This classic Thai curry, often made with Chinese style roast duck, is a popular restaurant dish. I used fresh pan-roasted duck breasts in this version, although I cheated with a bought curry paste. To make the curry, fry 2 tablespoons of red curry paste in some coconut oil until it’s fragrant. Add 1 – 2 cans of coconut…… Continue reading duck red curry with lychees
Tag: thai food
black rice pudding with grilled bananas and coconut turmeric sauce
Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Slightly bitter, musky and earthy tasting, it adds an interesting dimension to this dessert from David Thompson’s Thai Food. For the black rice pudding, soak ½ a cup…… Continue reading black rice pudding with grilled bananas and coconut turmeric sauce
pork and pomelo salad + apple and green bean salad
Pomelo (citrus maxima) is an original fruit which not only looks like a very large grapefruit but tastes like a mild and slightly sweet one too. It’s a native to Southeast Asia, hence this deliciously salty and sweet Thai style salad. The pomelo I bought weighed 1.13 kilos (2½ lbs)! Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and fry 2 finely diced brown shallots and…… Continue reading pork and pomelo salad + apple and green bean salad
baked whole snapper
Australian snapper is a soft, delicately flavoured fish but it stands up well to these robust Thai flavours and lends itself well to baking. Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Take the cleaned and gutted whole fish, season with salt and pepper and stuff the cavity with ½ a cup of fresh holy basil (Thai basil) leaves.…… Continue reading baked whole snapper
pork belly curry
My good friend Fifi cooked this Northern Thai pork belly curry which was every bit as delicious as it looks. Below is the recipe she gave me. Remove the rind from 1kg (2¼ lb) of pork belly, score it and make sure it’s dry. Season with salt and roast on high heat until you have perfect crackling. Meanwhile cut the…… Continue reading pork belly curry
scallops in coconut sauce with fresh basil
Here’s a really quick and easy meal which is still luxurious and impressive. From a can of coconut milk take the thick coconut cream and melt it in a wide saucepan over moderate heat. Add 1 tablespoon of Thai roasted chilli paste in soya oil (you will find this at any Asian store which sells Thai food…… Continue reading scallops in coconut sauce with fresh basil
whole barramundi in banana leaves + asparagus salad
David treated us to this wonderful Thai meal recently. For the marinade process these ingredients in a food processor: 1 brown shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 sliced thumb-size piece of galangal (or ginger), 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, a handful of basil leaves, ½ a can of coconut milk, 2 finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, 1…… Continue reading whole barramundi in banana leaves + asparagus salad
chicken and holy basil stir-fry
This simple and traditional dish (gai pad grapow) appears on most Thai restaurant menus. Thinly slice 500g (1 lb) of chicken thigh meat, an onion and (if desired) 2 fresh red chillies. Peel 6-8 cloves of garlic and pound them in a mortar and pestle with 6 long red chillies. Heat some vegetable oil in…… Continue reading chicken and holy basil stir-fry
thai fried rice
Left-over rice in the fridge and holy basil in the garden inspired this fragrant dish. The 3-4 cups of rice for this dish are best cooked ahead and refrigerated – left-overs are perfect. To prepare the rest of the ingredients cut 3 chicken thighs into small pieces, cut 1 or 2 carrots into small pieces, finely…… Continue reading thai fried rice
fish larb + cucumber salad
Having finally banished the local wildlife from our garden, our fresh produce is thriving. Thai holy basil and kaffir lime leaves are both so deliciously fragrant that I was inspired to create a Thai fish salad. And for a refreshing accompaniment a fresh cucumber salad. I served both with coconut rice. I used rock ling…… Continue reading fish larb + cucumber salad
michelle picker cooks 