5. To serve: Use individual cups or bowls to help capture some of the wonderful dressing. Alternatively, mound the calamari mixture over a bed of baby greens and spoon additional dressing over the top.

[image]What Is Calamari?

Calamari is squid! Sometimes you will see the smallest ones sold whole. Otherwise it comes in pearly white pieces that you slice into bite-sized morsels. Calamari has a sweet, mild flavor and only becomes chewy when overcooked.

Serves 24 When I was a kid I thought that calamari was disgusting, but now I'm a huge fan. This recipe features calamari grilled with a light vinaigrette that I'm sure will please even the most conservative eaters.

Thai Dinner Salad For the dressing: 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon water teaspoon rice wine vinegar Pinch of red pepper flakes For the salad: 1 small head of romaine or Bibb lettuce, torn into bitesized pieces 2 small carrots, grated 1 cuc.u.mber, peeled, seeded, and diced cup chopped cilantro cup chopped mint leaves Chopped unsalted peanuts (optional) 1. In a small bowl, stir together all of the salad dressing ingredients; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients. Add dressing to taste and toss until well coated. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top of each salad, if desired.

[image]Thai Salads Thai salads are often light, flavorful, and work fantastically to get you ready for the main meal. Many of the all-vegetable salads are too light to be a meal of their own, but by simply adding some sauteed chicken, shrimp, or tofu to any salad, you've got yourself a nice lunch!

Serves 24 This salad gets its Thai character from the mint and cilantro in the salad and the fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes in the dressing. It's not fancy, but it's a great start to any meal.

Sweet-and-Sour Cuc.u.mber Salad 5 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup boiling water cup rice or white vinegar 2 medium cuc.u.mbers, seeded and sliced 1 small red onion, sliced 2 Thai chilies, seeded and minced 1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and boiling water. Stir to thoroughly dissolve sugar and salt. Add the vinegar and allow the vinaigrette to cool to room temperature.

2. Place the cuc.u.mbers, onion slices, and the chili peppers in a mediumsized bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator at least until cold, preferably overnight.

[image]Seeding Cuc.u.mbers Seeding a cuc.u.mber is simple! Cut the cuc.u.mber in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon, scoop out the soft inner flesh and seeds in one quick swoop. That's it!

Serves 24 This is a terrific summer salad to bring on a picnic. It's great served alongside grilled chicken, chops, even burgers!

Cuc.u.mber Salad with Lemongra.s.s cup white vinegar 1 Thai chili, very finely minced 1 garlic clove, very finely minced 2 stalks lemongra.s.s 3 cups thinly sliced cuc.u.mber 1 cup bean sprouts 1 cup cubed tart apple (such as Granny Smith) cup shredded carrot cup minced mint cup minced parsley 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, chili, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let cool.

2. Trim and finely chop 1 lemongra.s.s stalk. Place it in a small saucepan with cup of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let cool.

3. Trim the remaining lemongra.s.s stalk, peel off the tough outer layers, and finely mince the white portion of the tender stalk within. Reserve approximately 1 tablespoon.

4. Combine the cuc.u.mber, bean sprouts, apple, carrot, mint, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl combine the fish sauce, oil, minced lemongra.s.s, the vinegar mixture, and the lemongra.s.s water.

5. Toss the vegetables with the lemongra.s.s vinaigrette to taste.

Preserving Fresh-Cut Apples To keep the apple pieces from turning brown before you use them, put them in a small container of cool water to which you have added a couple of drops of lemon or lime juice. The citric acid prevents the apple from discoloring.

Serves 68 I think the Thai have figured out more ways to use cuc.u.mber than anyone else on the planet, and each one seems better than the last. The cuc.u.mber and apple in this salad yield a great contrast of flavors.

Papaya Salad 1 medium papaya, peeled and julienned, or cut into small pieces 1 teaspoon salt 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced 46 cloves of garlic, chopped coa.r.s.ely cup long beans (green beans), cut into 1inch pieces 2 teaspoons fish sauce 4 tablespoons Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18) 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced Sticky rice, cooked according to package directions 1. Place the papaya on a sheet pan and sprinkle it with salt. Let the papaya stand for 30 minutes. Pour off any juice and then squeeze the fruit with your hands to extract as much fluid as possible. Place the pulp of the papaya in a large food processor.

2. Add the chilies and pulse briefly to combine. Add the remaining ingredients except the tomato and pulse again until mixed.

3. Transfer the papaya mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with tomato slices. Serve with sticky rice.

Serves 46 This recipe calls for salting the papaya in order to extract some of its liquid. This is the same method used to prepare eggplant slices for the grill or for use in an Eggplant Parmesan.

Zesty Melon Salad 6 cups a.s.sorted melon cubes 2 cuc.u.mbers, peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced 68 tablespoons lime juice Zest of 1 lime cup honey 1 serrano chili, seeded and minced (for a hotter salad, leave the seeds in) teaspoon salt 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melon and the cuc.u.mber.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the fruit and toss well to coat.

3. Serve immediately, or if you like a zestier flavor, let the salad sit for up to 2 hours to allow the chili flavor to develop.

Serves 46 A lively looking and tasting salad, it's a sure winner at a picnic. Using a hollowed out watermelon as a serving dish makes an impressive, yet easy and inexpensive, serving dish.

Crunchy Coconut-Flavored Salad 1 cup julienned jicama 1 medium cuc.u.mber, peeled, seeded, and julienned 23 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 recipe Coconut Marinade (see recipe on page 14) Place the jicama, cuc.u.mber, and basil in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the vegetables and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

[image]Jicama Jicama is indigenous to the Americas and looks like a big brown, rather unappetizing, root. But beneath the ugly skin is a light, crunchy vegetable with a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of apple.

Serves 23 The cuc.u.mber and the jicama offer very different crunches - one rather juicy and one rather snappy - in this appealing salad. The basil adds just enough bite to balance the sweetness of the coconut marinade.

Thailand Bamboo Shoots 1 20-ounce can of bamboo shoots, shredded, liquid reserved Juice of lime 1 teaspoon ground dried chili pepper 2 green onions, sliced 1 teaspoon fish sauce 2 tablespoons finely crushed peanuts, divided Sticky rice, cooked according to package directions 1. Place the shredded bamboo shoots and approximately cup (half) of the reserved bamboo liquid in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the lime juice, chili pepper, green onions, fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the peanuts.

3. Serve with sticky rice, sprinkled with the remaining peanuts.

Serves 4 Bamboo is a great plant. Humans throughout the world have used it as a food, a building material, and in hats, just to name a few uses. Here we use it as a simple salad ingredient.

[image]Meat Dishes

Green Curry Beef

Curried Beef and Potato Stew

Red Beef Curry

Hot and Sour Beef

Grilled Ginger Beef

Thai Beef with Rice Noodles

Minty Stir-Fried Beef

Chilied Beef

Pork and Eggplant Stir-Fry

Pork with Garlic and Crushed Black Pepper

Bangkok-Style Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Chiang Mai Beef

Barbecued Pork on Rice

Lemongra.s.s Pork

Pork and Spinach Curry

Thai-Style Beef with Broccoli

Pork with Tomatoes and Sticky Rice

Cinnamon Stewed Beef

Green Curry Beef 2 cans coconut milk, thick cream separated from the milk cup (or to taste) Green Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1) 1 pounds sirloin, cut into thin strips cup brown sugar cup fish sauce 1 pound eggplant (j.a.panese, Thai, or a combination), cut into -inch slices 6 serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded, and cut in half lengthwise 1 cup basil 1. Place the thick cream from the coconut milk and the curry paste in a large soup pot and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the beef and the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Return the mixture to a simmer.

3. Add the sugar and the fish sauce, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the eggplant and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Add the serrano chilies and cook 1 minute more.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the basil.

[image]Hot Stuff Let your guests know that the chilies are hot and are not to be eaten by the faint of heart. They add plenty of heat and flavor just being on the plate!

Serves 46 This quick and easy curry is a great introduction to Thai cuisine. It contains most of the key Thai ingredients - coconut milk, fish sauce, chilies, and basil. Serve with lots of steamed Jasmine rice.

Curried Beef and Potato Stew 23 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized cubes 1 large onion, chopped 1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes 2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk cup prepared Ma.s.saman Curry Paste (see recipe on page 6) cup brown sugar 7 tablespoons fish sauce cup Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18) 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped 1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the meat on all sides. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add enough water to just cover the meat and onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 15 more minutes. (The potatoes will not be quite cooked through at this point.) 4. Strain the solids from the broth, reserving both.

5. In another soup pot, combine the coconut milk with the curry paste until well blended. Bring the contents to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add the reserved meat and potato mixture, the sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add some of the reserved broth to thin the sauce to desired consistency.

7. Stir in the pineapple and continue to simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.

8. To serve, place some Jasmine rice in the middle of individual serving plates and spoon the stew over the top. Garnish with the chopped peanuts.

Serves 4 Who doesn't like beef stew on a cold winter evening? This one isn't quite like Mom used to make (unless your mother is Thai), but it's still satisfying and comforting with tender chunks of beef and silky potatoes.

Red Beef Curry 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see recipes in Chapter 1) cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut milk 1 pound lean beef, cut into thin strips 2 tablespoons (roughly) ground peanuts 13 tablespoons (to taste) fish sauce Sugar to taste 1 green or red sweet pepper, seeded and cubed cup chopped basil Rice, cooked according to package directions 1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.