CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SMALL BITES & SOUPS

SALADS

STIR-FRIES

CURRIES

NOODLES & RICE

SAUCES, STOCKS & CURRY PASTES

GLOSSARY OF UK & US TERMS

INDEX

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

HOW TO USE THIS EBOOK

Select one of the chapters from the main contents list and you will be taken to a list of all the recipes covered in that chapter.

Alternatively, jump to the index to browse recipes by ingredient.

Look out for linked text (which is in blue) throughout the ebook that you can select to help you navigate between related recipes.

You can double tap images to increase their size. To return to the original view, just tap the cross in the top left-hand corner of the screen.

INTRODUCTION

I grew up on a farm in Khao Kho, in northern Thailand. My hometown is in a mountainous region of Phetchabun province, known as the Little Switzerland of Thailand. It doesn’t snow there, but the cooler climate is perfect for growing all kinds of produce, such as cabbage, broccoli and even strawberries. My family would always cook seasonal vegetables that came straight from the field. It never occurred to me that we were eating a mostly plant-based diet.

Vegetables are a big part of my family’s and of Thai culinary culture. Every October, many Thais become strict vegetarians or vegans for the month, and food stalls and restaurants are decorated with yellow triangle flags to show that they are taking part in the Vegetarian Festival. Many offer special veggie dishes and some even switch to a completely vegan menu. This tradition has been around for as long as I can remember, but its roots lie in Chinese Buddhism. There are many stories as to why vegetarianism is such an important part of Thai culture, mostly to do with showing gratitude to mother nature for providing us with bountiful land and to redeem ourselves for taking the lives of animals. Many Thais still follow a vegetarian or vegan diet at least once a week.

This book brings together my family recipes with new dishes that I have created along the way using local produce I could find, whether I was in Hong Kong, Jersey or London at the time. Living in different countries over the years, I’ve learned to be inventive and not stress out too much when certain vegetables or seasoning sauces aren’t available in my local market. The important thing is to cook with what you’ve got and find good substitutes for what you haven’t. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have.

Many of the recipes in this book are vegan, as indicated by a V symbol.

Cookware

Once you’ve got all the necessary ingredients, all you’ll need are a couple of key utensils and cookware to create a great Thai meal. Don’t worry if you can’t find a specific item, as there are always alternatives.

Wok

The most important item you’ll need to cook a Thai meal. A nonstick wok with a lid is ideal, as you can use it not only for stir-fries but also to steam vegetables before adding them to sauces. If you don’t have a wok, use a large frying pan instead.

Pestle & mortar

A large granite pestle and mortar is great for making curry pastes, but it will take you up to 45 minutes to pound the ingredients together by hand. You can use a food processor instead. I use a separate small food processor for curry pastes as the ingredients can stain the bowl and leave a strong taste behind – you wouldn’t want your crushed peanuts to smell like green curry.

Available online and at larger Asian speciality shops, a wooden pestle and mortar is great for making salads, especially Papaya Salad. If this isn’t something you would want to invest in, I recommend crushing the garlic and chillies in a granite mortar and adding them to the mixing bowl together with the remaining ingredients for the dressing.

INGREDIENTS

On the following pages, I have highlighted key ingredients and cooking processes that will allow you to make my recipes with ease at home.

Sauces

For a vegetarian version of a classic Thai dish, I use a combination of soy sauces and salt to achieve a similar effect to fish sauce. In a typical Thai kitchen you will find at least three types of sauce: light soy sauce, oyster sauce and seasoning soy sauce.

Light soy sauce (See Ewe Kao)

This light brown, slightly translucent sauce is great for stir-frying because its mild, sweet flavour doesn’t overpower vegetables. It is widely available from Asian supermarkets and online, but if you don’t have any, you can use seasoning soy sauce (see below) instead.

Seasoning soy sauce (Sauce Proong Ros)

This is what you may think of as ‘regular’ soy sauce, available almost everywhere. It is much darker and has a more intense flavour than light soy sauce.

Dark soy sauce (See Ewe Dum)

A longer fermentation process gives this type of soy sauce its darker colour. It’s great for giving a dish some colour, without adding much flavour. A small teaspoon can change the look of a dish completely, so be careful.

Sweet soy sauce (See Ewe Wan)

To make this thick, blackish-brown sauce, molasses is added at the end of the fermentation process. It’s very sweet, with a hint of bitterness, and only a small amount is required to give a dish a nice glossy brown colour. I often use this sauce in stir-fry noodles and fried rice.

Vegetarian stir-fry sauce (Sauce Pad Jay)

This is a sauce I cannot live without! Glossy and brown, it smells not unlike dark soy sauce and has the same thickness. It’s great in all stir-fries and is readily available from most supermarkets and online.

Vegetarian oyster sauce (Sauce Hoy Nam Rom Jay)

Unlike standard oyster sauce, this is made from soy or mushrooms, depending on the brand. It can be used interchangeably with vegetarian stir-fry sauce (see entry above).

Preserved yellow soybean paste (Tao Jiew)

As the name suggests, this product is made by fermenting soybeans with salt. This yellow-brown paste, which still has some pieces of soybean floating around in it, is a great alternative to adding salt to a dish and gives the dish a sharp and tangy flavour.

Tofu & other meat substitutes

There are hundreds of different types of alternative sources of proteins. I cook mainly with tofu, as it’s what I grew up with and it tastes great in Thai dishes.

Firm or extra-firm tofu (Taohu Kaeng)

Firm block tofu is easily found at supermarkets, but you can use extra-firm tofu instead – there is no difference to the taste. Always use firm or extra-firm tofu for dishes that involve stir-frying in a wok or deep-frying in oil, as it holds its shape and doesn’t break apart. Thoroughly drain the tofu before cooking, or pat it dry with kitchen paper.

Firm yellow Chinese tofu (Taohu Lueng)

Thanks to the turmeric added during the fermentation process, this is yellow on the outside but white on the inside. Yellow Chinese tofu is quite chewy, so it’s great for deep-frying or in stir-fries, and perfect in Pad Thai.

Crispy fried tofu (Taohu Tod)

Ready-made crispy fried tofu is a great short cut when making stir-fries, curries or spicy salads. Packs are available from larger Asian supermarkets or online, but you can make it easily at home: cut a block of firm tofu into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes, lightly coat in flour and deep-fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Drain the fried tofu on kitchen paper before adding it to your dishes.

Soft or silken tofu (Taohu On)

Soft tofu has a silky texture and delicate flavour. Like egg tofu (see below), it’s great for steaming or in soups, but too much stirring and it falls apart. To make it more versatile, cut it into large chunks and fry it, as described above, so that it holds its shape better when gently stir-fried.

Egg tofu (Taohu Khai)

Egg tofu isn’t really tofu at all, but a mixture of eggs and soya milk that has been steamed. Often sold in tubes, it can be found at Asian supermarkets. Be careful when handling it, as it’s super-soft and falls apart easily.

Preserved/fermented soybean curd (Taohu Yee)

Sometimes referred to as preserved tofu, this has a crumbly texture and is salty with a hint of tartness. Commonly used in stir-fries, preserved soybean curd is typically either reddish-orange or yellowish-white. In this book, I use the yellow type, available in larger Asian supermarkets and online. You can substitute it with preserved yellow soybean paste, which can be easier to find.

Textured Vegetable Protein (Protein Kaset)

Available as blocks, chunks or mince, plain or seasoned, soy- or mycoprotein-based products are great if you’re looking for something slightly different from tofu. A wide variety is available in most supermarkets.

1 Crispy fried tofu

2 & 9 Textured vegetable protein chunks and mince

3 Preserved/fermented soybean curd

4 & 5 Firm and extrafirm tofu

6 Soft or silken tofu

7 Egg tofu

8 Preserved yellow soybean paste

Mushrooms

Shiitake, fresh or dried (Hed Hom)

With their distinct fragrance, shiitake add a wonderful depth to stews and stir-fries, especially when paired with mushroom-based seasoning or stir-fry sauces. You can find dried shiitake in Asian supermarkets: simply soak then in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly before adding then to a dish instead of fresh shiitake.

Oyster mushrooms (Hed Nang Fah)

These are known in Thailand as ‘angel mushrooms’ because they look like wings. Used in soups, curries and salads, they are very tender when cooked, with a mild taste, and therefore great for adding texture to a dish.

Enokitake/Enoki (Hed Khem Tong)

These are also known as ‘golden needle’ mushrooms. They should be creamy white: avoid any with brownish caps and stalks. When cooked, they retain a nice bite.

Eryngii (Err Ring Ji)

Also known as ‘king oyster’ or ‘French horn’ mushrooms, eryngii have a thick white stem topped with a brown cap. These meaty mushrooms hold their shape very well, so they’re great for grilling on the barbecue, in salads or simply served with a dipping sauce. When cooked or grilled for 2–3 minutes, they are quite spongy with a nice crunch.

Wood ear fungus (Hed Hoo Noo Dum) & white jelly fungus (Hed Hoo Noo Khao)

These two species can be found mostly in dried form in Asian supermarkets – soak them in warm water for 3-5 minutes before using. They don’t have much flavour of their own so require lots of sauces, which makes them perfect for stir-fries. They should be crunchy with a nice bite, but can turn rubbery if cooked for too long.

1 White jelly fungus

2 Dried shiitake

3 Fresh shiitake

4 Wood ear fungus

5 Enoki

6 Eryngii

7 Fresh shiitake

8 Oyster mushrooms

9 Button mushrooms

Noodles

Flat rice noodles (Guay Tiew Sen Yai)

Flat noodles come in a variety of widths. The dried type is available from most supermarkets – simply follow the instructions on the packet before using them. Fresh rice noodles, available at larger Asian supermarkets, can be added to dishes as they are.

Egg noodles (Sen Ba Mhee)

There are no rules on whether to use round or flat egg noodles – I love them all. Fresh or dried egg noodles are widely available from most supermarkets. Simply follow the packet instructions.

Rice vermicelli (Sen Mhee)

These dried noodles are actually often made from a mixture of rice and tapioca flour. When cooked, they turn milky white and should have a nice bite to them. Their silky texture can turn a plain dish into something much more interesting. They can be found in larger supermarkets.

Mung bean vermicelli, dried (Woon Sen)

Also known as glass noodles, these become translucent when cooked. Mung bean vermicelli soak up liquids more quickly than rice vermicelli, so are best added to sauces and soups at the last minute before serving.

Steamed rice

For perfect, fluffy rice, put the jasmine rice in a sieve or bowl and rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Drain and place the rice in your rice cooker or saucepan. Set the pan on a flat surface and shake it gently to level out the rice. Place the tip of your index finger on the surface of the rice, then add enough water to fill the pan up to the first joint of your finger. For brown rice, go halfway-up to the second joint. If using a rice cooker, put on the lid, press the button and you’re set. If you’re using a saucepan, set it over a high heat, cover and bring to the boil. When the water is boiling, stir the rice once or twice, then replace the lid, turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer until all the water has evaporated, about 15–20 minutes.

Other ingredients

Fried garlic

Like fried shallots, ready-made fried garlic can be found at Asian supermarkets, but making it at home is easy. Simply finely chop the garlic and prepare as described below.

Fried shallots

Ready-to-use fried shallots are available at Asian groceries. To make them at home, finely slice 2–3 shallots or a small red onion. Fry in 2–3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over a low heat for a couple of minutes, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool to room temperature so the shallots are nice and crispy. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Palm sugar (Nam Tan Peep)

Good-quality palm sugar is light yellow and has the consistency of smooth peanut butter. Palm sugar or coconut palm sugar are available in most Asian groceries and online, but you can use brown sugar instead.

Toasted rice

Toasted rice adds a fragrant and crunchy texture to salads. You can buy ground toasted rice in Asian supermarkets, or make a batch at home: place a couple of tablespoons of uncooked jasmine or basmati rice in a dry frying pan and toast over a gentle heat for 3–4 minutes, until it turns golden brown. Keep moving the pan around so the rice doesn’t burn. Leave to cool slightly, then roughly blitz in a food processor – the final result should be crumbs, not fine powder. Stored in an airtight container, this will keep for 4–6 weeks.

Roasted peanuts

You can use the method described above for toasted rice to prepare roasted peanuts. Use a food processor to blitz them into crumbs, not fine powder. They will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Chillies

Bird’s eye chillies (Prik Kii Noo)

Red, green and yellow bird’s eye chillies can be found in larger supermarkets. I often use a handful of fresh ones in my dishes, but the amounts in this book are simply a recommendation: if you’re not as brave, feel free to scrape out the seeds and trim off the white parts of the chilli to make the dish less hot, and adjust the amounts to your taste.

Dried or roasted chillies (Prik Haeng)

Whole red bird’s eye or spur chillies that have been sun-dried for 4-5 days are an important part of Thai cuisine, used in many curry pastes and sauces. Sometimes they’re roasted after drying, making the flavour more complex and increasing the heat levels. If dried Thai chillies are not available, you can use Italian ones instead, but they won’t be as hot and spicy.

Roasted chilli flakes (Prik Pon)

These are available to buy or you can make your own: dry-fry whole dried chillies over a medium heat for 3 minutes, leave to cool, then crush them using a pestle and mortar. They keep very well in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Vegetarian roasted chilli paste (Nam Prik Pao Jay)

This is an essential ingredient in many noodle dishes and stir-fries. The vegetarian version is made using mushrooms and textured vegetable protein instead of fish sauce and dried shrimps, and gives any dish an excellent umami boost.

Vegetables & Herbs

Basil

The two types of basil used in this book are sweet Thai basil (Ho Ra Pah) and holy basil (Kra Prow). The sweet variety has an aniseed flavour and is used in stir-fries, soups and salads. Holy basil is much sharper and slightly peppery, making it particularly suitable for stir-fries. If fresh Thai herbs are not available near you, use Italian basil instead. It won’t be as peppery or spicy, but it will still make the dish smell great.

Bamboo shoots (Nor Mai)

This wonderful plant is available canned, in water or brine. I use the type that comes in water because it is not as salty. It’s relatively easy to find in Asian or larger supermarkets.

Chinese broccoli (Ka Na)

Also known as Chinese kale or gai lan, this leafy green vegetable is great in stir-fry dishes: simply cut both the leaves and the stems into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces and add to the pan. It is available in larger supermarkets.

Chinese celery (Kuen Chai)

Only the leaves and the tender parts of the stems of Chinese celery are used in Thai cooking. If it isn’t available near you, use the leaves of Western celery in salads, soups and stews.

Chinese chives (Gui Chai)

Larger than Western chives but with smaller leaves than a spring onion, this vegetable is the star of Pad Thai. Don’t worry if you can’t find any, you can simply use tender spring onions.

Coriander root (Rak Pak Chi)

In Thai cooking, the entire coriander plant is used. The roots feature in many curry pastes, soups and marinades. If you can’t find them at an Asian supermarket, you can use coriander stalks instead, using 5 stalks for every root listed in the recipe.

Greater and lesser galangal (Kha and Kra Chai)

This knobbly root, from the same family as ginger, lends a wonderful lemony-peppery flavour to soup bases and curry pastes. Two types are used in this book. Lesser galangal grows in bunches, each branch about the thickness of your little finger. More peppery than greater galangal, it can be added directly to hot and spicy stir-fries.

Kaffir lime leaves (Bai Makrut)

Shredded, deep-fried or used as a garnish, lime leaves add a key citrus note to many Thai dishes. If you can’t find fresh or frozen lime leaves at your Asian supermarkets, dried ones make a good substitute and are more widely available.

Lemongrass (Ta Krai)

An essential part of my curry pastes, lemongrass is relatively easy to find these days in larger supermarkets. Its mild lemoney scent is perfect with Thai chillies. It’s best not to cook a dish at all if this Thai herb is unavailable, as there is no substitute for the mighty lemongrass.

Pea aubergines (Mahkuer Puang)

Pea aubergines are light green, the size of a pearl and grow in clusters. They are used mainly in curries and chilli dips, as the small bursts of bitterness they provide complement the spiciness or creaminess of those dishes. They freeze well, but if they’re not available where you live, simply leave them out.

Tamarind (Makham)

With its distinctive sweet and tart flavour, this tropical fruit is at the heart of many famous Thai dishes. Ready-to-use tamarind paste can be found in Asian groceries.

Thai aubergine (Mahkuer Pror)

About the size of a ping-pong ball, crunchy and slightly bitter, Thai aubergines are delicious served raw with sweet chilli dip. Cooked in curries and stir-fries, they become softer and mildly sweet. Thai aubergines can be hard to find, but baby or regular purple aubergines make a great substitute.

Thai green peppercorns (Prik Thai Orn)

As they ripen, these clusters of green peppercorns turn into the black ones used in Western cuisine. Aromatic and slightly tart, they’re great paired with lesser galangal in curries, dipping sauces and soups.

Thai Parsley (Pak Chi Farang)

Also known as stink weed for a reason, this herb has a strong and distinctive fragrance – you only need to add a few roughly chopped leaves to spicy soups and salads. If you can’t find it at your local Asian supermarket, use fresh coriander instead.

Yard-long beans (Tua Fuk Yao)

Also known as Snake Beans, yard-long beans stay crunchy and juicy when cooked over a high heat, so are great in stir-fries. If they are unavailable, use blanched green beans instead.

1 Kaffir lime leaves

2 Thai parsley

3 Chinese celery

4 Bird’s eye chillies, fresh and dried

5 Sweet basil

6 Holy basil

7 Lesser galangal

8 Chinese chives

9 Greater galangal

10 Bamboo shoot

11 Lemongrass

12 Thai green peppercorns

13 Thai aubergines

14 Pea aubergines

15 Long purple aubergines

16 Yard-long beans

17 Chinese broccoli

18 Chinese cabbage

Fresh Summer Rolls

Fried Spring Rolls

Sweetcorn Patties

Crispy Tofu Wedges

Chilli Dip

Tofu Satay & Peanut Sauce

Fried Eggs with Lom Sak Tamarind Sauce

Tofu Stewed in Thai Gravy

Coconut Soup with Oyster Mushrooms

Tom Yum Noodle Soup

Rice Noodle Soup with Mixed Vegetables

Clear Glass Noodle Soup

Coconut Soup with Mixed Vegetables

Tom Yum Oyster Mushrooms with Tofu

Tom Zaap Mixed Mushrooms

Chinese Spice Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms

Por Pia Sod

Fresh Summer Rolls

Serves 2–3

▸ Summer rolls are originally from Vietnam, and I first learned how to make these parcels of joy and deliciousness when an old friend asked me to help cater a dinner party in Hong Kong. She was from Udon Thani in northeast Thailand, where there is a large diaspora of Vietnamese people. Since then, I’ve played around with the recipe, adding or removing ingredients until settling on this version. Summer rolls are traditionally made with shredded pork or prawns, but I’ve served a vegetarian version for as long as I can remember – I believe it’s in keeping with the healthy roots of this dish.

6 rice paper sheets (spring roll wrappers) with a diameter of 16cm (6¼ inches)

1 quantity Summer Roll Dipping Sauce, to serve

For the filling

140g (5oz) dried rice vermicelli, soaked and drained

250g (9oz) iceberg lettuce, shredded

100g (3½oz) carrot, shredded

30g (1oz) mint leaves, roughly chopped

30g (1oz) fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

30g (1oz) Sweet Thai basil, roughly chopped

First, cook the vermicelli for the filling. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Once the water hits a rolling boil, carefully drop the soaked vermicelli into the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, until done, then drain and leave to cool to room temperature.

To make the rolls, fill a large shallow bowl with warm water. Take a sheet of rice paper and dip it into the water for 5 seconds, until translucent, then place it on a clean work surface. Put a quarter of the lettuce in a mound in the centre of the paper, followed by a quarter of the carrot, mint, coriander, basil and vermicelli.

To roll up, fold the side of the wrapper closest to you over the filling, ensuring it is tucked in neatly and tightly over the filling. Next, fold the right side of the wrapper toward the centre, pulling it taut across the filling, and press down the edges of the wrapper to seal. Repeat with the left side. Now roll up the filling in the wrapper, pushing the roll away from you, to create a log-shaped parcel. If needed, dab a little water on the edges of the wrapper to help seal it shut. Repeat with the remaining rice paper sheets and filling. Serve with the Summer Roll Dipping Sauce.

Borbia Tort

Fried Spring Rolls

Serves 2–3

▸ I learned how to make these when I was working as a waitress in Hong Kong, at a restaurant called Thai Farmer. We made these every day at 3pm, after our staff break, chatting around a table as we worked.

8–10 spring roll pastry sheets, about 12 x 12cm (4½ x 4½ inches) each, defrosted if frozen

1 egg white

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 quantity Sweet Chilli Sauce, to serve

For the filling

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100g (3½oz) dried rice vermicelli, soaked, drained and cut in half

100g (3½oz) white cabbage, finely shredded

100g (3½oz) carrot, finely shredded

10g (½oz) dried wood ear or white jelly fungus, soaked, drained and sliced

10g (½oz) dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, drained and sliced

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

First, make the filling. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until golden brown. Add the remaining filling ingredients and stir-fry for about 4–5 minutes, keeping everything moving around in the wok continuously, until the vegetables have softened. Remove from the heat, transfer to a colander or sieve and leave to drain and cool for 15 minutes.

Now make the rolls. Divide the filling into 8–10 equal portions. Place a sheet of pastry on a clean work surface, with a corner pointing toward you, and put 1 portion of the filling on this bottom corner. Moisten the top corner with egg white. Fold the bottom corner of the pastry over the filling, ensuring it is tucked in neatly and tightly. Next, fold the right side of the pastry toward the centre, pulling it taut across the filling. Repeat with the left side. Now roll up the filling in the pastry, pushing the roll away from you to create a log-shaped parcel. The egg white at the top corner will seal it shut. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

Fill a wok or large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil to a depth of one-third and set over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place 1 roll on a slotted spoon and lower it carefully into the hot oil. Add 4 more rolls, one at a time, and cook the batch for 5 minutes, until golden brown, turning over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the rolls from the oil and drain on kitchen paper while you cook the next batch. Serve immediately with the Sweet Chilli Sauce.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make these spring rolls suitable for vegans, use water instead of egg white to seal the rolls.

Tod Mun Khao Pod

Sweetcorn Patties

Serves 2–3

▸ A few years ago a friend was planning to visit a temple in Thailand. She wanted to make fish cakes for the monks, not realizing that Thai monks don’t usually eat meat or fish, so we had to come up with a vegetarian dish for them – and these quick and easy sweetcorn patties were born. We played around for a few hours and ended up with this recipe. These corn cakes are crunchy, with a wonderful balance of peppery savour to balance the sweet burst of corn. They’re great served as a party finger food.

260g (9½oz) canned sweetcorn, drained

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons tempura flour

1 tablespoon cornflour, plus extra as required

3 tablespoons cold water

1 egg, beaten

2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded (optional)

sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Sweet Chilli Sauce, to serve

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetcorn, salt, pepper, tempura flour, cornflour, measured water and egg. If the mixture is too loose, add a little more cornflour. Stir the lime leaves, if using, into the batter.

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying. When the oil is hot, carefully drop a tablespoonful of the batter at a time into the oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Deep-fry for about 1 minute, then turn over and fry for a further minute, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat until the mixture is used up – the mixture will make about 6 patties. Serve the patties with Sweet Chilli Sauce.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make these patties suitable for vegans, leave out the egg.

Tahou Tod

Crispy Tofu Wedges

Serves 1–2

▸ When I was 18, I worked in a restaurant called Tai Long, in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Chinese are famous for their crispy pork, but every October they would give it up and go vegetarian for the month. The restaurant served delicious crispy tofu that provided a crispy savour similar to the pork dish. The chef eventually gave me the recipe and I’ve put a little Thai twist on it.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into large chunks

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

1 teaspoon mixed black and white sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying. When the oil is hot, carefully drop in the tofu pieces and deep-fry for about 5 minutes, until golden brown all over. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the sugar and palm sugar in a small saucepan set over a medium-low heat. Add the soy sauces, rice vinegar and chilli flakes and simmer for 1–2 minutes, until sticky. Add the roasted peanuts and mix well.

Thread the tofu pieces on to wooden skewers and place them on a serving dish. Pour over the sticky peanut sauce, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Nam Prik Jay

Chilli Dip

Serves 2

▸ Nam prik jay gives every dish a kick. This dip has real depth of flavour and is extremely versatile – in Thailand, it goes into just about everything, from soups to stir-fries. It is so easy to make, so I really can’t recommend buying a bottled version. Making it yourself delivers results that money just cannot buy.

20g (¾oz) preserved/fermented soybean curd

20g (¾oz) preserved yellow soybean paste

5 tablespoons coconut milk

50ml (2fl oz) water

50g (1¾oz) extra-firm tofu, mashed

20g (¾oz) shallots, chopped

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

raw or steamed vegetables, such as cucumber, yard-long beans or Chinese cabbage, to serve

In a small bowl, smash the soybean curd and yellow bean paste together.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan, add the measured water and bring to the boil. Add the soybean curd mixture and the mashed tofu and bring the liquid back to the boil. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the shallots and chillies and cook for a further minute. Stir in the palm sugar, tamarind paste and soy sauce and stir for a further 2 minutes.

Bring the mixture back to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Serve with crunchy raw or steamed vegetables.

Taohu Satay

Tofu Satay & Peanut Sauce

Serves 1–2

▸ Satay is usually associated with meat, but I hope this dish can change that. This is another dish inspired by my time working at the Tai Long restaurant in Hong Kong.

For the tofu skewers

1 tablespoon finely sliced lemongrass

1 teaspoon chopped greater galangal

½ teaspoon toasted coriander seeds

½ teaspoon toasted cumin seeds

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons coconut milk

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon sugar

For the peanut sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ tablespoon Massaman Curry Paste

½ tablespoon Red Curry Paste

250ml (9fl oz) coconut milk

2 tablespoons palm sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

100ml (3½fl oz) tamarind paste

150g (5½oz) crushed roasted peanuts

First, prepare the tofu skewers. Using a pestle and mortar, crush together the lemongrass, galangal, coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a rough paste. Put the tofu into a bowl and add the lemongrass mixture, coconut milk, vegetable oil, turmeric, salt and sugar and blend together gently. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Thread the tofu pieces on to 2 skewers. Heat a frying pan or griddle set over a medium heat, add the skewers and cook for about 5 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, until golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate.

Meanwhile, make the peanut sauce. Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the curry pastes and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil rises to the surface. Add the palm sugar, soy sauce, salt and tamarind paste as you continue to stir for a further 30 seconds, then add the crushed roasted peanuts. Stir for a further 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 4 minutes, until the mixture has thickened a little. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and serve immediately with the skewers. Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Khai Look Kuey Lom Sa

Fried Eggs with Lom Sak Tamarind Sauce

Serves 2

▸ This dish is usually served with a hard-boiled egg, but I prefer a fried egg, and when I say fried, I mean really fried. Thai fried eggs are a marvel: crispy on the outside and golden brown around the edges, with an almost contradictory silky-smooth yolk on the inside. Making them is an art form: you cook the egg in a wok in a generous amount of oil over searing heat – the oil should be spitting at you when the egg goes in the pan, and the egg is practically deep-fried. It may not sound like much of a difference, but try it for yourself and then you’ll know.

5 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 teaspoon plain flour, mixed with

2 teaspoons water to form a paste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

steamed jasmine rice, to serve (optional)

To garnish

5–7 small dried red chillies

1 tablespoon fried shallots fresh coriander leaves

First, make the tamarind sauce. Set a dry wok over a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the tamarind paste, then stir in the sugar, palm sugar, soy sauce and salt. Stir in the flour mixture and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat the oil in a clean wok set over a medium heat. When the oil is smoking hot, crack in 1 of the eggs and fry for 1–2 minutes or until crispy and golden but still runny on the inside. Drain well and arrange on a serving plate. Repeat with the second egg and set aside.

Remove the wok from the heat and fry the dried red chillies in the oil used for the eggs for 30 seconds – it will still be hot enough.

To serve, pour the tamarind sauce over the deep-fried eggs, sprinkle over the fried shallots and top with the fried chillies. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice, or on its own.

Taohu Song Krueng

Tofu Stewed in Thai Gravy

Serves 2

▸ If you have any vegetables that need using up, this is the thing to cook. It’s another Chinese-style dish that is quite common in Thailand. It has a wonderfully strong flavour, thanks to the combination of spices familiar from Chinese cooking.

2 star anise 6 cloves

300ml (½ pint) water

2 garlic cloves, smashed

5 shallots, roughly chopped

4–5 coriander roots (or use 10g/¼oz fresh coriander stalks)

10g (¼ozoz) dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, drained and sliced

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

½ tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 eggs, hard-boiled

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes

50g (1¾oz) crispy fried tofu

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

shredded fresh coriander leaves

fried garlic

Set a dry wok over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the star anise and cloves and toast for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Put the measured water in a medium saucepan with the garlic, shallots, coriander roots or stalks and shiitake mushrooms. Add the toasted spices and bring to the boil. Stir in the vegetarian oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and white pepper. Reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer as you shell the hard-boiled eggs, then add them to the stew with the tofus.

Leave to simmer for 25–30 minutes, until the eggs have taken on a brown colour. Remove from the heat. Halve or quarter the eggs, garnish with coriander and fried garlic and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, leave out the hard-boiiled egg.

Tom Kha Hed Nang Fah

Coconut Soup with Oyster Mushrooms

Serves 2

▸ You can find Tom Kha all over Thailand – different versions according to location. Mine has a northern taste, as it’s based on my mum’s recipe. I still remember my dad teaching me to climb coconut trees when I was 10 years old to collect the fruits – these trees were at least 25m (80ft) high and I’d have no harness on. I had to be very picky once I reached the top, as only the mature coconuts would do for the soup. In the end we trained a monkey to do the job.

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

200ml (7fl oz) water

5 slices of greater galangal

1 lemongrass stalk, sliced diagonally

3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

3 small red chillies, sliced

4 coriander roots (or use 20 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

150g (5½oz) oyster mushrooms, broken into pieces

5 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

handful of fresh coriander leaves

Pour the coconut milk and measured water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add the galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, coriander roots or stalks and salt. Leave to bubble away over a medium heat for 2 minutes, until the flavours come through, then add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce and coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Guay Tiew Tom Yum

Tom Yum Noodle Soup

Serves 2

▸ Tom yum soup needs no introduction. In Khao Kho where I grew up, this famous Thai soup was always served as Tom Yum Jay, meaning it was vegetarian. My aunties gave me this recipe, and it has therefore been unchanged for the better part of 35 years and counting. Please enjoy it as I have done my entire life.

300g (10½oz) dried rice vermicelli, soaked and drained

400ml (14fl oz) Vegetable Stock

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

3 slices of greater galangal (about 3mm/⅛ inch thick)

1 lemongrass stalk, peeled and sliced

2 small red chillies, sliced

4 coriander roots (or use 20 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped

100g (3½oz) oyster mushrooms, halved

120g (4¼oz) extra-firm tofu, cut into large chunks

1 generous tablespoon vegetarian roasted chilli paste (or use vegetarian mushroom chilli paste)

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

handful of fresh coriander leaves, plus extra to garnish

Half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil.

In another medium saucepan, bring the stock and coconut milk to the boil. Once the mixture is bubbling away, add the galangal, lemongrass, chillies and coriander roots or stalks and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the flavours come through and the soup has turned a slightly yellow colour.

Now add the oyster mushrooms, tofu, chilli paste, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Cook for a further minute, then add the tomatoes and coriander leaves. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a further minute, until the tomatoes have softened.

Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 20 seconds, then drain.

Divide the noodles between 2 bowls, then pour over the soup. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Sen Lek Nam Jay

Rice Noodle Soup with Mixed Vegetables

Serves 2–3

▸ Noodle soup is consumed 24 hours a day in Thailand – you’ll see noodle shops serving food until the sun comes up. I love eating noodles so much that I opened my own noodle shop when I was 14. This recipe is one of my favourites, as it’s super simple. You can customize it with whatever vegetables you have to hand.

100g (3½oz) carrot, thinly sliced

50g (1¾oz) daikon (Chinese white radish or mooli), peeled and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

2 coriander roots (or 10 fresh coriander stalks), chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

60g (2¼oz) dried flat rice noodles

100g (3½oz) bean sprouts

100g (3½oz) julienned white cabbage

120g (4¼oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

To garnish

1 teaspoon pickled green cabbage (available from Asian supermarkets)

fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

spring onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fried garlic

pinch of white pepper

To serve

light soy sauce

dried chilli flakes

rice vinegar

sliced red chillies

Fill a large heavy-based saucepan three-quarters full with water. Bring the water to a simmer, then add the carrot, daikon, coriander roots or stalks and garlic. Stir in the sugar and light soy sauce and simmer over a very low heat for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and set aside.

Blanch the bean sprouts, cabbage and tofu together in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and place in a serving bowl. Pour over the soup.

To serve, sprinkle over the pickled green cabbage, chopped coriander leaves, spring onion and crispy fried garlic. Finish with a dusting of white pepper. Serve with small bowls of light soy sauce, dried chilli flakes and sliced chillies in rice vinegar alongside, so everyone can season the dish according to taste.

Tom Jud

Clear Glass Noodle Soup

Serves 1

▸ I used to cook this dish at my mum’s house up in the hills of Khao Kho. Apart from the glass noodles, all the ingredients came from our own small farm. Since we had quite a bit of extended family, the glass noodles helped bulk up the soup, thanks to the way they expand in warm water. Jud means ‘natural’ in Thai, and nothing was more natural to me than growing, harvesting and then cooking my own vegetables with my mum.

300ml (½ pint) water or Vegetable Stock

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon white pepper

85g (3oz) egg tofu, cut into thick slices

20g (¾oz) dried wood ear fungus, soaked, drained and sliced

25g (1oz) Chinese celery, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

25g (1oz) Chinese cabbage, sliced

50g (1¾oz) mung bean vermicelli, soaked, drained and cut in half

To garnish

25g (1oz) spring onion, finely sliced

1 teaspoon fried garlic

Pour the measured water or stock into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Stir in the soy sauces, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the tofu, mushrooms, Chinese celery and Chinese cabbage, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through.

Stir the noodles into the pan and cook for a further minute. Sprinkle over the spring onions and fried garlic and serve immediately.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, replace the egg tofu with soft or silken tofu.

meal planner 1

Mixed Vegetable Green Curry, Fried Spring Rolls & Stir-fried Pumpkin with Cashew Nuts

Tom Kha Pak Ruam

Coconut Soup with Mixed Vegetables

Serves 1–2

▸ Not many people realize that in Thailand we eat coconut soup with rice, rather than as a stand-alone dish, as is common in the West, where it also tends to be creamier. Try spooning some soup over a bowl of rice – the difference is remarkable, and the meal is also more satisfyingly substantial.

250ml (9fl oz) coconut milk

1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

20g (¾oz) greater galangal, finely sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves

1 fresh coriander sprig

1 red bird’s eye chilli, sliced lengthways

85g (3oz) firm tofu, cut into chunks

25g (1oz) button mushrooms, chopped

25g (1oz) carrot, finely sliced

25g (1oz) broccoli florets, sliced

25g (1oz) courgette, diced

25g (1oz) bok choi, sliced

25g (1oz) baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 teaspoon sugar

2–3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

chilli oil, to serve

Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Add the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, coriander sprig and sliced chilli. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tofu and cook for a further minute.

Add the mushrooms and the chopped vegetables to the pan. Stir in the salt, sugar, lime juice and soy sauce to give the dish the perfect combination of sour, sweet and salt. Cook for about 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Remove from the heat and drizzle over a little chilli oil. Serve immediately.

Tom Yum Hed Nang Fah

Tom Yum Oyster Mushrooms with Tofu

Serves 1–2

▸ Tom Yum has a sharp and unique flavour – the perfect balance of sour, spicy, sweet and salty. Mushrooms are famous for their umami flavours, so when you combine them with tofu, you end up with a bowl of something very, very special.

360ml (12½fl oz) Vegetable Stock

1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

5 slices of greater galangal

3 kaffir lime leaves

1 tablespoon vegetarian roasted chilli paste

150g (5½oz) soft tofu, cut into small dice

150g (5½oz) oyster mushrooms, sliced

3 hot red or green chillies, crushed

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

Pour the stock into a medium saucepan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Once the stock is boiling, add the following ingredients at 10-second intervals – begin with the lemongrass, then add the galangal, the lime leaves, the chilli paste, the tofu and, finally, the mushrooms. Simmer for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are done, then stir in the chillies, salt, sugar, lime juice and soy sauce and cook, stirring, for a further 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and leave for 30 seconds, then serve in bowls, garnished with coriander.

Tom Zaap Hed Ruam

Tom Zaap Mixed Mushrooms

Serves 1–2

▸ Tom Zaap is another common soup in Thailand and is a sort of sister soup to Tom Yum. It has a powerful sour kick to it. In Thailand, it’s what you eat the morning after a night of drinking: with its myriad spices, chillies and freshly squeezed lime juice, it cures all ailments – at least temporarily.

1 litre (1¾ pints) water

50g (1¾oz) greater galangal, sliced

3–4 lemongrass stalks, cut into 4cm (1½ inch) pieces

350g (12oz) mixed mushrooms (for example, oyster and button mushrooms)

100g (3½oz) cherry tomatoes

5 tablespoons light soy sauce

20g (¾oz) Chinese celery, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

4 bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons lime juice

Put the measured water, galangal and lemongrass into a deep saucepan set over a high heat. Bring to a simmer, then add the mushrooms and simmer for 2 minutes, until they are cooked through. Add the cherry tomatoes and simmer for about 1 minute, until the tomato skins are beginning to split.

Season with the soy sauce, sprinkle in the Chinese celery, then remove from the heat. Stir in the bird’s eye chillies and lime juice and serve immediately.

Pa Loh Hed Hom

Chinese Spice Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 2

▸ I learnt to cook this dish in Hong Kong in the late 1980s. Chinese cooking is known for its use of an unbelievably wide variety of mushrooms, but the one I kept on seeing was shiitake, usually accompanied by a hard-boiled egg that had been cooked for hours. I took inspiration for this recipe from a dish I first ate at a friend’s apartment in Kowloon, in Hong Kong. My memory of the place is hazy, but I’ve never forgotten the taste.

3–4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon roughly chopped coriander root (or use 4 teaspoons coriander stalks)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

100g (3½oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, trimmed

2 tablespoons palm sugar

5 tablespoons light soy sauce

about 300ml (½ pint) Vegetable Stock or water

2 cinnamon sticks

3–4 star anise

6 cloves

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, plus extra as desired

50g (1¾oz) crispy fried tofu

2–3 coriander leaves, to garnish

Using a pestle and mortar, thoroughly pound the garlic, peppercorns and coriander root or stalks to a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, until softened.

Add the palm sugar and light soy sauce to the pan and stir for about 1 minute, until caramelized.

Top up with enough vegetable stock or water to cover the mushrooms. Add the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, dark soy sauce and tofu, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the ingredients are soft and tender. If the sauce is not dark enough for your liking, add an extra dash of dark soy sauce to the pan. Remove from the heat, garnish with the coriander and serve.

Tofu Salad

Bamboo Shoot Salad

Mushroom Larb Salad

Larb Quinoa with Tofu Salad

Crispy Tofu Salad with Thai Herbs

Grilled Aubergine with Spicy Dressing

Papaya Salad

Mixed Fruit Salad

Grilled Eryngii in Nam Tok Sauce

Thai Sweetcorn Salad

Steamed Eggs with Tofu

Steamed Tofu with Yellow Soybean Sauce

Glass Noodle Salad with Tofu

Spicy Long Bean Salad

Mixed Mushroom Salad with Green Beans

Griddled Butternut Squash with Chillies

Larb Taohu

Tofu Salad

Serves 2

▸ Larb means ‘good fortune’, so we would eat all kinds of larb salads at breakfast every morning, hoping it would mean good luck for the business, whether it was my noodle shop or my parents’ farm. This recipe is my vegetarian take on a dish traditionally made with minced pork or chicken, with vermicelli added for texture.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

200g (7oz) firm tofu, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) dice

1 litre (1¾ pints) water

50g (1¾oz) dried rice vermicelli, soaked and drained

50g (1¾oz) textured vegetable protein mince

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1½ tablespoons finely chopped spring onion

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tablespoon chopped dill

handful of mint leaves

½ tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons toasted rice

1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot carefully lower in the tofu and deep-fry for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Bring the measured water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the vermicelli and cook for 30 seconds. Drain the noodles.

Place the noodles in a mixing bowl with the TVP mince and deep-fried tofu. Mix in the red onion, spring onion, coriander, dill and mint.

Now add the sugar, toasted rice, chilli flakes, lime juice and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.

Yum Nor Mai Jai

Bamboo Shoot Salad

Serves 2

▸ This is a staple dish in north-eastern Thailand, where bamboo shoots grow in abundance. As well as a coconut gatherer, I was also a bamboo shoot hunter as a child. You’d think bamboo was easy to find, but my friend and I would go deep into the jungle hills of Phetchabun to pick wild bamboo shoots that grew near streams, in places with mosquitoes the size of your fist. It’s definitely worth going to the trouble of finding canned bamboo shoots in water, as the delicate flavour and texture makes this a versatile plant to use in salads, soups and curries.

20g (¾oz) dried wood ear fungus, soaked, drained and sliced

150g (5½oz) canned bamboo shoot tips (drained weight), halved lengthways and sliced diagonally

50g (1¾oz) oyster mushrooms, sliced

50g (1¾oz) tomatoes, quartered

½ red onion, finely sliced

1 long green chilli, sliced

2 small spring onions, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 Chinese celery stalk, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

For the dressing

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1½–2 tablespoons lime juice

First, make the salad dressing. Place the chillies and garlic in a small bowl, then stir in the sugar, salt, soy sauce and lime juice. Set aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rapid boil. Add the wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots and oyster mushrooms and blanch for 2 minutes, until cooked through. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, red onion, green chilli, spring onions and Chinese celery to the bowl with the blanched vegetables. Pour over the dressing and mix gently. Serve immediately.

Larb Hed

Mushroom Larb Salad

Serves 2

▸ As well as a coconut gatherer and bamboo shoot hunter, I was also a mushroom forager. My dad taught me to spot edible mushrooms in the forest, and it was something I truly loved doing. Looking back, the amount of trust placed in me at that young age is kind of scary: if you’ve ever been to a jungle, you’ll know thousands of different mushrooms grow there. I guess when I was a kid I treated it as a game of spot the difference – the kind of game where you either end up with a super-tasty soup, or you get very sick (or worse). Even now, I would happily forage for mushrooms for hours to make this super-easy – and seriously tasty – salad. It has salty, zingy and spicy kicks to the palate, as well as a satisfying crunchiness, thanks to the toasted rice.

120g (4¼oz) white mushrooms, halved or quartered (depending on their size)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons toasted rice

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

2 red shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

3 mint sprigs, leaves roughly chopped

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully drop in the mushrooms and boil for about 2 minutes, until cooked through.

Drain the mushrooms and put them into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss vigorously until everything is well mixed. Serve immediately.

Larb Quinoa Taohu

Larb Quinoa with Tofu Salad

Serves 2

▸ Quinoa is not really something Thai people know about. Until a friend made this dish for me, it was something I’d never had before. I think this is an ingenious way of incorporating an overseas ingredient into Thai cooking.

90g (3¼oz) red or mixed quinoa (or use 350g/12oz ready-cooked quinoa)

50g (1¾oz) marinated tofu pieces (available from Asian supermarkets) or crispy fried tofu

30g (1oz) red pepper, diced

20g (¾oz) cooked or canned sweetcorn (drained weight)

50g (1¾oz) green apple, chopped (optional)

30g (1oz) cucumber, diced

30g (1oz) red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

For the dressing

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons toasted rice

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions. Drain well, then transfer the quinoa to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours – it should be very cold.

When you are ready to serve the salad, make the dressing. Combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the dressing over the cooked quinoa, add the remaining ingredients, except the coriander leaves, and mix well to combine. Garnish with the coriander and serve immediately.

Yum Taohu Krob Samoon Prai

Crispy Tofu Salad with Thai Herbs

Serves 1–2

▸ I served this dish in my first restaurant in Hong Kong, which was called Tuk Tuk Thai. It got much praise from the patrons, especially members of the large expat community, as there were few vegetarian options around in Hong Kong 20 years ago. It turned out to be one of my most popular creations, which inspired me to play with menu items to see if I could make more delicious dishes for vegetarians. It’s a play on a dish my mum taught me in the hills of northern Thailand, where we used catfish instead of tofu. At my restaurant, the vegetarian version outsold the catfish, reinforcing its place on the menu. This dish has an intriguing sour kick, with sweet and salty undertones.

50g (9oz) extra-firm tofu, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) dice

1 egg, beaten

50g (1¾oz) dried breadcrumbs

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 lemongrass stalk, sliced

2 red shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint leaves

For the dressing

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 red bird’s eye chillies, chopped

To garnish

10 cashew nuts or peanuts

15g (½oz) seaweed crisps

Place the tofu pieces in a bowl with the egg and mix well to cover. Put the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish, then add the tofu and toss to coat.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu to the pan and shallow-fry for 2–3 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking time, until crispy and golden brown. Remove the tofu and drain on kitchen paper.

Put the ingredients for the dressing into a small bowl and stir well to combine.

Select a large serving bowl. Put the lemongrass, shallots, coriander, mint and the fried tofu into the bowl and mix well. Pour over the dressing and mix thoroughly. Top with the cashews or peanuts and the seaweed crisps and serve immediately.

Mahkuer Yang Nam Yum Talay

Grilled Aubergine with Spicy Dressing

Serves 1-2

▸ Aubergines aren’t just purple – they come in many shapes, sizes, colours and flavours. My mum’s garden in Khao Kho was always full of round Thai aubergines in shades of white, green and the famous purple, and we also grew mini pea aubergines, which are delectably crunchy in soups. However, grilling aubergines, ideally over charcoal, brings out the best in them, but you can get good results from griddling them, too.

1 large aubergine (preferably an Asian purple aubergine), about 160g (5¾oz)

1 hard-boiled egg, shelled and halved

For the dressing

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons chopped

fresh coriander leaves

½ red shallot, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, finely chopped

To garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the grill to a medium setting (180°C/350°F).

Cut the aubergine in half lengthways and place it in a grill pan under the hot grill. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, until it has charred a little – this gives it a deep flavour. Leave to cool to room temperature.

To make the dressing, put the soy sauce, lime juice, salt and palm sugar into a small bowl and mix together thoroughly until the palm sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Peel off and discard the aubergine skin. Place the aubergine halves on a serving dish and pour over the dressing. Add the hard-boiled egg, then scatter over the garnishes and serve immediately.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, leave out the hard-boiled egg.

Som Tum

Papaya Salad

Serves 1–2

▸ My kids don’t like it when I make them Som Tum because I usually put about 25 chillies in. I truly don’t know how to make papaya salad without chilli – those words don’t make sense to me. When I was a child, my parents would add an extra chilli to this dish for every year of my age. I continued with that tradition, but couldn’t take any more after I hit 30 chillies, so I dialled it back a notch. This tempting salad has a delicious balance of sweet, hot, salty and sour flavours. Thai people love to eat it with sticky rice.

3 green bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

1½ tablespoons palm sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

85g (3oz) shredded green papaya

25g (1oz) shredded carrot

25g (1oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon crushed toasted cashew nuts, to garnish

Using a large pestle and mortar, crush together the chillies, garlic, palm sugar and salt to form a rough paste. Mix in the papaya, carrot, beans, tomatoes and lime juice. Pound gently to crush the fruit a little bit.

Transfer to a plate, sprinkle over the cashews and serve immediately.

Tum Pon La Mai

Mixed Fruit Salad

Serves 1–2

▸ The variety of fruit available in my Thai village was quite extensive. These days, many of them, including the dragon fruit, are available in larger supermarkets in Britain. However, you don’t need to track down exotic or unusual ingredients to make this Thai fruit salad. My dressing recipe is very versatile and works well with any combination of sweet and sour fruits.

2 green bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

1½ tablespoons palm sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 apple, cored and cut into 1cm (½ inch) chunks

1 pear, cored and cut into 1cm (½ inch) chunks

25g (1oz) red or green grapes

25g (1oz) shredded carrot

½ orange, peeled and cut into chunks

25g (1oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 tomato, cut into wedges

3 tablespoons lime juice

handful of toasted cashew nuts, to garnish

Using a large pestle and mortar, crush together the chillies, garlic, palm sugar and salt to form a rough paste.

Add all the fruit and vegetables and the lime juice to the mortar and mix until well combined. Crush the fruit lightly. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle over the cashews and serve immediately.

Nam Tok Hed Yang

Grilled Eryngii in Nam Tok Sauce

Serves 2

▸ I love eryngii mushrooms, which are also known as ‘king oyster’ mushrooms. They are not native to Thailand, but when I was growing up, a local farmer grew them, along with other vegetables and mushrooms from other parts of Asia – it was the exotic food section of our town! When grilled, these mushrooms release their water and shrink in width rather than height. They should be a bit chewy but still firm, with a nice crunch.

2 large eryngii mushrooms, cut in half lengthways

2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped, to garnish

For the Nam Tok dressing

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

30g (1oz) red shallot, finely sliced

1 tablespoon toasted rice

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the grill to a medium setting (180°C/350°F).

Lay out the mushrooms on a grill pan and grill for about 5 minutes or until golden and a little charred. (If you don’t have a grill, you can pan-fry the mushrooms using a little bit of hot water instead of oil.)

Once the mushrooms are cooked, combine the ingredients for the Nam Tok dressing in a large mixing bowl.

Slice the mushrooms. Add them to the mixing bowl and toss them in the sauce until everything is well combined. Sprinkle with chopped lime leaves. Serve immediately.

meal planner 2

Fried Eggs with Lom Sak Tamarind Sauce, Stir-fried Brown Rice with Holy Basil Sauce & Tofu in Mushroom Sauce

Tum Khao Pod

Thai Sweetcorn Salad

Serves 2

▸ The balance of this dish is just fantastic – little pockets of sweetness in a salty base. I used to pick corn cobs with my dad, driving to the fields in his makeshift tractor. This dish was my father’s and this is his recipe.

2 red bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

20g (¾oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 tomato, cut into wedges

100g (3½oz) shredded carrot

150g (5½oz) canned sweetcorn (drained weight)

100g (3½oz) toasted cashew nuts

Using a large pestle and mortar, crush together the chillies and garlic to form a rough paste. Add the yard-long beans and pound briefly to crush them a little. Stir in the palm sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and salt. Add the tomato and pound briefly. Then stir in the carrot and sweetcorn and pound gently.

Transfer to a serving bowl, top with the cashews and serve immediately.

Khai Toon Taohu

Steamed Eggs with Tofu

Serves 2

▸ I used to cook this dish for my children, Richard, Natalie and Newton – it’s healthy and tasty, and it always went down well. It was probably one of the first tofu dishes I served them and I remember being worried they would dislike the taste of tofu. Luckily, they didn’t know what it was and never asked; they just liked it.

50g (1¾oz) firm tofu, crumbled

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon chopped carrot, plus extra to garnish

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

½–1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

pinch of sugar

4 tablespoons water

pinch of sea salt flakes

pinch of white pepper

To garnish

fried garlic

1 spring onion (green part only), finely chopped

Place the crumbled tofu, eggs, carrot, soy sauces, sugar and measured water in a ceramic serving bowl and mix well. Season with the salt and white pepper.

Place the bowl in a steamer pan set over a medium heat and steam for 15 minutes, until cooked through. The egg should be relatively solid, with a similar consistency to jelly.

Lift the bowl out of the steamer, sprinkle with fried garlic, chopped carrot and spring onion and serve immediately.

Taohu Nueng Tao Jiew

Steamed Tofu with Yellow Soybean Sauce

Serves 1–2

▸ This particular dish originates from a restaurant I worked at in Hong Kong, where I steamed a lot of fish, usually sea bass, with ginger and yellow bean paste. The steamed tofu works very well as a substitute for the fish.

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized chunks

2 large pieces (about 10g/¼oz total weight) ready-cooked yellow Chinese or crispy fried tofu, cut into small chunks

1 teaspoon sugar

10g (¼oz) finely sliced fresh root ginger

1 teaspoon preserved yellow soybean paste

1½ tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

To garnish

chopped spring onion

fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Chinese celery leaves, chopped (or use celery leaves)

Put both types of tofu into a ceramic serving bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and ginger, then pour over the yellow bean paste, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Place the bowl in a steamer pan set over a medium heat. Steam for 20 minutes, until the tofu is cooked through.

Remove the bowl from the steamer. Sprinkle over the chopped spring onion, coriander and Chinese celery leaves and serve immediately.

Yum Woon Sen Taohu

Glass Noodle Salad with Tofu

Serves 2

▸ When I was a teenager in Thailand, my friends and I would gather around our favourite food stall and order the spiciest, most delectable dish we could think of – a glass noodle salad. That fad lasted until we discovered our next painfully hot dish, but that’s when I learned how to make this salad.

10g (¼oz) mung bean vermicelli

25g (1oz) oyster mushrooms, halved

25g (1oz) enoki mushrooms, halved

60g (2¼oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons seasoning soy sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 red bird eye’s chillies, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

25g (1oz) Chinese celery or Western celery, stalks cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces, leaves left whole

25g (1oz) onion, thinly sliced

25g (1oz) shallots or red onion, thinly sliced

25g (1oz) tomatoes, cut into wedges

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the glass noodles, mushrooms and tofu. Cook for 1 minute, until the mushrooms are cooked through, then drain and set aside.

Put the soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, chillies and sugar into a large serving bowl. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the blanched mushrooms, glass noodles and tofu to the bowl, along with all the remaining ingredients. Toss together in the dressing to combine. Serve immediately.

Yum Tua Fuk Yao

Spicy Long Bean Salad

Serves 2

▸ In Thailand, we used the yard-long beans we grew in our vegetable patch for this hot and spicy salad. They can be quite hard to find in Western supermarkets, but green beans are a perfectly fine substitute. Their crunchiness is key, so make sure not to overcook them.

60g (2¼oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon vegetarian roasted chilli paste

2 tablespoons seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon palm sugar

85g (3oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 red or green bird’s eye chillies, chopped

2 dried red chillies, fried

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fried shallots, plus extra to garnish

2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts, plus 5–6 whole roasted peanuts, to garnish

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the long beans and cook for about 1 minute, until al dente. Drain the beans and leave to cool.

Put the tamarind paste, roasted chilli paste, soy sauce and palm sugar into a large bowl and mix well, stirring until the palm sugar has dissolved. Add the long beans and the remaining ingredients, except the whole peanuts, to the bowl and toss vigorously until incorporated.

Garnish with the whole peanuts and some more fried shallots and serve immediately.

Yum Hed Ruam

Mixed Mushroom Salad with Green Beans

Serves 2

▸ My mum taught me how to make this salad. She would send me off on a mushroom hunt and I’d come back with a variety of different types, due to my natural inclination to pick all the edible mushrooms I could see, as they were all my favourite. My mum added a bit of crunch, in the form of beans and shallots, to balance the softness of the mushroom, and this salad was an instant hit with me and our neighbours.

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon vegetarian roasted chilli paste

2 tablespoons lime juice

50g (1¾oz) green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

50g (1¾oz) mixed Asian mushrooms, roughly chopped

dash of vegetable oil

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

25g (1oz) red onion or shallots, thinly sliced

To garnish

1 tablespoon fried shallots

3–4 fresh coriander leaves

First, prepare the dressing. Put the palm sugar, soy sauce, roasted chilli paste and lime juice into a small saucepan set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously, until the palm sugar is fully dissolved, then simmer over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, blanch the green beans and mushrooms in boiling water for 1 minute, adding a dash of vegetable oil to the water to keep the beans bright green. Drain and set aside.

Transfer the cooled dressing to a serving bowl. Gently mix in the bird’s eye chillies and shallots, and the reserved mushrooms and green beans. Sprinkle over the fried shallots and coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Yum Fuktong Yang

Griddled Butternut Squash with Chillies

Serves 2–3

▸ In Thailand, when I was growing up, pumpkin was always in season. There wasn’t a market in the country where you couldn’t get the pumpkin of your choice – small or large, green or orange. Once we had selected our prime pumpkin, we would grill it over a smouldering fire – not too close to the heat, though, as it needs to be a bit al dente. In this recipe, I suggest you cook it in a griddle pan, but you can also cook the squash on a barbecue.

300g (10½oz) butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1cm (½inch) thick slices

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

30g (1oz) fresh coriander leaves, chopped

50g (1¾oz) red onion, finely sliced

2 tablespoons white and black sesame seeds, lightly toasted, to garnish

Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Carefully place the squash or pumpkin slices in the hot pan and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through. Transfer to a serving dish.

To make the dressing, put the palm sugar and soy sauce into a mixing bowl and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the chilli flakes. Add the chopped coriander and red onion to the bowl and mix well with the dressing to combine.

To serve, top the griddled squash or pumpkin with the coriander and onion mixture. Sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Stir-fried Runner Beans with Holy Basil

Tofu Holy Basil Stir-fry

Stir-fried Aubergine with Roasted Chilli Paste

Sweet & Sour Mixed Vegetables

Drunken Mixed Vegetables

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables in Roasted Chilli Paste

Tofu in Mushroom Sauce

Spicy Mushrooms with Quails’ Eggs

Stir-fried Tofu & Ginger

Stir-fried Long Beans with Red Curry Paste

Stir-fried Chickpeas with Curry Paste

Spicy Mixed Vegetables in Thai Herbs

Stir-fried Bean Sprouts

Sweet & Sour Button Mushrooms

Cabbage with Preserved Yellow Soybean Paste

Stir-fried Pumpkin with Cashew Nuts

Stir-fried Leek with Garlic & ‘Oyster’ Sauce

Stir-fried Kale with Aubergine & ‘Oyster’ Sauce

Tofu with Young Peppercorns

Stir-fried Tofu with Chives & Chillies

Stir-fried Bamboo Shoots & Green Beans

Yard-long Beans with Black Bean Sauce

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables

Mushrooms in Ginger Sauce

Chinese Broccoli with Yellow Soybean Paste

Stir-fried Spicy Aubergine with Sweet Basil

Mangetout with Soybean Paste & Chillies

Stir-fried Bamboo Shoots & Peas with Kua Kling Curry Paste

Pad Ped Tua

Stir-fried Runner Beans with Holy Basil

Serves 2

▸ This healthy stir-fry is my vegetarian take on the classic chilli and holy basil stir-fry with minced meat, which is ubiquitous in Thailand. I’ve used runner beans because they’re easily found in the West, and added tomatoes and bamboo shoots to give the dish lots of different veggies. It’s best served with a crispy fried egg over rice.

3 red bird’s eye chillies

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

100g (3½oz) textured soy mince

20g (¾oz) onion, cut into thin wedges

30g (1oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight)

80g (2¾oz) runner beans, cut into 1cm (½ inch) pieces

½ large tomato, cut into thin wedges

½ tablespoon sugar

1½ tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

10g (¼oz) holy basil

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the bird’s eye chilles and garlic to form a rough paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over medium-high heat. Crack one of the eggs into the wok and fry for about 1 minute, until the egg white is crispy and golden around the edges but the yolk is still runny. Remove from the oil and set aside. Repeat with the remaining egg.

Add the chilli and garlic mixture to the same wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Mix in the soy mince and cook for about 30 seconds, then add the onion, bamboo shoots, runner beans and tomato and stir-fry for a further minute. Add the sugar and soy sauce and stir-fry for a further 2–3 minutes, until everything is cooked through.

Stir in the chilli and holy basil leaves and cook for a further 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately with the fried egg and some steamed rice.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, leave out the fried eggs.

Pad Kra Prow Taohu

Tofu Holy Basil Stir-fry

Serves 2

▸ Pad Kra Prow is another national dish found on many a Thai street corner, and that includes the vegetarian version. In Thailand we use holy basil, the very pungent sister of Italian basil, which is a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You’ll notice the sudden bursts of aroma from the wok as soon as you start tossing the ingredients together over a high heat – it’s a smell that wakes up my senses every time.

3 red bird’s eye chillies 3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

150g (5½oz) firm tofu or textured vegetable protein, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

½ tablespoon dark soy sauce

½ tablespoon sugar pinch of white pepper

½ onion, chopped

¼ red pepper, sliced

¼ yellow pepper, sliced

30g (1oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) pieces

handful of holy basil leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the chillies and garlic to a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the chilli and garlic mixture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until nice and golden brown.

Now add the tofu or TVP chunks, both soy sauces, the palm sugar and white pepper and cook, tossing everything around in the pan, for about 1 minute, until the tofu or TVP is well coated and has taken on a little colour from the sauces.

Once everything is mixed well, add the onion, peppers and long beans and cook for a further 30 seconds, all the while tossing the mixture together. Throw in the basil and lime leaves and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Mahkuer Pad Prik Pao

Stir-fried Aubergine with Roasted Chilli Paste

Serves 2

▸ This dish is a customer favourite at Rosa’s Thai Cafe. It is inspired by seafood pad prik pao, something of a staple when we eat by the beach. I chose aubergines because they are sturdy and hold up well in this meat-free alternative, but you can use firm tofu instead if you prefer.

200g (7oz) long Asian aubergines (or use 2 small purple aubergines), trimmed

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetarian roasted chilli paste

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

handful of sweet basil leaves

1 long red chilli, sliced diagonally

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Cut the aubergines diagonally into thick slices. Place them in a bowl of cold water and add the salt to stop the aubergine slices discolouring.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until just golden brown. Drain the aubergines and add the slices to the pan. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the aubergines are just about cooked.

Stir in the chilli paste, soy sauce and the sugar and cook for a further minute. Add the measured water to the pan. Sprinkle over the basil and the chilli and stir-fry for a further 10 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and serve with rice.

Priew Wan Pak

Sweet & Sour Mixed Vegetables

Serves 3-4

▸ This is a common dish in Thailand, but it is often overlooked, as it’s overshadowed by the Chinese version. Instead of ketchup, which is the usual short cut when making this dish, I use plum sauce, for a subtle sweetness. Traditionally, a good sweet and sour dish should always have three colours – red, green and yellow.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

3–4 tablespoons plain flour

200g (7oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons plum sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1½ tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

50g (1¾oz) chopped onion

50g (1¾oz) cucumber, halved and sliced

1 tomato, cut into wedges

½ yellow pepper, cut into chunks

80g (2¾oz) canned or fresh pineapple, cut into chunks

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with vegetable oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying.

While the oil heats up, put the flour into a shallow bowl and roll the tofu pieces, one at a time, in the flour to coat well. When the oil is hot, carefully lower the coated tofu pieces separately (to avoid them sticking together) into the hot oil and fry for 3–5 minutes, until golden. Remove the fried tofu from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Take 1 tablespoon oil of the frying oil and pour it into a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until just golden. Add the plum sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Now add the onion, cucumber, tomato, yellow pepper and pineapple to the wok and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through and the sauce has thickened a little (if you like a thicker sauce, you can stir in a mixture of 1 tablespoon cornflour and 2 tablespoons water at this point). Stir in the fried tofu and cook until heated through. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Pad Khee Mao Pak

Drunken Mixed Vegetables

Serves 2

▸ Khee Mao translates as a rude word followed by ‘face’. This dish owes its name to the fact that, when you have a gathering in Thailand and everyone starts getting very drunk, a couple of people will instinctively go to the kitchen and start cooking with all the ingredients they can find, including rice whiskey. Before you know it, everyone’s sitting around having a second dinner – cooked by drunk chefs, eaten by drunk patrons.

3 red bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

85g (3oz) firm tofu, cut into 15mm (⅝ inch) dice

25g (1oz) pea aubergines

25g (1oz) green pepper, sliced

25g (1oz) red pepper, sliced

50g (1¾oz) courgette, cut into thick slices

25g (1oz) baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

20g (¾oz) lesser galangal, sliced

20g (¾oz) Thai green peppercorns, cut into 2.5cm (1inch) pieces

1 tablespoon water, if needed

10g (¼oz) holy basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the chillies and garlic to form a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli paste and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tofu and all the vegetables to the pan and mix well to combine. Stir in the light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce and sugar. Cook for 1 minute, then add the lesser galangal and peppercorns. Increase the heat to high and toss the mixture for 2 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through, adding the measured water if the mixture seems too dry. Stir in the holy basil and serve immediately with rice.

Pak Ruam Pad Prik Pao

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables in Roasted Chilli Paste

Serves 1

▸ The original version of this dish features sliced squid, but the chilli sauce is so delicious that it warrants its own vegetarian option. Chilli oil is available with numerous flavours and spice levels in Thailand, depending on where you live. The one I use was given to me by a woman working at a noodle shop in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. I prefer Chinese chilli oil to Thai – I’m curious to know which my readers will like better. Try them both to find out!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

10g (¼oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and finely sliced

1 tablespoon vegetarian roasted chilli paste

10g (¼oz) mangetout

10g (¼oz) baby sweetcorn, sliced diagonally

25g (1oz) onion, thinly sliced

25g (1oz) button mushrooms, quartered

25g (1oz) broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

25g (1oz) white cabbage, roughly chopped

25g (1oz) courgette, halved and cut into pieces 1cm (½ inch) thick

25g (1oz) red pepper, sliced

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

pinch of white pepper

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant. Stir in the chilli paste and cook for a further 30 seconds.

Put all the vegetables and the measured water into the pan, then stir in the sugar, stir-fry sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry until all the vegetables are cooked through but still crunchy, about 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle over the white pepper and serve immediately.

Taohu Pad Hed

Tofu in Mushroom Sauce

Serves 2

▸ I usually make this when I’m feeling lazy but don’t want to skimp on flavour, because it is delicious and simple to prepare. Mushrooms are so versatile, and have a deep richness to their complex flavours, so they are very special ingredients to me, not least because they were integral to the food I ate growing up.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

4 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

200g (7oz) firm tofu, cut into 1cm (½ inch) dice

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

50g (1¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

1 teaspoon preserved yellow soybean paste

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 red chillies, thinly sliced, to garnish

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying.

Put 2 tablespoons of the cornflour and the breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Add the tofu pieces to the cornflour and toss to coat, then coat the tofu in the breadcrumbs.

When the oil is hot, carefully lower in the tofu pieces one at a time and deep-fry for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the tofu from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Transfer 2 tablespoons of the frying oil to a clean wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden brown.

Now add the mushrooms and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until softened. Add 1 tablespoon of the measured water, the sweet soy sauce, yellow bean paste, sugar, salt and white pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, mix the remaining cornflour with the remaining measured water in a small bowl. Stir the cornflour mixture into the pan and continue to cook for about 1 minute, until the sauce thickens. Pour the mushroom sauce over the fried tofu, garnish with the sliced chillies and serve.

Kai Nok Krata Pad Hed

Spicy Mushrooms with Quails’ Eggs

Serves 1–2

▸ We had a lot of quails in Thailand, especially in the mountains. My dad would sometimes come home late, having been out on a quails’ egg hunt, and I wondered why he spent so much time in mountainous jungle terrain looking for such small eggs. When I first tried them I fell in love with their subtle taste, and before long I too was out hunting for them. We’d boil them, slice them, then add them to our stir-fry, ensuring everyone got a taste.

1 tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoons water

2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) dice

1 tablespoon fried garlic

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

20g (¾oz) dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, drained and halved or quartered, depending on the size

20g (¾oz) dried wood ear fungus, soaked, drained and sliced

50g (1¾oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), thinly sliced

4–6 hard-boiled quails’ eggs, shelled

20g (¾oz) spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the measured water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Carefully lower the tofu pieces into the oil and fry for 3–5 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frying oil to a clean wok set over a medium heat. Add the fried garlic and chillies to the hot oil and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, quails’ eggs and spring onion and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds.

Stir in the sugar, light soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce and cook for 30 seconds, Add the fried tofu to the pan, then stir in the cornflour mixture and cook for a further minute to thicken the sauce. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, leave out the quails’ eggs.

Taohu Pad King

Stir-fried Tofu & Ginger

Serves 1–2

▸ I love the stir-fried crispy pork served in Bangkok’s China Town, especially because of the truly tasty sauce it is braised in, and decided there had to be a way to make a meat-free version of the dish without losing that flavour. So I tweaked the recipe to come up with this one, which is just as good as – and healthier than – the original. What I love most is how the ginger and spring onion become the key flavours, giving this dish a fresh spicy tang that is super light on the palate.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

30g (1oz) carrot, thinly sliced diagonally

20g (¾oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced

20g (¾oz) spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

20g (¾oz) asparagus, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

30g (1oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

small handful of sweet basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying. When the oil is hot, lower in the tofu pieces and deep-fry for about 3–5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.

Transfer 1–2 tablespoons of the frying oil to a clean wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chillies to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden brown.

Add the carrot, ginger, spring onions, asparagus and shiitake mushrooms to the wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar and measured water and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, until the vegetables are just cooked. Add the deep-fried tofu and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Mix in the sweet basil and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Pad Prik King Tua

Stir-fried Long Beans with Red Curry Paste

Serves 2

▸ When I was younger, I used to help my auntie make red curry paste from scratch in the mornings, for her to sell at the markets. We’d always make too much, so this was our dish of choice to make with the excess product, eaten with some rice. My family are not the only ones who love it – it’s a very popular side dish in Thailand. Perhaps part of the reason is that it’s super easy to make.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 generous tablespoon Red Curry Paste

120g (4¼oz) yard-long beans, cut into 6cm (2½ inch) pieces

2 tablespoons Vegetable Stock or water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

10g (¼oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped

4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced

½ long red chilli, sliced diagonally

handful of holy basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the red curry paste and stir-fry for about 10 seconds, until fragrant. Now add the beans and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then pour in the stock or water, sugar and soy sauce.

Stir-fry for a further minute, then mix in the ginger, lime leaves and chilli. Stir-fry for a further minute or so, until the beans are cooked through.

To finish, stir in the basil leaves. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Kua Kling Tua

Stir-fried Chickpeas with Curry Paste

Serves 2

▸ I remember one day when I first set up my own noodle shop in Hong Kong, I met the owner of another restaurant and we ended up chatting about hummus, something I was not accustomed to, since chickpeas are not common where I grew up. He described all the ways these pulses are used in the Middle East and, in that moment, I decided I would try them in a Thai dish. And so my Kua Kling Tua was born.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Kua Kling Curry Paste

100g (3½oz) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

10g (¼oz) carrot, diced

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

100g (3½oz) textured vegetable protein mince

50g (1¾oz) button mushrooms, thinly sliced

10g (¼oz) Thai green peppercorns, roughly chopped

3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon water

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is about to smoke, add the curry paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, then add the chickpeas, carrot, soy sauce and sugar and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until the carrot is just cooked and slightly translucent.

Toss in the TVP mince, mushrooms, peppercorns and lime leaves, then add the measured water and stir-fry for a further 2–3 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated, ensuring all the ingredients are well combined and cooked through. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature with steamed rice.

meal planner 3

Tofu with Southern Curry Paste, Glass Noodle Salad with Tofu & Stir-fried Spicy Aubergine with Sweet Basil

Pad Cha Pak

Spicy Mixed Vegetables in Thai Herbs

Serves 2

▸ Pad Cha is a staple Thai stir-fry dish, and is very popular at Rosa’s. A key ingredient here is the fresh green peppercorns – I love adding them to a piping hot wok, as the aroma is almost overwhelming. The stems of edible berries are quite hot and not necessarily something customers are used to, so there have been some funny occasions in the restaurant when people were taken by surprise!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

150g (5½oz) mixed vegetables (such as carrots, courgettes, broccoli florets, aubergine and mangetout), cut into slices or bite-sized chunks

20g (¾oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

10g (¼oz) red pepper, sliced

25g (1oz) onion, finely sliced

10g (¼oz) lesser galangal, sliced

5g (⅛oz) fresh Thai green peppercorns, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 tablespoon preserved

yellow soybean paste

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vegetarian oyster sauce

2 tablespoons Vegetable Stock

small handful of sweet basil leaves

slices of long red chilli, to garnish

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and bird’s eye chilli and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant. Now add the mixed vegetables, long beans, red pepper, onion, lesser galangal and green peppercorns and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the onion is slightly translucent.

Stir in the yellow bean paste, soy sauce, sugar and vegetarian oyster sauce, then pour in the vegetable stock and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the broccoli is deep green and the vegetables are just cooked through. Add the basil and toss vigorously to combine for 10 seconds. Garnish with the sliced chilli and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Pad Tuar Ngok

Stir-fried Bean Sprouts

Serves 2

▸ Bean sprouts are such a great vegetable to stir-fry, as they retain their delectable crunchiness. This particular dish is nicknamed ‘dragon’s beard’ in Thailand, where it is one of the main dishes served during the vegetarian month of October. It is also commonly eaten by monks, who are vegetarians, in the mornings.

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

60g (2¼oz) egg tofu, cut into thick slices

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

25g (1oz) mangetout

100g (3½oz) bean sprouts

25g (1oz) spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

25g (1oz) Chinese chives (garlic chives), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

½ teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

sliced long red chilli, to garnish

In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the measured water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the egg tofu slices to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute, stirring gently to avoid breaking up the tofu slices. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until aromatic.

Stir the mangetout, bean sprouts, spring onion and Chinese chives into the pan, and season with the sugar, soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the vegetables are cooked. Pour in the cornflour mixture and cook for a further 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the sliced chilli and serve immediately.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, replace the egg tofu with soft or silken tofu.

Hed Priew Wan

Sweet & Sour Button Mushrooms

Serves 1–2

▸ The trick to this dish is to use the preserved yellow soybean paste for saltiness, so you don’t need to add too much soy sauce or any additional salt. Instead of button mushrooms, you can use a mix of different types of Asian mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster and enoki.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g (7oz) button mushrooms, halved or quartered, depending on size

1½ tablespoons sugar

½ tablespoon light soy sauce

2 tablespoons preserved yellow soybean paste

½ tablespoon rice vinegar

20g (¾oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

80g (2¾oz) onion, cut into thin wedges

25g (1oz) red pepper, thinly sliced

1 spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

50g (1¾oz) baby sweetcorn, cut in half lengthways

20g (1¾oz) dried white jelly or wood ear fungus, soaked, drained and chopped

2–4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornflour (optional)

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until golden and aromatic. Add the button mushrooms and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until cooked.

Add the sugar, soy sauce, yellow bean paste and vinegar to the wok and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the ginger, onion, red pepper, spring onion, baby sweetcorn and white jelly or wood ear fungus and stir well. Add 2 tablespoons of the measured water and cook for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked through. If you like a thicker sauce, you can mix the cornflour with the remaining measured water and add it to the pan at this point.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Pak Kad Pad Tao Jiew

Cabbage with Preserved Yellow Soybean Paste

Serves 1–2

▸ When you go to restaurants in Thailand, you can order vegetables stir-fried ‘Fai Daeng’ style, which literally means ‘red fire’. This is a reference to the fiery hot wok they are cooked in, which is extremely important when you want to stir-fry any vegetables. When you throw in the cabbage, it’s cooked very quickly and stays crunchy. The longer you stir-fry over a low heat, the soggier the veggies become, because they’re effectively being steamed instead of fried.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tomato, cut into wedges

2 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced lengthways

200g (7oz) white cabbage, cut into wedges

30g (1oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered

1½ tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tofu and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until golden brown and fragrant.

Add the tomato, chillies, cabbage and mushrooms to the wok, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce and yellow bean paste. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until all the ingredients are well combined and the vegetables are cooked. Serve immediately.

Med Mamuang Pad Fuktong

Stir-fried Pumpkin with Cashew Nuts

Serves 1–2

▸ I absolutely LOVE pumpkin, and often make a pumpkin stir-fry at home. Inspired by the famous chicken with cashew nut stir-fry, the addition of cashew nuts gives this dish a little more protein, as well as the lovely nuttiness.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 small onion, chopped

3 dried red chillies, chopped

300g (10½oz) sliced pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1½ tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

50g (1¾oz) toasted cashew nuts

1 spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. When it is hot, add the garlic, onion and dried chillies and stir-fry for 45 seconds, until fragrant and golden.

Now add the pumpkin and cook for a further minute. Mix in the vegetarian oyster sauce, soy sauces and sugar and stir-fry for 1 minute, until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the pumpkin is just about cooked through. Add the rice wine, cashew nuts and spring onion, then stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, until everything is heated through. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Pad Ton Kratiem

Stir-fried Leek with Garlic & ‘Oyster’ Sauce

Serves 2

▸ Instead of leeks, in Thailand we would make this dish with garlic stems, which look like juiced-up versions of spring onions. So when I came to the UK and saw leeks in the supermarket for the first time, I didn’t realize this was a different vegetable – I thought it was just the stems of garlic sold separately from the bulbs, and used it accordingly. Only when I tasted what I had made did I realize I was on to something completely new and delicious.

3 red bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

170g (6oz) firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

60g (2¼oz) textured vegetable protein chunks

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

200g (7oz) leeks, trimmed, cleaned and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) slices

2–3 tablespoons water

handful of sweet basil leaves

1 long red chilli, sliced, to garnish

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the bird’s eye chillies and garlic to form a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the chilli and garlic mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Now add the tofu pieces, TVP chunks, yellow bean paste, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce and sugar and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the tofu and TVP have taken on some of the colour of the sauces.

Mix in the leeks and add enough of the measured water to loosen the mixture. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the leeks are cooked through. Stir in the basil leaves, garnish with the sliced chilli and serve.

Pad Kanar Nam Mun Hoi

Stir-fried Kale with Aubergine & ‘Oyster’ Sauce

Serves 1–2

▸ Kale – that ubiquitous vegetable that is all the rage in food circles and seems to have all the health benefits known to man – actually has many relatives. In Thailand we use gai lan, which has a crunchy stem and succulent leaves (if you can find it, just add a couple more minutes to the cooking time suggested below), so when I arrived in the UK, I thought I’d try gai lan’s lighter relative, curly kale, and it worked very well. Make sure you don’t keep the kale on the heat for too long, or it will lose its pleasing texture.

1 tablespoon cornflour

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 red chillies, roughly chopped

½ purple Asian aubergine, cut into 5cm (2 inch) pieces

1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine

1 teaspoon sugar

125g (4½oz) kale, stalks trimmed and leaves roughly chopped

3–4 tablespoons Vegetable Stock

handful of sweet basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the measured water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped chillies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant. Add the aubergine and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the soy sauces, vegetarian oyster sauce, yellow bean paste, sesame oil, rice wine and sugar.

Now add the kale and stock and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the kale has softened slightly and turned a deep green. Stir in the cornflour mixture and cook for a further minute, until the sauce has thickened.

Toss in the basil, then serve immediately with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice.

Taohu Pad Prik Thai Orn

Tofu with Young Peppercorns

Serves 2–3

▸ This recipe is based on one of the early dishes I served at Rosa’s, which was venison stir-fried with young peppercorns. Young peppercorns are quite hard to find in the Western world, but they are worth tracking down if you can: they’re very potent and release a burst of spice before tapering off. Be careful not to overpower the dish, though, as even one extra sprig of peppercorns can be too much.

3 red bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

250g (9oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

3 tablespoons Vegetable Stock or water

85g (3oz) onion, sliced

20g (¾oz) Thai green peppercorns, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

5 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped

1 long red chilli, finely sliced

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the bird’s eye chillies and garlic to form a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the tofu and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until golden brown all over.

Season the tofu with the sugar, soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Pour in the stock or water, then add the onion, green peppercorns, lime leaves and sliced chilli and stir well. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked. Serve immediately with rice.

Taohu Krob Pad Prik

Stir-fried Tofu with Chives & Chillies

Serves 2

▸ When I lived in Hong Kong, one of my favourite dishes was a bean sprout and chive stir-fry I would eat in Kowloon City. It incorporated Chinese chives, which are common in Hong Kong. One day I decided to use tofu instead of bean sprouts, and now I like this version more.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

100g (3½oz) crispy fried tofu, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks

50g (1¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, halved

½ teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

pinch of white pepper

25g (1oz) long green chillies, sliced diagonally

25g (1oz) Chinese chives (garlic chives) steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and bird’s eye chillies, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden brown.

Add the crispy tofu and shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the mushrooms are cooked through. Season with the sugar, seasoning soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce and white pepper. Throw in the green chillies and Chinese chives and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until well combined. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Pad Nor Mai

Stir-fried Bamboo Shoots & Green Beans

Serves 2

▸ I grew up eating bamboo – the roots and shoots are so prevalent in Thai cooking that this dish would be considered super basic, but that does not make it any less tasty. Bamboo shoots are harvested in September, October and November, so if you ever visit Thailand during those months, head to a market for the crunchiest and freshest bamboo you’ll ever find.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150g (5½oz) textured vegetable protein chunks

½ onion, thinly sliced

50g (1¾oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), thinly sliced

50g (1¾oz) green beans, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) pieces

40g (1½oz) tomatoes, cut into thin wedges

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

handful of holy basil leaves

10g (¼oz) long red chillies, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the bird’s eye chillies and garlic and stir-fry until golden brown and fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the TVP chunks, onion, bamboo shoots, green beans and tomatoes to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Now add the sugar, seasoning soy sauce and stir-fry sauce, mix well and cook for about 2 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked through. Increase the heat to high, add the holy basil and sliced chillies and stir-fry for 10 seconds, then remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Tua Fuk Yao Pad Tua Dum

Yard-long Beans with Black Bean Sauce

Serves 2

▸ I’m sure I don’t have to introduce you to black bean sauce, but you may not know that making your own using fermented black soybeans (also known as salty Chinese black beans) gives much tastier results than using a store-bought version – you really get the depth and complexity of the fermentation, making for a super-tangy dish. You can find fermented black beans in most larger Asian supermarkets or online.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fermented black beans

200g (7oz) textured vegetable protein mince

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

80g (2¾oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 spring onion, sliced

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the chillies, garlic and fermented black beans and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Now add the TVP mince and stir well to combine thoroughly. Season with the sugar, soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the mince is warmed through.

Tip the beans into the wok and stir-fry for about 1–2 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked. Stir in the spring onion and cook for a further 30 seconds, then serve immediately.

Pad Pak Ruam

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables

Serves 1–2

▸ This super-quick and easy dish is packed full of flavour and nutritious ingredients – you can’t go wrong! We used to make this in my village in Thailand, using whichever vegetables in our patch needed to be harvested that day. This combination of Chinese broccoli, choy sum and shiitake mushrooms is my favourite.

7–8 black peppercorns

4–5 garlic cloves

2 coriander roots (or use 10 fresh coriander stalks)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

50g (1¾oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

100g (3½oz) Chinese broccoli, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

50g (1¾oz) Chinese celery, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

50g (1¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Using a pestle and mortar, pound the peppercorns, garlic and coriander roots to a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the pounded mixture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the tofu, Chinese broccoli, Chinese celery, choy sum and shiitake mushrooms, increase the heat to high and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the vegetables are almost cooked through.

Season with the sugar, vegetarian oyster sauce and dark soy sauce and continue tossing the ingredients in the wok for a further minute, until the vegetables are cooked through. Serve immediately, with steamed rice.

Hed Pad King

Mushrooms in Ginger Sauce

Serves 1–2

▸ We only grew ginger once every few years, as it would totally ruin the soil where it was planted, so most of our ginger was bought at the market. By now, I am so accustomed to its fiery heat that I can eat a whole root raw, but stir-frying remains my favourite way to prepare it, as it tones down the heat and allows the ginger to work very well with other flavours, such as the earthy savour of mushrooms.

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

85g (3oz) firm tofu

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

150g (5½oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced

150g (5½oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

½ tablespoon sugar

½ tablespoon light soy sauce

1–2 tablespoons preserved yellow soybean paste

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

50g (1¾oz) spring onions, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch size) pieces

Fill a heavy-based saucepan or wok with oil to a depth of one-third and set the pan over a medium-high heat, to prepare for deep-frying. When the oil is hot, carefully add the tofu and deep-fry over a medium-high heat for about 3–4 minutes, until golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Transfer 2–3 tablespoons of the frying oil to a clean wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden.

Add the mushrooms to the wok and season with the sugar, soy sauce, yellow bean paste and vegetarian oyster sauce and stir well. Continue to stir-fry over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through and have taken on a nice golden colour, then add the spring onion and serve immediately.

Kana Pad Tao Jiew

Chinese Broccoli with Yellow Soybean Paste

Serves 1–2

▸ Known as gai lan in Thailand, Chinese broccoli is a highly versatile crunchy and leafy cousin of kale. The preserved yellow soybean paste has a fantastically flavourful effect on this particular vegetable, and the aroma, when you add it to the searing hot pan, is heavenly. I’m so glad I was brought up with the food of both Thailand and Hong Kong, otherwise I would never have known the wonderful combination of these two aromas.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

250g (9oz) Chinese broccoli or spring greens, thinly sliced

100ml (3½fl oz) Vegetable Stock

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon fried garlic, to garnish

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds, until fragrant. Add the yellow bean paste and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds.

Now add the Chinese broccoli or spring greens and stir-fry for 1 minute, until softened. Mix in the vegetable stock, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce. Stir-fry briefly, until the sugar has dissolved and all the ingredients are well combined. Garnish with the fried garlic and serve immediately.

Pad Cha Mahkuer Yao

Stir-fried Spicy Aubergine with Sweet Basil

Serves 2

▸ This is the aubergine version of the famous Pad Cha. In Thailand, I was able to pick many different types of aubergine straight from the plant, many of which are very hard to find in London, where I now live. But I have to admit that the purple aubergine we are familiar with in the West works really very well in this dish, because it acts like a sponge, absorbing all the sauce. I love to eat this dish with steamed rice and a fried egg.

1 tablespoon cornflour or potato flour

1 egg, beaten

125g (4½oz) aubergine, halved and cut diagonally into 1cm (½ inch) slices

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

10g (¼oz) long red chillies, sliced diagonally

1 teaspoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

1 teaspoon seasoning soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine

20g (¾oz) onion, sliced

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

handful of sweet basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Put the cornflour or potato flour and the beaten egg into separate shallow bowls. Dip the aubergine slices in the flour first, then in the beaten egg, ensuring the pieces are fully coated.

Heat the oil in a frying pan set over a medium-high heat. Shallow-fry the aubergine slices for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the pan, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frying oil to a clean wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and both types of chillies to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Now add the fried aubergine slices, stir-fry sauce, seasoning soy sauce, sugar, black pepper and rice wine to the wok and crank up the heat to high. Add the onion and cook for about 30 seconds, until slightly translucent, then stir in the dark soy sauce and sweet basil and stir-fry for 15–20 seconds. Remove from the heat and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

meal planner 4

Mushroom Larb Salad, Butternut Red Curry & Tofu Holy Basil Stir-fry

Tua Lan Tao Pad Prik Tao Jiew

Mangetout with Soybean Paste & Chillies

Serves 1–2

▸ As a child, mangetout was one of my favourite vegetables. We used to grow it in our vegetable patch and, during harvest time, it was all we ate, but I never complained. The sweet crunchy snow peas, as I’ve always called them, went well with soups, curries and stir-fries, and were also a great snack on their own.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

200g (7oz) mangetout, trimmed

85g (3oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

20g (¾oz) long red chilli, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon water, if needed

1 tablespoon fried garlic, to garnish

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the yellow bean paste, garlic and bird’s eye chillies and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until golden.

Now add the mangetout, mushrooms and sliced long chilli. Cook for 15 seconds, then add the sugar and soy sauce. If the mixture is looking too dry, stir in the measured water. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the mangetout are bright green and everything is well incorporated.

Scatter over the fried garlic and serve immediately.

Kua Kling Taohu Tua Kiew

Stir-fried Bamboo Shoots & Peas with Kua Kling Curry Paste

Serves 2

▸ Sometimes, my family grew so much mangetout at home, we couldn’t sell them all at the market. So we would just leave them to grow, letting the seeds get larger, and then we’d use those peas in our stir-fries later.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons Kua Kling Curry Paste

200g (7oz) textured vegetable protein mince

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

100g (3½oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), rinsed and drained

200g (7oz) peas

5 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

1 long red chilli, finely sliced, to garnish

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the kua kling curry paste and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the TVP mince to the wok and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until it is heated through. Season with the sugar and soy sauce.

Add the bamboo shoots and the peas to the wok and mix until well incorporated. Cook until the vegetables are heated through, about 2–3 minutes.

Now add the lime leaves and stir well. Garnish with the sliced chilli, then serve immediately with rice.

Butternut Red Curry

Mixed Vegetable Green Curry

Tofu Panang Curry

Steamed Enoki Mushroom in Curry Mousse

Bamboo Shoot Red Curry

Tofu Massaman Curry

Mushroom Panang Curry

Red Curry with Pineapple & Firm Tofu

Jungle Curry

Butter Bean Panang Curry

Tofu with Southern Curry Paste

Mixed Vegetable Orange Curry

Tofu Yellow Curry

Gaeng Daeng Fuktong

Butternut Red Curry

Serves 2

▸ In Thailand, pumpkin is as common as potatoes are in the West. It works very well in curries, because it keeps its shape even after long bouts of high-temperature cooking. but you can use easily substitute it with butternut squash and achieve the same result. This is a hearty dish that I love eating in the colder months.

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

2 generous tablespoons Red Curry Paste

400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk

450g (1lb) butternut squash, peeled and diced

3 kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped

300ml (½ pint) Vegetable Stock or water

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 large handful of sweet basil leaves, plus extra to garnish

½ long red chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan set over a medium heat. As soon as the oil is hot, add the red curry paste and stir for about 1 minute, until smooth and fragrant.

Pour in half the coconut milk, stirring constantly. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil from the curry paste separates and rises to the surface. Mix in the remaining coconut milk at this point, then stir in the butternut squash and lime leaves.

Use the empty coconut milk can to transfer the vegetable stock or water to the pan, which allows you to rinse out any remaining coconut cream in the can. Stir in the palm sugar, soy sauce and basil, then leave to bubble gently over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the butternut squash is softened to your liking.

Garnish with the sliced chilli and extra basil leaves and serve with rice.

Gaeng Kiew Wan Jay

Mixed Vegetable Green Curry

Serves 3–4

▸ This green curry is a classic dish in Thailand, not only for people who observe the annual vegetarian festival – any type of protein can be used, from tofu to chicken. You can also use many different types of vegetables in this dish – the choice is yours.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons Green Curry Paste

400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1½ tablespoons palm sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

100g (3½oz) Thai aubergines, quartered (or use purple aubergines, sliced)

20g (¾oz) pea aubergines

50g (1¾oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), rinsed and drained

150g (5½oz) carrot, sliced

30g (1oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

3 kaffir lime leaves

handful of sweet basil leaves, plus extra to garnish

2 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced, plus extra to garnish

steamed jasmine rice or cooked rice noodles, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the curry paste and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

Gradually stir in half the coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes, until the oil from the paste rises to the surface of the coconut milk. Once this happens, stir in the remaining coconut milk. Season with the soy sauce, palm sugar and salt and continue to stir until the mixture comes to the boil.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Garnish with extra basil leaves and chilli slices. Serve immediately with rice or rice noodles.

Gaeng Panang Taohu

Tofu Panang Curry

Serves 2

▸ This is one of the most popular curries in Thailand. You’re guaranteed to find Panang curry at khao gaeng (rice and curry) shops on every corner. This recipe is quick and simple – just as this kind of food is meant to be.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 generous tablespoons Panang Curry Paste

250ml (9fl oz) coconut milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

200g (7oz) firm tofu, cut into chunks

6–7 sweet basil leaves, plus extra to garnish

3 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

1 red bird’s eye chilli, finely sliced

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the curry paste and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Gradually stir in half the coconut milk and cook for about 1 minute, until the oil from the paste rises to the surface of the coconut milk. Once this happens, stir in the remaining coconut milk, then mix in the palm sugar and soy sauce and cook for a further minute.

Bring the mixture to the boil, then add the tofu. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the tofu is heated through. Stir in the sweet basil, lime leaves and sliced chilli. Remove the pan from the heat. Serve the curry immediately, with a bowl of rice, garnished with extra basil leaves.

Hor Mohk Hed Khem Tong

Steamed Enoki Mushroom in Curry Mousse

Serves 2

▸ This is one of my signature dishes, born out of a desire to use up the lower halves of butternut squashes, and was a best seller at Rosa’s. It’s now rarely on the menu, as it can be tricky to prepare in a busy restaurant kitchen, but it’s perfect for making at home. The mousse is cooked inside the squash, but you can also steam the mousse in a heatproof bowl or microwave it for about 8 minutes.

lower half of 1 butternut squash or ½ small pumpkin

100ml (3½fl oz) coconut milk, plus 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste

100g (3½oz) enoki mushrooms, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1½ teaspoons rice flour

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 eggs, beaten

small handful of sweet basil leaves

3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

25g (1oz) white cabbage leaves, sliced

jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

1 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced

1–2 fresh coriander leaves

First, prepare the squash. Scoop out the seeds, then use a spoon to hollow out the cavity a little further, leaving a layer of flesh about 2cm (¾ inch) thick.

Pour the 100ml (3½fl oz) coconut milk into a mixing bowl. Add the red curry paste, enoki mushrooms, 1 teaspoon rice flour, the soy sauce and sugar and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the eggs, the sweet basil and lime leaves.

Put the cabbage in the bottom of the hollowed-out squash, then spoon the mushroom mixture on top. (You can cook any leftover mixture in a small bowl.)

Place the filled butternut squash in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam for 20 minutes over a low-medium heat, until just set, adding more water if the level declines. If you don’t have a steamer, set a large pan of water over a low-medium heat and place a small metal bowl upside-down inside it. Put the filled squash on top of the upturned bowl, cover with a lid and steam as before.

To serve, heat the remaining coconut milk in a small pan set over a medium heat and stir in the remaining rice flour. Cook, stirring continuously, for 1–2 minutes, until the mixture has thickened slightly.

Remove the squash from the steamer. Drizzle over the thickened coconut milk and garnish with the chilli slices and coriander leaves. Serve with jasmine rice.

Gaeng Daeng Nor Mai

Bamboo Shoot Red Curry

Serves 2–3

▸ I was known in my village for being the best at foraging for bamboo shoots in the forest, which reflects something of how much I loved them. Even when I was living in Hong Kong, I would try to find places where they grew naturally. Unsurprisingly, this dish is a big part of my life.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste

165ml (5½fl oz) coconut milk

165ml (5½fl oz) water

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

150g (5½oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), rinsed and drained

250g (9oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

4–5 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

1 red bird’s eye chilli, sliced

handful of sweet basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and measured water, mix well and cook for about 2 minutes, until the oil separates and rises to the surface of the liquid.

Add the palm sugar, sugar, soy sauce and salt and stir until the palm sugar has completely dissolved. Mix in the bamboo shoots, tofu and lime leaves and simmer over a medium heat for 7–10 minutes, until everything is cooked through.

Stir in the sliced chilli and the sweet basil, then serve immediately with rice.

Massaman Taohu

Tofu Massaman Curry

Serves 2–3

▸ Massaman is in the celebrity Thai curry crowd, along with the famed green and red versions. Along with Panang and yellow curries, it is heavily influenced by Malaysian cooking. The aniseed and Silk Road spices are so prevalent in this dish, you can almost retrace the steps of the first merchants who set foot in South East Asia from the Levant.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

2 star anise

1½ tablespoons Massaman Curry Paste

165ml (5½fl oz) coconut milk

165ml (5½fl oz) water

1 potato, boiled, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

200g (7oz) soft tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

1 bay leaf

25g (1oz) chopped pineapple (optional)

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise and toast for 1 minute. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Now pour in the coconut milk and measured water and cook for about 2 minutes, until the oil from the curry paste separates and rises to the surface of the liquid.

Add the potato chunks and the onion to the pan, then stir in the palm sugar, sugar, soy sauce, tamarind paste and salt and continue to cook over a medium heat, stirring continously for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Stir the tofu, peanuts, bay leaf and pineapple, if using, into the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until everything is heated through. Serve with steamed rice.

Panang Hed

Mushroom Panang Curry

Serves 2–3

▸ Malaysia and Thailand don’t just share a border, we also share our food, with reciprocal influences on all types of dishes, including this one. Panang curry is usually thick and smooth, and I always remember it as being slightly silky. I’ve tried to stay true to form here, but Panang curry varies wildly from province to province. The only constant is that whenever this curry is served, there will be an ice-cold beer beside it.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Panang Curry Paste

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

30g (1oz) enoki mushrooms, halved

50g (1¾oz) oyster mushrooms, halved

50g (1¾oz) closed-cup mushrooms, quartered

10g (¼oz) lesser galangal, finely sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

1 tablespoon crushed roasted peanuts

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

red chillies, thinly sliced diagonally

sweet basil leaves

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until smooth and fragrant. Pour in half the coconut milk, stirring constantly, until it has blended with the paste.

Stir in the sugars and soy sauce. Add the mushrooms, lesser galangal, lime leaves and roasted peanuts and mix thoroughly. Stir in the remaining coconut milk and leave to bubble gently for a good 2–3 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Garnish with sliced chillies and basil leaves and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Gaeng Kuar Sapparod

Red Curry with Pineapple & Firm Tofu

Serves 2

▸ I don’t know if this is as controversial as a Hawaiian pizza, but pineapple is one of my favourite fruits to put into a curry. Those gorgeous bursts of sweetness coupled with the savoury taste of the curry base really wake up the taste buds. Pineapples were everywhere when I grew up, and people have now started growing baby pineapples, too, which are intensely sweet and crunchy. If you can get your hands on some, do try them!

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste

20g (¾oz) preserved/fermented soybean curd

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

150ml (¼ pint) water

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks

100g (3½oz) canned pineapple pieces, drained

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon palm sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

handful of holy basil leaves slices of long red chilli

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the red curry paste and soybean curd. Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the curry paste mixture to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to combine.

Add the measured water, tofu, pineapple, soy sauce, palm sugar, sugar, lime leaves and tamarind paste to the wok and mix well to combine. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the oil separates and rises to the surface of the liquid.

Remove from the heat, garnish with the holy basil and red chilli slices and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Gaeng Paa

Jungle Curry

Serves 2–3

▸ You can find this very traditional curry far and wide in Thailand, and I probably used to eat it every other day. It’s considered the healthiest curry of the lot, mainly because it is vegetable based and contains no coconut milk. Don’t be fooled, though – it may be less creamy than its cousins, but this is a very intense curry, in terms of flavour and heat, with a good balance of salty and spicy.

300ml (½ pint) Vegetable Stock

1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste

20g (¾oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), rinsed, drained and thinly sliced

20g (¾oz) Thai aubergine, cut into wedges

20g (¾oz) pea aubergines (optional)

20g (¾oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

20g (¾oz) fresh Thai green peppercorns, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

85g (3oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

10g (¼oz) lesser galangal, finely sliced

10g (¼oz) mangetout

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

handful of holy basil leaves

½ long red chilli, sliced diagonally

3 kaffir lime leaves

Pour the vegetable stock into a wok set over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir as the mixture comes to a simmer. Add the bamboo shoots, both types of aubergine, the beans, green peppercorns, tofu, lesser galangal and mangetout. Now stir in the soy sauce, sugar and salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Take the wok off the heat and garnish the dish with the holy basil, chilli and lime leaves.

Gaeng Penang Tua Lima

Butter Bean Panang Curry

Serves 1–2

▸ Butter beans go well with so many things, and their creamy texture gives this curry some body. They are also a good source of protein, making them an ideal replacement for meat. I created this dish one day when I was bored and messing around with the canned food that had accumulated in the cupboards. Panang curry should be smooth and creamy, with dominant salty and spicy flavours followed by a mild sweetness from the palm sugar.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 generous tablespoon Panang Curry Paste

300ml (½ pint) coconut milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts

1 tablespoon thinly sliced lesser galangal

3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

235g (8¼oz) can butter beans, rinsed and drained

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

To garnish

sliced red chillies

a few sliced kaffir lime leaves or sweet basil leaves

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. As soon as the oil is hot, add the curry paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Pour in the coconut milk, stirring continuously. Once the coconut milk and the paste are well blended, add the palm sugar, soy sauce, crushed peanuts and lesser galangal to the wok and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved.

Stir in the lime leaves and cook for a further minute, then add the butter beans. Now leave to bubble gently over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Garnish with the sliced chillies and herbs and serve immediately with rice.

Taohu Prik Gaeng Tai

Tofu with Southern Curry Paste

Serves 2

▸ One of my friends and colleagues is from Trang in Thailand. A while back, when I was on a food exploration trip to the south of the country, she introduced me to her mother, who had been making this curry paste since she was a young girl. She showed me all the different ingredients that go into the southern Thai counterpart of a Bangkok curry. I fell in love with the flavours and decided to introduce a southern Thai menu at Rosa’s Soho, where her recipes are still used. This is one of them.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Southern Curry Paste

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

50g (1¾oz) canned bamboo shoots (drained weight), drained and cut into strips

50g (1¾oz) Thai aubergine or purple aubergine, cut into wedges

10g (¼oz) pea aubergines

25g (1oz) green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

3 kaffir lime leaves

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

3–4 long red chillies, sliced diagonally

handful of holy basil leaves

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the tofu, bamboo shoots, aubergines, green beans and lime leaves to the wok, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the measured water to loosen the mixture. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar and the remaining measured water and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Stir in the red chillies and holy basil and remove from the heat. Serve with steamed rice.

Gaeng Som Pak Ruam

Mixed Vegetable Orange Curry

Serves 2

▸ Gaeng som, or orange curry, is a pungent, spicy curry that I’ve eaten for as long as I can remember. Designed especially for vegetables as well as fish, it’s more like a soup than a curry, but the flavour is no less intense. If you like things sour, tangy and spicy, you’re in for a treat.

300ml (½ pint) Vegetable Stock

1 tablespoon Orange Curry Paste

20g (¾oz) yard-long beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

20g (¾oz) broccoli florets, cut into thick slices

20g (¾oz) carrot, thinly sliced

20g (¾oz) white cabbage, sliced

20g (¾oz) courgette, chopped

20g (¾oz) baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways

20g (¾oz) mangetout

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

20g (¾oz) lesser galangal, finely chopped.

4–5 tablespoons tamarind paste

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Pour the stock into a large saucepan set over a medium heat and bring to the boil.

Stir the curry paste into the stock, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. The curry should have a pleasing balance of salty, spicy and sour flavours. Serve immediately with rice.

meal planner 5

Mixed Vegetable Fried Rice, Tofu Satay & Peanut Sauce & Thai Sweetcorn Salad

Gaeng Gari Taohu

Tofu Yellow Curry

Serves 3–4

▸ Yellow curry is another Malaysian-influenced dish that has been absorbed into Thai cuisine. It was rare up north where I grew up, so we could only buy it in cans, which we had to save up for. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but I still think that canned curry is my favourite!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Yellow Curry Paste

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ tablespoons seasoning soy sauce

100ml (3½fl oz) water

50g (1¾oz) potato, peeled and cut into small dice

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

fried shallots, to garnish

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan set over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the curry paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Stir in the coconut milk, sugars and seasoning soy sauce, then add the measured water and potato. Reduce the heat to medium and leave to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potato is cooked through.

Add the tofu to the pan and simmer for a further 2–3 minutes without stirring, so that the tofu pieces keep their shape.

Remove from the heat, garnish with fried shallots and serve with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice.

Stir-fried Flat Noodles with Lotus Root

Pad Thai

Pad Thai Egg Noodles

Flat Noodles with Tofu in Gravy Sauce

Stir-fried Vermicelli

Stir-fried Glass Noodles

Drunken Flat Noodles

Flat Noodles Stir-fried with Baby Corn

Stir-fried Flat Noodles with Mixed Vegetables

‘Baked’ Tofu with Glass Noodles

Congee with Shiitake Mushrooms

Mixed Vegetable Fried Rice

Pineapple Fried Rice

Stir-fried Mushroom Gravy

Stir-fried Brown Rice with Holy Basil Sauce

Sen Yai Jay

Stir-fried Flat Noodles with Lotus Root

Serves 1

▸ Lotus root is a very common ingredient in Chinese cooking – when I lived in Hong Kong, it seemed to be in every dish, possibly because it’s considered to have medicinal properties in Chinese culture. I don’t know about that, but it sure does taste good. Lotus root has a crunchy texture, an earthy flavour and a distinctive pattern of holes: if you cook it for guests at home, they are highly likely to ask what you are serving them.

30g (1oz) dried lotus root (available from Asian supermarkets)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon

100g (3½oz) fresh flat rice noodles

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce

1 teaspoon preserved Chinese radish (available from Asian supermarkets)

70g (2½oz) butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

20g (¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

20g (¾oz) broccoli, cut into small pieces

70g (2½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 5 tablespoons water or Vegetable Stock

pinch of white pepper

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the dried lotus root and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and rinse under running cold water to cool. Thinly slice the lotus root and set aside.

Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the flat noodles, dark soy sauce and sweet soy sauce, then increase the heat to very high and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the noodles are heated through and have taken on some colour from the sauces. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and reduce the heat to medium. Add the Chinese radish and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Mix in the squash or pumpkin, mushrooms and reserved lotus root and stir-fry for a further 15 seconds.

Add the sugar, oyster sauce and light soy sauce and stir well. Add the broccoli and tofu to the wok. Now pour in the cornflour mixture and bring to the boil. Stir vigorously and cook until the sauce thickens a little, about 2 minutes. (Add a little water if needed.)

Pour the vegetables and tofu over the noodles, sprinkle with the white pepper andserve immediately.

Pad Thai Jai

Pad Thai

Serves 1–2

▸ Everyone knows Pad Thai, but not many people know that, most of the time in Thailand, this dish is made only with tofu and eggs, and occasionally with prawns. It’s what we always ate at home because it’s cheap but tasty!

300g (10½oz) mixed vegetables (such as broccoli florets, sliced carrot and sliced courgettes)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

150g (5½oz) dried rice noodles, soaked and drained

1 tablespoon preserved Chinese radish (available from Asian supermarkets]

50g (1¾oz) crispy fried tofu

50g (1¾oz) bean sprouts, plus extra to garnish

10g (¼oz) Chinese chives (garlic chives), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 spring onion, chopped

1 tablespoon crushed roasted peanuts, plus

1 tablespoon to garnish

For the Pad Thai sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 red shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons palm sugar

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

½ tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

To garnish

fresh coriander leaves

lime wedges

dried chilli flakes (optional)

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the mixed vegetables and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and set the vegetables aside.

Now make the Pad Thai sauce. Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the shallots and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until almost golden brown. Stir in the palm sugar, followed by the tamarind paste (be careful – it might spit) and soy sauces and cook for about 2 minutes, until the liquid has thickened slightly. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside.

Next, prepare the Pad Thai noodles. Heat the oil in a clean wok set over a high heat. Add the beaten eggs and noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the noodles are heated through. Now add the reserved mixed vegetables, Chinese radish and crispy fried tofu and stir-fry for a further minute. Pour in your Pad Thai sauce and cook, while tossing the pan and mixing everything well, until the noodles are a nice brown colour, about 1–2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, Chinese chives, spring onion and the crushed peanuts and stir-fry for a further 1 minute until everything is heated through.

Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves, lime wedges, crushed peanuts and chilli flakes, if using.

Pad Thai Sen Ba Mhee

Pad Thai Egg Noodles

Serves 1–2

▸ This variant of Pad Thai is what we’d usually make for the monks at the temple in my hometown. This dish was always the star of the show at the local temple festival, which involved open air theatre as well as street food.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100g (3½oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon preserved Chinese radish (available from Asian supermarkets]

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

4–5 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon fermented black beans (available from Asian supermarkets)

200g (7oz) fresh egg noodles (available from Asian supermarkets)

100g (3½oz) white cabbage, thickly sliced

100g (3½oz) bean sprouts

10g (¼oz) Chinese chives (garlic chives), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden. Add the tofu, increase the heat to high and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown. Add the dried Chinese radish, sugar, vegetarian oyster sauce, soy sauces, tamarind paste and fermented black beans. Simmer for about 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Stir in the noodles, then add the cabbage and mix well. Stir-fry for a further 2–3 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Add the bean sprouts and Chinese chives and cook for a further 30 seconds, then serve immediately.

▸ MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this dish suitable for vegans, replace the fresh egg noodles with dried rice noodles, soaked and drained according to the packet instructions.

Rad Nar Taohu

Flat Noodles with Tofu in Gravy Sauce

Serves 1–2

▸ Rad nar is one of the unknown national dishes of Thailand. A sort of soupy stir-fry that is eaten for breakfast or lunch, it may look messy but it is incredibly tasty. This dish has a great tangy flavour and the noodles are silky smooth due to the sauce.

1 tablespoon cornflour

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

200g (7oz) fresh flat rice noodles

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

50g (1¾oz) kale, stalks trimmed and leaves roughly chopped

50g (1¾oz) button mushrooms, quartered

50g (1¾oz) oyster mushrooms, sliced

50g (1¾oz) broccoli, cut into florets

50g (1¾oz) carrot, sliced

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon preserved yellow soybean paste

500ml (18fl oz) Vegetable Stock

1 teaspoon white pepper

To serve

sliced red chilli

rice vinegar

Blend together the cornflour and measured water in a bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok set over a medium heat, then add the rice noodles and dark soy sauce and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until they brown slightly. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl and set aside.

Pour the remaining oil into the wok and heat it over a medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until golden brown, then add the vegetables and toss vigorously. Season with the vegetarian oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar and yellow bean paste.

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then stir in the cornflour mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency and the vegetables are cooked through. Pour the mixture over the noodles, sprinkle with the white pepper and serve immediately, with a bowl of chilli slices in vinegar on the side.

Pad Mhee Jay

Stir-fried Vermicelli

Serves 2

▸ There’s a Buddhist temple on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island that serves this particular classic vegetarian dish, and I used to eat it there every Sunday. I’ve tried my best to replicate the version I tried on those temple steps. I’m happy to say this is very close to it.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

125g (4½oz) dried rice vermicelli, soaked, drained and cut into 5cm (2 inch) lengths

1½ tablespoons seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

25g (1oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered

25g (1oz) Chinese chives (garlic chives), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

50g (1¾oz) Chinese broccoli, cut in 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

25g (1oz) bok choi, separated into individual leaves

1 tablespoon water

pinch of white pepper

To serve

sliced red chillies

light soy sauce

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles to the pan, then stir in the seasoning soy sauce, sugar and dark soy sauce and cook for a further 30 seconds. Mix in the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, until cooked through.

Toss in the Chinese chives, Chinese broccoli and bok choi. Add the measured water to loosen up the noodles and stir-fry for a further minute, until the vegetables are cooked through. Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the white pepper and serve, accompanied by a small bowl of sliced chillies in light soy sauce.

Pad Woon Sen

Stir-fried Glass Noodles

Serves 2

▸ Unusually for Thai cooking, where family recipes are passed down from generation to generation, this classic vegetarian dish is quite similar all over the country, with a very consistent taste. You may have heard of or tried the better-known version with seafood, but this dish is also a winner without it.

25g (1oz) mung bean vermicelli

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

50g (1¾oz) crispy fried tofu

50g (1¾oz) onion, thinly sliced

50g (1¾oz) tomatoes, quartered

25g (1oz) carrot, sliced diagonally

25g (1oz) baby sweetcorn, thinly sliced

50g (1¾oz) white cabbage, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 30 seconds, until translucent, then drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until golden brown. Add the crispy fried tofu, onion, tomatoes, carrot, baby sweetcorn and cabbage to the wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Reduce the heat to medium and add the noodles. Stir in the soy sauce, stir-fry sauce and sugar.

Crack the egg into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until all the ingredients are well combined and the egg is cooked. Serve immediately.

Sen Yai Pad Khee Mao

Drunken Flat Noodles

Serves 2

▸ Drunken Flat Noodles is a dish we would eat accompanied by a bottle of Thai whiskey. As these noodles are traditionally served very hot and spicy, the whiskey would be sipped quite quickly and sooner or later we’d all be inebriated, so I guess this dish does what it says on the tin.

2 red bird’s eye chillies

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

150g (5½oz) fresh flat rice noodles

125g (4½oz) firm tofu, cut into large chunks

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

30g (1oz) green beans, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

30g (1oz) spring greens, shredded

20g (¾oz) baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways

20g (¾oz) long red chillies, finely sliced handful of holy basil leaves

Using a pestle and mortar, pound together the chillies and garlic to form a rough paste.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the garlic and chilli mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the flat noodles to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute, until soft.

Stir in the tofu, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar and mix well to combine. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the green beans, sweetcorn, sliced chillies and holy basil to the wok. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Sen Yai Pad Khao Pod Orn

Flat Noodles Stir-fried with Baby Corn

Serves 1-2

▸ I use baby corn in this recipe because I believe this crunchy vegetable is a perfect match for the soft flat noodles. The flavour of the corn also goes really well with seasoning of this dish.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

200g (7oz) fresh flat rice noodles (or use 100g/3½oz dried flat rice noodles, soaked and drained)

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

50g (1¾oz) firm tofu, cut into 1cm (½ inch) dice

25g (1oz) onion, thinly sliced

40g (1½oz) tomatoes, cut into wedges

40g (1½oz) baby corn, sliced diagonally

25g (1oz) spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

pinch of white pepper

Heat the oil in a wok set over medium-high heat. Pour in the beaten egg and scramble for 10 seconds, until almost cooked. Add the noodles, the seasoning soy sauce, stir-fry sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the noodles have slightly softened and browned.

Add the tofu, onion, tomatoes, baby corn and spring onions to the wok and stir-fry for a further 1–2 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. (It’s OK if the noodles are slightly burnt.) Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the white pepper and serve.

Pad See Ewe Jay

Stir-fried Flat Noodles with Mixed Vegetables

Serves 1–2

▸ Pad See Ewe is a dish that seems to be everywhere nowadays, but I’ve been eating this since I was a little kid. Every year when the temple festival came around, I would eat this just as often as Pad Thai.

35g (1¼oz) broccoli, cut into florets

25g (1oz) courgette, sliced 10g (¼oz) carrot, sliced

10g (¼oz) baby sweetcorn, sliced diagonally

25g (1oz) spring greens, roughly chopped

50g (1¾oz) bean sprouts

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g (7oz) fresh flat rice noodles (or use 100g/3½oz dried flat rice noodles, soaked and drained)

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian stir-fry sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

To garnish

pinch of white pepper

3–4 fresh coriander leaves

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add the broccoli, courgette, carrot, baby sweetcorn, spring greens and bean sprouts and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain the vegetables and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Pour in the beaten egg and scramble for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and flat noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the noodles are slightly brown. Add the seasoning soy sauce, stir-fry sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sugar and the blanched vegetables. Stir-fry for a further 1–2 minutes, until all the ingredients are well mixed and the noodles have browned.

Spoon on to a serving plate and sprinkle over the white pepper and coriander to serve.

Taohu Ob Woon Sen

‘Baked’ Tofu with Glass Noodles

Serves 2

▸ When it comes to Thai street food, oven-cooked dishes are not exactly common, for understandable reasons. So when you wander through the market, you’ll find many ingenious ways of preparing ‘baked’ food: for instance, the original dish this recipe is based on was cooked in a clay pot over an open flame, giving the tofu a beautiful texture. To give this dish a deeper savoury note, add a tablespoon of mushroom stock, if you have some.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

10g (¼oz) fresh root ginger, peeled and thickly sliced

1 teaspoon lightly crushed black peppercorns

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons Vegetable Stock

1 teaspoon sesame oil

50g (1¾oz) mung bean vermicelli, soaked and drained

50g (1¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms (or use 25g/1oz dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and drained), finely sliced

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks

1 Chinese celery stick, chopped into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces (leaves and stalk)

Put the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan. Stir in the ginger and black pepper, then add the light soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sweet and dark soy sauces, vegetable stock and sesame oil to the pan and mix together. Add the noodles, mushrooms and chilli flakes and mix well to coat.

Place the tofu chunks on top of the noodle mixture. Top with the Chinese celery.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed almost all of the sauce. Serve immediately.

meal planner 6

Chinese Broccoli with Yellow Soybean Paste, Chinese Spice Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms & ‘Baked’ Tofu with Glass Noodles

Jok Hed Hom

Congee with Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 2

▸ Congee is the Asian version of porridge, but while I don’t like porridge, I love congee.

In a way, congee is also the Asian version of chicken soup: medicine in the form of food, eaten when you have a cold. Congee is so versatile because it so simple to make. I usually make this to use up any leftover rice from the night before.

300ml (½ pint) water

200g (7oz) steamed jasmine rice

20g (¾oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

85g (3oz) firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon seasoning soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped Chinese celery leaves

1 tablespoon preserved Chinese radish (available from Asian supermarkets)

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fried garlic

Bring the measured water to the boil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the cooked rice to the pan along with the mushrooms and tofu. Mix in the light soy sauce, seasoning soy sauce and sugar and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Pour the congee into serving bowls and top with the Chinese celery, preserved radish, spring onion and fried garlic. Serve immediately.

Khao Pad Jay

Mixed Vegetable Fried Rice

Serves 1–2

▸ This is another great way of using up yesterday’s leftover rice. Fried rice is a breakfast staple in Thailand, as it’s simple to make first thing and an easy way to please grumpy kids in the morning. Serve with a wedge of lime and some slices of cucumber – at any time of day. For best results, your cooked rice needs to be at room temperature when you stir-fry it, not cold straight from the refrigerator.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

20g (¾oz) carrot, finely sliced

20g (¾oz) broccoli florets, sliced

20g (¾oz) onion, finely sliced

20g (¾oz) red pepper, chopped

1 egg

200g (7oz) brown or white cooked jasmine rice, at room temperature

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 tomato, cut into thin wedges

2 green or red bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced, to garnish

To serve

2 cucumber slices

1–2 lime wedges

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the carrot, broccoli, onion and red pepper to the wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until just cooked. Now form a well in the mixture at the centre of the wok and crack the egg into it. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds to break up and cook the egg. When the egg is nearly cooked, add the rice and stir-fry for a further minute, until the rice is heated through.

Stir the soy sauces, sugar, spring onion and tomato into the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute, until everything is well combined. Serve immediately, garnished with the sliced chillies and with the cucumber and lime alongside.

Khao Pad Sapparod

Pineapple Fried Rice

Serves 2

▸ When I was about 19, I worked at a restaurant called Thai Farmer in Hong Kong, where we served at least 100 portions of pineapple fried rice a day, so I soon learned the basic recipe by heart. The turmeric gives this dish its wonderful yellow hue and light curried taste, and it goes well with the bursts of sweetness from the pineapple. If you like, you can serve the fried rice in half a hollowed-out pineapple.

1 tablespoon butter

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 egg, beaten

200g (7oz) cooked jasmine rice, at room temperature

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

⅓ onion, diced

⅓ red pepper, finely chopped

⅓ green pepper, finely chopped

80g (2¾oz) fresh pineapple, cut into chunks

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder

fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Melt the butter in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and egg and stir-fry for about 20 seconds, until golden brown.

Add the rice to the wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Add the sugar and soy sauce, followed by the onion, peppers and pineapple, continuously stirring as you go. Finally, add the turmeric and curry powder and stir-fry for a further 3–4 minutes, until everything is thoroughly combined and heated through. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Khao Nar Hed

Stir-fried Mushroom Gravy

Serves 2

▸ This is one of my all-time favourite dishes, which I learned to make at a Thai restaurant called Phuket in Hong Kong. It’s traditionally made with chicken and button mushrooms, but you can easily make it veggie-friendly while still using the same gravy. Leave out the chillies if you don’t want a spicy option.

1 tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150g (5½oz) mixed Asian mushrooms, cut or broken into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons Vegetable Stock or water, if needed

10g (¼oz) carrot, thinly sliced

1 baby sweetcorn, quartered lengthways

50g (1¾oz) onion, chopped

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 spring onion, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces

1 red bird’s eye chilli, cut into strips

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Combine the cornflour and measured water in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large wok set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant and golden. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute, until cooked through. Mix in the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. If the mixture is too dry, stir in the vegetable stock or water.

Mix the carrot, baby sweetcorn and onion into the wok and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cornflour mixture and cook for about 2–3 minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Add the white pepper, spring onion and chilli and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Khao Glong Pad Kra Prow

Stir-fried Brown Rice with Holy Basil Sauce

Serves 2

▸ I used to make Pad Kra Prow with brown rice on the side, as taught to me by my mum. But I knew there was a dish that combined the two in the pan, and this is it. Stir-frying the rice in the Kra Prow sauce brings an entirely different taste to this dish. I love tossing holy basil into the hot pan at the end, letting the warm, aniseed aromatics fill the kitchen.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2–3 red or green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

50g (1¾oz) onion, finely diced

50g (1¾oz) carrot, finely diced

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

½ tablespoon sugar

100g (3½oz) cooked brown jasmine rice, at room temperature

100g (3½oz) cooked white jasmine rice, at room temperature

25g (1oz) spring greens, roughly chopped

25g (1oz) spring onion, finely chopped

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small handful of holy basil leaves

lime wedges, to garnish

Heat the oil in a wok set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chillies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is golden brown. Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until slightly translucent.

Now stir in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar, then toss the rice into the wok and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until all the ingredients are well combined. Finally, add the spring greens, spring onion, tomatoes and holy basil and stir-fry for a further minute, until the spring greens are cooked through.

Serve immediately, garnished with lime wedges.

Red Curry Paste

Orange Curry Paste

Green Curry Paste

Panang Curry Paste

Massaman Curry Paste

Yellow Curry Paste

Kua Kling Curry Paste

Southern Curry Paste

Vegetable Stock

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Summer Roll Dipping Sauce

Prik Gaeng Daeng

Red Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ Making curry paste from scratch may seem like hard work, but it really allows you to get to know the flavours you’re working with, and adjust them to your liking. It’s also worth it for the satisfaction: you will feel more fulfilled (and full!) knowing that right down to the paste, the entire curry was made by you.

5 long red chillies

5 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

1 tablespoon finely sliced greater galangal

1 teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon finely sliced coriander roots (or use fresh coriander stalks)

5 small shallots, roughly sliced

6 black peppercorns

Finely grind the chillies and salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend or pound the mixture to a fine, smooth paste.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Prik Gaeng Som

Orange Curry Paste

Makes 200g (7oz)

▸ Relatively unknown outside South East Asia, sharp and tangy orange curry is now starting to come into its own in the West as people’s tastes broaden. I learned how to make this paste from my auntie when I was little.

6 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

4 garlic cloves

5 shallots, sliced

½ teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

Finely grind the drained chillies and salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, then add the garlic, shallots and lime rind or leaves and grind the mixture to a fine paste. Add the galangal and continue pounding until the paste is smooth and fragrant.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Prik Gaeng Kiew

Green Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ Green curry is probably Thailand’s most famous curry, and its silky-smooth texture and complex flavours make it a customer favourite. I think it goes particularly well with bamboo shoots and, of course, a steaming bowl of jasmine rice. This recipe was handed down to me by my auntie.

5 long green chillies

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

1 tablespoon finely sliced greater galangal

½ teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon finely sliced coriander roots (or use fresh coriander stalks)

5 small shallots, sliced

6 black peppercorns

Finely grind the chillies and salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pound or blend the mixture to a fine, smooth paste.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Prik Gaeng Panang

Panang Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ This is another paste recipe that came to me from my auntie, and like Yellow Curry Paste, this one is also influenced by the Silk Road spice trade route that went from India to Malaysia. Panang curry is traditionally served quite thick and is packed full of flavour.

6 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 teaspoons sliced lemongrass

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

1 teaspoon finely sliced greater galangal

½ teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon finely sliced coriander roots (or use fresh coriander stalks)

5 shallots, sliced

6 black peppercorns

Finely grind the drained chillies and salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend to a fine paste.

Prik Gaeng Massaman

Massaman Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ Some say Massaman Curry was created north of Bangkok in the ancient city of Ayutthaya with help from a Persian spice trader, others believe this is a southern Thai dish or even a Malaysian one. One thing is certain: the flavours are definitely influenced from outside Thailand.

5 shallots, unpeeled

2 garlic bulbs, unpeeled

1 tablespoon sliced greater galangal

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 cloves

6 black peppercorns

3 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

In a wok or frying pan set over a medium heat, dry-fry the whole shallots and garlic for 5–10 minutes, until golden and soft. Leave to cool, then peel off the skin. Set aside.

Using the same pan, dry-fry the galangal and lemongrass over a medium heat until fragrant and slightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Set aside. Dry-fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns for 2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring continuously. Pound or grind to a powder.

Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, finely pound or grind together the drained chillies and salt. Add the galangal and lemongrass and pound or blend well. Now add the shallots and garlic and continue to pound or grind, then add the roasted spices. Grind or blend the mixture to a smooth paste.

Prik Gaeng Gari

Yellow Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ Yellow curry owes its colour to the turmeric in the curry powder. This spice has long been used extensively in southern Thailand due to the region’s proximity to Malaysia, which lay on the Maritime Silk Road, along which spices were traded. The people of southern Thailand soon made turmeric well and truly their own. Many of my recipes have been inspired by trips down south.

5 shallots, unpeeled

10 small garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 tablespoons finely sliced greater galangal

1 teaspoon peeled and finely sliced fresh root ginger

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons curry powder

In a wok or frying pan set over a medium heat, dry-fry the whole shallots and garlic for 5–10 minutes, until golden and soft. Leave to cool, then peel off the skins. Set aside.

Using the same frying pan or wok, dry-fry the galangal and ginger over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant and slightly golden. Leave to cool.

Now dry-fry the coriander seeds over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until fragrant. Using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, grind or pound until fine. Set aside.

Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, finely pound or blend the drained chillies with the salt. Add the roasted galangal and ginger, along with the lemongrass, and pound well. Add the shallots and garlic and pound or blend again. Now add the ground coriander seeds, cumin and curry powder and pound or blend until smooth.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Prik Gaeng Kua Kling

Kua Kling Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ My late grandma gave me this recipe around 2008, so this is still a relatively new addition to the repertoire. I’m so glad she gave it to me before she passed – it is a small part of her legacy imparted to me, now in this book.

10 red bird’s eye chillies

10–15 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 tablespoon finely sliced greater galangal

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

1 teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon finely sliced coriander roots (or use fresh coriander stalks)

5 small shallots, sliced

6 black peppercorns

1 tablespoon peeled and roughly chopped fresh turmeric

Finely grind both types of chillies and the salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend or pound the mixture to a fine, smooth paste.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Prik Gaeng Tai

Southern Curry Paste

Makes 300g (10½oz)

▸ Southern curry paste has a unique taste to it, thanks to the turmeric. I was taught this recipe by an old friend who had a stall selling curry pastes in Bangkok’s Min Buri market. This Malaysian-influenced paste was my favourite of the ones on offer.

3–5 red spur chillies

20 dried red chillies, deseeded and soaked until tender

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

5 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh turmeric

1 lesser galangal root, sliced

1 tablespoon finely sliced greater galangal

5 small shallots, sliced

1 teaspoon finely sliced kaffir lime rind or leaves

2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass

1 teaspoon finely sliced coriander roots (or use fresh coriander stalks)

6 black peppercorns

Finely grind the spur chillies, the soaked dried chillies and the salt together using a pestle and mortar or a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend or pound the mixture to a fine, smooth paste.

This curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for 4–8 weeks if stored in an airtight container and for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Nam Soop Pak

Vegetable Stock

Makes 1 litre (1¾ pints)

▸ I used to make vegetable stock constantly, thanks to growing up on our vegetable farm in Khao Kho. Any vegetables we couldn’t sell did not go to waste, but were turned into stock to make Tom Jud, which means ‘plain soup’. I particularly remember using daikon, as that is one of my favourite vegetables – it becomes beautifully translucent in the soup and gives off a delightfully subtle flavour. If you can, I recommend adding daikon to any vegetable stock you make from here on out.

1.4 litres (2½ pints) water

2 coriander roots (or use 10 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped

7 black peppercorns, crushed

1 onion, quartered

1 daikon (Chinese white radish or mooli), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks

Pour the measured water into a deep saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients. Once the stock begins to boil again, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Strain the stock into a bowl to remove any large bits.

The stock can be stored in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, or in the freezer for 2–3 months.

Nam Jim Wan

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Makes 400–500ml (14–18fl oz)

▸ Nam jim wan, as it’s called in Thai, is the number one dipping sauce in Thailand. This, being my mum’s recipe, reminds me of our chilli harvest: we grew some seriously spicy chillies on our farm, as did everyone else, and always had a surplus. The best ways to use excess chillies are to make chilli oil or dipping sauce or to roast them before pounding them into chilli powder. Sweet chilli was my favourite of all these options. Don’t make it too sweet or it will overpower the burst of flavour the chilli seeds bring to the sauce.

150g (5½oz) diced pineapple

10 red spur chillies

2 red peppers, cored, deseeded and roughly chopped

10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, chopped

1 tablespoon crushed greater galangal

150ml (¼ pint) rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

3 tablespoons palm sugar

3 tablespoons demerara sugar

1 tablespoon cornflour

Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor, grind together the pineapple, chillies, peppers, garlic, lemongrass and galangal to a very fine paste. Set aside.

Set a deep saucepan over a high heat and add the rice vinegar, followed by the salt and sugars. Stir constantly until everything has dissolved, then slowly mix in the pineapple paste 1 tablespoon at a time. Cook over a gentle heat for 10–15 minutes, adding the cornflour 1 teaspoon at a time until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Once the cornflour is fully dissolved, remove from the heat and leave to cool. The finished sauce should be glossy and slightly translucent.

Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 4 weeks.

Nam Jim Por Pia Sod

Summer Roll Dipping Sauce

Makes 550ml (19fl oz)

▸ I was first taught how to make fresh summer rolls and the sauce to go with them by a friend in Hong Kong. A few years later, when I was back in Khao Kho, my hometown in Thailand, I decided to tweak my friend’s delicious sauce recipe, and the sweet yet tangy taste of tamarind, a speciality product in my hometown, gave it the perfect twist.

400ml (14fl oz) ready-made tamarind paste

400ml (14fl oz) water

10 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons palm sugar

5 tablespoons light soy sauce

5 tablespoons sweet soy sauce

3 tablespoons finely chopped pickled garlic

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 tablespoon sea salt flakes

50g (1¾oz) crushed roasted peanuts

Set a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Add the tamarind paste, measured water and the sugars and heat gently, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the soy sauces, pickled garlic, chilli powder and salt as you go along, and cook for a further 5–10 minutes or until the sauce is thick and syrupy.

Finally, add the peanuts and stir well. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 4 weeks.

Index

asparagus: stir-fried tofu & ginger

aubergines

grilled aubergine with spicy dressing

jungle curry

stir-fried aubergine with roasted chilli paste

stir-fried kale with aubergine & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried spicy aubergine with sweet basil

tofu with southern curry paste

bamboo shoots

bamboo shoot red curry

bamboo shoot salad

jungle curry

spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

stir-fried bamboo shoots & green beans

stir-fried bamboo shoots & peas with kua kling curry paste

stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

tofu with southern curry paste

bean sprouts

Pad Thai egg noodles

stir-fried bean sprouts

black beans: yard-long beans with black bean sauce

butter bean Panang curry

butternut squash

butternut red curry

griddled butternut squash with chillies

steamed enoki mushroom in curry mousse

cabbage

cabbage with preserved yellow soybean paste

fried spring rolls

Pad Thai egg noodles

stir-fried glass noodles

carrots

fresh summer rolls

fried spring rolls

cashew nuts

papaya salad

stir-fried pumpkin with cashew nuts

Thai sweetcorn salad

chickpeas: stir-fried chickpeas with curry paste

chillies

cabbage with preserved yellow soybean paste

chilli dip

drunken flat noodles

drunken mixed vegetables

green curry paste

griddled butternut squash with chillies

Kua Kling curry paste

mangetout with soybean paste & chillies

Massaman curry paste

mixed vegetable fried rice

orange curry paste

Panang curry paste

red curry paste

southern curry paste

spicy mixed vegetables in Thai herbs

spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

stir-fried aubergine with roasted chilli paste

stir-fried bamboo shoots & green beans

stir-fried brown rice with holy basil sauce

stir-fried kale with aubergine & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried leek with garlic & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried long beans with red curry paste

stir-fried pumpkin with cashew nuts

stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

stir-fried spicy aubergine with sweet basil

stir-fried tofu & ginger

stir-fried tofu with chives & chillies

sweet chilli sauce

tofu holy basil stir-fry

tofu with southern curry paste

tofu with young peppercorns

tom yum oyster mushrooms with tofu

tom zaap mixed mushrooms

yellow curry paste

Chinese broccoli

Chinese broccoli with yellow soybean paste

stir-fried vermicelli

coconut milk

bamboo shoot red curry

butter bean Panang curry

butternut red curry

coconut soup with mixed vegetables

coconut soup with oyster mushrooms

mixed vegetable green curry

mushroom Panang curry

red curry with pineapple & firm tofu

steamed enoki mushroom in curry mousse

tofu Massaman curry

tofu Panang curry

tofu yellow curry

congee with shiitake mushrooms

curries

bamboo shoot red curry

butter bean Panang curry

butternut red curry

jungle curry

mixed vegetable green curry

mixed vegetable orange curry

mushroom Panang curry

red curry with pineapple & firm tofu

steamed enoki mushroom in curry mousse

tofu Massaman curry

tofu Panang curry

tofu with southern curry paste

tofu yellow curry

curry pastes

green curry paste

Kua Kling curry paste

Massaman curry paste

orange curry paste

Panang curry paste

red curry paste

southern curry paste

yellow curry paste

daikon

vegetable stock

dips

chilli dip

summer roll dipping sauce

eggs

fried eggs with Lom Sak tamarind sauce

grilled aubergine with spicy dressing

steamed eggs with tofu

stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

tofu stewed in Thai gravy

fruit: mixed fruit salad

galangal. see also curry pastes

ginger

mushrooms in ginger sauce

stir-fried tofu & ginger

gravy

stir-fried mushroom gravy

tofu stewed in Thai gravy

green beans

mixed mushroom salad with green beans

stir-fried bamboo shoots & green beans

kale

flat noodles with tofu in gravy sauce

stir-fried kale with aubergine & ‘oyster’ sauce

leeks: stir-fried leek with garlic & ‘oyster’ sauce

lotus root: stir-fried flat noodles with lotus root

mangetout

mangetout with soybean paste & chillies

stir-fried bean sprouts

mushrooms

‘baked’ tofu with glass noodles

bamboo shoot salad

Chinese spice stew with shiitake mushrooms

clear glass noodle soup

coconut soup with mixed vegetables

coconut soup with oyster mushrooms

congee with shiitake mushrooms

flat noodles with tofu in gravy

fried spring rolls

grilled eryngii in nam tok sauce

mangetout with soybean paste & chillies

mixed mushroom salad with green beans

mushroom larb salad

mushroom Panang curry

mushrooms in ginger sauce

noodle soup stock

spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

steamed enoki mushroom in curry mousse

stir-fried mushroom gravy

stir-fried tofu with chives & chillies

stir-fried vermicelli

sweet & sour button mushrooms

tofu in mushroom sauce

tofu stewed in Thai gravy

tom yum noodle soup

tom yum oyster mushrooms with tofu

tom zaap mixed mushrooms

noodles

‘baked’ tofu with glass noodles

clear glass noodle soup

drunken flat noodles

flat noodles stir-fried with baby corn

flat noodles with tofu in gravy sauce

fresh summer rolls

glass noodle salad with tofu

Pad Thai

Pad Thai egg noodles

rice noodle soup with mixed vegetables

stir-fried flat noodles with lotus root

stir-fried flat noodles with mixed vegetables

stir-fried glass noodles

stir-fried vermicelli

tofu salad

tom yum noodle soup

papaya salad

patties: sweetcorn patties

peanuts

butter bean Panang curry

crispy tofu wedges

mushroom Panang curry

Pad Thai

spicy long bean salad

summer roll dipping sauce

tofu Massaman curry

tofu satay & peanut sauce

peas: stir-fried bamboo shoots & peas with kua kling curry paste

peppers

pineapple fried rice

sweet chilli sauce

tofu holy basil stir-fry

pineapple

pineapple fried rice

red curry with pineapple & firm tofu

sweet & sour mixed vegetables

sweet chilli sauce

potatoes

tofu Massaman curry

tofu yellow curry

pumpkin: stir-fried pumpkin with quail’s eggs: spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

quinoa: larb quinoa with tofu salad

rice

congee with shiitake mushrooms

mixed vegetable fried rice

pineapple fried rice

stir-fried brown rice with holy basil sauce

stir-fried mushroom gravy

rice paper: fresh summer rolls

runner beans: stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

salads

bamboo shoot salad

crispy tofu salad with Thai herbs

glass noodle salad with tofu

griddled butternut squash with chillies

grilled aubergine with spicy dressing

larb quinoa with tofu salad

mixed fruit salad

mixed mushroom salad with green beans

mushroom larb salad

papaya salad

spicy long bean salad

steamed eggs with tofu

steamed tofu with yellow soybean sauce

Thai sweetcorn salad

tofu salad

sauces

fried eggs with Lom Sak tamarind sauce

grilled eryngii in nam tok sauce

mushrooms in ginger sauce

steamed tofu with yellow soybean sauce

stir-fried brown rice with holy basil sauce

summer roll dipping sauce

sweet chilli sauce

tofu in mushroom sauce

tofu satay & peanut sauce

soup

clear glass noodle soup

coconut soup with mixed vegetables

coconut soup with oyster mushrooms

rice noodle soup with mixed vegetables

tom yum noodle soup

tom yum oyster mushrooms with tofu

tom zaap mixed mushrooms

stew: Chinese spice stew with shiitake mushrooms

stir-fries

cabbage with preserved yellow soybean paste

Chinese broccoli with yellow soybean paste

drunken mixed vegetables

flat noodles stir-fried with baby corn

mangetout with soybean paste & chillies

mushrooms in ginger sauce

spicy mixed vegetables in Thai herbs

spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

stir-fried aubergine with roasted chilli paste

stir-fried bamboo shoots & green beans

stir-fried bamboo shoots & peas with kua kling curry paste

stir-fried bean sprouts

stir-fried brown rice with holy basil sauce

stir-fried chickpeas with curry paste

stir-fried flat noodles with lotus root

stir-fried flat noodles with mixed vegetables

stir-fried glass noodles

stir-fried kale with aubergine & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried leek with garlic & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried long beans with red curry paste

stir-fried mixed vegetables

stir-fried mixed vegetables in roasted chilli paste

stir-fried mushroom gravy

stir-fried pumpkin with cashew nuts

stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

stir-fried spicy aubergine with sweet basil

stir-fried tofu & ginger

stir-fried tofu with chives & chillies

stir-fried vermicelli

sweet & sour button mushrooms

sweet & sour mixed vegetables

tofu holy basil stir-fry

tofu in mushroom sauce

tofu with young peppercorns

yard-long beans with black bean sauce

stock

vegetable stock

summer rolls: fresh summer rolls

sweetcorn

flat noodles stir-fried with baby corn

larb quinoa with tofu salad

sweetcorn patties

Thai sweetcorn salad

textured vegetable protein

stir-fried bamboo shoots & green beans

stir-fried chickpeas with curry paste

stir-fried leek with garlic & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried bamboo shoots & peas with kua kling curry paste

stir-fried runner beans with holy basil

yard-long beans with black bean sauce

tofu

‘baked’ tofu with glass noodles

bamboo shoot red curry

cabbage with preserved yellow soybean paste

chilli dip

Chinese spice stew with shiitake mushrooms

clear glass noodle soup

coconut soup with mixed vegetables

congee with shiitake mushrooms

crispy tofu salad with Thai herbs

crispy tofu wedges

drunken flat noodles

drunken mixed vegetables

flat noodles stir-fried with baby corn

flat noodles with tofu in gravy sauce

glass noodle salad with tofu

jungle curry

larb quinoa with tofu salad

mushrooms in ginger sauce

Pad Thai

Pad Thai egg noodles

red curry with pineapple & firm tofu

rice noodle soup with mixed vegetables

spicy long bean salad

spicy mushrooms with quails’ eggs

steamed eggs with tofu

steamed tofu with yellow soybean sauce

stir-fried bean sprouts

stir-fried flat noodles with lotus root

stir-fried glass noodles

stir-fried leek with garlic & ‘oyster’ sauce

stir-fried mixed vegetables

stir-fried tofu & ginger

stir-fried tofu with chives & chillies

sweet & sour mixed vegetables

tofu holy basil stir-fry

tofu in mushroom sauce

tofu Massaman curry

tofu Panang curry

tofu salad

tofu satay & peanut sauce

tofu stewed in Thai gravy

tofu with southern curry paste

tofu with young peppercorns

tofu yellow curry

tom yum noodle soup

tom yum oyster mushrooms with tofu

vegetables

coconut soup with mixed vegetables

drunken mixed vegetables

mixed vegetable fried rice

mixed vegetable green curry

mixed vegetable orange curry

Pad Thai

rice noodle soup with mixed vegetables

spicy mixed vegetables in Thai herbs

stir-fried flat noodles with mixed vegetables

stir-fried mixed vegetables

stir-fried mixed vegetables in roasted chilli paste

sweet & sour mixed vegetables

yard-long beans

spicy long bean salad

stir-fried long beans with red curry paste

tofu holy basil stir-fry

yard-long beans with black bean sauce

Acknowledgements

Firstly, I would like to thank my parents and grandparents, who taught me everything I know about food, cooking and a lot about life, too. I am proud to have started out as a farmer and consider myself very lucky to have done so, as this experience has given me my knowledge and love of vegetables – both growing and eating them.

Next I would like to say a big thank you to Richard Poole, my co-author and son. I would not have been able to write this book without him.

Lastly, my thanks and appreciation to everyone on the publishing team at Octopus and to my colleague Punky Patra-Yanan from Rosa’s Thai Café. Punky has stood by my side from the first day of this project and has been a great help throughout the journey.

Thank you all.

An Hachette UK Company

www.hachette.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 2018 by Mitchell Beazley, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd

Carmelite House

50 Victoria Embankment

London EC4Y 0DZ

www.octopusbooks.co.uk

www.octopusbooksusa.com

Copyright © Octopus Publishing Group Ltd 2018

Text copyright © Saiphin Moore 2018

Distributed in the US by

Hachette Book Group

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New York, NY 10104

Distributed in Canada by

Canadian Manda Group

664 Annette Street

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6S 2C8

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Saiphin Moore asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

eISBN 978 1 78472 512 9

Publishing Director

Stephanie Jackson

Art Director & Designer

Yasia Leedham-Williams

Senior Editor

Alex Stetter

Photography

Louise Hagger

Prop Stylist

Alexander Breeze

Cover Illustration

Sara Netherway

Senior Production Manager

Peter Hunt

Table of Contents

Title

Contents

How to Use This Ebook

Introduction

Small Bites & Soups

Salads

Stir-fries

Curries

Noodles & Rice

Sauces, Stocks & Curry Pastes

Glossary of UK & US Terms

Index

Acknowledgements

Copyright