Vegan Thai Food

[catalina]

Maya, what are snow peas?

They're called Mange Tout here.

[puffin]

They're called Mange Tout here.

Oh right. Thanks catalina

[maya]

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergr...esnowpeas.html

Maya, what are snow peas?

[puffin]

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergr...esnowpeas.html

I knew what they were really, just testing you Yeh i love snow peas

[maya]

Sure Puffin!

I knew what they were really, just testing you Yeh i love snow peas

[Mystic]

LOL

[puffin]

Sure Puffin!

Darn, i wasnt very convincing then

[maya]

Nope. LOL!

Darn, i wasnt very convincing then

[puffin]

Nope. LOL!

Boo

[foxytina_69]

mmm yoggy that sounds good!

[maya]

Thats ok! I love ya anyway!

Boo

[puffin]

Thats ok! I love ya anyway!

Arrh thanks. Feeww got out of that one with out anyone seeing

[piggy]

adapted from recipe in green world cookbook, from demuths restaurant, bath, uk

25g wild rice
75g thai fragrant white rice
100g sweet potato
100g potato
2-4 garlic cloves (depending on you!)
1 red chilli sliced
2cm root ginger, peeled and chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tbs fresh coriander, chopped

(i bought a rice mix of wild rice and white long grain so i just used 100g of that)

cook rice till soft (especially wild rice as it will pop when fried if not cooked enough. drain well.
peel and cook potatoes, drain well and mash.
(make sure pots and rice are well drained before mixing together or mix will be wet and sloppy)
finely chop garlic, chilli, ginger, spring onion and coriander together.
mix all ingredients together with hands, making a mix with a consistency tht will form into soft balls. season if you need to.
shape mix into little balls (size up to you really, could make burgers if you want), roll in a little flour and gently flatten into patties.
shallow fry in oil till golden on both sides.

serve with a chilli dipping sauce and salad......mmmmmmmmmmmm

I tried this recipe...with a LOT of adaptions, because I didn't have the right ingredients. But they still turned out delicious.
I just used normal rice, potatoes, and chopped onion, fennel bulbs, garlic, chilli, and some origanum.
I suppose that's not a typical thai flavouring anymore, but they were delish anyway!!

[maya]

I love thai green curry. I must try this. I also love thai red curry it is just a little spicier.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch basil, chopped
1 bunch coriander, chopped
2 green chillis, sliced thinly
1 tbsp freshly minced/grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
165ml coconut milk
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp lemongrass, sliced
1 head broccoli
100g baby corn
1 zucchini, sliced
1 sweet potato, cubed
200g green beans
200g snow peas
salt and pepper to taste
STEPS:
1. In a blender, combine the basil, coriander, chillis, ginger, garlic and coconut milk.
2. You may need to add 1/2 cup of water, or more coconut milk if you want it very creamy.
3. Blend until very smooth.
4. In a pan, combine onion and sweet potato with the herb/coconut mixture.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sweet potato has softened a little.
6. Add the zucchini baby corn, and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add the broccoli, green beans and snow peas and season to taste.
8. Cook until the greens are bright green (about 4 minutes).
9. Serve over rice.

[alekolu]

So... at pretty much every Thai place I've ever been to, a sweet and sour sauce with chiles and ground peanuts is served as a dipping sauce for the fried tofu. But I can't find a recipe for it anywhere! It has to be fairly simple, can any of you Thai cuisine experts help me?

[tipsy]

I always stress when I order thai (which is rare) that no fish sauce, no egg, since fish sauce is standard even in vegetarian entrees and egg is sometimes chopped and added to dishes. Same with Indian, I always stress no ghee (butter), no dairy in anything. I rarely eat out and if I do, eat at veg places as much as possible.

i do the same at indian, chinese, japanese, thai... well pretty much any cuisine where i dont know the commonly used ingredients by heart.

ill pick one dish that sounds good and ask to make sure theres not this or this or that in it, and to please ask the chef to make sure.

ive had very good luck with this method.

[Zombified]

I once had a Thai take away which the chef promised was 100% vegan. It was made with sweet potato noodles, quite divine and nothing like any oriental food I had eaten before.
I managed to get some from my local Chinese supermarket but there were no English instructions. I tried to cook them but they came out as a vile glutinous mess. Does anybody here cook with them and if so, how do you do it!

[GoodbyeGirl]

most of the recipes following are from these cookbooks that i had to get rid of because they are mostly animal based, but i want to save the vegan recipes here: Thailand, The Beautiful Cookbook; Thai Cooking, Foods of the World; and desserts from Cafe Vietnam which uses the same ingredients as Thai food......

THAI COCONUT SOUP WITH SQUASH
4 stalks lemongrass
2 cans coconut milk
1-1/2 cups Vegetable Stock
20 quarter-sized slices fresh galangal or 10 large pieces dried galangal
10 peppercorns
20 kaffir lime leaves
1 squash, about 1-1/2 pounds (butternut squash is great for this recipe)
6 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Clean the lemongrass stalks by removing and trimming dried hard root and brown leaves, reducing to clean stalks about 6 inches long including the bulbous base. Using the blunt edge of a cleaver blade or the side of an unopened can, bruise each stalk by whacking it firmly at 2-inch intervals and rolling it over to bruise on all sides. Cut into 2-inch lengths.
In a large saucepan combine the coconut milk and vegetable stock, and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the lemongrass, galangal, peppercorns, and half of the lime leaves; adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer.
Cut the squash into bite-sized (peeled) pieces; you should have 3 to 4 cups. Add to the simmering soup along with the mushrooms. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring soup back to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook until the squash is tender but still firm and the tofu is heated through, about 5 minutes longer.
Remove the soup from the heat and use tongs to remove and discard the lemongrass, galangal or ginger, and lime leaves. Stir in the soy sauce, salt, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, and the remaining lime leaves. Taste and add more salt, soy sauce, or lime juice if you like. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

[GoodbyeGirl]

THAI STIR-FRIED SQUASH AND MUSHROOMS
2/3 lb bite-sized pieces of peeled squash (can be any variety)
20 shiitake mushrooms, seasoned (see below)
6 ounces canned rice straw mushroom, sliced
1 fresh Thai chile pepper, sliced
1/2 cup fresh sweet basil leaves (or mint leaves)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Heat the oil in a wok then stir-fry the squash and at the same time add a bit of water. When the squash is cooked, add the sugar and soy sauce, continue to stir. Add the seasoned shiitake mushrooms, rice-straw mushrooms and the chile, and stir-fry until everything is done. Serve on a plate garnished with the basil or mint leaves.

Seasoned Shiitake Mushrooms
Begin with 20 dried shiitakes and let them soak overnight in water to soften them up. Squeeze the water out until they're damp and set aside both the water and the shiitakes. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a wok add the mushrooms and fry until fragrant. Remove all but about two tablespoons of the oil. Add 3/4 cup light soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, and one cup of the water in which the mushooms were soaked. Stir-fry until almost all of the water has evaporated, and remove from heat.

[GoodbyeGirl]

THAI NOODLES WITH PEANUT-BASIL SAUCE
1 cup fresh snow pea pods
14 ounces rice stick noodles
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons thin soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 teaspoons palm sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground Thai chile peppers
1 cup bean sprouts - divided
1 cup firmly packed Thai basil leaves - shredded & divided
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts - chopped
red pepper flakes, peanuts, lime wedges
Soak rice noodles in lukewarm water for 45 minutes or longer to soften. Trim snow peas and cut in half diagonally. Bring water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan; add snow peas, and cook 45 seconds. Drain. Plunge into cool water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside. Whisk together coconut milk and next 8 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated. Add snow peas, rice noodles, 3/4 cup bean sprouts, and 3/4 cup basil. Toss and place on a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bean sprouts, remaining 1/4 cup basil, and 1/4 cup chopped peanuts. Serve with assortment of condiments.

[GoodbyeGirl]

THAI BANANAS IN STICKY RICE
1 2/3 cups sweet (glutinous) rice
2 cups coconut cream
4 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
8 ounces black sesame seeds
4 small bananas, halved
8 pieces banana leaf or aluminum foil, 6" x 10"
Soak the glutinous rice in water overnight, then drain. Soak the black sesame seeds overnight also. Combine coconut cream, sugar and salt in a separate bowl and stir until ingredients absorbed. Put all of the drained rice in a nonstick pan on low heat, and very slowly add the coconut cream mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring over simmering heat until the rice is tender and all of the coconut milk is absorbed. This may take up to one hour, be patient and make sure the coconut milk is absorbed. Let cool.
Put a small amount of rice on a banana leaf and mix with sesame seeds. Place a banana on top, cover with more rice and seeds, the fold up the leaf and tie securely. Repeat until all bananas are used up. Steam 15 minutes, cool, unwrap and serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

This is a vegetarian dish that has wonderful fresh flavor. The noodles are typically known as "Chinese" style but commonly served by Thai street vendors in noodle soup as well as in stir fry. We like this with more garlic than suggested below, if you prefer lots of garlic try this recipe and add plenty of it.

STIR FRIED MEE-SUA NOODLES
2/3 package Chinese-style noodles
3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water 30 minutes to soften
1/4 head fresh cabbage
1 spring onion
1/2 tsp Thai pepper powder
1 tbsp chopped garlic
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
Cook noodles in boiling water until tender, it will be just a few minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water, set aside. Remove stems and cut the softened mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, keeping the water in which the mushrooms were soaked. Cut cabbage into large slices, cut spring onion into sections, wash and set aside. Heat oil in a wok, fry the garlic until fragrant. Add mushrooms, then cabbage, soy sauce, and 4-5 tablespoons of the mushoom water. Stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked. Add the noodles, stir and mix well, and serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

as you can see i am a really big fan of squash.

THAI STIR-FRIED PUMPKIN
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup finely-chopped tofu
1.5 cup bite-size pieces of peeled pumpkin
1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup 2 inch length green onion
Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Add garlic, stir-fry until golden brown. Add tofu and saute until cooked. Add pumpkin, stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir together and cover for 3 minutes or until pumpkin is almost done. add green onion, remove from heat and serve with fresh steamed jasmine rice.

[GoodbyeGirl]

VEGETABLES WITH THAI TOFU DIP
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate mixed with 3 tbsp warm water
2/3 lb firm tofu
5 cloves garlic
7 shallots
7 large dried chiles (less if desired)
1/3 lb fresh (medium/small size) mushrooms
3 medium-sized tomatoes, coarsely diced
1 small head iceberg lettuce
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8" slices
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/8" slices
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup thin soy sauce
2 tbsp palm sugar
Rinse tofu under cold running water, place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Peel and mince garlic and shallots. Place chiles in a large bowl and cover with warm water, soak for 10 minutes. Wash mushrooms and finely chop. Tear the lettuce head into large hunks. Arrange lettuce, carrots and cucumber on a large platter. Drain chiles. In a mortar and pestle combine chiles and 1/2 tsp salt, mash to a fine paste. In a frying pan, heat 5/8 cup oil to high temperature. Add the tofu and stir-fry about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove tofu from the pan with slotted spoon. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, and add garlic and shallots, stir-fry until golden brown. Add chile paste and tofu to the pan. Mix carefully and stir-fry about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, tamarind, soy sauce, the remaining salt, and palm sugar. Let cook for 5 minutes or until all of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasonings with tamarind, palm sugar and salt. Serve with jasmine rice.

[GoodbyeGirl]

this dessert is so delicious you will be amazed, and probably not be able to put it down before you have a stomach ache.

THAI BLACK STICKY RICE WITH COCONUT MILK
1.5 cups cooked black sticky rice
1.5 cups water
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Place 1.5 cups cooked black sticky rice in a saucepan and add 1.5 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes (or a bit more if you want the rice to be extra-soft). While the rice is cooking, in a separate bowl mix the tapioca starch with a small amount of water and stir to make a paste. Also open the can of coconut milk and mix it well with a spoon. After the rice has cooked 12 minutes, add the tapioca. Stir well and remove from heat. Add sugar and continue to stir. Spoon the rice into two or three serving bowls (try to use somewhat flat bowls rather than deep ones). Spoon a thin layer of coconut milk over the rice, just enough to cover it, and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve nice and hot, and let the person eating it mix together the rice and coconut milk.

[GoodbyeGirl]

A very sweet treat you'll absolutely love. Be sure to start with a mango that's nice and ripe, with a slight give to the touch. The flesh should be bright and yellow.

THAI SWEET STICKY RICE WITH MANGO
2 cups sticky rice
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ripe mangoes, cut into thick slices
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Prepare the 2 cups sticky rice as per instructions. While sticky rice is steaming, mix together 1.5 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Set aside to cool (for a more fancy preparation, you can strain the coconut milk in a cheesecloth before setting to cool, but this is not necessary). Immediately after sticky rice is cooked, and still hot, put it into the coconut sauce and stir together well. Cover for 1 hour and let cool.

Topping
Mix 1/2 cup coconut milk with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and the tapioca starch. Bring to a boil.

Put the sticky rice and mangoes on a serving dish. Pour the topping sauce over the sticky rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

[GoodbyeGirl]

LYCHEE & GINGER ICE
1 can lychee in syrup
1 ounce fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Combine the lychee and syrup, the ginger and 3/4 cup of water in a blender or food processor and blend to a fine puree. Pour the pureed mixture into a 9-inch-square baking pan. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Break the iced mixture into chunks and process again until just slushy. Return to the pan and freeze until solid. Allow the mixture to soften slightly, about 5 minutes, before scooping into chilled dessert cups or champagne glasses. Serve, garnished with mint leaves, lychees and a light, crisp cookie, if desired.

[GoodbyeGirl]

more squash!!!!!

THAI PUMPKIN PUDDING
1 lb peeled pumpkin (about 2 cups after steaming)
1/2 cup white grated dried coconut
3 tablespoons coconut cream powder
1 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
A few drops pandan essence (optional)
Start by mixing the coconut cream powder with 1 1/4 cups warm water, stir well and set aside. Cut the pumpkin into bite size pieces and steam until soft, i recommend the Chinese-style stacked steamer. Blend pumpkin with rice flour and tapioca starch, add sugar, half of the dried coconut, pandan essence (optional) and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix while adding the coconut cream a little at a time. Continue until sugar and coconut cream is dissolved. Pour mixture into a square pan 8 x 8 or use a pie pan. Sprinkle with the remaining dried coconut and 1/4 tsp salt. Put into the steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Remove, allow to cool, cut the pudding into pieces and enjoy!

[GoodbyeGirl]

this is simple and delicious. my boyfriend really loves this one. you can buy the tapioca pearls in different colors and add different types of fruit chunks if you'd like to change it up a bit.

THAI TAPIOCA PEARLS WITH SWEET COCONUT MILK
1 cup small tapioca pearl
4.5 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup coconut cream powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Boil 3 cups water in a saucepan. Rinse tapioca pearl to cleanse, then add to the boiling water and stir until the tapioca starts to turn translucent. Add sugar and stir. Remove from heat. In a separate saucepan, mix coconut cream powder with 1.5 cups warm/hot water. Stir well then put on stovetop at medium-high heat. Wait for boil, then remove from heat and cool for a few minutes. With a large spoon put about one cup tapioca in a serving bowl and gently cover with a few tablespoons of coconut milk (or more if you like). Garnish with sprig of mint (optional)

[GoodbyeGirl]

VEGETARIAN PAD THAI
1 pound dried rice noodles
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 cup soy milk
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
cayenne pepper to taste
1 pound mung bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped, unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1 lime, cut into wedges
Submerge the rice noodles in a large bowl of hot water for about an hour.
In a saucepan, mix together peanut oil, peanut butter, water, soy sauce, soy milk, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder and paprika. Heat until sauce is smooth. Season liberally with cayenne pepper.
Drain noodles; noodles should be very flexible, but still relatively firm. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large saucepan or wok. Cook noodles in oil, stirring constantly, until they are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in peanut sauce, sprouts, carrots, scallions, and ground peanuts. Continue to cook over low heat until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with raw cabbage and carrots on the side, garnished with lime wedges.

[GoodbyeGirl]

This recipe is a very simple and quick dish which you can prepare the night before or immediately before cooking. Recipe adapted from Thai Vegetarian Cooking, by Vatcharin Bhumichitr

VEGETARIAN FRIED TOFU WITH GARLIC AND BLACK PEPPER
3 cloves garlic, smash gently with the side of a knife or cleaver to peel
2-3 shallots, peeled
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2 tblsp Thai soy sauce (Dragonfly brand) or Golden Mt. Seasoning sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tblsp canola oil
8 oz firm tofu, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 triangles(8 altogether)
Garnish: Cucumber slices, coriander leaves, tomatoes
In a mortar and pestle or electric coffee grinder(used only for spices, etc) pound or grind together garlic, shallots, and peppercorns to make a paste.
Remove to a small bowl. Add soy sauce and sugar and stir. Lay the tofu on a flat dish, cover with the mixture and allow to marinate 30 minutes or overnight.
Heat the oil in a skillet or wok, over medium heat, until hot, but do not allow to burn. Fry the tofu until golden brown. Turn on each side to brown evenly (including the cut edges). Drain and place on a serving dish.

[GoodbyeGirl]

this is absolutely my favorite thai dish. i have it for lunch with coconut-lime soup frequently.

GREEN PAPAYA SALAD
4c grated raw papaya
1c finely shredded cucumber and carrots
2T peanuts crushed
4 cherry tomatoes halved
4 whole fresh red chillies crushed
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1T vegetarian fish sauce (if available)
2T lemon juice
2T sugar
Combine the crushed garlic, peanuts, and red chillies in a bowl.
Toss in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Serve immediately topped with some more crushed peanuts and red chilli

[catmogg]

Wow GG, you've really spoiled us with all the recipies. I'm gonna try making the pad thai. Thankyou.

[GoodbyeGirl]

RICE NOODLE SALAD

5 cloves garlic
1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce
1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles
2 carrots, julienned
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 leaves napa cabbage
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
4 sprigs fresh mint

Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.
Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.

[GoodbyeGirl]

since vietnamese and thai food are so similar i thought this soup recipe would fit in well here.

VIETNAMESE CURRY SOUP

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inch piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
1 stalk lemon grass, cut into 2 inch pieces
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced
8 mushrooms, sliced
1 pound fried tofu, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 kaffir lime leaves
8 small potatoes, quartered
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

2 cups fresh bean sprouts, for garnish
8 sprigs fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Saute onion and shallots until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, lemon grass and curry powder. Cook for about 5 minutes, to release the flavors of the curry. Stir in green pepper, carrots, mushrooms and tofu. Pour in vegetable stock and water. Season with fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then stir in potatoes and coconut milk. When soup returns to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 to 60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Garnish each bowl with a pile of bean sprouts and cilantro.

[GoodbyeGirl]

this appetizer is served cold with a hoisin-peanut dipping sauce.

SUMMER ROLLS

2 ounces vermicelli noodles
8 large round rice paper wrappers
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup cucumber, cut into thin strips to make 1/2 cup
1 medium carrot, shredded
8 2-3inch strips of head lettuce

Sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 TB peanut butter
3 TB water

Make vermicelli according to package instructions, set aside.
Soften 1 rice paper wrapper by immersing in warm water until soft (about 10-20 sec), carefully remove and place flat on a large plate or cutting board.
Be careful not to let the paper fold on itself when removing the wrapper from the water.
Place 1 piece of lettuce in the middle of the wrapper, add 1/8 each of the vermicelli, cucumber, carrots, and sprouts. Roll rice paper as you would a taco, tucking in the sides, it should stick to itself easily. Repeat for the remaining 7 wrappers. Makes 8 rolls.
For the sauce, mix the ingredients until smooth. Sauce can be split into small bowls for each guest to dip rolls into.

[GoodbyeGirl]

BAHN CAY (curried dumplings)

1 kg of cassava root peeled and grated finely (using cheese grater with smallest hole size).
1 level teaspoon of salt
2 table of sugar
1 table spoon of curry powder
1 chilly chopped (optional)

Mix the ingredients together. Take spoonfuls of the mixture and form into balls about 2cm in diameter. Deep fry the balls and serve it in a bed of lettuce as a snack or with main course.

[GoodbyeGirl]

VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS

10 dried rice papers (8 inches in diameter)
vegetable oil for deep-frying

for the filling:
1/2c dried mung beans, soaked overnight
2oz firm tofu, chopped
1c finely chopped taro root
1/2oz dried chinese mushroom, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, then minced
pinch of sugar
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

to serve:
sprigs of fresh herbs such as basil, thai basil, cilantro, and mint
english cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
green (unripe) banana and green (unripe) starfruit, thinly sliced
leaves of mustard greens and/or lettuce

cook the mung beans in fresh water to cover for about 20 minutes or until soft. drain. combine the mung beans, tofu, taro, and mushrooms. add the sugar and 1/2t each salt and pepper and mix together well.
soften each rice paper by brushing lightly with warm water on both sides and leaving for about 20 seconds. using scissors, cut each paper in half. then, with the straight edge of the paper at the bottom, place a generous teaspoon of filling at the center of each rice paper half. wrap the sides over, then roll up tightly from the bottom, squashing the filling into all corners. use a little water to seal the roll, if necessary.
deep fry the rolls until golden brown on all sides. serve wrapped with sprigs of herbs and slices of cucumber, green banana, and starfruit inside the green leaves, dipping in nuoc cham before eating.

[GoodbyeGirl]

NUOC CHAM DIPPING SAUCE

1T vegetarian fish sauce
3T lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 fresh hot red chili, minced
1/2t sugar

mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and serve. garnish with green onion slices, if desired.

[GoodbyeGirl]

BRAISED STRAW MUSHROOMS IN CLAYPOT

vegetable oil for cooking
2 garlic cloves, minced
8oz fresh or canned straw mushrooms
1/4c soy sauce
2T sugar
1t each sea salt and fresh black pepper

heat a little oil in a claypot or heavy-bottomed pan and soften the garlic. add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. add the rest of the ingredients. cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

[GoodbyeGirl]

VERMICELLI WITH SHALLOTS

8oz rice vermicelli
8 shallots, thinly sliced
vegetable oil for deep frying
sprigs of cilantro

cook the vermicelli in boiling water until al dente. meanwhile, deep-fry the shallots in hot oil until golden brown. drain on paper towels. drain the vermicelli, scatter the shallots over the top, and garnish with cilantro. bring to the table immediately.

[GoodbyeGirl]

OKRA WITH SHALLOTS

6 shallots, thinly sliced
vegetable oil for deep frying
8oz okra
soy sauce to serve

deep-fry the thinly sliced shallots in hot oil until golden brown. drain on paper towels. cook the okra whole in a little water in a covered pan for about 5 minutes or until tender. drain. top with the deep-fried shallots and serve dipped into soy sauce.

[GoodbyeGirl]

DEEP-FRIED BEAN CURD WITH LEMONGRASS

1lb firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4c minced fresh lemongrass
2 fresh hot red chilies, minced
vegetable oil for deep-frying
2 garlic cloves, minced

drain the tofu cubes on paper towels. mix together the lemongrass, chilies, and salt. gently toss with the tofu, then cover and leave for 30 minutes to blend the flavors. deep-fry the tofu in hot oil for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown all over. drain on paper towels and keep warm. stir the garlic into the remaining lemongrass mixture. saute the mixture in a little hot oil until the lemongrass is golden. pile on top of the tofu and serve immediately.

[GoodbyeGirl]

STEWED BEANCURD WITH TOMATO AND EGGPLANT

1lb firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
vegetable oil for deep frying
1 onion, roughly chopped
1lb tomatoes, roughly chopped
12oz asian eggplants, cut across into 1/2 inch slices
1T vegetarian fish sauce
1/2t sugar

drain the tofu on paper towels, then deep fry until golden brown all over (about 10 minutes). drain well and set aside. saute the onion in a little hot oil until beginning to soften. add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down into a pulp, stirring frequently. add the eggplants, veg. fish sauce, and sugar and stir well. cover the pan and cook until the eggplant slices are soft. add the tofu and warm through, then serve.

[GoodbyeGirl]

GREEN MANGO SALAD

2 green mangoes
1 fresh hot red chili, thinly sliced
1T minced fresh Thai basil
1t vegetarian fish sauce

peel the mangoes, then cut them into long thin shreds. to do this use a sharp knife, cut into the flesh repeatedly from top to bottom, then thinly shave off the flesh. combine all the ingredients, and serve immediately.

[Yoggy]

I've been addicted to Thai (and other Asian) food lately! I can't believe that when I lived in Thailand I got so sick of the food (rice particularly) that I didn't touch it for over a year after I got back to Canada! Now I can't get enough of it!

GG, your recipes look great, I may give the Stewed Beancurd one a try this weekend

[seviya]

GoodbyeGirl, on page 3 you said you often had the Green Papaya Salad with Coconut-Lime soup - would you happen to have a recipe for that soup? It sounds delicious!!! (coconut + lime = two of my most favorite things)

Thank you for sharing all these recipes with us!! I luurrrve Thai . . .

p.s. I now have that "you put the lime in the co-co-nut" song going through my head . . .

[veggiesosage]

Where can you get vegetarian fish sauce in the UK?

[Jane M]

Vegetarian Stir Fry Oyster Sauce

• • 1 mushroom broth cube
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 2 T brown bean sauce
  • 1 generous T dark unbleached sugar
  • 1 t cornstarch dissolved in 1 t cold water

METHOD Dissolve the broth cube in the boiling water. Mix with the brown bean sauce and sugar, and heat to boiling. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened. Cool and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

I don't know if this is any good...I buy mine from Food Fight. That's quite a ways from you though.

[veggiesosage]

I've found vegetarian oyster sauce in the UK before. I always presumed that fish sauce and oyster sauce are very different though but have never tried the originals.