Cooking in the Florida Garden

Here are some Thai recipes to spice up your taste buds...

Tome Yum Goong
Spicy Lemon Grass Soup with Shrimp and Lime

In a large sauce pan bring the stock to a boil over medium heat.  Meanwhile, trim the lemongrass stalks.  Cut away and discard the grassy tops of the stalks, leaving stalks about 6" long.   Cut away any hard root section to leave a clean, smooth, flat base at the root end below the bulb.  Remove and discard the tough outer leaves.  Using a rolling pin or blunt edge of a heavy knife, whack the stalks firmly and roll over to bruise the stalks on all sides.

Add the bruised lemongrass stalks and 6 of the lime leaves to the boiling stock and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook until stock is fragrant and the lemongrass has changed to a dull green, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, de-stem the chilies, crush them  until they split then place them in a large serving bowl along with the lime juice, green onions and remaining lime leaves.  Set aside.

Remove and discard the lemongrass from the stock.  Increase the heat to high and add the mushrooms.  When the soup has boiled for 1 minute, add the fish sauce and shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm -- no more than 1 minute.  Remove the soup from the heat and quickly pour into the bowl containing the chili mixture.  Stir quickly to combine and taste for seasoning.  The soup should be intensely sour, salty and hot.  Adjust with more lime juice, fish sauce and chilies as desired.  Serve at once.

SERVES 6

Boh Biah Tote
Fried Spring Rolls

Place the bean thread noodles in a large bowl, cover with warm water and soak until softened, about 30 minutes.  Place cloud ears in a medium bowl, cover with warm water and soak until softened,  about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, coat a small skillet with a little oil and warm for 1 minute over medium heat.  Pour in  1/4 of the eggs, tip the pan so that the egg covers the bottom in a thin sheet, and cook until set and opaque, less than 1 minute.  Turn the egg sheet out onto a plate and repeat with the remaining eggs in 3 batches.  When the sheets are cool, stack and slice into long, thin shreds, set aside.   Make the Sweet-Hot Garlic Sauce and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Drain the noodles well and dump onto a cutting board.  Shape the

noodles into a log and cut into 2" lengths.   Add the noodles to the bowl containing the egg shreds.

Drain the cloud ears and place on a cutting board.  Cut off any hard pieces you may find.  Slice the cloud ears into long, thin shreds and set aside.  Combine the fish sauce, pepper and sugar in a small bowl and place it next to the stove along with the garlic, onions, pork and shrimp.

Heat a wok or medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the surface.  When the oil is very hot, add the garlic and onions and stir-fry until golden.  Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink.  Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink and opaque.  Add the fish sauce mixture and toss well.

Add the noodles, cloud ears and egg strips and stir-fry mixing all of the ingredients well.  The noodles will turn from white to clear, soft and curly.  When the noodles have changed and all ingredients are well mixed, dump them into a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Gently separate the spring roll wrappers.  Place 1 wrapper, smooth side down, on a a work surface; cover the remaining wrappers with a dampened paper towel while you work.  Position the wrapper with a point toward you.  Place a heaping spoonful of the filling in the center of the half of the diamond that is closest to you.  Use your fingers to shape the filling into a log about 3" long.  Fold the wrapper point closest to you up, over and around the filling.  Begin to roll the wrapper and when you have rolled halfway to the top point, fold the right and left sides in toward the middle.  Then keep rolling.  When you reach the top point, moisten it with water and seal the roll like an envelope.  Set the roll aside on a tray or baking sheet with the seam side down.  Continue making spring rolls until you have used up all of the filling, spacing the finished rolls so that they don't touch each other and separating successive layers with plastic wrap.

Pour the oil into a wok or a Fry-Daddy™ to a depth of 3".  Heat over medium heat 350° to 375°F.   Meanwhile, prepare a drain basket for the fried spring rolls by lining a colander or large strainer with paper towels to catch any drippings.  Drop a small piece of the wrapper into the hot oil.  If it sizzles, the oil is ready.  Carefully add a spring roll into the oil where it should sizzle and bubble at once.  Add 2 more spring rolls and cook until golden brown.

Remove the spring rolls with a long handled slotted spoon allowing the oil to drain off then transfer to the prepared drain basket to drain.  Place the spring rolls on the platter, garnish with cilantro, and serve with saucers of the Sweet-Hot Garlic Sauce.

MAKES ABOUT 32 SPRING ROLLS

Nahm Jeem Gratiem
Sweet-Hot Garlic Sauce

In a small heavy sauce pan, combine the sugar, water, vinegar, garlic and salt.  Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until the liquid thickens slightly to a light syrup, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the chili peppers.  Cool to room temperature.  May be kept in a closed container in the refrigerator for later use.

MAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS

Nahm Takrai
Lemongrass Drink

Cut the leaves or tops into 2" lengths;  measure out 1 1/2 cups, loosely packed.  In a blender jar, combine the tops, water and syrup and blend at high speed until the water is a vivid green and the lemongrass leaves are reduced to fine, short, needlelike pieces, about 1 minute.   Strain through a very fine sieve into a large bowl or pitcher;  spoon off and discard the green foam.  Taste the drink for sweetness, add more syrup if desired.   Serve in tall glasses over ice.

SERVES 4

Source:  Real Thai: The Best of Thailand's Regional Cooking