Thai Dipping Sauce

1/3 Cup cold water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped coriander

Place the cold water in a small bowl, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Stir in the fish sauce, vinegar, chilli and coriander leaves. Serve the spring rolls with the Dipping Sauce.

Spicy Thai Beef Salad with Nam Jim Dressing

600g beef rump steak

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

200g salad mix

2 Lebanese cucumbers, seeded, sliced thinly

3 sping onions, sliced thinly

¾ cup toasted cashews

Fresh coriander leaves

Nam Jim Dressing

4 spring onions, sliced thinly

1 clove garlic, peeled, quartered

1 small fresh red Thai chilli, chopped finely

2 teaspoons finely chopped coriander root

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Heat a grill plate. Rub the steak with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook steak over high heat until browned on both sides and cooked as desired. Transfer to a plate, stand, covered, for 10 minutes; slice steak thinly.

Nam jim dressing: Blend or process all ingredients until smooth.

Arrange salad leaves, cucumber, shallots, steak and cashews on a platter. Drizzle with Nam Jim Dressing and top with coriander leaves, if desired.

Mee Goreng

500 g dried egg noodles
6 Tablespoons oil
8 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt & freshly ground pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 teaspoons minced ginger
4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways, sliced diagonally
300 g cabbage, hard core removed, shredded
2 Tablespoons kecap manis
4 teaspoons chilli sauce
4 Tablespoons fried onions, to serve
Snow peas, cut very finely on the diagonal, to serve

Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 5 minutes or until just soft. Drain.

Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add one-quarter of the egg and swirl around the hot wok to form a thin omelette. Cook for 1 minute or until just set, season with salt and pepper. Transfer the omelette to a chopping board. Roll up and thinly slice. Repeat with the remaining egg to make 4 omelettes.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, carrots and cabbage and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until just tender. Add the noodles, kecap manis and chilli sauce and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Divide the mee goreng among serving plates. Sprinkle with the fried shallots. Serve topped with the omelette and snow pea sprouts

Green Chicken Curry

1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1 – 2 Tablespoons Green Curry Paste
1 ½ Cups coconut milk
½ Cup water
500 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite sized pieces

1 lemongrass stick
100 g green bean, cut into short pieces
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime rind
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
¼ Cup fresh coriander leaves

Heat the oil in a work or large pan. Add the onion and curry paste to the wok and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk and water to the wok and bring to the boil.

Add the chicken piece, lemongrasss and kaffir lime leaves to the wok. Stir to combine. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 – 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and ring, and brown sugar to the wok. Stir to combine.

Remove lemongrass and sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves just before serving.

Serve with steamed rice.

Thai Fish Cakes

450 g firm white fish fillets
3 Tablespoons cornflour
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 egg, beaten
½ Cup fresh coriander leaves
3 teaspoons Red Curry Paste
1 – 2 teaspoons chopped red chillis, optional
100 g green beans, very thinly sliced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
½ C oil for frying
Basic Dipping Sauce

Place the fish in a food processor and process for 20 seconds or until smooth. Add the cornflour, fish sauce, beaten egg, coriander leaves, curry paste and chillies. Process for 10 seconds or until well combined.

Transfer the fish mixture to a large bowl. Add the cliced green beans and chopped spring onions and mix well. Using wet hands, form two rounded Tablespoons of the mixture at a time into flattish patties.

Heat the oil in a medium frypan over medium heat. Cook 4 fish cakes at a time until they are dark golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately, with a dipping sauce.

Fresh Spring Rolls

50 g bean vermicelli

2 Cups hot water

8 dried rice paper wrappers

16 medium cooked prawns, peeled

16 fresh mint leaves

1 medium carrot, cut into thin strips

1 Cup fresh coriander leaves

1 Tablespoon grated lime rind

2 Tablespoons chilli sauce

Dip a rice paper wrapper into luke-warm water, allow to soften and place on a work surface. Place 2 prawns side-by-side in the centre of the wrapper and top with 2 mint leaves, 1 Tablespoon coriander, a few carrot sticks, a little lime rind and a small amount of rice noodles. Spoon a little chilli sauce over the top.

Press the filling down to flat it a little, bring in two sides; bring in two sides and roll up the parcel. Lay seam-side down on a serving plate and sprinkle with a little water; cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Note: For a vegetarian alternative, swap the prawns for cucumber strips.