Around the World in Eighty Bites - Thailand

The next leg of my “Around the World in Eighty Bites” journey stops in Thailand.  Thai food is known for being spicy, but many Westerners don’t seem to be as apprehensive about trying Thai food as they do about trying Indian or Japanese dishes.  Thai food is definitely exotic, but in an approachable manner. 

My first foray into international cooking was over 10 years ago when I experimented with a Thai squid salad recipe I found in Jeff Smith’s “The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors.”  Never before had I used unfamiliar ingredients such as Thai curry paste (an ingredient made from chiles, garlic, ginger, and spices), lemongrass, or fish sauce, but I fell in love with Thai flavors and wanted to try as many Thai recipes as I could get my hands on.  Once I headed off to Northeastern University and lived in my first off-campus apartment, my mom bought me a Thai cookbook.  I still use that cookbook today, despite the fact that entire sections are peeling away from the binding and some of the pages are glued together by splashes of coconut milk or soy sauce.  The book features write-ups about each ingredient common in Thai cooking, many of which are available in the States, either in cities with large Asian populations or via mail order.  My curiosity was aroused by some of these hard-to-find foreign ingredients.  Thankfully, I live in a city with a sizable Chinatown, and I’ve been able to locate imported items like tamarind, shrimp paste, and fresh lychees. 

My Thai cookbook also gives a detailed history of Thai cooking and culinary traditions.  I loved learning about the philosophy of the Five Flavors – hot, salty, sweet, sour, and bitter – and how these five flavors are incorporated into each dish.  I like that kind of playful balance that creates a party in one’s mouth!  It was also interesting to learn that traditionally, Thai women were sent to live in temples for years at a time.  In these temples, they learned the art of food preparation, including not only cooking, but garnishing.  The women learned to carve fruits and vegetables into elaborate edible figurines for presentation at formal meals.  These temples still exist in modern Thailand, but they are open to the public for tours, and cooking lessons are now available to men as well! 

Although I’ve tried many Thai recipes, I still have not made Pad Thai, Thailand’s most famous dish. I will someday.  My all-time favorite Thai recipe (so far) is a quick coconut-based curry with chopped pineapple.  Traditionally made with pork, this recipe can also be made using chicken or seafood, as I have done in the recipe below.  If you like it a little spicier, add some crushed red chile flakes or fresh minced chiles.  This recipe is light, yet rich, and like most Thai food, it pairs well with an ice-cold lager or ale. 

Seafood Curry with Pineapple

1 T. coconut or vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 can coconut milk

2 T. Thai green curry paste (Thai Kitchen is a good brand)

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. fish sauce

1 T. lime juice

1 T. grated fresh ginger

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 can baby corn, drained and sliced into bite-sized pieces

½ pound squid, sliced (see note)

½ pound firm whitefish, such as cod, sliced into bite-sized pieces

½ cup green onions, sliced into thin rings

½ cup shredded basil

½ cup chopped cilantro

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, and add the coconut or vegetable oil.  When oil is heated, add the shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until it has started to soften.  Do not let the shallot burn.  Next, add the pineapple to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add the coconut milk, green curry paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, black pepper, water chestnuts, and baby corn to the pan.  Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the curry paste is fully dissolved and the liquid has reached a low boil. 

Now, turn the heat up to high.  Once liquid is boiling, add the squid, fish, green onions, basil, and cilantro.  Cook for 1-3 minutes, or until the fish has firmed up and the squid begins to curl up.  Serve immediately over cooked jasmine rice. 

Note:  In traditional Thai cooking, squid is not cut into rings as is common in Mediterranean cooking.  Rather, it is cut into squares, and the inside of the squid’s tube is scored with a knife so that the pieces curl up into bite-sized cylinders when cooked.  To prepare squid in this fashion, cut each tube in half lengthwise, then cut each piece in half crosswise.  Using a sharp knife, make shallow slits in criss-cross pattern across the inside of the squid’s tube, being careful not to cut all the way through.  It is now ready to be cooked using a quick, high heat method, such as boiling or stir-frying.