Thai Style Cookin'

This weekend was full of fun learning experiences for me. I had a chance to cook with the Thais, and we got to eat everything we made...lots of veggies, and lots of sugar!

I learned how to make Thai Rotis, also called "Banana Pancakes" by the foreigners. I'm not sure yet how to make the dough balls, but they pour oil on a table and spread the balls out with their palms. Then, with one hand over and the other under, they throw the disk on the table, stretching it out until it's quite thin. It's a challenge to avoid putting holes in the thin dough...I'm not the best at it.

Then, they stretch the dough over hot oil on a flat pan and crack an egg in the middle. You swirl the egg with a spoon and then fold the edges of the dough over the top using your fingers. It's not a good idea to stick your fingers into a pan with burning oil, but they all do it, and no one seems to hurt themselves. Not yet, anyway :-)
They coat it with sweetened condensed milk and sugar, then wrap it in paper to go! You can do many combinations, though - I'm not as big a fan of the egg version. Derek and I like ours with mango or Nutella inside.

Then, a former employee of Step Ahead taught Bailey and I how to cook a traditional Thai dish, called Phad Pak Ruum Gai. The recipe is below if you want to try it yourself. Enjoy!

Phad Pak Ruum Gai

You'll need:
Snow Peas              Mushrooms
Carrots                   Onion
Cauliflower              2+ Garlic Cloves
Baby Corn              3 Chicken Breasts
Tomato                   Oyster Sauce

Wash all vegetables. Slice peas at a diagonal and pull off the ends/strings. Peel carrots and make the edges "fancy" by slicing along the length of the carrot and chipping out small sections along those lines. Chop cauliflower up and use the leaves too (rip into pieces). Chunk tomato and quarter mushrooms. Chop onion into big vertical slices. Peel garlic and press under a knife, chop. Wash and slice chicken breasts into short strips.

In a wok, heat vegetable oil. Add garlic, then add chicken, and some water. Add Thai oyster sauce (found in specialty food stores) and some soy sauce and let chicken cook fully. Throw in a pinch of salt. Add the carrots, cauliflower and corn. Allow to cook for a few minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables.

Serves 3. Serve with rice and top with a fried egg.