GRILLED PORK SKEWERS (MUU BING)
I am addicted to these. Along the street there are small grills, often just a large metal bowl with a rack perched on top. I'll stop and look and long for the fruits of their labour – smoky grilled skewers of pork. I'll smuggle some home as if carrying a guilty secret to relish in private. Sometimes, most of the time, I'll break into the cache on the way home.
Grilling is one of the more popular techniques of the streets, where there are many ad hoc pieces of equipment and the grill is one of the most common. They are everywhere, grilling pork, satays, dumplings and squid.
Using a charcoal grill imparts a depth of flavour that makes meat such as this grilled pork irresistible. It is important to light the grill 30-60 minutes before using and allow the coals to burn until they glow gently. If you have a charcoal grill you'll know how long it takes to get to the right stage. Grilling over too high a heat will char and burn the pork before it is cooked and smoky.
Very often there will be a small piece of pork fat at the bottom of the skewer. This helps to moisten the pork as it grills. The Thais use mangrove charcoal from near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River. Not everyone has a charcoal grill, however, and these pork skewers can also be cooked on a chargrill plate on the stove top or under a preheated grill. While the taste will be less complex, they will still be extremely agreeable.
MAKES 12-15, ENOUGH FOR 4-5
pork loin or neck 300g
pork back fat (optional) 50g
bamboo skewers 12-15
coconut cream 4tbsp
For the marinade:
coriander roots 1 tsp, cleaned and chopped
pinch of salt
garlic 1 tsp, chopped
ground white pepper ½ tsp
shaved palm sugar 2 tbsp
dark soy sauce a dash
fish sauce 2tbsp
vegetable oil 2 tbsp
Slice the pork into thinnish pieces about 2cm square. Cut the pork fat, if using, into rectangles, say 2cm x 5mm.
Next make the marinade. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the coriander root, salt, garlic and pepper into a fine paste. Combine with the sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce and oil. Marinate the pork and fat in this mixture for about 3 hours. The more cautious can refrigerate this but, if doing so, then it is best marinated overnight.
It's a good idea to soak the bamboo skewers in water for about 30 minutes. This prevents them from scorching and burning as the pork grills.
Prepare the grill. Meanwhile, thread a piece of pork fat, if using, on to the skewer first followed by two or three pieces of the marinated pork. Repeat with each skewer. When the embers are glowing, in fact beginning to die, gently grill the skewers, turning quite often to prevent charring and promote even caramelisation and cooking. Dab them with the coconut cream as they grill. This should make the coals smoulder and impart a smoky taste. Grill all the skewers.
On the streets, they are reheated over the grill to warm them through before serving, but they are delicious warm or cool.
PAT THAI
This is a relatively new addition to the Thai repertoire, emerging during a period of ultra-nationalism in the late 1930s and early 40s, under the military regime of Marshal Phibun. He declared that the people should endeavour to incorporate noodles into their eating habits, so competitions were held to devise new recipes, including the winning one that included tamarind and palm sugar. It was given the name pat thai to distinguish it from Chinese noodle dishes, even though it has much in common with them.
Thin, flat, quite chewy rice noodles are preferred here: fresh ones make a much better dish, but they are hard to find outside of Thailand. However, the dried version, also known as rice sticks, are readily obtainable.
There is now a gentrified version of pat thai that uses fresh prawns. Add six medium-sized cleaned raw prawns as the shallots begin to fry – and omit the dried prawns later in the recipe.
To make the tamarind water, break off an amount of the pulp, rinse, then cover in a similar amount of warm water and leave for a few minutes to soften. Squeeze and work the pulp to dissolve it, then strain the liquid to remove any fibres or seeds. It is best to make it quite thick, as it can be diluted.
SERVES 2
fresh pat thai noodles 125g or dried thin rice noodles (rice sticks) 100g
shaved palm sugar 3 tbsp
tamarind water 2 tbsp
white vinegar (optional) a dash
fish sauce 1 tbsp
oil 3 tbsp
red shallots 4, coarsely chopped with a pinch of salt
eggs (some cooks will use duck eggs) 2
yellow bean curd or firm bean curd 30g, cut into small rectangles or squares – about 2 heaped tbsp
dried prawns 1 tbsp, rinsed and dried
shredded salted radish ½ tsp, rinsed and dried
roasted peanuts 1 tbsp, coarsely crushed
trimmed bean sprouts a handful
Chinese chives a handful cut into 2cm lengths
To serve: extra bean sprouts and crushed roasted peanuts, lime wedges, roasted chilli powder and raw vegetables (such as Asian pennywort, banana blossom, cabbage or snake beans)
If using dried noodles, soak them in water for about 15 minutes until soft but not overly so. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil. Drain the noodles well then blanch them in the boiling water for a moment only and drain once again (this prevents the noodles from clumping together when they are stir-fried).
Mix the palm sugar with the tamarind water, vinegar (if using), fish sauce and 1-2 tablespoons of water in a bowl, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Heat the oil in a wok over a medium heat and fry the shallots until fragrant and beginning to colour. Crack in the eggs and stir for a few moments until they begin to look omelette-like.
Turn up the heat, then add the drained noodles and fry for about 30 seconds while breaking up the eggs. Add the tamarind syrup and simmer until absorbed. Mix in the bean curd, dried prawns, salted radish and peanuts then simmer, stirring, until almost dry. Add the bean sprouts and Chinese chives and stir-fry for a moment.
Check the seasoning: pat thai should be salty, sweet and sour. Divide between two plates and sprinkle with the extra bean sprouts and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, roasted chilli powder and raw vegetables.
SOUR ORANGE CURRY OF FISH (GENG SOM PLAA)
In every market in every town and village, there will be at least one or two local varieties of this thin, tart curry on sale, waiting in deep bowls filled with vegetables and pieces of fish.
Each region has its own favourite fish for this: the meaty white flesh of the serpent-head fish, the catfish, the rich and fatty carp or crunchy featherbacks. On the coast, barramundi, sea bass and kingfish are preferred, but prawns and mussels are happily thrown into the pot, too. So there is ample scope to use perch, pike or zander. (If using freshwater fish, add a tablespoon of chopped galangal or grachai to the curry paste.) And from the sea try snapper, red emperor, bream, mussels or clams.
Thais eat fish cooked whole or in large pieces, unperturbed by bones. They believe that fish tastes better so cooked – and they're right. However, you may prefer fillets. If possible, have the fishmonger fillet the fish for you, so you can have the bones for a stock. Otherwise use chicken stock or water. If you are making stock, scrape any flesh from the bones and add it to the curry paste. If you are using a fillet, poach a little of the fish in stock or water and add that to the paste.
The vegetables used range widely as well: daikon (mooli), fresh or pickled mustard greens, water mimosa, torn betel leaves, baby corn, bamboo shoots, coarsely shredded semi-ripe papaya, heart of coconut or tart green pineapple. Often three or four are used together.
SERVES 2-3
stock or water 750ml
good pinch of salt
red shallots 5, peeled
pinch of white sugar
fish sauce 2 tbsp
tamarind water (see Pat Thai) 3 tbsp
fish fillet 200g, cut into 3cm pieces
Asian greens, such as Siamese watercress (water spinach), choy sum or Chinese cabbage a handful cut into 3cm lengths
roasted chilli powder a pinch
dried long red chillies (optional) 3, dry-roasted in a wok or frying pan
Sour orange curry paste:
dried long red chillies 6
dried bird's eye chillies 3-4
good pinch of salt
bird's eye chillies, scuds (optional) a few
chopped red shallots 2 tbsp
Thai shrimp paste (gapi) 1 tsp
poached fish 2-3 tbsp
First make the curry paste. Nip off the stalks of the dried long red chillies, then cut along their length and scrape out the seeds. Soak the chillies in water for about 15 minutes until soft. Rinse the dried bird's eye chillies to remove any dust. Drain the chillies, squeezing to extract as much water as possible, then chop them quite finely. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the chillies to a paste with the salt, then add the remaining ingredients in the order they are listed, reducing each one to a fine paste before adding the next. Alternatively, purée them in a blender. You will probably need to add a little water to aid the blending, but try not to add more than necessary, as this will dilute the paste and alter the taste. Halfway through, turn the machine off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then turn it back on and whizz the paste until it is completely puréed.
Bring the stock or water to the boil with the salt. Add the curry paste, rinsing out the mortar or blender to make sure all the paste is used, and simmer for a minute before adding the whole shallots. Simmer for 3–4 minutes, then season with sugar, fish sauce and most of the tamarind water. Add the fish and the greens and simmer until everything is cooked.
This thin curry should taste sour, salty and a little hot – adjust accordingly with fish sauce, tamarind water and chilli powder. Finish with the roasted chillies, if desired, and serve with steamed rice.
STIR-FRIED MINCED BEEF WITH CHILLIES AND HOLY BASIL (NEUA PAT BAI GRAPAO)
This is a relatively recent addition to the Thai repertoire, coming on to the streets about 50 years ago. The secret to the dish lies in the tempering of the wok, which imbues this simple stir-fry with a smoky tinge. Although beef was probably the first meat to be used, now minced chicken or pork, whole prawns or scored squid, even fish dumplings are cooked in this way. I find a rather coarse mince yields the best result – ideally done by hand, and using a cut of beef with some fat attached, such as flank, rump or shoulder.
Strangely, for this dish I find that mincing or chopping the garlic and chillies gives a better flavour than pounding them. Add as many small chillies as you can bear – head towards 10, as this is meant to be hot. This dish and an egg or two over some steaming rice, with a bowl of chillies in fish sauce alongside, is Thai ambrosia.
SERVES 2
garlic cloves 4 peeled
bird's eye chillies (scuds) 4-10
good pinch of salt
vegetable oil 3-4 tbsp
eggs 2
coarsely minced beef 200g
fish sauce about 2 tbsp
white sugar a large pinch
stock or water 4 tbsp
holy basil leaves 2 large handfuls
Chillies in fish sauce:
fish sauce 4 tbsp
bird's eye chillies 10-15, finely sliced
garlic cloves (optional but desirable) 2, finely sliced
lime juice (optional) 1 tbsp
chopped coriander a good pinch
Coarsely chop the garlic with the chillies and salt. Heat a well-seasoned wok over a high heat then turn down the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Crack in one of the eggs and fry gently, shuffling the egg to prevent it from sticking, until it has cooked to your preference – I like mine with a runny yolk but with crispy, frazzled edges. Spoon some of the hot oil over the egg to ensure the yolk cooks evenly. Carefully lift out the egg with a spatula and place it on a warmed plate, then fry the other egg. Keep the eggs warm while you cook the beef.
Add more oil – you'll need about 4 tablespoons in all in the wok. When the oil is hot, fry the garlic and chillies for a moment, but don't let them colour. Add the minced beef and continue to stir-fry for a minute until just cooked. Season to taste with the fish sauce and sugar but be careful not to make it too salty.
Add the stock or water and simmer for a moment. Don't let it boil or stew for too long, otherwise the meat will toughen and too much liquid will evaporate – there should be enough to form a sauce. Stir in the holy basil and as soon as it is wilted remove from the heat. It should taste rich, hot, salty and spicy from the basil.
To make the sauce, combine the fish sauce, chillies and garlic in a bowl and set aside. It keeps for some time – in fact it becomes richer and milder as it settles for a day. Make sure it is covered if you are making it in advance – and if the fish sauce evaporates, add an equivalent amount of water to refresh it. Just before serving, stir through the lime juice and coriander.
Serve on two plates with plenty of steamed jasmine rice, a fried egg on top and a bowl of chillies in fish sauce on the side.
DEEP-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GARLIC AND BLACK PEPPER (BPUU NIM TORT PRIK THAI DAM)
In a few markets there are vendors who sell soft-shell crabs live – a rare treat – but they are more commonly available frozen. If neither can be found, fish, large prawns, squid or hard-shell crabs can be used in this recipe.
In Thailand the garlic is less pungent and the cloves much smaller. It is used in abundance and with impunity. The skin is thinner and the flesh is young, soft and moist. Most Western garlic has a peppery sharpness to it, and its larger cloves have tougher skin, so you may need to fish out some of the excess hard shards. Look out for new-season garlic, which is much closer in taste to the Thai variety.
Sauce Siracha is a wonderful chilli sauce, that's available in all Asian shops – it is a fairly standard accompaniment to dishes deep-fried with garlic and peppercorns.
SERVES 2
soft-shell crabs 4, each about 60-75g, thawed if frozen
coriander roots 6, cleaned and chopped
salt
garlic cloves, unpeeled 8-10, about 3 tbsp
black peppercorns 1 tsp
plain (all-purpose) flour 3-4 tbsp
vegetable oil for deep-frying
chopped coriander 1 tbsp
sauce Siracha to serve
To clean the crabs, lift the shell on each side of the body and scrape out the frond-like gills. Snip off the eyes and mouth. Give the crabs a quick rinse then pat dry with paper towel.
Using a pestle and mortar, pound the coriander roots to a paste with a good pinch of salt. Add the garlic and continue to pound into a somewhat coarse paste. Remove excess or tough garlic skin then stir in the peppercorns, crushing them lightly.
Mix the flour with a large pinch of salt. Dredge the cleaned crabs with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then combine them with the garlic and black pepper paste.
Pour the deep-frying oil into a large, stable wok or a wide, heavy-based pan until it is about two-thirds full. Heat the oil over a medium–high flame until a cooking thermometer registers 180C/350F. Alternatively, test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a cube of bread – it will brown in about 15 seconds if the oil is hot enough.
Deep-fry the crabs in the hot oil for 3–4 minutes, turning them a few times to ensure even cooking, until they are cooked and the garlic is golden. Should the garlic start to smell bitter and darken too much before the crabs are ready, quickly scoop it out. Lift out the crabs and drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice and a small bowl of sauce Siracha.
GLASS NOODLES STIR-FRIED WITH MUSHROOMS AND FERMENTED BEAN CURD (WUN SEN PAT DTAO HUU YII)
This is a wonderful vegetarian dish – a rarity on the streets of Bangkok. Fermented bean curd is a rich, nutty preparation of small cakes of bean curd cured in wine and spices that is sold in cans or jars at most Asian supermarkets. There are two varieties: one red and more pungent, the other creamy coloured and more mellow. I prefer the latter for its rich, toasty flavour and agreeable mustiness. As it is always quite salty, tread carefully with the level of saltiness in this dish. Jars of pickled garlic are also available in Asian shops.
SERVES 4–5
dried glass (bean thread) noodles 300g
coriander roots 1 tsp, cleaned and chopped
pinch of salt
ginger 1 slice
garlic cloves 2 large, peeled
vegetable oil 3 tbsp
straw or oyster mushrooms 5, cleaned and cut into quarters
small fresh shiitake mushrooms 4-6, stems removed
fermented bean curd 2-3 tbsp
pinch of white sugar
light soy sauce 2 tbsp
light vegetable stock or water 250ml
pickled garlic syrup 2 tbsp
Chinese rice wine (optional, but a welcome addition) 1 tbsp
Chinese cabbage 25g, chopped or baby spinach leaves 50g
pickled garlic 2 tbsp, sliced
long red chillies (optional) 1-2, sliced
Asian celery 3 tbsp, cut into 2cm lengths
spring (green) onions 2 tbsp, cut into 2cm lengths
coriander leaves 2 tbsp
ground white pepper a good pinch
Place the noodles in a large bowl, cover with warm water and leave to soften for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, using a pestle and mortar, pound the coriander roots, salt, ginger and garlic into a somewhat coarse paste. Drain the noodles and cut into roughly 10cm lengths.
Heat the oil in a wok, add the paste and fry until it begins to colour. Add the straw or oyster mushrooms and the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the fermented bean curd and fry until it has slightly separated before adding the sugar, light soy sauce, stock or water, pickled garlic syrup and Chinese rice wine. Bring to the boil, add the cabbage, if using, then simmer for a minute before adding the noodles. However, if using baby spinach leaves, add them at the same time as the noodles. Simmer for another moment to ensure the noodles are cooked, but be careful not to overcook them or they will clump together and be disagreeably sticky. Stir in the pickled garlic, long red chillies is using, Asian celery and spring onions. Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves and white pepper.
CRUNCHY PRAWN CAKES (GUNG FOI TORT)
Small prawns are best for this dish as there is no need to peel them. For the unconvinced, peeled prawns will do – although the cakes will be less crunchy. Try to find small prawns or, failing that, chop them.
MAKES 4-5 CAKES
vegetable oil for deep-frying
small raw prawns (shrimp) about 600g, rinsed and drained, whiskers trimmed or raw prawns (shrimp) 1kg, peeled and chopped
chopped coriander 1 tbsp
For the batter:
lime paste very small pinch
rice flour 150g
coconut cream 4 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
For the batter, dissolve the lime paste in 7 tablespoons water and wait for about 15 minutes until it has completely precipitated. Drain off and reserve the lime water, discarding the sludgy residue. Knead the flour with 4 tablespoons of water to form quite a firm dough. Rest for 30 minutes, then combine the coconut cream, 4 tablespoons of the lime water and the salt and work into the dough. It should have a thick, pancake-like consistency. If the batter is left to stand for some time, dilute it with a little lime water or coconut cream as the flour swells.
Pour the deep-frying oil into a large, stable wok or a wide, heavy-based pan until it is about two-thirds full. Heat the oil over a medium to high flame until a cooking thermometer registers 180C (350F). Alternatively, test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a cube of bread – it will brown in about 15 seconds if the oil is hot enough.
Check the texture and seasoning of the batter by dropping a spoonful of it into the oil. Deep-fry for a moment and then lift out with a spider. Drain and cool slightly, then taste: it shouldn't be too dry or firm and it must be pleasingly salty. Adjust the batter with more lime water or salt, as necessary.
Mix half the prawns with about half the batter. Using a large spoon, carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil: this amount of batter should make 2 or 3 cakes. Deep-fry the prawn cakes until golden, turning two or three times to ensure even cooking and colour. Lift out with a spider and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining prawns and batter. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve with a bowl of sweet chilli and peanut sauce.
To make the sauce, you will need: 1-3 long red chillies, deseeded and chopped; a good pinch of salt; ½–1 garlic clove, peeled; 125ml white vinegar; 100g white sugar; and 2 tablespoons roasted and ground peanuts. Use a pestle and mortar to pound the chillies with the salt, then add the garlic and pound to a smooth paste. Scrape the paste into a small pan, with the vinegar and sugar, and simmer until thick. Allow to cool before stirring in the ground peanuts.
WHERE TO BUY THAI INGREDIENTS
Wai Yee Hong, Eastgate Road, Bristol; waiyeehong.com
Chung Wah Supermarket, 8A Hardy Street, Liverpool; chungwah.co.uk
Woo Sang, 19-21 George Street, Manchester; woosang.co.uk
Seewoo, 18-20 Lisle Street, London WC2, seewoo.com
New Loon Moon, 9 Gerrard Street, London W1, newloonmoon.com
thai-food-online.co.uk
Thai Street Food by David Thompson (Conran Octopus) is published on 5 October. To order a copy for £30, with free UK p&p, go to guardian.co.uk/bookshop or call 0330 333 6846 OFM
