Mise en place
5 mins

For the pickled cucumber: Dice one mini cucumber, coarsely chop 1 shallot. Coarsely chop 1 spur chili.

For the sausage: Grind 1lb pork belly if it’s not already ground, finely mince 1 cup of lemongrass, ¼ cup thai garlic, ½ cup shallots, ¼ cup magrud lime leaves, and ¼ cup fresh turmeric.

Start cooking
3.5 hours

Make the chicken broth
In a medium pot, combine 1 lb chicken bones, 1 tsp white peppercorns, 5 cilantro roots, 1/2 cup garlic, 1 yellow onion, and 1 stalk celery. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat.

When the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any scum that forms. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into one or more clean containers. Use a large spoon to press the soft vegetables through the sieve for more flavour.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Make the peanut sauce
In a small food processor, combine 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, 1 tbsp red curry paste, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, and purée.

Transfer to a small pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. When the sauce starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add 1 tsp thin soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, and 1 tbsp coconut sugar.

Stir to mix well and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the oil rises to the surface. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make some wonton filling
Using a stone mortar and pestle, grind 9 white peppercorns to a fine powder. Add 5 garlic cloves and 2 tbsp cilantro roots and grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add 250g ground pork, 1 tsp tapioca starch, 1 tbsp of thin soy sauce, and 1 tbsp oyster sauce. Mix well, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pickle the cucumbers
In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together ½ cup water, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp thai cane sugar, and ½ tsp salt and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, cook for another minute. Set aside to cool. Add cucumber, chili, and shallot and stir together. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make the pickled chili vinegar
In a 1-cup mason jar with a lid, stir together ½ cup white vinegar and 2 spur chilies, sliced crosswise. Seal with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Form the wontons

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour 1 ½ tsp sunflower oil into a small bowl. Dip a large melon baller into the oil and use it to scoop balls of the pork mixture onto the baking sheet, dipping the melon baller into the oil between scoops to prevent sticking. (If you do not have a melon baller, use a teaspoon measuring spoon and your hands to make small balls) You should have about 30 balls.

Lay a wonton wrapper on a work surface with one corner toward you. Place a pork ball on the bottom half of the wrapper. Use your finger to brush water just around the meat and fold the wrapper over the filling to create a triangle. Press around the edges of the meat to seal the wrapper. Repeat until all the pork mixture has been made into wontons. Lay the wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet at put in the freezer for 30 minutes, then transfer gently to a freezer bag and store for later in the week.

Marinate your red pork
Using a stone mortar and pestle, grind 25 white peppercorns to a fine powder. Add the ½ cup thai garlic and ½ cup packed cilantro roots and grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Add 3 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp thin soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp cane sugar, 2 tsp tapioca starch, ½ tsp red food colouring, and 1 tsp salt. Stir well. Sprinkle in 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp ground star anise and stir again. Pour the sauce into a large resealable plastic bag. Poke 565g pork tenderloin all over with a fork and cut it in half crosswise. Add it to the bag of marinade, seal the bag, and knead the pork to coat well with the marinade. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Marinate the chicken satay
Using a stone mortar and pestle, grind 1 tsp coriander seeds and 4 tsp white peppercorns to a fine powder. Add the 2 tbsp lemongrass, 1 piece turmeric, and 1 tsp of the salt and pound to a smooth paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the 2 tbsp water, 2 tbsp evaporated milk, 1 tbsp thin soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp condensed milk, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp tapioca starch, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine. Add 675g chicken, cut into bite sized pieces and toss to coat well with the sauce. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate. I made this the same day so I let it marinate for 1 hour but overnight will work as well.

Make your sausage!
Soak 5 feet of sausage casing in room-temperature water for 10 minutes. Wash and rinse it three or four times.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound skinless boneless pork belly, coarsely ground, 1 tbsp tapioca starch, and 2 tbsp fish sauce. Mix clockwise with your hands until the pork fully absorbs the fish sauce. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, lime leaves, turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ cup oyster sauce. Mix well with gloved hands. Add to the marinated pork and mix together in a circular motion.

Lift one end of the casing so it is not resting on the work surface and use scissors to cut the casing into 1-foot pieces. Tie a tight knot at one end of each casing. Slide the handle of a teaspoon or soup spoon into the open end of a casing until only two-thirds of the spoon's bowl is showing. Use another teaspoon to scoop the meat mixture onto the spoon in the casing and push it in. Use the handle of the second teaspoon to push the meat mixture as far down the casing as possible. Repeat until the casing is almost full, leaving about 3 inches at the end to tie into another tight knot. Roll the sausage into a tight coil and insert a skewer to keep the coil together, like a lollipop. Repeat until all the meat has been used.

Marinate some pork
Using a stone mortar and pestle, finely grind ½ teaspoon white peppercorns to a powder. Add 3 tbsp thai garlic cloves, 3 tbsp cilantro roots, and ½ tsp salt and pound to a smooth paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the ½ cup coconut milk, the thick part, ½ cup thai oyster sauce, and 2 tbsp thin soy sauce and mix well.

Cut 1 pound (450g) boneless pork shoulder bladecut against the grain into strips ½ inch thick, 1½ inches wide, and ¼ inches in length. Add the pork to the marinade and toss to coat well with the sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight to allow the meat to soak up the flavours.

Make a curry paste for the Khao Soi
Using a stone mortar and pestle, grind 3 dried red bird's eye chilies, 1 tsp salt, and 1 pod of black cardamom seeds to a powder. Add 2 tbsp yellow curry powder, 1 tsp coriander seeds, and 1 tsp ground turmeric and grind to a fine powder. Add 5 dried red spur chilies and grind to a paste. One at a time, and grinding to a paste after each addition, add 2 cilantro roots with 3-inch stems, 2 tbsp ginger, 3 tbsp lemongrass, 1 tsp galangal, 3 tbsp garlic, 3 tbsp shallots, and 1 tbsp shrimp paste. Store in the fridge

And another for the chicken curry
In a small skillet over medium heat, combine 1 tsp coriander seeds, ¼ tsp fennel seeds, 1 white cardamom pod, 1 dried long pepper, and ½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns. Toast, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Tip onto a plate to cool. Using a stone mortar and pestle, grind the toasted spices to a fine powder. Add 3 dried red spur chilies and 1 tsp salt and grind to a paste. Add ½ cup minced lemongrass and 1 tsp minced galangal and grind to a paste. Add 1 tbsp turmeric and grind to a paste. Add 2 tbsp minced garlic and 2 tbsp minced shallots and grind to a paste. Add 1 tbsp shrimp paste and mix well. Store in the fridge.

When you’re ready to cook your red pork:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the pork from the marinade, keeping the marinade in the fridge for later. Place the pork on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The pork will look dark red and some parts will look slightly charred. Cool completely without slicing and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use or if you’re using immediately let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Gaew Nam
Wonton Soup

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 3 cups chicken broth to a rolling boil. When boiling, add 5 cloves smashed garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tbsp thin soy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In another medium saucepan over high heat, bring the water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling boil. Add 4 stalks Chinese broccoli and boil for 1 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Chinese broccoli and set aside. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pot, slowly drop the wontons into the pot of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until they float to the surface. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove the wontons.

Add more water to the pot if needed between batches. To serve, scoop about 15 wontons into each large soup bowl and add 1 cup of chicken broth. Top each bowl with the cooked Chinese broccoli, 50g red pork slices, 1/2 cup bean sprouts, a sprinkle of green onions, 1 tbsp pickled chili vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon cane sugar

Sprinkle with chili powder and white pepper. The wonton soup will have a tangy, sweet, and salty flavour.

Kai Pham
Grilled Egg on Banana Leaf (p.59)

Run a package of frozen banana leaves under cold water for about 30 seconds to defrost slightly. This will make it easier to separate the banana leaves without breaking them. Choose the 2 widest leaves from the bag- these are usually the leaves on the outside. Cut a 1-foot square from each leaf. Dry both sides using a kitchen towel or paper towel. Wipe off the remaining banana leaves, place in a large resealable plastic bag, and freeze for future use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs, 2 thinly sliced green onions, ½ cup cilantro, and 1 tbsp fish sauce.

Heat a medium wok over high heat. When the wok is hot, turn off the heat to avoid burning the banana leaf. Place 1 banana leaf in the wok. Use a silicone spatula to flatten the leaf against the wok so that it curves into a bowl shape. Place the second banana leaf on top of the first leaf so it looks like an 8-point star and flatten it the same way. Pour the egg mixture into the middle of the banana leaves.

Turn the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle with 1 fresh, finely diced bird’s eye chili. Continue to cook, uncovered, until the eggs are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.

To serve, place the banana leaves with the egg on a large plate. Serve with steamed jasmine rice or steamed sticky rice.

Yum nua Yang
Grilled Beef Salad

In a medium bowl, combine 400g steak, 1 tbsp thin soy sauce, and 1 tbsp sunflower oil. Use gloved hands to mix all the ingredients and massage the meat well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. This will allow the meat to absorb the flavours.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons sunflower oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Place the steak in the pan and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked to medium-rare doneness. Transfer the steak to a rack and let rest for 2 or 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 3 tbsp lime juice, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp coconut sugar, 1 tsp thai garlic cloves, and 1 fresh bird’s eye chili, finely minced and stir well. Add 1 cup thinly sliced red onion and 1 stalk thinly sliced lemongrass and toss to mix.

Thinly slice the steak on a slant against the grain. Cutting on a slant means the meat will absorb more of the sauce.

To serve, layer the leaves of one boston lettuce on a large plate and arrange the steak slices on top. Drizzle the sauce over the steak. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coarsley chopped fresh mint.

Serve with steamed sticky rice.

Gai Satay
Grilled Chicken Satay

Soak 30 (6-inch) bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Thread the chicken you prepped onto one half of each skewer. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Brush the grill with the coconut milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. This will prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill. Place the chicken skewers on the grill and cook until it begins to char, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and brush the other side with coconut milk when the chicken starts to dry out, cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes, until a nice char appears on the meat. Serve with peanut sauce and fast pickled cucumber that you prepped.

Sai Oua
Northern Thai Sausage

I cooked this over a grill but the instructions in the book have a stovetop method: to cook the sausage stovetop, in a large skillet bring 1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat. Add the sausage coils to the boiling water, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until there is no more water in the skillet, about 3 minutes

Flip the sausages and cook for 2 more minutes

Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until brown and charred, 2 minutes per side.

Por Pia Tawd
Spring Rolls

Soak 8 dried shittake mushrooms and 28g dried wood-ear mushrooms in water for at least one hour, until soft.

Soak 45g glass noodles in room temperature water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut into 3-inch pieces. Place in a resealable plastic bag to keep them moist and set aside.

Meanwhile, using a stone mortar and pestle, grind 9 white peppercorns to a fine powder. Add 2 tbsp cilantro roots and 2 tbsp garlic and grind to a fine paste. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling boil over high heat. When the water is boiling, stir in 1 cup bean sprouts and 1 cup carrots and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Use your hands to squeeze out all the excess water. Spread the vegetables over a kitchen towel or paper towel and set aside. It's important to squeeze out all excess water, as too much water in the filling will make the spring rolls soggy.

Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tbsp sunflower oil. When the oil is hot, add the paste mixture and stir for 1 minute. Drain and thinly slice the mushrooms. Stir in the shiitake mushrooms and 1 tsp salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the wood ear mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently to scrape the mixture from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle in the noodles and add 2 tbsp oyster sauce. Cook, stirring, for another minute.

Add the bean sprouts and carrots and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Add ½ tsp cane sugar and stir to mix

Spread the filling over a baking sheet to cool. While the filling cools, make the binding mixture: In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup water and 2 tbsp tapioca starch. Stir to remove lumps. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often, until it starts to thicken but is still runny, 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl.

Separate 20 spring roll wrappers from each other. Stack them and cover with a damp kitchen towel. When the filling is cool, lay a spring roll wrapper on a work surface with one of the corners pointing toward you. Place 1/3 cup of the filling horizontally about 1 inch below the middle line of the wrapper, leaving a 2-inch border at each side. This ensures there will be enough of the wrapper to close the spring roll. Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling to the middle, using your other hand. Roll away from you once, keep it tight. Fold each of the edges inwards and roll the spring roll the rest of the way up. Use the binding mixture to seal.

Heat 2 inches of sunflower oil in a skillet. Fry the spring rolls until they are golden all around.

Moo Ping
Grilled Pork Skewers

Soak 10 to 12 (6-inch) bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 1 hour.

Thread about 4 pork slices you prepared onto one half of each skewer. The best way to do this is to lay strips of meat next to each other on a cutting board. Use your fingers to pinch up the meat in the middle as you push the skewer through the middle, wiggling the skewer as you do so.

Continue to skewer and pack the pork on until one half of the skewer is filled. Brush the sweet soy sauce over the pork. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Brush the grill with coconut milk and let sit for a couple of minutes. This will prevent the pork from sticking to the grill. Place the pork skewers on the grill and cook until the meat begins to char, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and brush the other side with coconut milk, cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes, until a nice char appears on the meat.

Hor Neung Gai
Steamed Chicken Curry in Banana Leaf

To prepare the Thai eggplants for the curry: In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of water, 1 tbsp lime juice, and 1 tsp salt. Trim the ends off 3 thai eggplants, then cut lengthwise into quarters. Add to the bowl and soak to prevent the eggplant from turning brown. Drain and rinse just before cooking.

Heat the sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add 300g boneless chicken thighs, skin-on, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 yard-long beans, the Thai eggplants, ½ cup pea eggplants, 1 cup young pea leaves, 1 elephant ear stem, and 3 makrut lime leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked on the outside. Add 1 Tbsp fish sauce and stir again. Add ½ cup toasted rice powder, and the remaining ¼ cup of water and stir well. Transfer the filling to a large plate and divide into 4 equal portions. Set aside.

To prepare the banana leaves, Fold an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper in half vertically, then fold it in half horizontally. Cut about 1 inch off the that is not part of the folds. Unfold and use as a template to cut the shape and size of each banana leaf. Use the remainder of the banana leaves to cut eight 3-inch-wide strips running the full length of the leaf.

To toast and fill the banana leaves: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, lay the banana leaves in the pan and toast for about 10 seconds per side. If you have a gas stove you can do this directly over the flame.

On a work surface, stack 2 banana leaves on top of each other and have them facing up with a short side facing you. Scoop 1 portion of the chicken filling into the middle of the banana leaves. Using on hand to hold on to the filling, use the other hand to fold the right side of the banana leaves over the filling. Fold the bottom and top of the leaves over the filling to create a small triangle-shaped packet. Lay 1 of hte 3inch strips over another, overlapping by one-third to make on longer strip. Weave a toothpick into the overlap to keep them together. Wrap the long strip around the stuffed pocked and weave another toothpick on top to keep it all together. Repeat to make 3 more pockets.

To steam the stuffed banana pockets: In a steamer pot or large pot with a with a vegetable steamer, bring an inch or so of water to a boil. Place the banana leaf pockets in the steamer tier, cover, and steam for 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer and serve with a side of sticky rice or jasmine rice.

Sen Mhi Moo Do
Rice Vermicelli Noodles with Barbecue Pork

In a medium pot over high heat, bring 3 cups chicken broth to a rolling boil. When the broth is boiling, add 1 tsp salt and 3 tbsp thin soy sauce. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved.

Remove from the heat and set aside. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 200g rice vermicelli noodles and boil for 2 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse under warm running water to remove excess starch.

Divide the noodles between 2 large soup bowls. Stir 1 tbsp garlic oil into each bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a second medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups water and 1 tsp salt to a boil. Add the yu choy and cook for 1 minute. Drain.

Divide 5 yu choy stems cut into 2-inch pieces, 1 cup bean sprouts, 2 green onions, finely chopped, and 1 cup cilantro between the bowls. Top with ½ cup sliced cooked red pork and 2 tbsp garlic oil.

Divide the broth between the bowls.

Season to taste with 1tbsp each chili powder, ½ tsp white pepper, white vinegar, 2 tbsp pickled chili vinegar, 2 tbsp cane sugar, and 4 tbsp fish sauce.

Khao Soi
Chicken Drumstick Curry with Egg Noodles (p.118)

In a medium pot over high heat, heat 2 cups of sunflower oil. When the oil is hot, deep-fry 6 chicken drumsticks, 3 at a time. Fry on one side for about 3 minutes, then turn to cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. The skin should be golden brown. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the oil and transfer to a rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Keep the pot of oil over medium heat. Place 2 bundles (225g) fresh egg noodles on a plate and separate the noodles with your hands. Add the separated noodles, a few at a time, to the hot oil and deep-fry until the noodles are light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the noodles to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.

Repeat until all the separated noodles are cooked. In a medium pot, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sunflower oil and the curry paste and mix well before turning on the heat. Once mixed, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. This will bring out the fragrance of the curry. Stir in 1 cup thick coconut milk and cook until the coconut milk starts to thicken and bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken drumsticks and cook for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, stir in 2 cups thin coconut milk (about a can, well shaken), and bring to a boil. When boiling, cover and cook for 45 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup of the curry sauce and 1 tbsp coconut sugar until the sugar is fully dissolved, then stir into the pot. Stir in 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

In another medium pot over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil. When the water is boiling, add the remaining 225g noodles and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. The noodles should be al dente, like pasta. Drain and rinse in warm water.

Divide the noodles between 2 large soup bowls. Add 1 tbsp garlic oil to each bowl. Using a fork, stir to mix well to prevent the noodles from sticking together. To serve, scoop 1½ to 2 cups of the curry sauce with 3 drumsticks over each bowl of noodles. Top each with about 1 cup of the deep-fried noodles. Sprinkle with 2 finely sliced green onions, 1 cup cilantro, ½ cup pickled mustard greens coarsely chopped, and ½ cup coarsely chopped shallots.

Squeeze lime wedges on top and drizzle with roasted chili oil to taste.