'Nang Nak' Thai Recipes and Photos

This light and tasty Thai menu features Sweet & Spicy Thai Cashews, Spicy Tomato Dip, Grilled Fish Lettuce Wraps, Scallop Salad with Thai Citrus Dressing, Grilled Prawns with Ginger Butter, Thai Beef Noodle Soup, Thai Chicken with Snow Peas, Chili-Garlic Quail with Salt Cured Cabbage, and for dessert, Banana Custard Crumble.  

Sweet & Spicy Thai Cashews

1 cup cashew nuts (roasted & salted, not raw)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Thai chiles, seeds removed, finely minced
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat sesame oil in a skillet. Add cashew nuts, garlic and chiles and stir-fry over medium heat, stirring constantly until nuts are golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat. Serve with cold beer.

Spicy Tomato Dip

2 large tomatoes, coarsely diced
6 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 Thai chiles, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 lime, juice only
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce)

Shrimp Chips and/or fresh vegetables for dipping (cucumber, jicama, carrot, zucchini, lettuce hearts, etc.

Combine all ingredients. Pulse once or twice in a blender, until coarsely pureed. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. Serve with shrimp chips and/or fresh vegetables for dipping.

Grilled Fish Lettuce Wraps

 1/2 pound firm white fish (catfish, cod, tilapia, etc.)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 Thai chiles, seeded and finely minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
2 limes, juice only
1 tablespoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
1 teaspoon sugar

1 head red leaf lettuce

Brush fish filets with sesame oil and grill until done, about 3 minutes per side. Allow to cool, and flake the fish into large chunks. Saute garlic and shallots in a dry frying pan until tender and lightly browned. In a blender, combine chiles, garlic, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar; and puree until well blended. Pour over fish flakes and toss gently to blend. Serve with lettuce leaves for wrappers.

Scallop Salad with Thai Citrus Dressing

12 large scallops, cut in half crosswise
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet, and saute scallops over medium heat until opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.

Dressing:
2 limes, juice only
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 shallots, finely minced
6 large basil leaves, finely chopped
2 Thai chiles, seeded and finely minced

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until finely blended.

Salad:
2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
1 small head romaine lettuce, thinly shredded.

Place a bed of lettuce on each serving plate. Arrange scallops and tomatoes on the lettuce and drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.

Grilled Prawns with Ginger Butter

12 large prawns
1 stick butter, melted
1 knob ginger root, finely shredded
1 lime, juice only
4 bamboo skewers
Lime wedges for garnish

Place 3 prawns on each skewer and brush with melted butter. Grill until pink and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Combine remaining butter with ginger and lime juice in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until butter is infused with ginger essence. Pour ginger butter into dipping dishes and serve with grilled prawns and lime wedges.

Thai Beef Noodles

1/2 pound tender beef, sliced into thin strips
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups water
2 cups Chinese noodles, par-cooked for 3 minutes
3 baby bok choy

Spice Paste:
2 Thai chiles, seeded and finely minced
4 thin slices ginger root
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon corriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Place all spice paste ingredients in a dry skillet and pan-fry over medium heat until tender and fragrant. Transfer to a mortar bowl or blender, grind into a fine paste and set aside. Combine coconut milk and water in a large soup kettle and bring to a boil. Stir in nam pla, soy sauce, and spice paste, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in noodles and bok choy, remove from heat and allow to stand for about five minutes, until noodles are fully cooked and bok choy is tender. Serves 4.

Thai Garlic Chicken with Snow Peas

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and finely minced
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 lime, juice only
1 cup snow peas

Heat sesame oil in a wok or large skillet. Add garlic, lemongrass and chicken and stir fry until chicken is lightly browned. Add oyster sauce, nam pla, lime juice, and sugar and stir to thoroughly blend. Add snow peas and continue to stir-fry until peas are tender. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with steamed rice.

Chili-Garlic Quail with Salt Cured Cabbage

8 quail
1 small head napa cabbage, finely shredded
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 limes

Marinade:
4 cloves garlic
1 small knob ginger root, finely shredded
6 large basil leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Dressing:
2 limes, juice only
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce)

Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add quail and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. Place shredded cabbage in a large colander and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss gently to coat. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, rinse thoroughly and set aside. Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously.

Preheat oven to 400. Remove quail from marinade and place in a roasting pan. Roast quail for about 15 to 20 minutes, until meat is done and tender. Arrange cabbage on individual serving plates, drizzle with dressing and place 2 quail on top. Garnish with lime wedges. Serves 4.

Banana Custard Crumble
 
Custard:
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Combine egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Combine milk and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour about 1/3 cup of milk into the egg and sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Add egg mixture to milk and simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into a 12" baking dish, or into individual ramekins.
 
Fresh Fruit:
2 bananas (other fruits, such as mango, apricot, kiwi, etc. may also be used)
1 tablespoon sugar
 
Cut the fruit into thin slices. Arrange over custard and sprinkle with sugar.
 
Crumble Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
 
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a mixing bowl. Using your fingers, add butter a little at a time, working it into the flour until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Sprinkle crumble topping over fresh fruit. Bake about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired. Serves 4.