Fried Rice With Basil And Prawns/ Shrimp

A well known recipe from Thailand, a typical Thai fast food…To be honest is not the unhealthy choice of western fast food but because it is done rapidly, well, it is fast, like most Asian recipes… My source is Vatcharin Bhumichitr’ book, “Vatch’s Thai Cookbook”, 2004. I followed it and I really enjoyed it. Hope you will enjoy it too.

Fried Rice With Basil and Prawns/ Shrimp

— Khao Pad Krapow Gung —

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 small fresh red chilies, finely chopped
• 4 oz/ 120 g peeled raw prawns/ shrimp
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 20 fresh holy basil leaves
• 8 oz/ 240 g/ 1 1/4 cups boiled fragrant rice
• 1 small onion, slivered
• 1/2 red or green sweet pepper, slivered

Method:

• In a wok of frying pan, over a high heat, heat the oil until a light haze appears. Add the garlic and fry until golden brown. Add the chilies and the prawns and stir quickly to mix.  Add the fish sauce, sugar and soy sauce. Stir-fry until the prawns are cooked through. Add the basil leaves and stir. Add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly. Add the onion and the sweet pepper and stir quickly to mix. Turn on to a serving dish.

Thaan hai aroi na khrap/kha!

Elena G

Reteta cu creveti marimea S sau M

Continuand periplul prin bucatarie si vazand eu ca in ultima vreme am tot scris despre animale care traiesc in apa, am zis sa mai inot pe aici. Azi m-am gandit la o reteta tailandeza foarte usoara, ca mai toate retetele de acest gen. Este vorba de o reteta rapida si sanatoasa pe care o consuma oamenii la pranz in acele zone, pe strada sau in restaurante. Este si versatila, poti inlocui crevetii cu orice fel de alta carne, legumele la fel, si mirodeniile. Iar cand o reteta permite mai usor inlocuiri, atunci chiar imi place si mai mult. Am gatit-o si eu candva, undeva si de aceea imi permit sa o scriu pe blog. In general m-am straduit sa adaug retetele pe care le-am si facut pentru ca stiu mai bine despre ce vorbesc insa sunt si exceptii, normal. A fost culeasa dintr-o carte din care am gatit multe feluri de mancare si daca as avea sansa sa o achizitionez pentru a o avea in casa, la colectia mea de carti de bucate, as face-o. Si cu siguranta as cauta-o in primul rand in charity shops, cum mai sunt cunoscute magazinele de second-hand din strainatate. Pretul ei pentru o carte noua este cam prohibitiv. 🙂 Cartea se numeste “Vatch’s Thai Cookbook”, scrisa de un cunoscut sef bucatar, scriitor de carti de bucate, Vatcharin Bhumichitr si a aparut in 2004. Daca o rasfoiesti, s-ar putea sa iti placa cum mi-a placut si mie, daca esti cumva pasionat/a de gatit.

De ce am pus titlul asa la aceasta reteta? Pentru ca pomeneste de prawns si shrimp si daca ai mancat prin strainatate, sau pe la noi la restaurante cu specific asiatic, cunosti diferenta dintre ei insa in limba romana nu am gasit o traducere pentru ambele soiuri asa ca prawns sunt creveti mai maricei iar shrimp, ei bine, sunt mititei si draguti. Si reteta in original pomeneste de ambii. Acum sa gatim, adica tu, ca eu doar scriu aici reteta. De gatit alta data, pentru mine.

Orez prajit cu busuioc si creveti M/ S (prawns/ shrimp)

— Khao Pad Krapow Gung — (in cazul in care vrei sa stii originalul original)

2 portii

Ingrediente:

• 2 linguri ulei (mergi pe cel presat la rece, daca poti, chiar simti diferenta la gust)
• 2 catei usturoi, maruntit fin
• 2 ardei iuti rosii, proaspeti, taiati marunt (chilies)
• 4 oz/ 120 g creveti M/S proaspeti, curatati (nu e o treaba prea placuta pentru mine insa se merita cand pot sa o fac, daca nu, din cei congelati ca nu traim in Thailanda si mai greu cu ei)
• 1 lingura sos de peste
• 1/4 lingurita zahar
• 1 lingura sos soia light
• 20 frunze proaspete de busuioc
• 8 oz/ 240 g/ 1 1/4 cana orez parfumat fiert (jasmine sau basmati merge foarte bine)
• 1 ceapa mica, feliata fin
• 1/2 ardei rosu sau verde, feliat fin si el

Preparare:

• Incalzeste uleiul la foc tare pana se incinge, intr-un wok sau tigaie adanca. Ai grija sa ai toate ingredientele la indemana pentru ca se gateste repede. Pune usturoiul si prajeste-l pana se rumeneste usor. Adauga ardeiul iute si crevetii si amesteca repede. Pune si sosul de peste, zaharul si sosul de soia. Prajeste totul pana se gatesc crevetii. Adauga apoi frunzele de busuioc si amesteca iar. La fiecare adaugare se schimba mirosul insa ramane incantator! 🙂 Pune orezul fiert si amesteca iar, bine. Adauga acum si ceapa si ardeiul dulce si amesteca iar, repede. Gata. Rastoarna totul intr-o farfurie si pregateste-ti betisoarele, pardon, furculita.

Thaan hai aroi na khrap/kha!

Elena G

Pad Thai

‘This is the best known of all Thai noodle dishes’ writes Vatcharin Bhumichitr in his book ‘Vatch’s Thai Cookbook’, in 2004. In 2005 I was reading this recipe, in London and I thought that I have to try this famous dish. I went shopping and the result was delicious. I would love to try it again, sometime. It takes only 2-3 minutes to cook, I can’t ask for more. May be a take away. 😉 I am not sure if this recipe is enough for 4 people, by the quantities, I estimate it is enough for only 2 so if you are more than 2, just double the ingredients.

Thai Fried Noodles/ Pad Thai

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 extra large egg (or 2 small eggs if you like)
• 180 g (6 oz) sen lek noodles, soaked and drained
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp, ground or pounded
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp chopped preserved radish (chi po)
• 30 g (1 oz, 1/3) cup fresh beansprouts
• 2 spring onions/ scallions, chopped into 1 inch/2,5 cm pieces
• sprig of fresh coriander/ cilantro, coarsely chopped
• lemon wedges, to garnish

Method:

• In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil and fry the garlic until golden brown.
• Break in the egg and stir quickly, cooking for a couple of seconds only, then add the noodles and stir well, scraping down the sides of the pan to ensure that the egg and garlic are well mixed.
• One by one, stirring between each addition, add the lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, half the peanuts, half the dried shrimp, the chili powder, the preserved radish, 1 tbsp of the beansprouts and the spring onions.
• Test the noodles for tenderness and when they are al dente, turn on to a serving dish. Arrange the remaining peanuts, dried shrimp and beansprouts around the noodle mixture.
• You can also put a little  pile of chili powder and another of sugar on the side to be mixed in as each diner wishes. Granish with coriander and lemon wedges and serve.

Bon appetite!