Thailand: Just the Recipes

 


Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Soup with Shrimp)



Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

  • 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3-inch pieces and smashed

  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn

  • 3 slices galangal (or ginger if unavailable)

  • 2 Thai bird’s eye chilies, smashed (adjust to taste)

  • 7 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 7 oz mushrooms, halved

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 1 tsp chili paste (nam prik pao)

  • Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Bring broth to a simmer with lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and chilies. Cook 5–7 minutes.

  2. Add mushrooms and shrimp, simmer until shrimp are pink (about 3 minutes).

  3. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and chili paste.

  4. Taste and adjust (more lime for sourness, fish sauce for saltiness).

  5. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Massaman Curry



Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb beef, chicken, or lamb (cubed)

  • 2 tbsp massaman curry paste

  • 1 can coconut milk

  • 2 potatoes, cubed

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 2–3 cardamom pods

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste

  • 1 tbsp palm sugar

  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

Instructions:

  1. Heat curry paste in a pot with a little coconut milk until fragrant.

  2. Add meat, stir to coat.

  3. Pour in remaining coconut milk and 1 cup water, simmer 30 minutes.

  4. Add potatoes, onion, cinnamon, and cardamom. Simmer until tender.

  5. Stir in fish sauce, tamarind, and sugar.

  6. Add peanuts before serving.

  7. Serve with jasmine rice.

Tom Kha Gai (Coconut Chicken Soup)



Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 2 slices galangal (or ginger)

  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn

  • 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut into pieces

  • 7 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced

  • 7 oz mushrooms

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 1–2 Thai chilies, sliced

  • Fresh cilantro

Instructions:

  1. Simmer broth with galangal, lime leaves, and lemongrass for 5 minutes.

  2. Add chicken and mushrooms, cook until chicken is done.

  3. Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, and chilies.

  4. Adjust seasoning to balance salty, sour, and creamy.

  5. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Po Pia Tod (Crispy Thai Spring Rolls)



Servings: About 12 rolls

Ingredients:

  • 12 spring roll wrappers (wheat-based, not rice paper)

  • 3.5 oz glass noodles (bean thread/cellophane noodles), soaked in warm water and cut into short lengths

  • 1 cup cabbage, finely shredded

  • 1 carrot, julienned

  • 3 shiitake or wood ear mushrooms, finely chopped

  • 2 green onions, chopped

  • 3.5 oz ground pork or shrimp (optional)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

  • 1 tsp fish sauce

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

  • Oil for frying Dipping Sauce (Classic Thai Sweet Chili Sauce):

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 2 tbsp water

  • 1 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1–2 red chilies, minced (or 1 tsp chili flakes)

  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water (slurry)

Instructions:

  1. Make the filling: Heat a little oil in a wok. Add garlic, pork/shrimp (if using), and stir-fry until cooked. Add cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and noodles. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes. Season with soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

  2. Assemble the rolls: Place a wrapper with one corner facing you (like a diamond). Add 2 tbsp of filling near the bottom. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both sides, and roll tightly. Brush the top corner with water or beaten egg to seal. Repeat with all wrappers.

  3. Fry the rolls: Heat oil (about 175°C / 350°F). Fry spring rolls in batches until golden brown and crispy, 3–5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

  4. Make the dipping sauce: In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, water, fish sauce, and chilies. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer until slightly thickened. Cool before serving.

  5. Serve: Enjoy the crispy rolls hot with sweet chili sauce on the side.

Pad Thai



Servings: 2

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz rice noodles

  • 5 oz shrimp, chicken, or tofu

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 cup bean sprouts

  • 2 green onions, sliced

  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed

  • 2 tbsp oil 

Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste

  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

  • 1 tsp chili flakes

Instructions:

  1. Soak noodles in warm water until pliable, then drain.

  2. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

  3. Heat oil in a wok, cook protein until done, then push to side.

  4. Add eggs, scramble lightly, then toss in noodles.

  5. Pour in sauce, stir-fry until noodles absorb liquid.

  6. Add bean sprouts and green onions, toss briefly.

  7. Garnish with peanuts and lime wedges.

Thai Iced Tea (Cha Yen)



Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 15 min (plus chilling)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups water

  • 4 tbsp Thai tea mix (Ceylon or Assam blend)

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 cup evaporated milk or condensed milk

  • Ice cubes

Instructions:

  1. Boil water in a pot. Add Thai tea mix, steep 5 min.

  2. Strain tea through a fine mesh or cloth into a pitcher. Stir in sugar until dissolved.

  3. Cool tea to room temperature, then chill in fridge 1 hr.

  4. Fill glasses with ice, pour tea 3/4 full, top with evaporated or condensed milk.

  5. Serve: Stir well before drinking. Tips: Adjust sugar for desired sweetness. Use condensed milk for creamier texture. Notes: Store tea in fridge for up to 2 days. Shake before serving.

Som Tum (Green Papaya Salad)



Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded green papaya

  • 1 carrot, shredded

  • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 2 long beans (or green beans), cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 2 Thai chilies, smashed

  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 1 tbsp palm sugar

  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

Instructions:

  1. In a mortar, pound garlic and chilies into a paste.

  2. Add beans and tomatoes, lightly bruise them.

  3. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar.

  4. Add shredded papaya and carrot, toss well.

  5. Top with peanuts before serving.


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