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There are very few counties whose name actually becomes a synonym for food.
No one ever says, “Let’s have an Irish tonight”, but they do say “Let’s order Thai tonight!”
And there’s a reason for that.
Thai food is a whirlwind of flavour, texture, and colour. Rich in cultural history, regional spices, and cooking methods, it’s not only delicious, but healthy too!
To celebrate Thai cuisine and to show just how versatile it is, we’ve put together these three dishes, each one made with one of the three big meats – beef, chicken and prawn.
Enjoy!
Thai Beef Salad
This delicious recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, sour and salty, all held together with a beautifully cooked sirloin steak. There are a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that put you off, this dish is surprisingly easy to make!
Ingredients
- 500g / 1.1lb Angus beef sirloin steak brushed with 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 Tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tsp black pepper –
- 2 red chillies- finely diced
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp palm sugar- grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh coriander- roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint- roughly chopped
- 100g / 3.5oz snow peas – trimmed and sliced on angle
- ½ cucumber- sliced
- 2 shallots – sliced thinly
- 16 cherry tomatoes- sliced in half
- ¼ cup peanuts- toasted and coarsely chopped
Method
Trim any excess fat from the beef sirloin. Place the beef into a shallow dish and drizzle with the red curry paste. Sprinkle the black pepper over the steaks and rub into the meat. There should be an even covering of pepper on each side of the steak.
Heat a large non-stick pan on high until very hot. Gently lay the steaks and do not move them. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for around 3 minutes on each side. This recipe is at its best when the meat is served medium rare but if you like your steaks medium do not turn until you see a little blood coming to the top of each steak. Turn and repeat the process. Then remove and rest for at least 8 minutes.
Place the chilli, lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and the sesame oil into a jar, tighten the lid and shake until well combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl gently combine the spinach, coriander (reserving some for garnish), mint, snow peas, cucumber, shallots and tomatoes.
To serve
Arrange salad ingredients into four bowls. Slice the steak into thin strips and evenly distribute on top of the salad. Using a teaspoon drizzle the dressing over the steak, then sprinkle over remaining coriander and peanuts.
Thai Spicy Chicken Wings (Peek Gai Nam Daeng) Recipe
Thai food is only spicy if you want it to be, and if you’re into your spices, then there’s nothing better! When it comes to meat, chicken is the foundation of Thai cooking, and this spicy chicken wing recipe is one of the tastiest meals you’ll ever make!
Ingredients
- Avocado cooking oil for frying
- 1kg / 2.2lb free-range chicken wings
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small shallots, minced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha or any Asian hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
For serving
- Celery Sticks
- Coriander leaves
Method
Pour enough oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven, about 1.5-2 inches high. Heat it at medium heat until the temperature reaches approximately 400°F (200°C).
In a bowl, season the chicken wings with salt to taste. Add in the tapioca starch and toss to coat. When the oil is ready for frying, working in batches, slowly add the chicken wings to the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken wings are golden brown and crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer the chicken wings to a rack over a baking sheet to drain.
In a 6-quart saucepan, heat the peanut oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic, shallots and onion. Stir well until the ingredients turn brown.
Then add in the tomatoes and cook while stirring until soft and smooth. Add in the ketchup, Sriracha, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce and water. Stir until it slightly thickens. Then add in the wine and give it a quick stir.
Add the chicken wings to the sauce and toss to coat.
Transfer the chicken wings to a serving plate, sprinkle the chopped peanut and serve with cilantro and celery on the side. If there’s extra sauce, transfer into a bowl and serve it with the chicken wings.
Cook’s Notes: I cut the chicken wings into two parts, the wings and the drummette,s for easier cooking. I used Shaoxing cooking wine.
Thai Green Mango Salad with Prawns, Chopped Peanuts and Crispy Shallots
Prepare your taste buds because this dish will blow you away with its flavour!
The mix of soft mango combined with the crunchy prawns awaken wonderful textures as well as flavours, and as an added bonus, it’s remarkably healthy!
Ingredients
- 15 prawns – shelled and deveined
- 1 green mango – peeled then sliced as thinly as possible
- 2 shallots – finely sliced, placed into ice water to crisp
- 1 cup Thai basil – sliced
- 1/2 cup mint – sliced
- 2 Tbsp chopped peanuts
- 3 Tbsp crispy shallots
Dressing
- 2 Tbps lime juice
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp chilli – finely diced
Method
Heat a med size pot with water until gently boiling. Add the prawns and poach until they just change colour and are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove, drain and let cool. Slice the prawns in half lengthwise and set aside.
Place the dressing ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine. Set aside.
In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients with the prawns then drizzle over the dressing. Gently combine and serve.
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