Daddy's Got Skilz

My in-laws are visiting for a few days. They wanted an extended summer, but what they are getting is hell. Literally. It's been 90+ degrees inside the house for the last two days and even I, the one who grew up in Las Vegas, am feeling uncomfortable. Just imagine how miserable the Vikings are feeling. Oh well, nothing to do but drink more beer!

Danes have a collective skill. They can open beer bottles with just about any object. Normally they just use lighters, but a fork, blunt knife, rock and as you can see, a hammer works well too.

Obviously, we haven't been cooking food inside. Tonight we grilled up chicken that was so delicious, it was snapped up before I could pull some aside to snap a proper picture. I marinated the chicken in a paste made by combining naam phrik phao with some garlic and Thai sweet basil. Can't go wrong with that combination, can you? So here you go!

Watch the master at work! And if you're following the gas vs coal saga, we still haven't done it.

Grilled Chicken Marinated in Naam Phrik Phao and Thai Sweet Basil

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts will work okay too)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs naam phrik phao
• 2 handfuls Thai sweet basil (use the stem and flowers too!)
• 4 tbs thin soy sauce or about 2-3 tbs regular soy sauce

When I grill thighs, I like to pound them to get them to a uniform thickness. Breaking down the meat fibers a little also allows the marinade to penetrate better, which means less marinating time. I definitely recommend doing this.

Make the marinating paste by pounding the garlic and Thai sweet basil. Transfer to a bowl and add the naam phrik phao and soy sauce. Mix well.

Add the paste to the chicken and rub it around to coat the chicken. Marinate for at least 3 hours in the fridge. Pounded chicken breasts need less time. One to 2 hours is probably sufficient for them. Take the chicken out of the fridge about 30 to 45 minutes before grilling to take the chill off. Grill over direct heat.

I served the chicken with Thai sticky rice. I also put out some sambal oelek, naam phrik phao and soy sauce for dipping.

Here are some other recipes using naam phrik phao that you may enjoy: Beef and asparagus stir-fry, stir-fry with naam phrik phao, Thai basil and coconut milk, shrimp and pomelo salad, and Thai hot and sour soup.

Weekend Wokking with Asparagus

If there’s one possession I’d want to take with me to the Afterlife, it would be my wok. It’s my pride and joy and has immense sentimental value. Weighing in at a whopping 10½ pounds, it’s a real cast iron monster. Countless stir-fries and deep-fries have left it beautifully seasoned. I could probably go on and on about how wonderful it is, but I'm afraid you'll think I'm a weirdo.

That wooden spoon is my second most prized possession. It's 19.5" long and perfect for stir-frying. I scored it on our trip to Italy.

I really don’t need a reason to bust out the wok. As it is, I use it easily 3 times a week. But when it’s for a special event, like dinner guests, a potluck or Weekend Wokking, I get particularly excited. What’s Weekend Wokking, you ask? It’s a blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks. The idea is to come up with a dish around a (seasonal) theme ingredient. This month’s ingredient is asparagus, so if you’ve got an asparagus recipe you know we’ll love, then do share! Wandering Chopsticks is the host this month, so shoot her an email with your entry and she’ll include you in the round-up. But you better hurry, deadline’s this Sunday! If you can't make the deadline but want to participate in the future, check out the host list. And don’t let the fact that you don’t have a wok stop you. It’s not a requirement. You just have to feature the theme ingredient in your dish.



Asparagus...such a versatile vegetable. When it’s in season, like now, I actually like to eat it raw, but it’s also great used in stir-frys. I love the way it stays crisp-tender. It’s also on the approved vegetables list, which is another way of saying Sonny will eat it.

This stir-fry uses one of my favorite flavor bases, a seasoning paste called naam prik phao. It’s a chilli paste made using chillies, shallots, tamarind juice, dried shrimp, fermented shrimp paste and sugar. As you can judge from the ingredients, it a little sweet, a little spicy and has a nice dose of umami. I use it in hot and sour soup, atop sunny side up eggs, in stir-fries and as a general dipping sauce. Naam prik phao can be found at any Thai-Viet grocer and maybe other Asian grocers with SE Asian sections. Alternatively, you can make it yourself. There are numerous recipes on the web, however I can not endorse these, as I've not tried them. I have recently made some based on a recipe from The Food of Thailand (see right side bar), and it was good. Next time I do it, I'll post about it with pictures.


Thai-style Beef and Asparagus Stir-fry
Feeds 4

• 1 pound beef chuck steak, sliced for stir-frying
• 1 tbs Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, roughly minced
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch segments
• 2 tbs naam prik phao
• 2 tbs thin soy sauce (regular soy sauce is fine)
• 2 tbs oyster sauce, preferably Thai

In a small bowl, combine the beef, cornstarch and Chinese cooking wine. Combine well and set aside until needed.

In another small bowl, make the sauce by combining the naam prik pao, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine the ingredients. Set aside until needed.

Make sure you have all your ingredients very close by because this stir-fry goes lightning fast. Have a small cup of water handy as well just in case you need to thin the sauce a little. I bet it won’t take you more than 4 minutes to cook this dish!

Heat your wok over high heat until very hot. Add about 2 or 3 tbs oil (no olive! not appropriate for stir-fry; grape seed is best!) then add the beef followed by the garlic. If your wok is hot enough, your beef will cook very quickly. When the beef is seared, but not cooked through (about 30 sec to 1 minute, max) add the asparagus. Cook for another minute. Add about 2/3 of the sauce mix. It should caramelize pretty quickly because of the high sugar content. If it gets too thick add a little water to thin it out. Quickly taste it and add the rest of the sauce if you think it’s required. Give everything a quick stir, then you're done. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Added: Check out the round-up here!

Spicy Shrimp and Pomelo Salad

Could it be? Is Spring coming early this year? Today it was just above 60 F and I swear people were walking around in shorts. I spent the day working in my garden. The snow peas are planted. The cilantro is planted. I laid down landscaping tarp to control them pesky weeds. Here in Portland, they grow like nobody’s business and no matter how much elbow grease I put into it, after about a week of warm weather, my garden is overrun. I also started my indoor seeds. This year I’m growing my own Thai sweet basil and holy basil. I sure hope my kaffir lime tree comes back to life. I left it insulated outside because I didn’t have any place to put it inside. I guess I’ll know in a couple of months. I do know that my lemongrass is dead (sorry mom). They didn't make it despite the insulation.

While I was toiling away in my yard, I was daydreaming about the coming summer. I’m so looking forward to grilling and eating al fresco, my tomato harvest, and leaving my back door open to allow a gentle breeze to cool my house. And just because I'm tired of heavy winter food, I made a refreshing shrimp and pomelo salad for dinner today. I found the recipe in a Thai cookbook I got from Costco called The Food of Thailand (check out the thumbnail in the right sidebar). I bought it for the pictures, but wasn’t expecting too much from the recipes. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. I use it often for guidelines and inspiration.

You'll notice I listed a few things as optional because I didn't add them for one reason or another, but I still think the result was quite tasty. The sweet acidity of the pomelo goes so well with the spiciness of the dressing. And it takes no time to throw it all together. If you're a fan of Thai flavors, I think you'll enjoy this one.

Pomelo is the godfather of citrus fruits (as far as size goes). It's got a thick skin that's a bitch to peel, so I always cut it with a sharp knife. The taste is more mellow than a grapefruit. By that, I mean it's sweeter and less acidic. The difference between the two remind me of the difference between a lime and a regular lemon. If you like grapefruit, I'm positive you'll like pomelo. And if you're not a fan of grapefruit, give pomelo a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Pomelo and Shrimp Salad with Spicy Herb Dressing

• 2/3 to ¾ pounds medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined
• 1 pomelo
• ¼ large sweet onion, sliced into thin wedges
• ½ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs naam prik phao
  
• 1 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Thai chilies split lengthwise, to taste (optional)
• 3 tbs unsweetened (!!) shredded coconut, toasted (optional)
• 1 tbs crispy fried shallots or onions (optional)

Set a medium pot of water on for the shrimp. When it comes to a rapid boil, add the shrimp and allow them to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes (adjust the heat if necessary to keep it at a simmer). Resist the urge to stir the shrimp. Just let them poach away gently. When they’re done, drain them and dunk them in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain them again and put them in the fridge until needed.

It’s easiest to peel the pomelo using a sharp knife. Try to remove as much of the pith as possible, since it can be quite bitter. Cut the segments free and reserve them in a bowl.

In another small bowl, combine the fish sauce, naam prik phao, lime juice and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. You want a uniform mixture. Adjust the taste by adding more fish sauce, lime juice or sugar.

To assemble the salad, combine the onion, chili, mint, cilantro and toasted coconut in a large mixing bowl. Add the shrimp and pomelo (but not the accumulated juices). Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the dressing on top and stir gently. Taste and add more dressing if you like. Lastly, top with the fried onions, if using. Serve immediately, alone or with lettuce or cabbage leaves for wrapping.