lemon grass

  • Chicken Larb

    Chicken Larb

    Chicken Larb


    (Serves 6-8)

    1 Head of Boston Lettuce or similar, separated into individual 'lettuce cups'
    2 large chicken breasts
    2 Thai bird chilies or a Serrano chili, minced
    1 tsp lemon grass (optional)
    2 tblsp toasted rice flour
    2 shallots, minced
    ¼ small red onion, minced
    juice of 3 limes
    2 tsp sambal oelek (chili sauce)
    ½ bunch mint, minced
    ½ bunch of cilantro, minced
    1 tsp salt
    ¼ cup crushed peanuts, garnish (optional)

    NOTES: Serve hot or cold. I used Jasmin rice for the toasted rice powder and after toasting it till golden in a frying pan over low heat, I ground it to powder using a spice grinder.

    Remove any fat from the chicken breast and mince the meat, either use a food processor or a knife and make tiny pieces. In a frying pan on medium heat quickly cook the chicken, don't over cook it.

    If you're making hot larb, continue adding the ingredients to the fry pan, liquids first then chilies and spices and then the toasted rice flour and lastly herbs. Turn off the heat and serve in the lettuce cups.

    If you are making cold larb, remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Add the toasted rice powder, stir in well. Add the rest of the ingredients and let sit 10 minutes before serving in lettuce cups.

    Top with crushed nuts if you are using them.

  • Chili Lime Chicken Coconut Soup

    Chili Lime Chicken Coconut Soup
    Chili Lime Chicken Coconut Soup
    (Serves @ 6-10)
    2-3 Chicken breasts, boneless, cut into ¼ inch strips
    1 tblsp chili powder, mix together with the salt below
    ¾ tblsp salt
    lime zest, from 5 limes
    5 limes, squeezed for their juice
    2 lg cans of coconut milk
    10 cups of chicken stock
    1 stalk of lemon grass, optional, OR zest of 2 lemons
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp white pepper
    1 roasted jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced
    1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
    2 corn tortillas, cut into 1½ inch by ¼ inch sliced strips and fried crispy
    1 green onion, optional, sliced thin
    NOTES:

    Bring stock to a simmer and stir in salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper.
    Now add the roasted jalapeno lime zest and lime juice and lemon grass/zest if using.
    Now turn heat to low, add coconut milk. Don't let the coconut milk boil as it may separate.
    Taste and adjust seasoning or salt.

    Roll the raw chicken strips into the mixture of salt and chili powder and then cut into small ½ inch pieces. Drop into soup and stir. The chicken should not take long to cook in the soup, around 3-5 minutes.

    Serve and garnish with chopped scallion and crispy tortilla strips.

  • Northern Thai Sausage (Sai Oua)

    Northern Thai Sausage - Sai Oua
    Northern Thai Sausage (Sai Oua)
    (Serves 4)

    1 lb Fatty ground pork, 70/30
    5 Kaffir Lime leaves, finely chopped (Can substitute Key Lime zest from 12-16 limes)
    ½ cup Lemon Grass, finely chopped
    2 tblsp Galangal, finely chopped
    1 tblsp Ginger, finely chopped
    2 tblsp Red Curry paste
    1 tsp Turmeric powder
    2 tsp Sugar
    3 tblsp Soy Sauce
    4 Thai chilies, minced fine (Thai bird chilies)
    Sausage Casing, optional


    10 lb batch

    • 10 lb Fatty ground pork, 70/30
    • 50 Kaffir Lime leaves, finely chopped
    • 5 cups Lemon Grass, finely chopped
    • 1 cup + 4 tblsp Galangal, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup + 2 tblsp Ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 cup + 4 tblsp Red Curry paste
    • 3 tblsp + 1 tsp Turmeric powder
    • 6 tblsp + 2 tsp Sugar
    • 1 + 3/4 cup + 2 tblsp Soy Sauce
    • 40 Thai chilies, minced fine (Thai bird chilies)
    • Sausage Casing, optional
     
    NOTES: Omit all but one Thai chili for people who don't like the heat, but remember this sausage is supposed to be spicy! You can also add cilantro and green onions to the mix.
     

    For the galangal and ginger, lightly peel (but you don't have to), cut into thin discs, add to food processor, add just enough water to make a paste, set aside.
    For the lemon grass, remove the first layer of dry shoot and discard, on a bias cut off a small nub of the root, discard and continue with thin slices on the bias until you reach 4 inches to the top of the stringier part of the lemon grass. Add to the food processor and add enough water to make a paste, set aside. Mince the lime leaves and then the Thai chiles. Combine the lemon grass, ginger, galangal, lime leaves and Thai chiles together, (you can use a mortar and pestal for making ingredients into paste, or or at the least make sure they are at "finely" chopped.

    If you're grinding your own pork, cut the pork into large 1½ inch chunks, so they fit into your grinder shoot. In a large stainless steel bowl, put in the chunks of pork and put in your freezer depending on the amount for 30 minutes to an hour (you want the meat to be around 30-35 degrees, keeping the meat at this temperature assures that the fat does not smear which makes for a less tasty sausage experience). You also want a second larger stainless steel bowl to catch the ground meat and also the metal grinder attachments should also be put into the freezer for 30 minutes prior to grinding the sausage. Once at the correct temperature, place your large mixing bowl under the mixer/grinder attachment, with the meat in another large very cold bowl, grind the pork using the medium die.

    Mix the ground pork with the red curry paste, turmeric, soy sauce, Thai chiles and sugar.
    Now mix in the finely chopped galangal, ginger, lime zest/kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.

    If your using the casing fill your sausages, otherwise you can pat out patties and then frying them like any sausage!

    Eat with Thai Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce and/or nuoc cham (a Vietnamese dipping sauce).