Recipes from the Thai cooking class

I was really lucky to have a one-on-one class with the chef at the Dewa (and his assistant helped us out as well).  I learnt a lot,  it was a lot of fun & Steve & I got to eat all the food at the time :-)

These recipes are from Aphisak Salaowhorm, chef at Dewa Resort, Nai Yang, Thailand.  Recipes feed 2.

Som Tum Thai (Green papaya salad)

150g Papaya (you can also use cucumber)
20g tomato sherry
20g green beans
5g garlic
5g chilli (or to taste)
5g roasted peanuts
5g dry shrimp
2 tbspn fish sauce
2 tbspn lime juice
10g palm (coconut) sugar
50g carrot

1. Peel the papaya and rinse with running water to remove the acid.  Remove the seeds and shred the papaya with a grater.  Set aside.

2. Place the garlic cloves and the chillis in a motar and mash with a pestle unti crushed into chunks. Crush half the peanuts, and all the shrimp.  Add fish sauce, lime juice & sugar. Mix thoroughly.

3.Place the papaya and the remaining ingredients in the mortar and gently combine all ingredients by mixing with the pestle and a spoon.  Serve cold.

Tom Kha Gai Soup (chicken curry soup with coconut milk)
100g chicken
200ml coconut milk
20g Galangal (or ginger)
10g mushrooms
5g lemongrass
2 kaffir lime leaves
5g chili
10g shallots
1pinch salt
1 tbspn sugar
1 tbspn lime juice
5g spring onion
5g corriander
5g fish sauce
10g tomato sherry
20g? chicken stock

Cut up the chicken.
 Mix the Galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and coriander root, all bashed in the mortar.
Place in saucepan.  Add coconut milk and heat until fragrant.
Add chicken and chicken stock and turn to low heat until cooked.
Season with salt, and add fish sauce, chili, and mushrooms.
Add lime juice and sprinkle with corriander leaves.  Serve.

Neua Phad Nam Man Hoi (Fried beef with Oyster sauce)
100g Beef (sliced)
30g mushrooms
30g onion (sliced)
20g carrot (sliced)
5g garlic (sliced)
10g capsicum
10g spring onion
2 tbspn Oyster sauce
1 tbspn soy sauce
1 tspn corn starch
2 tblspn peanut oil

Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and corn flour in a small bowl & set aside.
Heat 1 tblspn of the peanut oil in a saucepan or wok - swirl to coat & heat to high.
Add half the beef and stir fry until browned.  Remove & set aside.  Repeat with the remaining beef & peanut oil.
Add garlic, ginger & chili. Cook for 30 seconds.  Add onion, carrot, mushroom & capsicum and stir fry for 1 minute.
Return the beef to the pan along with the combined sauces.  Stir to warm through & serve immediately with rice.

having someone cut everything up for you makes cooking dinner much faster!