Thailand

Our next stop on the map lands us in Thailand.  This would have been a fun one to get some goodies from the store for, but alas, it is also a covid-19 night, so we will make do with all the homemade treats. As an additional bonus, it was really fun to learn about this country as Bella will be visiting it next summer!

On The Menu:

Thai Cucumber Salad

Thai Fried Rice

Thai Drunken Noodles

Mango Sticky Rice

BUT FIRST, like always, some kickass facts!

• A species of cavefish in Thailand has been documented walking and climbing waterfalls in a manner similar to four-footed creatures such as salamanders, in a find researchers call “huge” in evolutionary terms.
• Thailand accounts for the highest amount of sex changes in the world. 
• The King of Thailand’s first name is Vajiralongkorn Barommachakkrayadisonsantatiwongse Deveshrathamrongsubariban Abhikhunuprakarnmahittaladuladej Bhumibholnaresvarangkura Kittisirisomburana Savangavadhana Barommakhattiyarajakumara.
• The Red Bull was actually created in Thailand in 1976 as an energy drink for truck drivers
• Misbehaving officers in Thailand are made to wear Hello Kitty armbands as a badge of shame
• The Hunger Games” three fingered salute has become a real symbol of resistance in Thailand against the military coup that took place in 2014.
• Sunandha Kumariratana, queen of Thailand, drowned as her subjects looked on because they were forbidden to touch her.
• Almost all major American Grocery chains continue to profit from the use of Slavery in Thailand’s peeled shrimp industry.
•  In Thailand, people commonly greet each other with “Have you eaten yet?” in addition to the usual “How are you?”
•  IKEA hired Thai translators to carefully scrutinize product names four years before opening a store in Thailand because some IKEA product names, when literally translated into Thai, suggest sexual acts. 
• In Thailand, there is a smile that specifically expresses “Yes, I know I owe you the money but I don’t have it right now”, and at least 12 others with specific meanings. –
• In Thailand, there is a smile that specifically expresses “Yes, I know I owe you the money but I don’t have it right now”, and at least 12 others with specific meanings. –
• The largest solid gold statue on Earth is a Buddha located in a temple in Bangkok, Thailand. The seated figure is approximately 9.8 feet tall and weighs about 5.5 tons. –
• . The Gros Michel banana on which artificial banana flavor is based on is not entirely extinct, and can still be found in Thailand.
• Thailand’s demand for edible insects is so high, they even have to import 800 tons per year.
• Every year in the Mekong river in Thailand, hundreds of fireballs erupt from the surface of the water, and nobody knows what causes them. Locals believe a mythical serpent called Naga spits fire from the water. The event is known as Naga fireballs.
• People in Thailand use 555 instead of lol. That’s because five is ha in Thai so 555 is hahaha.
•  There is a temple in Thailand that cares for tigers and has trained them to only eat cooked meat and to be friendly to tourists. 
•  In Thailand, they celebrate their New Years with a state-sponsored multiple day water fight. 
• In Thailand, Monkeys are trained to work in coconuts plantations.
• Siam was renamed Thailand, then re-renamed Siam…then re-re-renamed Thailand. 

RECIPES:

Thai Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

DRESSING

• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil 
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt 

• SALAD

  • 2 large cucumber
  • 3 green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and salt. Set the dressing aside to give it time to blend.
2. Peel and slice the cucumber using your favorite method (see photos below for my technique). Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
3. Chop the peanuts into smaller pieces, if desired. Slice the green onions.
4. Add the dressing, peanuts, and green onions to the sliced cucumbers. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Give the salad a brief stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and flavors.

Thai Fried Rice

Ingredients:

FOR THE SAUCE:

• • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  FOR THE RICE

  • 1 tablespoon sesame or peanut oil
  • 4 scallions, sliced into 1” pieces, dark green pieces set aside
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice
  • 2 cups torn Thai basil leaves 

Directions:

1. Place a wok over high heat. Once the pan is very hot, drizzle in the oil. Add the white and light green parts of the sliced scallion, the yellow onion, and chopped garlic to the pan. Stir-fry for two minutes, until the onions begin to turn translucent.
2. Push the vegetables up the sides of the wok and pour in the eggs. Quickly scramble the eggs and then pile them on top of the vegetables. If the pan seems dry, add a bit more oil.
3. Add the cooked rice and the sauce to the pan; toss well. Fry the rice, stirring occasionally, until hot (about 3 minutes).
4. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish the platter with lime wedges, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, and cilantro leaves. Serve with a side of sambal oelek, sliced chilies, or sriracha.

Thai Drunken Noodles

Ingredients:

NOODLES

• 7 oz /200g dried rice noodles , wide (Note 1)

• STIR FRY

  • 2 tbsp oil (peanut, vegetable or canola)
  • 3 large cloves of garlic , minced
  • 2 birds eye chilli or Thai chillies , deseeded, very finely chopped (Note 2)
  • 1/2 onion , sliced
  • 200 g /7oz chicken thighs , cut into bite size pieces (breast ok too)
  • 2 tsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 2 green onions , cut into 3cm/2" pieces
  • 1 cup Thai or Thai Holy Basil leaves (sub regular basil, Note 3)

  SAUCE

  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 4)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 4)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Prepare noodles per packet directions.
2. Mix Sauce in a small bowl.
3. Heat oil in wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat.
4. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 10 seconds. Don't inhale - the chilli will make you cough!
5. Add onion, cook for 1 minute. 
6. Add chicken and fish sauce, and fry until cooked, around 2 minutes.
7. Add green onion, noodles and sauce and cook for 1 minute until the sauce reduces and coats the noodles.
8. Remove from heat and immediately add basil, toss until just wilted, then serve immediately.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup Thai sweet rice (also called sticky rice or glutinous rice, available at Asian food stores)

• 1 1/2 cups water (divided)
• 4 to 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can coconut milk (good-quality, not "lite")
• 1 to 2 ripe mangos

Directions:

1. Soak rice in 1 cup water for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not drain the rice.
2. Add 1/2 cup more water, plus 1/2 can coconut milk, salt, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Stir well.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Reduce heat to medium-low, or just until you get a gentle simmer.
4. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until coconut water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner with the lid on tight. Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. To make the sauce, warm (do not boil) the rest of the can of coconut milk over medium-low heat (5 minutes). Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, stirring to dissolve.
6. Taste-test sauce for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. (Note that it will taste less sweet when added to the rice.)
7. Prepare mango by cutting it open and slicing into bite-size pieces 
8. Scoop some warm rice into each serving bowl, then drizzle lots of the sweet coconut sauce over. It should look like an English pudding with custard sauce, with the rice swimming in sauce
9. Arrange mango slices on the rice and drizzle over more sauce.

And our movie choice for the evening was:

 Pee Mak

Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until coconut water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner with the lid on tight. Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.