Thai Ginger Chicken

If you'd told me three years ago when we were getting ready to go to Asia, that we'd spend a year there, take upwards of 20 flights traveling all over the region, and not visit Thailand, I would have told you you were crazy. Ever since the first time I sat down to a Thai meal in Madison, Wisconsin, I've been fascinated with this country. It doesn't hurt that every time I pick up a travel magazine and there's a picture of Thailand, it shows blue blue water and warm peaceful beaches.

Once we got to Hong Kong, there was a special program that sent Fulbrighters to various countries in the region, and I campaigned and bribed and arm twisted my way into getting an invite to Thailand. But then the stupid Red Shirt revolution happened in the spring of 2010, and all our plans fell through.

Which maybe explains why one of my favorite cookbooks right now is Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook. Or maybe not. Maybe this is my favorite cookbook because the recipes are many, varied, and awfully authentic; the pictures are wonderful, and there's a lot of history and cultural stuff that's really interesting.

This is a relatively easy recipe. The key is the white pepper. Don't leave it out. I'm not saying your kids won't notice it--it's hard to miss that little tingle on the tongue--but they won't mind it. This recipe is sweet and full flavored.

(PS--My friend Jane tried this and said the quarter-cup of ginger blew her kids' ears off.  That in mind, you may want to cut back some the first time you try the recipe).  

Ginger Chicken

2 cups jasmine rice (or any white rice, really)
2 TB oil

1 lb boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 TB fish sauce

2 TB oyster sauce

2 TB sugar

A pinch of white pepper

1/4 cup slivered ginger

1/4 sliced green bell pepper

1/4 sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup sliced onion

cilantro to garnish

1. Start your rice, according to instructions, maybe 15 minutes before you do anything else.
2. Chop all your vegetables and slice your chicken. If your kids don't like mushrooms, chop them into tiny pieces. Don't leave them out, though, as they really soak up the juices and add flavor.
3. Mix ginger, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar
4. In a wok or large pan, heat the oil.
5. Add the chicken and garlic; cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add all the chopped goods, the white pepper, and 3/4 of the sauce.
7. Mix well and stir fry for another 3 minutes, adding additional sauce if necessary.

Family Ratings:

Will, who likes chicken and is beginning to think he might be more adventurous than he thought: 9

Lucy, who likes to eat things she thinks are "exotic": 10

Jamie, who digs red peppers (go figure): 10

Ellen, who hated cilantro the first time she had it: 10

Paul, who's still determined to get to Thailand: 10

Thai Chicken Wraps

This recipe comes from the cleverly named Wraps by Mary and Sara Corpening and Lori Narlock. I like this book a lot, though I have to admit that: a) some of the recipes are a bit fussy; and b) the instructions aren't that great, very often burying time-intensive ingredients like cooked rice toward the end of the list, so that you think you're way ahead of schedule and then all of a sudden you have to stop and boil something for 45 minutes.

That aside, this is a tasty tasty recipe, the kind of thing that on paper looks like it'll be okay, but on the plate thrills even the really fussy eaters. The trick, I think, is the mint, which gives the whole dish a lighter, slightly surprising taste.

A vegetarian version of this is easy enough: just omit the chicken and add another cup of zucchini. I've also found that it's a large recipe, easily enough for two meals for our family, so you can either plan for that, or cut everything in half.

One key, by the way, is to cook the zucchini until it's just soft: the meat inside the skin will begin to shine. Once you see that shine, stop cooking or the whole thing'll go mushy.

Thai Chicken Wraps

2 cups cooked jasmine rice, warm (use regular, if you want)
2 cups diced zucchini

1 cup diced onion

1-1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 cup coconut milk (be sure to mix the coconut meat and the milk really well)

1 tablespoon minced fresh lemongrass, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Kosher salt (if you're using regular salt, decrease amounts by half)

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 inch tortillas (I just use plain; they're fine)

1. Cook your damn rice.
2. Chop the veggies and the basil and mint, and cube the chicken
3. Blend the coconut milk, lemongrass, curry paste, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid thickens, about 15 minutes. Don't freak out if the liquid sort of thins first before it thickens. That's normal. You'll be fine.
4. Remove from heat and add the lime juice to the sauce.
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and the onion, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until the meat just inside the zucchini skin starts to look shiny, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook! Set aside in a large bowl.
6. Wipe the skillet (or don't) with a paper towel, then add the remaining tablespoon of oil, heating over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Drain all the juice out of the pan.
7. Add the chicken to the zucchini. Add the rice and the basil and mint, and mix well. Stir in the coconut milk sauce.
8. Serve in a big bowl on the table, with lots of spoons so that kids can take as much as they want and put it on and roll it into their own tortillas.

Family Ratings:

Will, who only gives a 10 to fajitas: 9

Lucy, who's just learning math: 8 and four quarters

Jamie, who struggled a little bit trying to hold the tortillas: 7

Ellen, who was happy to have the leftovers: 10

Paul, who could actually see eating this even without meat: 10

Crispy Thai Mango Tacos

Okay, let me be frank with you: the real name of this dish is "Crispy Pork Larb"; You can understand why I changed it for this blog. That said, whatever you call it this dish is one of the reasons (my spouse is the other) that I have any friends--or, more bluntly, why even if I don't have any friends, I still get invited to potlucks. Put another way, this is the best tasting food you will ever put in your mouth. I've never met a person who's tasted it an not loved it.

The recipe below comes from Small Bites by Jennifer Joyce, but I've made some adjustments to make it more kid friendly (The adult version, for instance, takes another quarter of the red chili pepper). This dish also works well with vegetarian-friendly fake ground meats, though it won't get quite as crispy.

Thai Mango Tacos

Dressing:

3 TBSP brown sugar

1/4 medium red chili pepper (or jalapeno or whatever) deseeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 TBSP peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

1/2 cup lime juice (or slightly less, say 3/8 of a cup)

1.5 TBSP fish sauce

Tacos:

3 stalks lemongrass

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground pork

1-1.5 Tbsp brown sugar

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 ripe mango, diced

3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

20 heart of romaine lettuce leaves, to serve (I find these packaged in the produce section, usually three stalks to the bag. Simple wash, cut off the stem at the bottom, and allow to dry)

1. Make the sauce first by crushing everything but the juices together in a mortar and pestle or a small food processor. Add juices and mix well.
2. Cut away any tough bits from the lemongrass, and finely slice the rest.
3. Heat your wok to high. Add the oil, let warm, then toss in the lemon grass and cook for 15 seconds.
4. Add the pork in one big lump and cook it until crisp underneath. Seriously, while you don't want it black, you are burning it here.
5. Break pork with a fork and/or spatula, then add the sugar and continue cooking for three minutes.
6. Add onions and cook for two more minutes or until the meat is thoroughly done. Remove from heat.
7. Pour the dressing over the pork, add the mango and the cilantro, then mix to combine.
8. Serve to table, allowing everyone to make their own by lining the seams of the lettuce leaves with the meat/mango mixture and eating like a taco.

Have plenty of napkins handy! This is messy but good!

Family Ratings (on a 1-10 scale):

Will, whose idea it was to cook the onions: 7.5

Jamie, who has a little trouble managing the lettuce leaves: 7.5

Lucy, who loves Thai food: 10

Ellen, who loves Thai food: 10

Paul, who likes being invited to parties: 10