Archive for December, 2009
Thai Restaurant Flavours
If you’ve enjoyed a wonderful meal out at a good Thai restaurant, you may be wondering how to reproduce some of the dishes you’ve tasted at home. Thai cuisine is quite simple to prepare, without too many complicated cooking techniques, but you do have to have the right ingredients to make it taste authentic at home. You also have to learn the balance of flavours, sweet, sour, salt and spicy, but that will come with experience, the more you taste good Thai cooking.
Thai cuisine emphasizes good fresh ingredients and uses fresh herbs and spices rather than dried ones. To cook Thai cuisine at home, these are some of the essential basic ingredients you’ll need; obviously the fresh herbs and spices should be bought fresh on the day you will use them for the best possible flavour:
Fish sauce or nam pla is an essential ingredient in many Thai dishes. It provides the salty seasoning to counterbalance the sweet element of coconut milk and sweet herbs. Made of small salt-fermented fish, it should be clear and brownish in colour and provides minerals and vitamins as well as protein.
Thai chilli peppers are used in so many dishes and sauces that Thai cuisine would be unrecognizable without them. Used to give heat to curry paste, in soups and dipping sauces, there are hot varieties and milder ones but no meal is complete without some form of chilli.
Kaffir lime leaves add aromatic fragrance and astringency to soups and curries giving a clean citrus flavour.
Lemongrass is a key ingredient in much Thai cooking. Its woody stem adds a lemony flavour and more fragrance to curry pastes and other dishes.
Garlic is used to start off most Thai dishes providing a stabilizing base note to the aromatic herbs.
Galanga is the Thai version of ginger, slightly milder than the common ginger we use. It has medicinal qualities to aid digestion and adds a light acidic note to the Thai spice combinations.
Fresh coriander is used both in its leaf and root form. The leaf is frequently used as a garnish and the root to give a deeper note to the cooking of a dish.
Coconut milk is used in savoury dishes and desserts, whenever a creamy rich element is needed. It replaces the dairy ingredients that predominate in European cuisine, but which are rarely used at all in Thai cuisine. Coconut milk is made by grating the meat of a ripe coconut and mixing it with water then squeezing out the juice, but can be bought in a can for easy cooking.
Jasmine or fragrant rice is indigenous to Thailand and is used to accompany every main meal as the main starch as breads are rarely used.
Before you start cooking, refresh your taste memories by visiting a good Thai restaurant, so that you can remember the correct balance of flavours and produce your own authentic version at home.
Have you been to Thai Dusit in Derby?
Thai Snacks and Street Food
Visiting Bangkok, you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of food carts on the streets and the aromas of cooking wherever you go. Thais love food, enjoying regular snacks and eating street food often. You’ll find a huge assortment of foods available to eat as you go even in small provincial towns, where street vendors often assemble in car parks or squares at dusk to transform them in to bustling food markets.
Some of the wares offered as street food are full meals, usually one-dish meals to satisfy workers and travelers who can’t cook at home: curries served over rice, noodle dishes stir fried with egg and vegetables. Noodle dishes such as Pad Thai and Rad Naa are popular street foods, and often you’ll find a street vendor selling just one signature dish, with a queue of eager customers who know them well, from years of eating that same dish. You’ll find a charcoal grill set up at a night market, grilling skewers of satay to be served with a peanut sauce. Or a vendor who just cooks the most delectable fried rice.
Other street vendors will specialize in snacks that are labour intensive and harder to prepare at home: savoury and sweet snacks to tempt people as they visit the markets before going home to prepare their meal. Portable deep fried snacks that are easy to eat with your fingers such as spring rolls, thai fish cakes, Toong Tong pastries filled with minced chicken and prawn, are all delicious morsels that if you’re lucky you can also find served as appetizers in Thai restaurants here in Britain.
Crispy golden crepes, coconut pancakes, sweet sticky rice with jackfruit or mango, Thai street food offers a host of sweet treats as well as savoury ones. Leaf wrapped parcels of sweet meats are on offer among the scents and aromas of all sorts of street cooking.
If you want to taste many of these treats you’ll have to travel to Thailand yourself with an adventurous spirit, prepared to plunge in to taste your way around this wonderful cuisine. But even if you are stuck at home you can get some idea of the vibrant tastes and flavours of Thai street food at your local Thai restaurant. Sample the appetizer menu in search of different textures, herbs and spices, order a main meal comprised of several different dishes to share with friends and you’ll get an idea of the richness and variety of Thai food, where lots of small mouthfuls of different flavours are preferred to the monotony of a large plate of just one dish.
Have you visited Thai Sabai in Melton before?
Chosing a Meal at a Thai Restaurant
Thai cuisine is full of fresh and vibrant flavours offering a wonderful meal that is healthy and light, but satisfying to the palate, and made for sociable dining out. There are two styles of eating a main meal in Thailand. You can order a single dish meal for a quick lunch or supper: something like a rice or noodle based dish with meat and vegetables all thrown in; or you can linger over a communal evening meal, where you order a selection of dishes, which are shared between you all and chosen to provide a balance of flavours and textures.
In British Thai restaurants soups are usually served as a starter, to fit in with Western eating habits, but in Thailand a soup is just one of a selection of dishes that you will order as part of your main meal. In a typical Thai meal, a clear broth soup, Gang Jeude, or a spicy one with coconut milk, Gang Ped, may be served alongside a steamed dish, a stir fried dish, a spicy curry and a grilled meat with a variety of sauces for dipping; each person will have their own serving of rice and will help themselves from the various communal dishes a little at a time.
The number of dishes ordered depends on the number of people eating; as a general rule two people would order three dishes to go with their rice, four people order five dishes and so on, so the greater number of people dining the larger the selection of different dishes.
Most Thai restaurants in Britain offer a variety of set menus, with dishes chosen to balance each other, so that you can experience a traditional Thai meal without too much trouble deciding on how to combine different dishes. Not all dishes in Thai cuisine are spicy; a Thai meal is usually chosen so that a spicy dish is balanced by a more subtle bland one, a fried dish by a steamed one and can often include a salad dressed with a salty spicy dressing of chilies, herbs and fish sauce instead of a spicy curry. Plain grilled meats are served with spicy or sweet chili dipping sauces.
Many meals in Thailand will finish off with some of the wonderful fresh fruit available there; mangos, papaya, melon, grapes, jackfruit and so on, but there are also a variety of desserts based on coconut milk and rice, sweet syrups and egg custards. The rambutan, a tropical fruit related to the lychee, preserved in syrup is a popular dessert.
Most of all a Thai meal should be a wonderful series of tastes, different dishes offering your palate plenty of variety, so that you feel replete and satisfied but not weighed down by your meal.
Thai Cuisine Guide
A flavourful, aromatic and healthy cuisine, Thai food has become popular all over the western world as we have embraced its fresh herbs and spices wholeheartedly. Fresh coriander, leaf and root, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves and basil along with a variety of chillis, flavour a cornucopia of fresh ingredients cooked simply with great attention paid to the balance of flavours in each dish.
The simple Thai cuisine of the a thousand years ago, which relied on grilling meats over fires, boiling stews and rice in simple clay vessels or putting together salads of fresh, raw ingredients, has been influenced over the centuries by many other cultures and traditions bringing more complexity and new ingredients to make the Thai cuisine we know today.
The Chinese introduced the wok which made stir frying possible and also the use of noodles. Western traders with their use of dairy products in their cooking, started the idea of using coconut milk in curries. It was even the Portuguese traders who introduced the chilli to Thailand from South America, without which modern Thai cuisine would be unrecognizable.
Harmony and balance are the guiding principles of Thai cuisine. A meal should consist of a variety of dishes, some spicy, others less so, with cooling condiments and various textures so that the palate is stimulated but not overwhelmed. The fresh nature of Thai herbs and spices means that, while a curry may be hot, the burn only lasts briefly, unlike the hot dry spices of Indian cuisine. Spicy should be balanced with subtle, sweet with sour. The principle salty seasoning is nam pla, Thai fish sauce, added to most dishes to provide the salty counterbalance, with lime juice to add the sour note.
Far more than in Western cooking, Thai cooking is done by taste rather than measurements. The intensity of a fresh herb or spice can vary, so the right balance of flavours is learned by taste and experience: sour, sweet, salt, and creamy with the heat of spice on top of that have to be balanced by feel to get the flavour just right. If you want to learn to cook Thai food yourself, the best introduction is to sample dishes cooked by expert Thai chefs in your local restaurant, so that you get an idea of the flavour combinations you should be aiming towards.
Thai food is prepared in bite sized portions and in earlier times people would have eaten with their fingers, but nowadays a spoon and fork is laid at the table, the fork used to push the food onto the spoon. No knife is needed at the table as meat is already cut into small pieces. Chopsticks may be used to eat Chinese style noodle dishes.
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view Thai restaurants in Nottingham, Thai restaurants in Derby or Thai restaurants in Leicester
Roast Pepper and Onion Mashed Potato recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Roast Pepper and Onion Mashed Potato recipe by Nick Buckingham
A rich and savoury take on mashed potatoes, this version provides a hearty accompaniment to a meat dish with an extra touch of sophistication. The added flavours of roasted pepper and onion bring complexity to this favourite potato comfort food and the cream makes it rich, smooth and velvety. It can be prepared earlier in the day and reheated on the stove if required.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
1 kg / 2lb Potatoes
110g / 4oz Butter
55g / 2 oz / 4 tablespoons Fresh Cream
110g / 4 oz Sweet Red Pepper (cut into thin slices)
110g / 4 oz Onions (cut into thin slices)
Seasoning
Method
Peel the potatoes and cut into large pieces. Put the potatoes in to a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for twenty minutes until just tender.
Drain well allowing the steam to rise off and then hand mash until smooth, before adding any liquid or butter.
Pan fry the thinly sliced onions and red pepper in the butter until soft. Add to the potato with all the butter and liquid from the pan and beat in with the cream.
Season with care
Reheat when required in pan on stove
Points to Watch
Make sure the consistency is correct. It should be soft and fluffy, but not gluey.
Always mash the potatoes while they are still hot.
Do not add the butter or cream until the potatoes are fully mashed.
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Venison recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Venison recipe by Nick Buckingham
Venison is a rich and well flavoured meat, and also happens to be a great low fat option for the gourmet who is trying to eat healthily. Loin of venison is naturally quite tender so doesn’t need marinating. Cook the meat very simply as in the recipe below, with just a little flavour from herbs or lavender flowers. Then serve it combined with the complex flavours of this ragout of wild mushrooms.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
1.5-2kg / 3-4 lb Piece of Loin of venison (completely denuded of all bone, fat, skin and sinew)
1 tsp Lavender Flowers
Seasoning
55g / 2 oz Garlic Butter
Method
Pan fry the venison to your liking in the garlic butter
Dust the meat with the lavender flowers and then roast in the oven for twenty minutes.
Season with care and keep warm until ready to serve.
To Serve
Slice the venison allowing three pieces per person. Arrange them on the plate with ragout of wild mushrooms to accompany.
Point to Watch
Venison can get tough if overcooked or reheated.
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Traditional Roast Duck recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Traditional Roast Duck recipe by Nick Buckingham
Roast duck is looked upon as a gourmet dish, but there is nothing complicated about cooking it. If you can get hold of some good Gressingham duck you have the makings of an impressive dinner party main course for very little effort. The succulent rich meat bastes itself, so all it needs is a few herbs and a little seasoning. Served with a port and redcurrant sauce and perhaps the spinach and apple stuffing on the side it makes a wonderful winter meal.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
4 Whole Gressingham Duck
Fresh Thyme
Seasoning
Method
Remove all the pin quills and trim the excess fat from the duck.
Trust the duck with string to preserve its shape.
Rub a little seasoning and thyme all over the duck and roast in the oven for two hours at 180C / 375F in a large roasting tray until the skin is crispy and most of the fat has melted away.
Allow the duck to cool for 15 minutes, then split it in half down the breast and remove the bones apart from wing and leg bone.
Place on a clean tray, season and place in oven to keep warm until serving.
To Serve
Serve with this Port and Redcurrant Sauce
Points to Watch
Do not overcook the duck
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Salmon Teriyaki recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Salmon Teriyaki recipe by Nick Buckingham
An extremely simple supper or elegant main course for a dinner party, teriyaki salmon has plenty of flavour but is really easy to prepare and is very healthy too. Make sure that you buy good quality salmon and take care not to overcook it and you can’t go wrong. For extra flavour the salmon can be served with this piquant sauce.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
8 x 110g / 4 oz Salmon Fillets (skinned and boned)
55g / 2 oz / 4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
27g / 1 oz Sugar
Small amount of Japanese Green Horseradish or English Mustard
13g / ½ oz / 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
Method
Mix together all the ingredients to make a marinade. Marinate the salmon in the mixture for at least an hour to allow the flavours to penetrate. Turn the salmon in the marinade at least once during the time.
Roast the marinated salmon fillets on a tray in a hot oven for six minutes.
To Serve
Serve on a leaf salad with this piquant sauce.
Points to Watch
Do not over cook the salmon.
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Red Onion Marmalade recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant Derby
Red Onion Marmalade recipe by Nick Buckingham
A mellow red onion marmalade makes a wonderful relish to accompany all sorts of dishes from cold meats, pates and cheese to grilled meats and steaks. Plus it adds zest and flavour to many vegetarian dishes. The marmalade keeps well if bottled in sterilised jars and refrigerated, so you can make a bigger batch and store it until needed.
Amount
1 Pint
Ingredients
4 Red Onions
½ pt Water
¼ pt Red Wine
110g / 4 oz Sugar
Method
Slice the red onions very thinly. Cover with the water and red wine and bring to boiling point. Simmer together until the onions are really soft.
Add the sugar and stir in until it dissolves.
Bring the pan back to the boil and cook at a simmer until the mixture becomes a thin marmalade and no longer looks liquid. Stir regularly once the mixture is reducing, so that the onions don’t stick and burn.
To Serve
Serve in small bowls for people to help themselves or else put a dollop of the marmalade on top of a steak or burger or crostini.
Points to Watch
Ensure the onions are really soft before adding the sugar.
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
read more of Nick Buckingham’s incredible recipes
Ragout of Wild Mushroom recipe by Buckingham’s restaurant
Ragout of Wild Mushroom recipe by Nick Buckingham
A rich autumn dish, redolent of woods and fields, wild mushroom ragout is a real gourmet pleasure when you can get hold of really good wild mushrooms. It is a fine accompaniment to venison and other game dishes and will add interest to otherwise plain grilled meat and chicken. The wild mushroom varieties listed below are ideal, but otherwise use whatever combination of good, well-flavoured edible mushrooms you can find.
Amount
8 Portions
Ingredients
55g / 2 oz Trumpet De mort (wild black mushroom)
55g /2 oz Mouseron Mushrooms (wild fairy ring mushrooms)
55g /2 oz Pierre d Mouton (sheep foot mushroom)
110g / 4 oz / ½ cup Venison Stock
55g /2 oz Butter
55g /2 oz Shallots
55g /2 oz Cream
Chopped Chives
Seasoning
Method
Pick over all the mushrooms, getting rid of any grit and cleaning them well. Drain any excess water from washing the mushrooms buy letting them dry on a kitchen towel before using.
In a pan with a lid melt the butter and soften the shallots. Add the wild mushrooms whole if small or cut in halves or chunks if larger.
Gently fry the mushrooms until starting to soften.
Add the stock and cream. Season with care and then bring to simmering point.
Gently cook until tender. Check the seasoning and add chives before serving.
To Serve
Serve with Venison
Points to Watch
The creamy sauce should not be too runny.
View Nick Buckingham’s restaurant with one table, book online or call 01332 925 016.
