Miruwin's Thai Recipes - Sauces

[Miruwin]

Did a Thai cooking course years ago and these were the recipes we cooked. I can vouch for every single one of them. They all work, aren't terribly difficult and fantastic taste.

Chili Dipping Sauce

3 birds eye chilis
3 cloves of garlic
1 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons sugar
1-2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
crushed peanuts
grated carrot
coriander

Crush chili and garlic in a mortar and pestle
Mix with boiling water, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce
Add crushed peanuts, grated carrot and coriander (mainly decorative)


Red or Green Curry Paste

6 red or green chilies
3 tablespoons chopped green shallots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon powdered fresh or dried lemon grass
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon ground galangal (or ginger if you cant get galangal)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon salt

Wash chilies under running water and remove stems and seeds
Combine all ingredients in an electric blender on high speed for 20-30 seconds, scraping down sides until a smooth paste
Makes about 1/2 cup of curry paste
Store in screw top jar in fridge for up to 4 weeks or can be frozen


Panang Curry Paste

8 large red dried chilies
1/2 cup hot water
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
1/2 cup chopped shallots
5cm fresh galangal
6-12 small garlic cloves
4 coriander roots
3 stems lemon grass
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Soak trimmed chilies in hot water for 30 minutes
Wrap shrimp paste in small amount of foil and cook under grill for 2 minutes or until softened
Place softened chilies, soaking water, shrimp paste, galangal, shallots, garlic, coriander root, lemon grass and rind, peppercorns and oil in food processor
Process until mixture forms a smooth paste
Add fish sauce, salt and peanut butter
Process again until all combined, make sure to scrape down sides of bowl
Makes about 1 cup of paste.
Store in a clean jar or airtight container in fridge or freeze.



Satay Sauce

1 small chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon grass
1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon dried chilies
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 coriander roots chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
150gm roasted ground peanuts or crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons sugr
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
pinch salt

Combine onion, lemon grass, shrimp paste, chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander, and coriander roots with enough coconut milk to moisten in a food processor and process until well combined
Heat oil in a saucepan and gently fry onion mixture for 1-2 minutes.
Add remaining coconut milk slowly, stirring all the time, ove a medium heat.
Reduce heat to low and add peanuts or peanut butter, stirring well so as not to separate.
Add sugar and tamarind juice and pinch of salt.
Taste to see if more salt or sugar is required.
If mixture is too thick, add extra coconut milk, stirring well until combined through
If mixture is too thin, simmer gently to reduce down

Peanuts and coconut milk will burn very easily. Take the time to cook this sauce slowly.