Cooking Course in Chiang Mai, Thailand

2½

cups thin coconut milk

4

slices galangal, sliced thinly (can substitute with ginger)

2

stalks of lemon grass bruised and cut into 4 CM pieces

6-8

medium sized peeled raw prawns (shrimp). Veggie substitute: mushrooms or tofu

2-6

straw mushrooms cut in half (can substitute with white mushrooms)

2-7

chilies (bruised)

2

kaffir lime leaves stalks removed and torn in half

½

cup thick coconut cream

1

tablespoon chili paste

2

tablespoons lime or lemon juice

1 ½

tablespoons fish sauce. Veggie substitute: soy sauce

1.

Turn gas on medium and place the think coconut milk into the wok. Add galangal and lemon grass. Bring gently to boil. Stir constantly.

2.

Add the prawns, cook until tender

3.

Add mushrooms, thick coconut cream, lime leaves, chilies, and chili paste. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

4.

Turn gas off. Add lime juice and fish sauce.

5.

Serve hot. Garnish with fresh coriander.

½

cup firm tofu sliced in thin strips

½

cup pumpkin sliced in thin strips

1½

cups thick coconut milk

3 or 4

tablespoons curry paste

2

tablespoon fish sauce. Veggie substitute: soy sauce

2

tablespoon brown sugar

2

kaffir-lime leaves, torn in pieces, stems removed

20

sweet basil leaves

2

large red chilies (garnish)

1.

Mix the curry paste, sugar, and fish sauce together and set aside.

2.

Place ½ cup thick coconut milk into a wok/saucepan and heat over medium heat until the coconut oil starts to separate from the milk.

3.

Add the curry paste and continue to stir until the curry paste is cooked (about 1 minute).

4.

Add the tofu, cook on medium for about 2 minutes.

5.

Add fish sauce and sugar.

6.

Add 1 cup thick coconut milk and the kaffir lime leaf. Add pumpkin. Cook for about 4 more minutes.

7.

Add sweet basil leaves and stir to combine.

8.

Remove from heat and serve garnished with shredded karrir lime leaf, basil leaves, and sliced chili garnish.

For Rice:

1

cup sticky rice (long grain)

½

cup thick coconut cream

4

tablespoons white sugar

½

teaspoon salt

Topping Sauce:

4

tablespoons thick coconut cream

¼

teaspoon salt

½

teaspoon white sugar

1

tablespoon corn flour dissolved in 4 tablespoons of cold water

Accompaniments:

1

large ripe sweet mango

1.

Drain the rice. Rinse and place inside a wet cloth sack (pillow cases are fine) and then inside a bamboo or vegetable steamer.

2.

Steam over boiling water for 40 minutes or until rice is tender.

3.

Make the sauce for the rice by placing thick coconut cream, white sugar, and salt in a saucepan on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved

4.

Using a large spoon, massage this mixture into the rice, spoonful by spoonful. Set aside while you make the sauce.

5.

For topping sauce, place the sugar, salt, coconut cream and the corn flour/water mix in a small saucepan and heat on medium until the sauce thickens.

6.

Peel the mango and slice it into 12 pieces. Discard the stone. Arrange it on two plates beside the mango.

7.

Place of a heaping spoonful of rice on the plate. Top with a dribble of sauce.