THAILAND

1. Baby Squid & Green Pepper Corn

500 g. fresh squid (calamari) rings
2 tblsp. oil1 tblsp. roughly crushed green pepper corns
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp. chopped red chillies
2 tblsp. fish sauce
1 tblsp. soy auce

In a bowl, combine 500g fresh squid (calamari) rings, 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of roughly crushed green pepper corns.Allow to stand 15 minutes. Heat a large wok or heavy based frying pan until very hot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil from the marinating squid. Add 2 chopped cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon of chopped red chilies to the pan and cook for 5 seconds. Add squid to the pan in batches and stir fry, tossing constantly , for 2 minutes each batch. Add 2 table spoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce to wok.When it is bubbling , pour over the squid and serve immediately, garnished with 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves. with steamed rice.

From Thai Cooking

2. Fish Fillets in Coconut Milk

2 long green chilies
2 small red chilies
400g firm white fish fillets
2 stems lemon grass
2 coriander roots
4 kaffir lime leaves, plus extra, for garnish
2cm piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 spring onions, white part only, thinly sliced
1 tsp soft brown sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tb sp fish sauce
2-3 tb sp lime juice.

Heat a wok or large pan until hot, add the whole chilies and roast until justbeginning to turn brown all over. Remove the green chilies from the wok,cool and slice. Cut the fish into 5cm pieces.Bruise the lemon grass and coriander roots by crushing them with the flatside of a knife.Add the lemon grass and coriander roots, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, garlic,onions, sugar and coconut milk to the wok . Stir to combine, bring to the boil.Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Add the fish pieces andsimmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until the fish is tender.Stir in the coconut cream.Stir through the chopped green chilies, fish sauce and lime juice, to taste.Garnish with some whole lime leaves.

From Thai Cooking

3. Mango Barbecue Chicken (with Dipping Sauce)

This Thai Mango Barbecue Chicken recipe is a delight to make and to eat. And it's easy to whip up. A twist on traditional mango chicken, this barbecue version is equally delicious, and just as spicy-sweet. Simply toss a ripe mango (or use frozen mango) plus some key Thai ingredients into your blender, and you have a delicious mango sauce that works as both the marinade and a dipping sauce. Serve this barbecue chicken with some rice, and you'll make everyone happy at dinner - even the kids!

8 chicken thighs, left whole or cut in halves or thirds, OR 1/2 medium chicken, chopped into pieces
optional: fresh coriander as a garnish

MANGO SAUCE:

1 fresh ripe mango, OR 2 1/2 cups frozen mango (thawed) - For more on preparing fresh mango, see below
2 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian food stores)
2 Tbsp. Thai sweet chili sauce (available at Asian food stores and some regular grocery stores)
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
2 cloves garlic
4 Tbsp. coconut milk
1 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
1 fresh red chili, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. (or more) cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. turmeric

1. Remove flesh from the mango, discarding the stone. Place the mango plus all mango sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Process well to form a smooth sauce. Taste-test the sauce. Add more sugar if too sour (this depends on how sweet your mango is), or more fish sauce if not salty enough. Add more chili or cayenne if not spicy enough. Place chicken in a mixing bowl. Pour half the mango sauce over, mixing it in well. Set the rest aside for later. Place the chicken in the refrigerator, allowing it to marinate in the mango sauce for at least 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours ahead of time. Barbecue the chicen over a hot grill. Brush or spoon some of the leftover marinade (from the bottom of the bowl) onto chicken pieces the first few times you turn them. Continue barbecuing until chicken is well done. Place reserved mango sauce in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until warm (it doesn't need to be boiled/cooked). Serve the barbecue chicken together with the warmed sauce (for dipping or to spoon over chicken). This dish is excellent whether served with rice or your choice of potatoes and/or salad. It's especially wonderful with my Easy Thai Coconut Rice. ENJOY!

From Darlene Schmidt

4. Thai Seafood Curry

If you enjoy seafood, you'll love this sumptuous curry. The recipe starts with a healthy homemade, rather tart curry sauce that goes well with fish. The sauce is heated in a wok or deep frying pan, to which an assortment of nutritious vegetables are added, plus cubes of pineapple and mixed seafood, all of which cook up in no time. It's a healthy, one-pot gourmet delight that will impress your friends and family. Make it as the main course for your next potluck or dinner party!

An Assortment of FISH and SEAFOOD, for example (to serve 4 people):
1 large fresh (or frozen) fillet salmon
1 large fresh (or frozen) fillet red snapper (or other "white" fish such as halibut)
6-8 large sea scallops
8-10 fresh large tiger prawns
several handfuls of mussels or clams

VEGETABLES:

1 small Japanese eggplant, or 1/2 Chinese eggplant, cut into bite-size chunks (be sure to leave nutritious skin on)
1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, OR 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
approx. 1 cup fresh basil

CURRY SAUCE:

1 can good-quality coconut milk
1 tsp. tamarind paste (OR substitute juice of 1 lime)
2 shallots, sliced OR 1/2 cooking onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
2 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass (available at Asian grocers), OR 1 stalk fresh lemongrass (instructions below)
2 kaffir lime leaves (available in the freezer at Asian grocers)
1-3 red chillies (depending on how spicy you want it (mild = 0-1 chilli, medium= 2 chillies, hot= 3 chillies)
1/2 tsp. fenugreek (seeds)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
OTHER:
1 can pineapple chunks, drained (OR 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into cubes)

1. First, prepare all the vegetables and set next to the stove within easy reach.
2. Rinse and cut the fish into smaller segments (e.g. 2-3 inches long). Rinse the shellfish in cold water, and remove shells from prawns. Place the seafood next to the stove alongside the vegetables.
3. Make the curry sauce by placing 1/2 can coconut milk plus all other curry sauce ingredients in your food processor. Process well to form a thick paste-like sauce.
4. Add the rest of the coconut milk and continue processing a few seconds to blend.
5. Taste test the sauce, adding more fish sauce (1 Tbsp. at a time) until desired salt-level has been reached (you may require anywhere from 1 to 3 more tablespoons).
6. Pour sauce into a wok or deep frying pan. Place wok/pan over medium-high heat until sauce begins to bubble. Add all the vegetables except the basil, and stir well.
7. Reduce heat to a comfortable simmer (medium to medium-high heat). Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the eggplant has softened. Stir occasionally.
8. Next, add the segments of salmon and snapper (or other fish), stirring well to incorporate into the sauce. Cook approximately 2 minutes.
9. Finally, add the rest of the seafood plus the pineapple, stirring well to incorporate.
10. Continue stirring ocassionally while the seafood finishes cooking (about 2 more minutes, or until prawns have turned bright pink).
11. Do a final taste test, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough. Cooking Tip: Curries usually require a generous amount of salt to arrive at their peak of flavor. With Thai curries, this adjustment is usually made with fish sauce instead of salt. If you happen to pour too much fish sauce into the dish, or if you find the curry too salty, a tablespoon or two of lime juice will solve the problem.
12. To serve, ladle the curry into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the fresh basil leaves over the curry, and serve with plenty of jasmine rice (white or brown). Enjoy!

From Darlene Schmidt