Titbits
A simple kind of titbit is fun to make.
You need shallots, ginger, lemon or lime, lemon grass, roasted peanuts
and red phrik khi nu chillies. Peeled shallots and ginger should be cut
into  small
fingertip sizes. Diced lime and slices of lemon grass should be cut to
the same size. Roasted peanut should be left in halves. Chillies
should be thinly sliced. Combinations of such ingredients should
be wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves and laced with a sweet-salty sauce
made from fish sauce, sugar, dried shrimps and lime juice.
Dips
 Mixing
crushed fresh chillies with fish sauce and a dash of lime juice makes a
general accompanying sauce for any Thai dish. Adding some crushed
garlic and a tiny amount of roasted or raw shrimp paste transforms it into
an all-purpose dip (nam phrik). Some pulverised dried shrimp and julienned
egg-plant with sugar makes this dip more complete. Serve it with steamed
rice, an omelette and some vegetables.
Salad Dressings
Salad dressings have similar base ingredients.
Add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to enhance saltiness, sourness
and sweetness.  Crushed
chillies, garlic and shallots add spiciness and herbal fragrance. Lemon
grass and galanga can be added for additional flavour. Employ this mix
with any boiled, grilled or fried meat. Lettuce leaves, sliced cucumber,
cut spring onions and coriander leaves help top off a salad dressing.
Soup Stocks
 Soups
generally need good stock. Add to boiling water crushed peppercorns,
salt, garlic, shallots, coriander roots, and the meats or cuts of one's
choice. After prolonged boiling and simmering , you have the basic stock
of common Thai soups. Additional galanga, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves,
crushed fresh chillies, fish sauce and lime juice create the basic stock
for a Tom Yam.
Curries
To make a quick curry, fry curry or chilli paste
in heated oil or thick coconut milk. Stir and fry until the paste
is well cooked and add meats of one's choice.
Season with fish sauce or sugar to taste. Add water or thin coconut milk
to make curry go a longer way. Add sliced eggplant with a garnish of basil
and kaffir lime leaves. Make your own curry paste by blending fresh (preferably
dried) chillies, garlic, shallots, galanga, lemon grass, coriander roots,
ground pepper, kaffir lime peels and shrimp paste.
Single Dish Meals
 Heat
the cooking oil, fry in a mixture of crushed chillies, minced garlic, ground
pepper and chopped chicken meat. When nearly cooked, add vegetables such
as cut beans or eggplants.  Season
with fish sauce and garnish with kaffir lime leaves, basil or balsom leaves.
Cooked rice or fresh noodles added to the frying would make this
a substantial meal. |
