for using up tomatoes that are about to go, so if you have more or less of the tomatoes called for, not to worry, just use everything you have and stick to this ratio for the eggs: 1 large egg for every 80 grams of tomatoes.

You might prefer a dish with more or less tomatoes, so feel free to adjust this to your liking, but this is a good place to start. As for the seasoning, you need ½ teaspoon of soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of fish sauce and a little less than ¼ teaspoon of sugar for every 1 egg used.

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. The video is in the recipe card below, but you can also watch it on YouTube!

Chinese Eggs and Tomato Stir Fry

The perfect lunch or dinner for when you're short on time, or when you've got ripe tomatoes that need using up. This classic Chinese dish is comforting, delicious, and super kid-friendly.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Servings servings

Ingredients

14 oz ripe roma tomatoes see note 1
5 large eggs see note 2
2 ½ teaspoon fish sauce or sub soy sauce for vegetarian
Ground white or black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon neutral oil
2 ½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 green onion chopped
Jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

To prep the tomatoes (also see the video below for cutting demo), cut each tomato in half lengthwise, then remove the core. Cut each half into 3 wedges, keeping the wedges together, then cut the wedges into thirds crosswise.
14 oz ripe roma tomatoes
Use a fork to beat the eggs with fish sauce and white pepper just until there are no more big gloopy bits of egg whites.
5 large eggs, 2 ½ teaspoon fish sauce, Ground white or black pepper
In a non stick skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat, and once hot, add the tomatoes, soy sauce, and sugar and stir to mix. Cook just until the tomatoes are soft but still holding shape, about 1-2 minutes depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes. Stir in the green onions then immediately pour them into a bowl.
2 tablespoon neutral oil, 2 ½ teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 green onion
*This step goes very quickly - once you add the eggs you've got literally 1 minute, so make sure you review the instructions and watch the video demo above before you start!
Wipe the pan with paper towel and return it to high heat. Add about another 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until hot again. Add the eggs and quickly use a rubber spatula to scramble them until about 80% cooked (there should be a little bit of raw eggs in the pan), then immediately add the tomatoes and "fold" them into the eggs JUST until mixed and the eggs are cooked through. Immediately transfer them onto a serving dish.
2 tablespoon neutral oil
Serve with jasmine rice. If you like it spicy, a drizzle of hot sauce, chili oil, chili crisp, or whatever your spicy condiment of choice would be appropriate here.
Jasmine rice

Video

Notes

You can use another kind of tomato as long as they are ripe for maximum flavour. I use roma because they are less watery and widely available.
To scale this recipe up or down, use the following ratio: For every 1 large egg, use 80 grams of tomato, ½ teaspoon fish sauce, ½ teaspoon soy sauce, and a little less than ¼ teaspoon sugar. Add the green onions and white pepper to taste.

Like this recipe? You'd also love these!

The post Chinese Eggs & Tomato Stir Fry appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

San Francisco Garlic Noodles

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:00:04 +0000

Jump to video!

A Popular Dish from the Bay Area

Years ago I lived in San Francisco, and as many of you know it's where I went to culinary school. While I was there, I went to a seafood restaurant and I had these garlic noodles which I was told where the restaurant's signature dish. They were chewy noodles stir fried with lots of garlic and what appeared to be a generous amount of butter. It was the highlight of the meal, yet it's unbelievably easy and goes well as a side dish for a protein-heavy feast, whether seafood or a backyard barbecue.

Years later, I ran into this dish on the internet, and it was then that I realized that it wasn't just the restaurant's signature dish, but it was so famous that other restaurants had copied them, and many home cooks have also tried to recreate them at home. These Asian garlic noodles were originally invented at Thanh Long, a non-traditional Vietnamese seafood restaurant, though I had it at one of their newer establishments, Crustaceans.

Choosing The Right Noodles

Thanh Long used a kind of thick, chewy, wheat noodles similar to Japanese ramen noodles, but thicker. I haven't been able to find the exact ones here, but I found that these fresh, fat Chinese egg noodles are perfect for this dish. These are the yellow noodles that come fully cooked and tossed in oil.

What you have available to you might be a bit different, but whatever you choose, you want them thick and chewy. The texture is part of the satisfaction of this dish. At Asian grocery stores you should be able to find a selection of fresh wheat-based egg noodles in the refrigerated section—go with the fattest one, and you might have to try a few to nail the perfect one.

If you've got leftover noodles, try using them in my mie goreng recipe.

Using Uncooked Noodles

The weight given in the recipe is for precooked egg noodles, which is what I have found to work best given what's available locally to me. But here are some modifications if you're using different types of noodles:

If the noodles you are using are fresh (not dry) but are still raw, you will need to use a little more than half the weight given, about 350 g.
If you're using dry noodles, you will need a little less than half the weight given, about 275 g.

This will vary between different noodles, so to be sure, I recommend weighing the noodles after you cook to make sure that you are starting with roughly the same amount as the recipe calls for. If it's a little different, adjust the amount of sauce as needed.

What is Golden Mountain Sauce?

Golden Mountain Sauce is an important component of this recipe. It's a brand of what Thais call "seasoning sauce" and it's essentially a type of soy sauce. Though there are other brands of seasoning sauce, Golden Mountain is the most popular and so it has become the generic name many people use. It's also the brand that's most widely available outside of Thailand, though I've also seen Healthy Boy brand seasoning sauce as well.

Compared to regular Thai soy sauce it is a bit darker and has a different, slightly stronger flavour. See this video for more on different types of Thai sauces. You can simply substitute soy sauce in equal amounts, of if you have Maggi Seasoning sauce this also works well as a sub.

What Can Replace Oyster Sauce?

If you're looking to make this vegetarian, substituting fish sauce with soy sauce or your vegan fish sauce of choice might be obvious...but what about the oyster sauce? Oyster sauce adds a lot of complexity to this dish, including saltiness, slight sweetness, and a lot of umami, so a good replacement is important here.

I've never seen something labeled as "vegetarian oyster sauce" on the market, but look for "vegetarian stir fry sauce" or "mushroom vegetarian sauce" instead. These are meant to be a vegan oyster sauce substitute, even though you couldn't tell with that labeling. Learn more about oyster sauce on my Guide to Oyster Sauce article/video!

Watch The Full Video Tutorial!

Garlic Noodles

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 13 reviews

Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
Yield: 3-4 servings

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Description

Incredibly simple yet satisfying, it's no wonder this dish became famous so quickly in San Francisco. Chewy egg noodles tossed in lots of garlic, butter, and umami-loaded sauces...it's the perfect pairing to any fish, seafood, or chicken!

Ingredients

600 g cooked egg noodles (if not using cooked egg noodles, see note)
8 cloves garlic, minced or pounded in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce, or sub Maggi Seasoning or soy sauce (see note)
1 Tbsp Fish sauce
35 g finely grated parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
1 lemon, optional but highly recommended!
1 green onion, chopped

Notes:

If using fresh but raw noodles, you will need about 350g to end up with about 600g of cooked noodles. If using dry noodles, you will need about 275g. This will vary between noodles so you should weigh the cooked noodles and adjust the amount of sauce as needed.
Golden Mountain Sauce is a type of soy sauce used often in Thailand. See this video for further explanation of different Thai cooking sauces.

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Instructions

If using pre-cooked egg noodles that have been tossed in oil like the ones shown in the video, gently pull the noodles apart, then give them a quick rinse under cold water to wash off some of the oil they’re coated in. Drain and rest them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess water. Tip: If the noodles are cold and are hard to pull apart, heat them in the microwave on 50% power, a minute at a time, just until they are warm enough to be separated. If using uncooked noodles, cook them off according to package instructions, then drain, rinse in cold water and set aside. Weigh the noodles to check the amount you have and adjust the amount of sauce up or down accordingly.
Pound the garlic in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste or mince them.
Combine oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Golden Mountain sauce in a small bowl.
Add oil and butter to a wok and melt the butter over low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 3-4 mins or until very fragrant, keeping the heat low so as to not brown the garlic.
Add the noodles and the sauce, then turn the heat up to high and toss until the noodles are hot and all the sauce has been absorbed.
Remove from heat, then stir in parmesan cheese. If you want you can stir in a squeeze of lemon at this stage, or serve the lemon as wedges on the side.
Plate, and garnish with black or white pepper and green onions if desired.
Serve with a lemon wedge and enjoy!

The post San Francisco Garlic Noodles appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

No-Bake Icebox Mango Pie (Filipino Mango Royale)

Pailin Chongchitnant — Fri, 06 May 2022 13:00:00 +0000

If you love mangoes, and you love mango desserts, Mango Royale, aka Mango Float, is an absolute must-try; right after mango and sticky rice, of course! It's a frozen Filipino dessert that takes advantage of peak-of-the-season mangoes, and uses only 5 ingredients. There's no baking involved, and it's so easy it's essentially fool-proof!

What is Mango Royale?

Mango royale, also known as mango float, is a classic Filipino mango dessert made with layers of sweet whipped cream, Manila mangoes, and graham crackers. It's then frozen and served slightly thawed. It's a version of another popular Filipino dessert called crema de fruta, which is similarly layered, but uses fruit cocktail instead of mangoes, and sponge cake or ladyfingers instead of graham crackers.

I first became aware of mango royale listening to a Good Food podcast episode featuring Isa Fabro, a Filipino-American chef who is well-known for her sell-out mango royale popups in Los Angeles. But instead of making it in a cake pan or a casserole dish, as is more commonly done, she makes hers in a pie plate, which I think is brilliant. This recipe is based on one she has shared publicly, with a few of my own modifications.

Though typically made in a cake pan or a casserole dish, making a mango royale as a pie allows us to have more of the crunchy brown-butter-graham crust, which, trust me, you will want more of.

Ingredients You'll Need

You really need only 5 ingredients; the lime is optional but I like the acidity and brightness that it adds. Because it is so simple, the quality of your mangoes is of utmost importance. More on that below.

Graham cracker crumbs. You can buy the crumbs, or grind up whole crackers.
Butter, unsalted (though salted is fine, too)
Sweetened condensed milk
Heavy whipping cream
Manila mangoes
Lime juice (optional)

How to Make Mango Royale

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but be sure to check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below to ensure success!

Melt and brown the butter until very dark and nutty
Pour into the graham cracker crumbs and mix
Press about ⅔ of the crumbs into a pie plate which has been sprayed with nonstick spray, and chill.
Score mango cheeks into cubes and scoop into a bowl.

Squish the mangoes with a gloved hand until it looks like half-chunks, half-purée.
If the mango tastes like it could use a little extra acidity to brighten up the flavour, add some lime juice.
Combine the condensed milk and whipping cream.
Whip on medium to medium-low speed until firm.

Spread half of the cream onto the chilled crust.
Spread half of the mango on top of the cream.
Sprinkle on half of the remaining crumbs (or however much you like; I like only a little bit of crumbs here.)
Repeat the layers one more time.

Once completed, freeze the pie for at least 8 hours.
Before serving, thaw for about 1 hour at room temp or overnight in the fridge.

Pro Tip: Slow-Whip the Cream

Chef Fabro stresses that the cream should be whipped slowly for more stability. You can whisk it by hand if you're looking for an arm workout, or if using an electric mixer, use medium or medium low speed. Using high speed creates a lot of air bubbles which makes the cream less stable. Think about the aerosol whipped cream, it's whipped instantly and is the flimsiest whipped cream ever...yeah, we want the opposite of that!

Choosing the Best Mangoes

This pie is so simple, so your mangoes have to be very good. Remember: your pie is only as good as your mangoes! You want them ripe, sweet, juicy, and erring on the side of overripe. If they're wrinkly with black spots on them, even better. This is partly because once the mangoes are frozen, their flavour and sweetness will be dulled slightly.

What type of mangoes should you use? You should use Manila mangoes of course, which in North America are in season around April. If that's not available to you, you can use Ataulfo mangoes which are very similar, and in N. America these are sometimes both labeled as “Manila” mangoes. Ataulfo are also known as champagne mangoes. If neither is available, go with whatever is sweet, fragrant and juicy, but not fibrous.

Manila, ataulfo or champagne mango. They should be a little overripe and wrinkly for Mango Royale.

What are Manila Mangoes?

Manila mangoes are teardrop-shaped, bright yellow mangoes that are native to the Philippines. When ripe they should be very sweet with very little acidity (which is why I like to add a little lime juice to the pie) and are not at all fibrous. The seeds are also wonderfully thin, so they're a good bang for your buck! Ataulfo mangoes (aka champagne mangoes) are descendants of Manila mangoes and are very similar so can also be used.

How to tell if Manila mangoes are ripe

If you want to eat Manila mangoes fresh, wait a few days after they have turned completely yellow. If there's still any green on the skin, they are not ready to eat and will be sour. They should also feel soft when gently squeezed.

If you want to make Mango Royale, however, wait longer until the skin starts to get wrinkly. As mentioned, for a frozen dessert you want them overripe for maximum flavour, fragrance, and sweetness.

How to Store Mango Royale

Mango royale is a frozen dessert, so obviously you need to keep it frozen. The only problem is, what if you thaw it to serve, and then have leftovers? Can you refreeze the thawed dessert?

Freezing and thawing most foods multiple times is never a good idea. In the case of creamy things such as this, the multiple freeze-thaw cycles cause the texture to become more icy and less creamy. So if you're not going to eat the whole pie at once, here's my suggestion:

Freeze the whole pie initially as per the recipe.
The first time you serve the pie, and after it has thawed just enough for you to cut into it (about 30 minutes at room temperature), cut the entire pie into slices. Do not let it thaw any more than necessary, so check it early.
Put the pieces that you will save for later into a container with a lid and put them straight back into the freezer. Try not to let the pieces touch each other so they will not stick together; you can also put pieces of parchment in between them.
With the pieces that you will be eating today, now that they are cut, they will take only a few more minutes to get to that ideal semi-thawed serving temperature.

With this method, you will have pieces of mango royale cut and ready to serve anytime, and while the whole pie can take an hour to thaw at room temp before it reaches a good serving temperature, each small piece will only take 10-15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen mangoes instead?

Technically yes, but I don't recommend it. Frozen mangoes are rarely sweet and ripe enough for this dessert. The only brand of frozen mango I've ever come across the might be good enough is the Philippine Brand, which I believe uses Manila mangoes as well. If you want to try it, make sure you taste the frozen mangoes first, and if it's not super sweet juicy and delicious, wait until mango season comes. It'll be worth the wait.

What can I use instead of graham cracker crumbs?

If you don't have graham crackers available, Digestive Biscuits or another semi-sweet biscuits will work. You can also buy the crumbs pre-made, or buy whole graham crackers and grind them up in a food processor.

Do I really need to brown the butter?

Technically no, but you'll want to. This is Chef Fabro's trick, and I have no question that this is why her popups are such a hit with the masses. Trust me, the extra 5 minutes of your time will be very well spent.

Have you ever heard anyone say that they love the crust under a cheesecake? No. Everyone knows the standard graham cracker crust is just functional. But just about everyone who has had my mango royale has remarked, "I love the crust!" If you've never experienced the magic of properly browned butter, you owe it to yourself to try.

Can I serve it chilled, but not frozen?

If you serve it chilled, but not frozen, it will eat more like a soft pudding. Everything will be soft, including the crust. Not bad by any means, but I do prefer it semi-frozen because the crust will be crunchy, and the texture of the mango and the cream will be reminiscent of an ice cream cake, which is awesome.

Other No-Bake Mango Desserts for Mango Lovers

If you've got more mangoes after making mango royale, here are a few other desserts you should try.

Mango and sticky rice. If you only made one dessert form my site, this famous Thai dish should be it.
Mango Coconut Jelly Cubes. This was my first viral recipe, and for good reason! See what the hype was all about!
Hong Kong Mango Pancake. If you love the combination of mangoes and cream, try this dim sum classic. Your mango also has to be very good for this.
Mango Pudding. Soft, silky, luscious mango pudding is a dream. Light and not too sweet, perfect for a sweet ending to a big meal.

No-Bake Mango Cream Pie - Filipino Mango Royale

One of the simplest mango desserts you can make - yet one of the best. This Filipino classic frozen treat combines sweet, juicy Manila mangoes with fluffy whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, and a nutty brown-butter graham cracker crust.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Filipino

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Freezing time 8

Servings servings

Calories 522kcal

Equipment

9-inch pie plate
Nonstick cooking spray
Parchment paper (optional)

Ingredients

5.5 oz butter unsalted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
25 oz very ripe manila mango flesh see note 1
1 tablespoon lime juice optional
4.5 oz sweetened condensed milk see note 2
1.5 cups whipping cream cold

Instructions

Spray the pie plate with non-stick spray, and if you want you can line bottom with parchment. (The parchment isn't totally necessary but it does make it easier to remove.)
For the brown butter graham crust, place the graham cracker crumbs into a large mixing bowl.
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Brown the butter by melting it in a stainless steel pot or skillet over medium heat. Once melted, keep stirring until the butter becomes very dark brown and looks almost burnt, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. (Note: There will be a lot of foam on top of the melted butter, this is normal, but if you keep stirring you will be able to see the colour of the butter through the foam.)
5.5 oz butter
Pour the brown butter over the graham crumbs and mix well.
Put about ⅔ of the graham crumbs into the pie plate and spread it around, then press the crumbs up the sides of the plate making them a little less than ¼ inch thick. Then press them into the bottom of the pie plate firmly. You can take more of the reserved crumbs to fill the crust as needed, as it's most important that you have an even, sturdy bottom crust. Chill the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
For the mango filling: Slice mango cheeks off the fruit, then use a paring knife to score the flesh into ½-inch cubes and use a spoon to scoop them out into a large mixing bowl. You can remove the flesh around the seeds, or just snack on them - as long as you have at least 700 g (25 oz) of flesh.
25 oz very ripe manila mango flesh
Use a gloved hand to squish the mangoes until it looks like a chunky mango sauce (about half chunks half puree). Taste, then add lime juice if it feels like it could use a little extra acidity.
1 tablespoon lime juice
For the condensed whip: Combine condensed milk and cold whipping cream in a medium mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to beat them on medium to medium-low speed until firm peaks form. To check for doneness, lift your beater, and whatever sticks to your beater should be able to hold its shape against gravity with gentle shaking. Be careful not to over-whip; once your beater starts leaving clear trails you're almost there, so pay attention and check often.
4.5 oz sweetened condensed milk, 1.5 cups whipping cream
Build the pie: The layers are built in this order: cream -> mango -> crumbs -> cream -> mango -> crumbs.
Spread about half of the cream into the chilled crust, then spoon half of the mangoes over the cream, followed by about half of the remaining crumbs. Repeat the layers with the remaining filling, and if you don't end up using everything, that's fine. You can use whatever's left to make a mini version.
Freeze overnight (at least 8 hours), then allow to thaw for 1 hour at room temp or thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. If your schedule will allow, you can also serve it after 5-6 hours of freezing. Essentially you want to serve it semi-frozen or partially thawed.
Tip: If freezing for more than 1 night, to prevent it from drying out and absorbing freezer smell I recommend covering it with a double layer of plastic wrap after the exterior has firmed up.

Video

Notes

This is about 5 medium-sized manila mangoes. Manila mangoes are also known as ataulfo or champagne mangoes. If they are not available you can use other varieties as long as they are very sweet and juicy. Your pie is only as good as your mangoes, so make sure they are super sweet and ripe, even overripe, as the flavour will be dulled slightly when it's frozen.
By volume this is about 100 ml of sweetened condensed milk, ⅓ cup + 1 ½ Tbsp, or ⅓ of a can.

Nutrition

The post No-Bake Icebox Mango Pie (Filipino Mango Royale) appeared first on Hot Thai Kitchen.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken with Nuoc Cham

Pailin Chongchitnant — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Easy, delicious, and versatile; what else could you ask for in a chicken recipe? Lemongrass chicken is a staple menu item in Vietnamese restaurants in Canada, and one that my husband gets all the time - which is why I was inspired to recreate it. It is so quick to prepare, kid-friendly, can last you the whole week in the fridge (yay meal prep), and you can grill or broil it!

I like to make more than I need because it's such a versatile "all-purpose" protein you can incorporate into other dish. Try putting it into a banh mi sandwich, using it to top a salad, or adding it to a veggie stir fry. The nước chấm dipping sauce is a classic pairing, and it also couldn't be easier!

What is Lemongrass Chicken?

Boneless chicken thighs are marinated in a lemongrass-loaded, flavourful marinade and then grilled. It is usually served with rice or rice vermicelli plus the sweet-sour-slightly-spicy nước chấm sauce.

After consulting my Instagram community, a couple of similar dishes exist in Vietnam called gà nướng sả or gà xào sả ớt, though the version I'm showing here is what is ubiquitous in Vietnamese restaurants in Canada, and apparently Australia.

Vietnamese and Thai cuisine share almost all of our ingredients due to our geographical proximity, but they are treated very differently with different "philosophies of flavour." So this lemongrass chicken is one that tastes much like a milder version of Thai BBQ chicken, the only real giveaway is the dipping sauce which in Thailand would've been a much stronger, spicier jeaw dipping sauce.

Ingredients You'll Need

Here are all the ingredients you'll need, first for the lemongrass chicken, and then for the nước chấm dipping sauce.

For lemongrass chicken, top to bottom, left to right: Lemongrass, black peppercorns, oil, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, water, boneless skinless chicken thighs.

For nuac cham dipping sauce, top to bottom, left to right: Lime, Thai chili, water, fish sauce, garlic, shredded carrot, sugar.

Step-By-Step:

Here's a bird's eye view of the process, but be sure to check out the full video tutorial in the recipe card below to ensure success!

1. Pound garlic, black pepper and lemongrass into a paste. 2. Add all seasonings, water and oil. 3. Add marinade to the chicken and mix. 4. Marinade for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

5. Grill chicken until fully cooked; internal temp 175°F minimum. You can also broil them; see FAQ for more info. 6. Nice grill marks 🙂 7. Make dipping sauce by grinding garlic, chili and sugar into a paste. 8. Add all seasonings and water and mix.

9. Add shredded carrots if you wish. 10. Serve chicken with rice or rice vermicelli, and be generous with the sauce!

Pro Tip: For better chicken thighs, overcook them a little

Seriously! Many of us faithfully cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F because we know overcooked chicken is bad news. But that's only true for chicken breast. For dark meat, with more connective tissue, at 165°F the texture is fine but still a little bit chewy. Once you cook it to a minimum of 175°F, and up to 195°F, all that connective tissue dissolves, making it tender and juicy. Read this article by America's Test Kitchen for more on this.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make this recipe without a grill?

Broiling in the oven also works very well for this recipe. To do this, preheat the broiler on high for 5 minutes and set the rack to the top position, or about 3-4 inches away from the element. Line a baking sheet with foil (not parchment!) and place the chicken on the baking sheet, pretty side up.

Broil the chicken for 7-10 minutes, or until you have nice browning with little charred bits on the chicken. By the time this happens the chicken should be fully cooked. Don't flip the chicken because if you do, the chicken will not have enough time to get any browning—it's better to get a good char on one side than none on either side!

I don't have a grill or a broiler, can I cook this stovetop?

Yes! This marinated chicken is very versatile. If doing it stove top you can cut each chicken thigh down into 2 pieces so they fit better in the pan. Heat a large skillet with some oil and sear the chicken over high heat until browned, 2-3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side until done; lower the heat if the chicken is browning too quickly.

You can also cut them into stir-fry-sized pieces and stir fry it!

Can I use another protein besides chicken?

Absolutely! Pork would be my second go-to for this recipe, and a pork version is also available at some Vietnamese restaurants here. You can use pork tenderloin or pork chops for something lean, or use a pork shoulder steak or pork jowl for something fattier (my preference). Be sure to slice the pork into thin steaks to allow the flavour to penetrate, and do not overcook the pork or it will be dry, especially if you're using a lean cut.

For beef, I think the marinade is a little too mild and may not stand up well to the stronger flavour of beef. If you're looking for a marinated grilled beef, try my all-time favourite steak marinade, and you can add a bunch of lemongrass to it as well!

Can I make the marinade and dipping sauce without a mortar and pestle?

Yes, though for the marinade pounding is ideal as it helps bruise and release more flavour from the lemongrass. But you can also process all the marinade ingredients in a small food processor, though you'll need to grind the black pepper separately. You can mince everything by hand, but you'll want to smash and bruise the lemongrass before chopping to help release the aroma.

For the dipping sauce, you can finely mince the chilies and either press or grate the garlic with a zester. Then just stir everything else in! You can also use the Huy Fong brand sambal oelek (chili garlic paste) in place of the Thai chili.

Like this recipe? You'd also love these!

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Vietnamese Nuoc Cham

Lemongrass chicken is a popular menu item in Vietnamese restaurants, and it's super easy to make at home. You can grill or broil the chicken in the oven, and the sweet and sour nuoc cham dipping sauce couldn't be simpler. Serve with rice or noodles, or put it in a banh mi sandwich!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Marinating time 2

Servings

Calories 359kcal

Equipment

mortar and pestle
Grill optional

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 stalk lemongrass bottom half only, finely chopped
2 tablespoon neutral oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon water
1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
Jasmine rice or rice vermicelli for serving

Nuac Cham Dipping Sauce

1 small garlic clove
1 Thai chili or to taste
1 ½ tablespoon sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce