Jicama, Carrot, and Chinese Cabbage Salad

Peanut Potato Salad

Asian Couscous Salad

Asian 3-Bean Salad

Crunchy Sprout Salad

Many Peas Asian-Style Salad

Thai Pasta Salad

Thai Chicken Pizza

Grilled Steak with Peanut Sauce

Asian Marinara Sauce

Thai-Style Grilled Pork Chops

Southeast Asian Burgers

Grilled Lobster Tails with a Lemongra.s.s Smoke

Thai-Flavored Green Beans

Southeast Asian Asparagus

Asian Ratatouille

Pickled Chinese Cabbage

Crazy Coconut Pie

Lime b.u.t.ter Cake

Meringues with Tropical Fruit

Asian Carrot Sticks 1 pound thin carrots, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise 4 tablespoons water 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons rice vinegar [image] teaspoon cayenne pepper teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro Salt and pepper to taste 1. 1. Place the carrots in a pan large enough to hold them comfortably.

2. Cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain the carrots and return them to the pan.

3. Add the 4 tablespoons of water, the olive oil, and the garlic; bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender. Drain.

4. In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients; pour over the carrots, tossing to coat.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. The carrots may be eaten immediately, but develop a richer flavor if allowed to marinate for a few hours.

Serves 46 Dinner parties at Tim and John's are always special. From Italian Summer Solstice parties to Chinese New Year's celebrations, they always do it up. I adjusted this recipe of theirs to give it a bit of a Thai taste.

Spicy Shrimp Dip 5 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon minced chives teaspoon salt serrano chili, seeded and minced teaspoon grated lemon zest 8 ounces shrimp, cleaned and chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1. In a medium-sized saute pan, melt the b.u.t.ter over medium heat. Stir in the chives, salt, chili pepper, and lemon zest; saute for 2 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp; saute for 3 minutes or until opaque.

3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and coa.r.s.ely puree. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Firmly pack the puree into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

5. To serve, remove the shrimp dip from the refrigerator and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the dip with an a.s.sortment of crackers and toast points or some favorite veggies.

Yields approx. 1 cup There is no filler in this dip. It's shrimp, shrimp, and more shrimp. The b.u.t.ter binds it together and the rest of the ingredients give the shrimp a little zip.

Cream of Coconut Crabmeat Dip cup cream of coconut 1 pounds (10 ounces) crabmeat, picked over to remove sh.e.l.l pieces teaspoon salt 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced Ground white pepper to taste 1. 1. In a small saucepan, combine the cream of coconut, crabmeat, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, jalapeno, and pepper. Pour into a serving dish and let stand at room temperature until cool.

3. Serve with fresh vegetables and crackers.

Yields approx. 2 cups In this knockoff of a typical crab dip, the coconut cream is essentially a subst.i.tute for mayonnaise. It is a bit sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, and the jalapeno adds a nice contrast to the coconut.

Marinated Mushrooms cup olive oil cup water cup rice wine vinegar Juice of 1 lime 3 cloves garlic 1 whole serrano or jalapeno pepper 2 stalks lemongra.s.s 3 (-inch) pieces gingerroot 1 pounds whole small white mushrooms 1. Place all of the ingredients except the mushrooms in a large pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms to the pot, stirring to coat.

3. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Makes 2535 mushrooms I'm warning you, these marinated mushrooms are addictive. Serve them as part of a Thai antipasto, as a side dish for grilled meats, or as a super snack.

Thai-Spiced Guacamole 2 ripe avocados, pitted and chopped 4 teaspoons lime juice 1 large plum tomato, seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon chopped onion 1 small garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon grated lime zest 1 teaspoon grated gingerroot 1 teaspoon chopped serrano or jalapeno chili 12 tablespoons chopped cilantro Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1. Place the avocado in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lemon juice and coa.r.s.ely mash.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and gently mix together.

3. Serve within 2 hours.

[image]Thai Mexican Similarities If you look through a Mexican cookbook, you'll find many typical Mexican ingredients that are also Thai staples - lime juice, chilies, cilantro, garlic, and onion.

Yields 2 cups This recipe is a great example of how lime zest and ginger can give a Mexican favorite a Southeast Asian twist. Try serving the guacamole with some rice chips alongside the tortillas chips.

Asian-Inspired Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s, trimmed and cut into thin strips 12 garlic cloves, minced 23 teaspoons minced ginger 2 tablespoons fish sauce 6 cups low-fat, low-salt chicken broth 1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil on medium-high. Add the chicken strips and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and gingerroot and saute for another minute.

3. Stir in the fish sauce, broth, and rice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Add the green onions and snow peas; simmer to heat through.

5. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste.

[image]Wild Rice Wild rice isn't rice at all, but the seed of a native American gra.s.s. Processed white rice typically needs less water added than long-grain brown rice or wild rice, which can take up to 6 cups of water per cup of dry rice. Unlike its white and brown counterparts, wild rice is a very heavy and filling dish.

Serves 68 The chewy quality of the rice in this soup complements the crispy pea pods and delicate chicken, and its nutty flavor subst.i.tutes for peanuts.

Chicken Salad - 1 For the dressing: cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons grated gingerroot Pinch of sugar ; teaspoon (or to taste) salt For the salad: 2 cups chopped cooked chicken 4 ounces snow peas, trimmed 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced 1 cup bean sprouts 1 medium head of Chinese cabbage, shredded 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1. Place the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chicken, snow peas, green onions, and bean sprouts. Add the dressing and toss to coat.

3. To serve, arrange the cabbage on a serving platter. Mound the chicken salad over the cabbage. Garnish with the sesame seeds.

Serves 4 This light, flavorful chicken salad is great for a summer lunch. Serve it with some slices of mango and papaya, some great bread, and a gla.s.s of Vouvray- and you are ready to go.

Chicken Salad - 2 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted 3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped [image]cup sliced scallions cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish Peanut oil for frying pound rice sticks Bibb or romaine lettuce leaves 1. Combine 1 tablespoon of the hoisin sauce, the soy sauce, and the sherry in a medium-sized bowl. Add the chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s and marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s, reserving the marinade. Brown the b.r.e.a.s.t.s on both sides. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Let the chicken cool to room temperature, then shred it into bite-sized pieces; set aside.

4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the remaining hoisin sauce, the lime juice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. Add the shredded chicken and stir to coat.

5. Add approximately 1 inch of peanut oil to a large skillet and heat on high until the oil is very hot, but not smoking.

6. Add the rice sticks carefully and fry for approximately 6 to 8 seconds or until puffed and golden; turn the rice sticks with tongs and fry for another 6 to 8 seconds. Remove the rice sticks to a stack of paper towels to drain.

7. Toss about[image] of the rice sticks with the chicken mixture. of the rice sticks with the chicken mixture.

8. To serve, place a mound of salad on a lettuce leaf on the center of each plate. Top with the remaining rice sticks and garnish with additional cilantro.

Serves 46 Unlike many Thai recipes, this one has no chilies or ginger, thus it is relatively mild. But it has many typical Asian characteristics, namely the rice sticks, the peanuts, and the sesame oil.

Chicken Salad-3 cup cooked chicken meat cups shredded bok choy cup very thinly sliced celery 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar teaspoon sesame oil (optional) 1. In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the chicken, bok choy, celery, and scallion.

2. In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss well to combine.

Makes 34 cups This salad makes a great packed lunch, because the salad holds up pretty well at room temperature and the dressing doesn't require refrigeration.

Jicama, Carrot, and Chinese Cabbage Salad 1 teaspoon ground anise cup chopped cilantro [image]cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons lime juice teaspoon prepared chili-garlic sauce 2 pounds jicama, peeled and finely julienned 2 large carrots, peeled and finely julienned 3/4 pound Chinese cabbage, thinly shredded Salt and black pepper to taste 1. Thoroughly combine the ground anise, cilantro, vegetable oil, lime juice, and chili-garlic sauce in a large mixing bowl.