Meeting #9

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garXiv:0811.0001
Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:00 CDT
Title: A taste of Thai
Authors: Chris & Sarah, w/ a big assist from Keren
Categories: gastro-ph
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The last meeting for 2008 was scheduled cunningly while sarah would be back in town (she came back just for us!!). Curry was to be the order of the day. We went for an all-vegetarian menu (prawns don't count!) since it was winter, and a change from heavy meaty things would be nice.

While I simmered away in the kitchen, sarah & keren rolled vietnamese-style summer rolls. These are pretty simple to make, but it takes a bit to get the hang of it. With carrot, capsicum, rice noodles, basil and spring-onion they were super-delicious. Combined with a fantastic cocounut-milk slice thing (originally planned for desert), and prawns fried with lime, chili, garlic and lemongrass, appetizers would have been enough.



But the main menu was still simmering away: Thai green curry. This is really incredibly simple to make. The key is simply good curry paste and timing. Start by cutting vegetables. Remember there are 7 things to get: red capsicum, carrot, broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, zucchini and snow peas. Cut them into chunks or 1-inch strips, so they're all ready to go. Now fry 3 tablespoons of Mae Ploy curry paste (see picture) in a little oil for a minute or two in a large wok or pot (I sometime use a pressure cooker - any big pot will do). Add 2 or 3 cans of coconut milk, slowly stirring to mix. How much coconut milk depends on how much vegetable you add. Now comes the vegetables:

First in is the broccoli. Stove should be on a low-medium heat. You don't want it to boil! You want it just below the simmer...nice and hot. When you add the broccoli, add 1-2 desert spoons of palm sugar (or brown sugar if you have it. NOT! raw or white sugar!!). It shouldn't be sweet, but just balanced. At the same time at 1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce. About 5mins add the carrot. Give it another 5mins or so. When the carrot and broccoli is just starting to soften a little, add the capsicum, baby corn, snow peas and zucchini. Give it another 5 or 10mins...right at the end, add the mushroom. Serve with rice. The aim is to get all the vegetables cooked, but still a little crisp, and certainly not limp!

A final point. If you don't like hot curries, you will be tempted to cut the amount of curry paste you use. This is a mistake!! Really...I've tried to do that to please people before, but you're essentially removing all the flavour! Try adding a little extra coconut milk if it's too hot.






















Desert for the evening was courtesy of keren. Panna cotta, and it was delicious; plate-licking good, even, as the photos show :)