Thai Rice & Noodles

Thai Rice & Noodles -

Rice is the major export crop of Thailand and a staple in the Thai diet, eaten at every meal. Thailand is world-famous for its jasmine rice. The recipes in this section use Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice, a fragrant and naturally nutty rice grown in the fertile central plains of Thailand.

Noodle dishes are eaten like snacks. Bought from street vendors they are enjoyed on the run as well as in more formal settings. Rice noodles are made by blending rice flour and water into a light liquid paste, which is then extruded into thin paper-like sheets in the desired size, steam cooked and dried. Fresh rice noodles have a slightly different taste and texture. They would be equally delicious in these recipes and can now be found in many Asian markets. Best used the day you buy them.

Try and Enjoy some of the most amazing Thai rice & noodles recipes from below.

Classic Pad Thai

Shrimp Pad Thai

Golden Dragon Pad Thai

Crab Fried Rice

Thai Noodle Salad

Thai-Style Shrimp Fried Noodles

Curry Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

Pad See Ew (Thai Noodles with Beef and Broccoli)

Spaghetti With Peanut Butter Sauce

Shrimp Paste Rice (Kao Klook Gapi)

Royal Mee Grob

Thai Chicken Fried Rice with Basil (Kao Pad Krapao)

Thai Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Thai Sesame Noodles

Thai Rice Noodles With Chicken and Asparagus

Aromatic Sticky Rice

Thai Coconut-Mango Sticky Rice

Ginger Jasmine Rice

Coconut Thai Rice

Rice Pancakes, Thailand-Style

Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp and Rice

Giant Noodle Rolls (Goi Tiew Lohd)

Giant Noodle Rolls (Goi Tiew Lohd)

Giant Noodle Rolls (Goi Tiew Lohd) -

Goi tiew lohd is a very healthy dish. You can make this meal totally vegetarian without a significant loss of taste. The preparation is fun, if you have an assembling team. It takes a little bit of time but is totally worth it. I dare you try this dish.

Goi Tiew Lohd is usually eaten as a snack but makes a good lunch.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb bean sprouts
6 sprigs cilantro
1/2 package Fresh Flat Rice Noodles
fried garlic
1 green onion
ground pepper
1 tablespoon salty Chinese cabbage
1/2 cup shrimp Optional
1 packet Pressed Tofu

Preparation: If you use fresh shrimp, peel and devein shrimp. If you are using dried shrimp, remember to use salted Chinese cabbage sparingly because there is quite a bit of salt in dried shrimp. You can find the pressed tofu at Asian stores and some American markets. It comes in a package, without water. Some are brown because they are marinated in soy sauce. For this recipe, either the brown or white pressed tofu will be OK. The tofu should have the texture of mozzarella cheese. Use two pieces, 4 inch x 4 inch x 1 inch. If you love tofu, add more. Slice the tofu into thin pieces.
Cut the rice noodles into 5 inch x 8 inch rectangles. If your noodles were refrigerated, steam them for a few minutes or microwave them, so that they become softer and easier to peel. Otherwise, they can be very difficult to handle and may break.
Assembling: Lay the noodles sheet on a plate or large cutting board. Add tofu, shrimp, bean sprout, sliced onion and cilantro and salted Chinese cabbage on the noodles. Sprinkle some black pepper on top. Wrap the noodles around the filling. The ends should be open.
Cooking: There are two ways of cooking the noodles; the traditional way and the microwave way.
To steam the noodles: If you have a big steamer that can accommodate a bowl or plate, put the noodles in the dish and steam the whole thing for 5 -7 minutes. You can also put the roll directly in the steamer. Taking the noodles out from the hot steamer requires some maneuvering skill.
To microwave the noodles (I find this method to be faster and easier without any loss of taste or texture): Place the noodle rolls in a plate and cover the plate and microwave for 6-8 minutes (depending on your microwave.) The noodles should be hot and steamy.
Presenting: Sprinkle green onion and cilantro on top of the noodles. Add a teaspoon of garlic oil on top. Sprinkle white pepper on top. Serve hot with the sauce, recipe below. The noodles should be soaked in sauce for maximum taste. Enjoy this delicious healthy dish!

Giant Noodle Roll Sauce (Nam Jim Goi Tiew Lohd):

2 teaspoons fish sauce
1-3 tablespoon ground fresh chili paste
4 teaspoons soy sauce
5 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar

Direction:

Mix all ingredients together and heat up the mixture in a microwave for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and warm the sauce.

Tips and Techniques:
Fresh rice noodles come in a white foam tray in non-refrigerated section. The noodles should be very soft when pushed down.
Fresh shrimp can be substituted with dry shrimp or cooked ground meat.
If you would like a vegetarian dish, omit the shrimp.
You can save time by cooking directly in the bowls or plates you will serve in. With this meal, I present each person a bowl with 1 or 2 noodle rolls, instead of having them scoop from a common plate. Once the noodle roll is cooked, it is tough to pick one up without having it fall apart.

Thai Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice

Thai Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice -

This is a great way to use up some leftover cooked rice, using some pantry staples.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chili peppers or 1 green chili pepper, diced
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I prefer low-sodium)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews
1/2 cup torn cilantro leaf

Directions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add shrimp and stir-fry 1 minute or until they turn pink on the outside but are only halfway cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Add to skillet bell pepper, onion, garlic, and chile; stir-fry 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add eggs and stir-fry 30 seconds.
Stir in rice, separating grains with back of spoon, and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Return shrimp to skillet with fresh pineapple and stir-fry 2 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Stir in cashews and cilantro.

Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp and Rice

Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp and Rice -

Serve this dish with Grilled Pineapple Salad, but it is good with any tropical fruit salad.

Ingredients:

Shrimp:
1 lb peeled deveined shrimp (raw)
1/2 cup chopped roasted poblano pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/4 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Coconut Rice:
1 cup jasmine rice or 1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon crushed pineapple

Directions:

A note on ingredients: a small can of diced green chiles works fine. The original recipe called for 2 seeded chopped jalapeños, so I think any hot pepper would work. I use the pre-cleaned frozen shrimp and they are fine for this recipe, you don't need anything fancy. If I am making pineapple salad, I use fresh pineapple in this recipe. Otherwise, I use canned crushed pineapple.
Start by placing the shrimp in a large self-close bag or medium glass bowl. Add the peppers, garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce, and coconut milk. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
In a large skillet over medium heat, combine olive oil, salt, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables become slightly soft, but not browned.
Turn heat up to high and place the shrimp (not the marinade, just the shrimp) in the skillet. Sauté, turning once, until shrimp are just slightly browned on the outside and turning pink. You want them slightly under-cooked.
Remove shrimp, onions, and peppers from the skillet. Pour the marinade into the skillet and bring it to a boil. Boil it for 5 minutes. This is long enough to cook the "shrimp juice" that got into the marinade and also to thicken the sauce.
Turn the heat off. Add the shrimp mixture back to the skillet. Add the basil and green onions. Toss to combine. Serve immediately over rice.

Rice:.
In a small covered saucepan, combine the rice, coconut milk, and stock (or water). Use up the rest of the can of coconut milk, and add enough additional liquid to total 1.5 cups.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cook covered. Simmer for 12-15 minutes. Add pineapple. Fluff with a fork.

Rice Pancakes, Thailand-Style

Rice Pancakes, Thailand-Style -

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)

Directions:

Whisk eggs and milk in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, plus some salt and pepper, if desired.
Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Drop 1/4°C batter into the skillet and smooth it down with a spatula. Cook 4-5 minutes, until bottoms are golden-brown, then flip pancakes. Let cook for another 3-4 minutes, then remove when both sides are browned and crispy. Repeat with remaining batter.

Golden Dragon Pad Thai

Golden Dragon Pad Thai -

This dish is Simple to make yet elegant in presentation. Just be careful with the oil content. It may seem excessive, but too little oil, and the noodles will stick and you'll have a mess in your wok. You can get away with 5 tbs. or so instead of the full 1/2 cup but you will have to work extremely fast to avoid the sticking. This will serve about 4 as a noodle side dish or 2 as a main course.

Ingredients:

8 ounces Thai rice noodles
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1/4 cup water
4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces fried tofu
6 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined (5 oz)
2 eggs
1 cup bean sprouts
2 green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon roasted chile
red pepper, strips
fresh coriander leaves
wedges lime

Directions:

Soak the noodles in a good amount of cold water for an hour or more.
Place 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl and combine with the tamarind paste and soak it for at least 15 minutes or more.
Slice chicken into 1/4-inch long strips.
If you are having a hard time cutting thinly through fresh chicken meat, place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes or so to harden a little bit; then slice it. It should now slice easilly.
Set the sliced chicken aside.
Now slice the fried tofu into 3/4 inch size cubes.
Set the tofu aside
Use a blender or food processor to grind peanuts into a coarse meal.
Set the Peanut meal aside.
Take the reserved tamarind paste in its water. Mash the tamarind in the water and transfer the muddy looking mixture to a strainer set into a bowl. Continue mashing in the strainer with a spoon, forcing as much water to strain into the bowl as you can, Scrapeing off any juice that clings underneath the strainer.
You should have about 5 Tablespoons of tamarind juice. Add to it the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Beat the mixture thoroughly to combine and set aside. Discard the solids left behind in the strainer.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat oil until it is just about to smoke. Add garlic and stir, and cook for about 30 seconds or so. Then add the chicken and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
Now add the tofu and shrimps and stir-fry for another minute. crack the eggs into wok and fry without breaking them up for 1 or 2 minutes.
While the eggs are cooking, drain the noodles quickly, then add them to the wok with a quick fold. Stir-fry for 1 minute bringing the mixture from the bottom up.
Add reserved tamarind juice, and continue stir-frying, mixing it all together for 1 or 2 minutes. The noodles will have shrunk to about half of their original volume and softened up to al dente (cooked but firm not mushy).
Add 2/3 of the reserved ground peanuts and stir. Then Add 2/3 of the bean sprouts and all the green onion pieces. Stir-fry for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
Transfer Pad Thai noodles to serving platter and sprinkle with roasted chilies and top with the rest of the ground peanuts, the rest of the sprouts, and some strips of red pepper and fresh coriander leaves. Garnish with some of lime wedges on the side and serve immediately while still fresh and hot.

Coconut Thai Rice

Coconut Thai Rice -

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger-root, minced
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Rinse jasmine rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Let drain. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic, onion and ginger-root, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in coconut milk and 1-1/4 cups water; bring to boil.
Stir in rice; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand, covered for 5 minutes. With a fork stir in salt.

Ginger Jasmine Rice

Ginger Jasmine Rice -

Yummy, easy, addictive side dish that complements a wide variety of Asian and Fusion dishes! I use a micro plane to grate my ginger, and a spoon's edge to easily [& not wastefully] peel it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil or 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 cup water or 1 cup stock

Directions:

Rinse rice with water until water runs clear.
Heat butter or oil in pan over medium to low heat. Saute garlic, ginger & salt for about a minute at most or until fragrant. Add rice and stir well.
Add liquid. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, simmer about 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice tender.

Thai Coconut-Mango Sticky Rice

Thai Coconut-Mango Sticky Rice -

This is a dessert sold at most of the Thai restaurants.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup glutinous rice or 1/2 cup other sweet Asian rice
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (you can use the light kind if you want, it just makes it a little less rich)
1/2 cup sugar
1 mango, sliced

Directions:

Rice: Cook rice according to package directions, but substitute coconut milk for half of the water, and add half the sugar.
It should be fairly dry when you finish cooking it, without any liquid visible in the pot.
Sauce: In a medium saucepan, boil the rest of the coconut milk with the second half of the sugar.
Keep this at a full boil until the rice is cooked, or until it reaches a thick, syrupy consistency.
Presentation: Arrange the cooked coconut rice in a bowl or plate with the mango slices in some kind of pretty formation and dribble a bit of the sauce over the whole thing.

Aromatic Sticky Rice

Aromatic Sticky Rice -

It's a very simple rice that always turns out like the rice served in Thai restaurants.

Ingredients:

225 g Thai jasmine rice
425 ml water
1 stalk lemongrass, bruised
1 whole red chile
2 1/2 cm fresh ginger-root, peeled and bruised
1 clove garlic, peeled

Directions:

Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan and let stand for five minutes.
Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until the water is absorbed.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand covered for five further minutes.
Remove the flavorings, if wished, and pile into a serving dish.
Serve immediately, while very hot.

Thai Rice Noodles With Chicken and Asparagus

Thai Rice Noodles With Chicken and Asparagus -

Ingredients:

1/2 lb rice noodles
2 tablespoons oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb boneless skinless chicken, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce or 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 lb asparagus spear, cut into 2 inch pieces

Directions:

Pour noodles into bowl and cover with VERY HOT tap water. Soak for 15-20 minutes.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and stir fry until golden.
Add fish sauce or salt and chicken.
Stir fry until done.
Add soy sauce, chili pepper sauce, and brown sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved.
Drain noodles and add to skillet along with asparagus.
Stir fry noodles until firm but tender.
Serve and enjoy!

Thai Sesame Noodles

Thai Sesame Noodles -

After tinkering with a few different recipes, this is my favorite version! So good that I could eat the whole bowl! You can easily add cooked chicken and make it a main dish! The honey is an optional ingredient; leave it out if you don't like the noodles sweet.

Ingredients:

8 ounces spaghetti, cooked al dente, drained
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sambal oelek (chili paste)
1/4 cup honey (optional)
4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted if you like)

Directions:

Heat peanut butter in microwave for 20 seconds to soften.
In a large bowl whisk together softened peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sambal oelek and honey (if using).
Add spaghetti, green onions and sesame seeds.
Toss well.
Chill until ready to serve - or serve at room temperature.

NOTE:
Please adjust ingredients to suit your tastes.

Thai Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Thai Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce -

This dish can be a warm noodle side-dish or also stand alone as a main dish. It's quick and easy and full of flavor! Serve it with Chicken Satay. Leftovers are yummy hot or cold.

Ingredients:

Noodles:
12 ounces linguine
4 tablespoons sesame oil
Sauce:
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Drain and return to pot.
Add 2 TBSP sesame oil and toss to coat.
Set aside.
Heat remaining 2 TBSP sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Add green onions, carrots, stir-fry veggies, garlic and ginger.
Saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce and mix well.
Simmer sauce 2 minutes.
Pour sauce over pasta and toss well.
Transfer to platter and serve warm.
Garnish with additional green onions, if desired.
Yields 8 side dish servings or 4 main dish servings.

**Chili-Garlic sauce can be increased or decreased depending on how spicy you like your dish.
As written, this recipe has some heat, but is still edible for children.

Thai Chicken Fried Rice with Basil (Kao Pad Krapao)

Thai Chicken Fried Rice with Basil (Kao Pad Krapao) -

Another delicious way to enjoy fried rice, fragrant with the heady aroma of basil!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Thai red chili pepper
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups cold cooked rice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/3 cup Thai holy basil (regular basil ok)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

In a wok or large skillet, stir-fry garlic in oil until golden; then add chilies and chicken and stir-fry until chicken is cooked.
Add rice, sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce, and stir-fry, mixing gently.
When well mixed, add shallots, basil leaves and cilantro; cook another minute or so, and serve.
If you desire, serve with lime wedges, chile sauce, fish sauce, or soy sauce at the table.

Royal Mee Grob

Royal Mee Grob -

Mee Grob comes as a snack and also a main couse. The common theme from the various palace recipes is that the ingredients are of highest quality, often hard to source and used generously. The palace recipes are optimized for the best flavor and presentation, not preparation time, labor efficiency or cost. This dish is more elaborate than the Mee Grob you normally see with rice. Since it has pork and shrimp, this Mee Grob is best to eaten right away.

The noodles are rinsed and let dry before frying, giving them the fried spring roll texture. Crispy fried beaten egg, pickled garlic, bean sprouts and Chinese chives add different textures and flavors to Mee Grob . The lime cuts the strong flavors of tamarind and sugar and brings refreshing citrus flavor. If you can get ahold of som sah (seville orange), the zest gives it a unique flavor, telling you, you have the real Mee Grob.

Ingredients:

2 cups bean sprouts
1 chili pepper
5 Chinese chives - green
4-5 sprigs cilantro
1 egg
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2-5 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground dried chili pepper
2 limes
3 tablespoons orange
1/2 cup pork
1 shallots
3/4 cup shrimp
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Yellow Bean Sauce
3 ounces julienne Pressed Tofu
3 1/2 ounces Rice Vermicelli
3 Pickled Garlic

Preparation:

Quickly rinse rice vermicelli in cold water and let them air dry while prepping other ingredients. When the noodles are ready, the strands are flexible and stretchable. Julienne the tofu. Carefully cut the orange zest, try not to get much pith (the white part). Then, thinly sliced the zest into strips. Squeeze the orange juice and set aside. Thinly slice pickled garlic cross sectional (picture 3). Cut Chinese chives at both ends to get 4-inch stalks for garnishing.

Frying the ingredients:
Add 1 ½ cup of oil into a wok or a big pot. Let the oil heat up.
Frying the noodles: To see if the oil is ready, drop a noodle strand into the hot oil, it will puff up right away. Put a handful of noodles into hot oil. Flip to get the topside into oil. It takes about a minute for each handful. When the noodles start to turn golden brown, strain the noodles out of oil. Fry the rest of the noodles a handful at a time. The fried noodles will puff up less than if they were fried directly from the package without rinsing. However, that's the correct way of doing this type of Mee Grob.
Frying the tofu: Fry the julienne tofu until golden brown.
Frying the egg: Beat the egg until the white and yolk mix well. Again the oil should be hot. Pour the beaten egg slowly through a strainer over the wok. Shake the strainer to drizzle thin streams of the egg into the hot oil. The egg will puff up right away. You don't want a big patch of egg but small drops and thin strands. Fry until the egg is golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 5 minutes. Strain the egg out the oil and set aside for garnishing.

Making sauce:
Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add chopped garlic and sliced shallot in the wok, over medium heat.  When the garlic and shallot turn brown, add ground chili pepper, yellow bean sauce, sugar, water, orange juice and half of zest, water, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, tamarind and fish sauce. Stir to mix and dissolve the sugar.
Let the sauce reduce until it is at a soft crack stage (much thicker than molasses -- almost to warm peanut butter consistency). Sauce that's too thin will make the noodles soggy. Sauce that's too thick will risk burning the sauce and having difficulty in spreading the sauce on the noodles evenly. Taste the sauce, you want a balance of sweet, sour and salty. Add the fried tofu, pork and shrimp to the sauce and stir to coat with the sauce. Reduce the sauce back to thick consistency. The sauce should have strong flavor as Mee Grob will be eaten with a few unseasoned ingredients.)

Putting It All Together:
Turn off the heat or keep on lowest setting (to keep the sauce fluid). Add the fried noodles. With 2 spatulas, gently mix the noodles with the sauce. Stir to get the sauce on all the noodles. Gently break up clumps. Mee grob should be brownish orange. Sprinkle the rest of the orange zest on Mee Grob.

Plating:
Scoop Mee Grob onto a plate. Add a handful of bean sprouts, a slice of lime and a Chinese chive. Sprinkle sliced pickled garlic, crispy fried egg, red chili pepper and cilantro.

Tasting and appearance:
The noodle strands should be small, not super puffy like when you fry them without rinsing. The noodle color should be reddish brown from tamarind, not bright red (from ketchup). Mee grob should be crunchy, similar to fried spring roll crunch. Once, when you squeeze lime juice onto the Mee Grob and eat it with bean sprouts and Chinese chives, the flavor should be well balanced between the sweet and sour. If you add Seville orange zest, the unique aroma of the zest makes the dish.

Tips:
3 1/2 oz of rice vermicelli noodles is about 1/5 of a package. There are 5 flats in a package, just pull one out.
Rinse the noodles quickly. Do not soak the noodles! You want to fry the noodles later. Water logged noodles will be sticky when frying. You are aiming to lightly rehydrate the noodles to get the spring roll crispiness when fried.
The tamarind paste that I use in this recipe is the dry tamarind pulp that is thick like sour cream. If you are using tamarind in pods not the processed tamarind, use 2 ounces of tamarind with 1/2 cup of water. This will yield about 1/2 cup of tamarind. Omit the water in the recipe.
Som Sah or Seville orange juice and zest are key ingredients in making this mee grob a royal recipe. However given that even in Bangkok, it's not easy to source the Seville orange, orange juice and zest is an ok substitution. While oranges turn from green to orange as they ripen, in Thailand we'd use the zest of a green orange.  This is similar to kaffir limes where we use them when they're green instead of the ripe yellow.
The thickness of the sauce determines how crispy your mee grob will be. Less moisture will keep Mee Grob crunchy.
If you can't find Chinese chives, skip them. Don't substitute with green onion. You will not get the flavor or the authenticity.

Shrimp Paste Rice (Kao Klook Gapi)

Shrimp Paste Rice (Kao Klook Gapi) -

Many restaurants in Thailand prepare this dish by turning it into a fried rice, which totally misses the beauty and is a distortion from its name 'klook'. Klook means to mix together. A newer version of the rice also includes fresh green beans. This recipe may seem intimidating and long, but it actually just many mini steps, the rice, the egg and the pork.

Ingredients:

2-5 chili peppers
3 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
1 egg
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 cup shredded green mango
1 lime
2 tablespoons Palm Sugar
1 cup sliced pork
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 tablespoon shrimp paste
cooking oil

Preparations:
Peel mango on one side only to give you a better grip when shredding. You won't be using the whole one. The easiest way to shred green mango is to use a shredder.
You can also shred the green mango Thai style by using a heavy knife. Hold the peeled green mango in your hand, drop the knife into the mango flesh several times in different spots making marks lengthwise from stem to tip. Then, thinly slice the green mango to get small strips. Repeat the steps.
Peel and thinly slice shallots. Thinly slice hot chili peppers. Slice lime into wedges.

Cooking:

Fried Beaten Egg: Beat an egg with a fork until well mixed. Heat up a pan or wok. I love using my Griswald cast iron pan for this because if its non-stick properties when it is oiled. When the pan is hot, add a teaspoon of oil. Use a paper towel to oil the pan or wok surface.  Too much oil will make the egg puffy, which is not desirable for this dish.
To make the fried beaten egg, you want small amount of oil. Pour the beaten egg in and swirl to cover the surface of the pan . You want egg that is not too thin nor too thick. After a minute, when the egg is set, flip to cook the other side . The goal is to get cooked yellow egg, not brown. It should take about a minute to cook the egg. When done, roll the egg like you would with crepe. When cooled, thinly slice the egg into strips. Set it aside.
Fried Dried Shrimp: Heat up the same wok and pan. Add a teaspoon of cooking oil and dried shrimp. Over medium low to low heat, fry the shrimp by mixing it with oil and flipping constantly to prevent burning. It should take 2 minutes. If you use larger dried shrimp, it may take longer to fry until crispy.
Sweetened Pork: Continue with the same pan. You may not need to add any oil. If you do, a teaspoon is plenty. Add pork, palm sugar and fish sauce. The juice from pork will start to come out. Mix all ingredients together and fry until the pork is dry. You'll start to see the bubbles from sugar turning thicker. Take a taste test. Sweetened Pork should be sweet with a slight saltiness. You may want to add more sugar or fish sauce at this point. When done, set the pork aside.
Shrimp Paste Rice: The best and easiest rice to work with is a newly cooked rice, right out of the rice cooker. The steam from the rice helps soften the shrimp paste. If you have left over rice, you can warm it up in a microwave by placing the shrimp paste underneath the rice. The shrimp paste may heat up and splatter in the microwave. If you have the rice covering the shrimp paste, none will escape to stick to your microwave to create that long lasting smell of the shrimp paste.
With the hot rice and shrimp paste, mix them gently with the back of a spoon to get the rice coated with shrimp paste. Within 2 minutes, the white rice should turn brownish.

Serving:
Pack the shrimp paste rice you made above into a small bowl. In a serving plate, turn it upside down to release the rice inside. Place sliced shallots, shredded green mango, fried dried shrimp, sweetened pork, a wedge of lime and sliced egg all around the rice. Top with sliced hot chili peppers.

Tips:
Use one medium shallot or 2 small ones.
Select small dried shrimp (1 cm) for best result. Smaller shrimp is easier to fry until crispy. It's also perfect size for each bite.
I use lean pork for sweetened pork. Traditionally, pork belly is used. If you love pork belly, this is a great opportunity to eat it.
Choose high quality shrimp paste because the whole dish rests on the shrimp paste.
Natural ingredients like palm sugar and green mango may vary depending on the trees. Use this recipe as a guide.
I find that a great ratio between palm sugar to fish sauce is 2 to 1. Start with this ratio and adjust as you see fit.
Freshly cooked rice is best.  Cook rice with less water so that when you mix the shrimp paste in, the rice doesn't get gummy.
Have extra ingredients like fried egg, fried dried shrimp, lime, shredded mango and hot chili peppers for diners to add at the table.
I recommend against stir frying the shrimp paste rice, like fried rice for 2 reasons. First, it's not a fried rice dish. The term 'klook' means to mix together. Second, heating up shrimp paste in a wok will stink your house, hands, hair and clothing.

Spaghetti With Peanut Butter Sauce

Spaghetti With Peanut Butter Sauce -

A quick, spicy meal.

Ingredients:

 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
 1/3 cup hot water
 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
 1 clove crushed garlic
 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
 1 teaspoon sesame oil
 1 dash chili sauce
 12 ounces spaghetti
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Place the peanut butter in a small glass, and add the hot water; stir with a fork until smooth. Mix in soy sauce, garlic, cream, sesame oil, chili sauce until smooth. Set aside.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain well.
Place the drained pasta in a bowl. Stir the reserved peanut butter mixture together again; add to the cooked pasta. Toss all together, and garnish with cilantro.

Pad See Ew (Thai Noodles with Beef and Broccoli)

Pad See Ew (Thai Noodles with Beef and Broccoli) -

A popular Thai soy sauce noodle dish.

Ingredients:

 1 (8 ounce) package wide rice noodles
 1 cup bite size broccoli pieces
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
 1/2 pound rib-eye steak, sliced thin
 1/2 cup water
 1 tablespoon cornstarch
 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
 3 tablespoons soy sauce
 1 tablespoon fish sauce
 1 tablespoon white sugar
 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
 1 egg

Directions:

Place the dry rice noodles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and let soak until white and soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil; cook the broccoli in the boiling water until cooked and still firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced steak; cover the skillet and cook until the meat is just turning from pink to grey, 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a bowl; pour into the skillet along with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Add the rice noodles and broccoli and stir to mix evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer while you prepare the egg.
Prepare a small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Cook the egg in the prepared skillet until cooked through and the yolk is solid. Add the cooked egg to the other skillet and stir to incorporate. Serve hot.

Classic Pad Thai

Classic Pad Thai -

This recipe is a perfect example of Thai cooking for beginners. Once mastered, you'll forget stopping for take-out and make this easy stir-fry a weeknight staple.

Ingredients:

 8 ounces medium width rice vermicelli noodles
 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
 1/4 pound ground chicken
 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
 1/2 pound peeled, deveined raw shrimp
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 2 teaspoons freshly grated gingerroot
 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
 1/2 cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
 1/4 cup lime juice
 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
 3 tablespoons fish sauce
 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
 3 green onions, thinly sliced
 1/4 cup fresh coriander or parsley leaves
 chopped peanuts

Directions:

Cover noodles with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes; drain well and reserve.
Heat half the oil in a wok or deep skillet set over high heat. Crumble in chicken and add hot sauce; stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until browned. Reserve on a platter.
Add remaining oil and peppers to pan; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, broth, ketchup, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Add noodles and reserved meat; toss mixture to combine. Heat through.
Add sprouts and toss gently. Sprinkle with onions, coriander and peanuts.

Note:
Twists:
Twist 1: For a pork variation, try ground pork instead of ground chicken.
Twist 2: For a meatless version, substitute chopped, firm tofu for the chicken and a chopped 3-egg omelet for the shrimp.
Twist 3: Simplify this recipe by omitting hot pepper sauce and replacing ketchup with Heinz Hot & Spicy Ketchup.

Curry Pineapple Fried Rice

Curry Pineapple Fried Rice -

You would think that the flavors of curry and pineapple wouldn't go together, but they do. Try it for the yummy taste.

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
 3 cups water
 1 tablespoon curry powder
 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1 pound boneless chicken meat, cubed
 1 onion, sliced
 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

Directions:

Bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside. Mix together curry powder, fish sauce, and pineapple juice in a small bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and cook and stir the chicken and onion until the chicken is no longer pink and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, pineapple chunks, and curry mixture, and cook and stir until the fried rice is hot, 5 to 10 minutes.

Note:
Fried rice works best when the rice was cooked one or more days beforehand.