THE EVERYTHING® THAI COOKBOOK (47 page)

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Ice water

Vegetable oil for deep frying

1¼ pounds russet potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon ghee (see note) or oil

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ pound sweet peas, thawed if frozen

1 teaspoon salt

2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped mint

Lemon juice to taste

1. To make the pastry crust: In a large bowl, sift together the flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture.
   
2. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a firm dough is achieved. You will probably use 5 to 6 tablespoons of water total. Knead the dough for approximately 5 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside while making the potato filling.
   
3. To make the filling: Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until quite tender. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool until they are easy to handle. Cut them into a small dice; set aside.
   
4. In a large skillet, heat the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and sauté until the seeds begin to pop. Stir in the turmeric and the chili powder; cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the potatoes, peas, salt, and jalapeño slices. (It is okay if the potatoes and the peas get a little smashed.) Remove from heat, stir in the mint and lemon juice to taste, and set aside.
   
5. Roll the pastry until it is quite thin (
   -inch thick). Cut approximately ten 6-inch circles from the dough. Cut each circle in half. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each half circle. Dampen the edges of the dough with cold water, fold the dough over on itself to form a triangle, and seal firmly.
   
6. To fry, add approximately 3 inches of vegetable oil to a large saucepan. Heat the oil over high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add the samosas to the hot oil a few at a time and deep-fry until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the samosas to a stack of paper towels to drain.
   
7. Serve the samosas with Tamarind Dipping Sauce (see recipe on page 274).
   

Ghee

Ghee is another name for clarified butter. It is simple to make. Simply melt a quantity of unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the solid milk particles rise to the top and begin to brown. Remove the butter from the heat and strain it through cheesecloth. Ghee may be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

3 cups whole-wheat flour

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon ghee or oil

1 cup lukewarm water

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 2½ cups of flour and the salt. Add the ghee and, using your fingers, rub it into the flour and salt mixture.
   
2. Add the lukewarm water and mix to form a dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Don't skimp on the kneading; it is what makes the bread tender.)
   
3. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a small, oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
   
4. Divide the dough into golf ball–sized pieces. Using a flour-covered rolling pin, roll each ball out on a flour-covered surface to approximately 6 to 8 inches in diameter and
   -inch thick.
   
5. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place a piece of dough on the hot surface. Using a towel or the edge of a spoon, carefully press down around the edges of the bread. (This will allow air pockets to form in the bread.) Cook for 1 minute. Carefully turn the chapati over and continue cooking for 1 more minute. Chapatis should be lightly browned and pliable, not crisp. Remove the bread to a basket and cover with a towel. Repeat until all of the rounds are cooked.
   

Asian Bread

Unlike in Thailand and most other Southeast Asian countries, bread is an integral part of the Indian diet. Most are not leavened and are made in individual servings, not in loaves.

3 pounds chicken wings

4 whole cloves

2 medium onions, peeled

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced

1 (1½-inch) cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons whole peppercorns

5 cardamom pods, bruised

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8–12 fresh curry leaves

6 cups chicken broth

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

Lemon juice to taste

4–5 cups cooked rice

1. Place the chicken wings in a large soup pot. Cover the chicken with cold water.
   
2. Stick the cloves into 1 of the onions and place the onion in the pot with the chicken.
   
3. Add the garlic, jalapeño, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cardamom, coriander, cumin, and salt; bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 hours.
   
4. Let the stock come to room temperature. Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and cut the meat from the bones. Set aside the meat.
   
5. Strain the broth.
   
6. Thinly slice the remaining onion.
   
7. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and sauté until translucent. Add the curry leaves and the broth. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes.
   
8. Add enough water to the coconut milk to make 3 cups of liquid. Add this and the reserved meat to the broth. Heat the soup, but do not let it boil. Season to taste with additional salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
   
9. To serve, place approximately ½ cup of cooked rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the soup over the rice.
   

4 skinless chicken breasts

4 skinless chicken legs

½ teaspoon saffron threads

½ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 small garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons salt

teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons paprika

1½ teaspoons Garam Masala (see recipe on page 273)

2 tablespoons ghee, melted

1. Using a small, sharp knife, make 3 to 4 (¼-inch-deep) slits in each piece of chicken. Set aside in a bowl large enough to hold all of the pieces.
   
2. Place the saffron in a small sauté pan over medium heat and toast for approximately 30 seconds. Place the saffron on a small plate and allow it to cool and crumble.
   
3. Stir the saffron into the yogurt.
   
4. Grind together the ginger, garlic, garlic, salt, chili pepper, paprika, and garam masala. Stir the spice mixture into the yogurt.
   
5. Pour the yogurt over the chicken, making sure that all of the pieces are coated. Cover and marinate overnight, turning the pieces in the marinade every so often.
   
6. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
   
7. Add the ghee to a roasting pan large enough to hold al of the chicken pieces. Add the chicken, breast side down. Spoon some of the ghee over the pieces. Roast for 10 minutes. Turn the pieces over, baste again, and continue roasting for 5 minutes. Turn them again and roast for an additional 5 minutes. Turn 1 last time (breasts should be up); baste and cook until done, about 5 more minutes.