Thai Style Lime Pilaf Food

COCONUT WATER-LIME RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 1-quart covered baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in jasmine rice and cook until slightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in coconut water. Season with salt. Mix in juice of 1 lime. Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally until liquid begins to be absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake, covered, in the preheated oven until the coconut water is completely absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the cover and add carrots, green onions, cilantro, and remaining lime juice. Fluff with a fork; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

CRISPY WHOLE THAI FRIED FISH WITH GINGER TAMARIND SAUCE AND COCONUT-CILANTRO RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Special equipment: A large Dutch oven or deep wok, deep-fry thermometer and two 12-inch bamboo skewers
• Prepare the ginger tamarind sauce: In large saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup of the canola oil and allow to heat. Add the garlic, shallots and fresh ginger and saute until fragrant and the shallots are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, sambal and 1/2 cup water. Stir well and cook until the mixture is slightly reduced and has a maple syrup-like consistency, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Preheat 4 to 5 inches of canola oil to 350 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or deep wok. You need enough oil so the whole fish can be submerged.
• Prepare the fish: Make 3 diagonal slices into the flesh of one side of the snapper, cutting all the way to the bone and spacing the slices 2 inches apart. Repeat with the other side of the fish.
• Combine the cornstarch, rice flour, granulated garlic, ground ginger, salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Lightly dredge the fish all over with the seasoned flour, including inside the cuts. Shake off any excess flour, then form the fish into an "S" curve by threading two 12-inch bamboo skewers through the tail and body so it holds its wavy shape.
• Carefully place the fish into the hot oil so it is almost completely submerged. Fry the fish until deep golden and very crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. As it cooks, use a large metal spoon or ladle to carefully pour hot oil over any exposed part of the fish to ensure it cooks evenly. Carefully remove the fish from the oil and place on a wire rack to drain briefly. Season immediately with salt and lime juice. Carefully remove the skewers from the fish, and place it upright on a platter of Coconut-Cilantro Rice Pilaf. Pour the ginger tamarind sauce over the top. Garnish with the chilies and scallions.
• Rinse the rice by running it under cold water 2 or 3 times until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and ensures the rice comes out light and fluffy.
• Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and rice and stir well to coat the kernels evenly with oil. Add the coconut milk, salt, sugar and 1 cup water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until all the liquid has absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, keep covered and allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes to steam. Before serving, add the cilantro and fluff with a fork. Yield: 4 to 6 servings

THAI FRIED RICE RECIPE WITH SHRIMP (KHAO PAD GOONG ข้าวผัดกุ้ง)

Steps:

• If you're using whole fresh shrimp like I did, first pinch off the head, and peel the outer shell of the shrimp, leaving only the tail on (that's Thai style). You can also devein them if you'd like, but for small shrimp, to me it doesn't really matter.
• Peel 2 cloves of garlic, and then just finely mince them
• Slice ¼ of a sweet white onion into medium sized strips
• Finely dice about 3 - 4 green onions
• Take just 1 leaf of Chinese broccoli (kai-lan), slice it in half first along the spine, and then slice it into 1 centimeter sized strips
• Turn on your stove to medium high, heat up your wok (or frying pan), and add about 1 tablespoon of oil
• Once your oil is hot, add the garlic first, and stir fry continuously for about 15 seconds or so, until it gets nice and fragrant
• Next, toss in your shrimp, and fry for about 30 seconds - your shrimp should start to turn pink and feel more firm
• Add in a little less than ½ of your rice first. This is going to soak up all those delicious shrimp juices and oils and keep your rice nice and dry. Stir fry for about 10 more seconds - This is a little known trick to make good rice, so it remains nice and dry
• Scoot all your rice to one side of the pan, and then crack in the egg into the empty side
• Whirl the egg up, let it cook for a few seconds, and then start to mix it up with the rice and shrimp
• Keep stir frying for about 20 seconds until the egg is fully cooked, and then add in the rest of your rice, and give it a quick stir
• Add ½ tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of oyster sauce, just a pinch of sugar (optional), and continue stir frying your rice, making sure all the sauce get mixed in
• Then add your chopped Chinese broccoli and onions, and stir fry for another 30 seconds until the vegetables wilt, but they can still be crisp and not fully cooked
• Lastly, toss in your green onions, stir it a few more seconds, and it's ready
• Immediately dish your fried rice onto a plate
• Slice off a wedge of lime, and serve it on the plate next to the rice
• For the final touch, I like to sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper on top to give some extra flavor
• Add 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to a small bowl
• Slice about 5 Thai chilies (you can add more or less, up to you), and add them to the fish sauce
• Finally, I like it with a little squeeze of about ½ of a lime - but this is optional - and at many Thai restaurants it's only fish sauce and chilies
• That's is, give it a stir, and set it aside

THAI STYLE LIME PILAF

Steps:

• Combine all ingredints except basil in pot, stir over medium heat until reaches boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes without lifting lid.
• Remove lid, add basil and fluff with fork. Let sit, covered for 5 additional minutes.
• If your rice seems sticky, a small squeeze of fresh lime juice stirred into rice will help.

PILAF-STYLE RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted and golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the water and salt, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 18 minutes. Then let the rice rest off the heat for 5 minutes¿please don't lift the lid to give a peek or stir, or the rice will not cook evenly. Put the rice in a large serving bowl, fluff and separate the grains with a fork. Add lemon zest and/or thyme, if desired, and serve.

KAFFIR LIME PILAF

Steps:

• Combine ingredients in 2 quart saucepan.
• Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring once and cover.
• Reduce heat to medium low and gently simmer until rice is tender, 15 minutes.
• Let stand 5 minutes. Remove lime leaves before serving.

THAI-STYLE LIMEADE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan warm sugar with 1 cup water, stirring to dissolve. Put lime juice into tall glass container. Add two quarts of water. Add sugar syrup. Mix well and enjoy!