All of the recipes below are from Idjang's own cookbook with some encompassing a unique twist on the favourite Thai dishes.
PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)
Ingredients (Serves One)
- 100g peeled and shredded green papaya
- 30g carrots peeled and shredded
- 2 string beans cut to 2cm.
- 60g toasted peanuts
- 2 medium tomatoes cut bite size
- 2 fresh chillies
- 40g palm sugar
- 6g garlic
- 20ml lime juice
- 12ml fish sauce
Method
- Crush garlic and chillies in a mortar. Add string beans and peanuts, crush roughly.
- Add palm sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice mixing thoroughly with a spoon.
- Add papaya, carrot and tomato and mix thoroughly
- Remove into a plate serve with fresh salad (cucumber, cabbage).
All of the recipes below are from Idjang's own cookbook with some encompassing a unique twist on the favourite Thai dishes.
PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)
Ingredients (Serves One)
- 100g peeled and shredded green papaya
- 30g carrots peeled and shredded
- 2 string beans cut to 2cm.
- 60g toasted peanuts
- 2 medium tomatoes cut bite size
- 2 fresh chillies
- 40g palm sugar
- 6g garlic
- 20ml lime juice
- 12ml fish sauce
Method
- Crush garlic and chillies in a mortar. Add string beans and peanuts, crush roughly.
- Add palm sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice mixing thoroughly with a spoon.
- Add papaya, carrot and tomato and mix thoroughly
- Remove into a plate serve with fresh salad (cucumber, cabbage).
CHICKEN CASHEW NUT
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 480g chicken breast cut (0.5x2.5cm)
- 120g cashew nuts
- 16g garlic chopped
- 200g onion (cut 2x2cm.)
- 200g red and yellow bell peppers (cut 2x2cm)
- 80g baby corn bite size (optional)
- 50 grams carrot thin sliced (optional)
- 100ml chicken stock or water
- 40g spring onion (cut 2cm)
Sauce ingredients
- 40g chilies paste
- 20ml oyster sauce
- 20ml dark soy sauce
- 10ml light soy sauce
- 40ml cooking oil
- 8g brown sugar
- 4g ground black pepper
- 2g salt
- A spoon full of plain flour
Method
- Coat chicken with flour seasoning & a pinch of ground black pepper and salt, shake off the excess.
- Put the oil into a large frying pan, add the chicken and fry both sides. When it starts to turn brown then put it to one side of the pan or set a side in a bowl.
- Add the garlic, when it is turn to sauté, then fry mix with the chicken.
- Add the chili paste, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar.Seasoning with ground black pepper and salt, and stir-fry to combine.
- Add the onion, carrot, baby corn and stir-fry briefly or until vegetables cooked. (Add some water if it is starts to burn)
- Add bell pepper, cashew nuts and spring onion and then stir thoroughly for 2 mins. Remove from heat.
Serve with steam rice. Garnish with sliced red chilies and spring onion.
Tip: If you are using raw cashew nuts, you need to fry with cooking oil for 2-3 mins or until it is turning light brown, drain well from oil for a nicer taste.
CHICKEN CASHEW NUT
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 480g chicken breast cut (0.5x2.5cm)
- 120g cashew nuts
- 16g garlic chopped
- 200g onion (cut 2x2cm.)
- 200g red and yellow bell peppers (cut 2x2cm)
- 80g baby corn bite size (optional)
- 50 grams carrot thin sliced (optional)
- 100ml chicken stock or water
- 40g spring onion (cut 2cm)
Sauce ingredients
- 40g chilies paste
- 20ml oyster sauce
- 20ml dark soy sauce
- 10ml light soy sauce
- 40ml cooking oil
- 8g brown sugar
- 4g ground black pepper
- 2g salt
- A spoon full of plain flour
Method
- Coat chicken with flour seasoning & a pinch of ground black pepper and salt, shake off the excess.
- Put the oil into a large frying pan, add the chicken and fry both sides. When it starts to turn brown then put it to one side of the pan or set a side in a bowl.
- Add the garlic, when it is turn to sauté, then fry mix with the chicken.
- Add the chili paste, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar.Seasoning with ground black pepper and salt, and stir-fry to combine.
- Add the onion, carrot, baby corn and stir-fry briefly or until vegetables cooked. (Add some water if it is starts to burn)
- Add bell pepper, cashew nuts and spring onion and then stir thoroughly for 2 mins. Remove from heat.
Serve with steam rice. Garnish with sliced red chilies and spring onion.
Tip: If you are using raw cashew nuts, you need to fry with cooking oil for 2-3 mins or until it is turning light brown, drain well from oil for a nicer taste.
Drunken Noodles with Prawn
Ingredients (Serves One)
- 100g egg noodle/pasta (cooked)
- 100g prawns (de-shell & de-vein)
- 1 egg
- 8g garlic (crushed and chopped)
- 50g kale/broccoli/mushroom cut bite size
- 50g carrot (Julien cut)
- 1 baby corn (Julien cut)
- Bunch of holy basil, sweet basil, thinly sliced Kaffir lime leaves
- 6g bird eye chilis thinly sliced
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 5ml light soy sauce
- 5ml dark soy sauce
- 3g brown sugar
- 1g of ground black pepper
- 80ml of Chicken stock or water
- 10ml cooking oil
Method
- Put the cooking oil in the pan, when it is hot, add and sauté the garlic.
- Add vegetables carrot, broccoli, mushrooms (Kele, bean, baby corn is also nice).
- Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar then stir well. Add water a little bit at a time and cook until vegetables are cooked.
- Add the prawns, egg noodles and stir well.
- Add the holy basil, sweet basil, thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves and chillis, stir well for 30 seconds. Then turn the heat off.
Serve with fried egg.
Tip: cook with chicken or red meat marinated with 1 egg to tenderize, add meat after sauté the garlic and fry until almost cooked.
Drunken Noodles with Prawn
Ingredients (Serves One)
- 100g egg noodle/pasta (cooked)
- 100g prawns (de-shell & de-vein)
- 1 egg
- 8g garlic (crushed and chopped)
- 50g kale/broccoli/mushroom cut bite size
- 50g carrot (Julien cut)
- 1 baby corn (Julien cut)
- Bunch of holy basil, sweet basil, thinly sliced Kaffir lime leaves
- 6g bird eye chilis thinly sliced
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 5ml light soy sauce
- 5ml dark soy sauce
- 3g brown sugar
- 1g of ground black pepper
- 80ml of Chicken stock or water
- 10ml cooking oil
Method
- Put the cooking oil in the pan, when it is hot, add and sauté the garlic.
- Add vegetables carrot, broccoli, mushrooms (Kele, bean, baby corn is also nice).
- Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar then stir well. Add water a little bit at a time and cook until vegetables are cooked.
- Add the prawns, egg noodles and stir well.
- Add the holy basil, sweet basil, thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves and chillis, stir well for 30 seconds. Then turn the heat off.
Serve with fried egg.
Tip: cook with chicken or red meat marinated with 1 egg to tenderize, add meat after sauté the garlic and fry until almost cooked.
Stir fried beef in black beans sauce
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 400g beef (thinly cut 0.5x3cm.)
- 20ml cooking oil
- 16g garlic crushed, chopped
- 2g coriander root chopped
- 8g fresh red/green hot chill thinly sliced
- 20ml sweet black bean sauce (dark and sweet soya sauce)
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 2g salt
- 4g ground black pepper
- 100g bell pepper diced 1x1cm. (yellow/green)
- 100 g white onion diced 1x1cm.
- 50ml water
- A small bunch of spring onion and red chilies sliced for garnish.
Method
- Pound half garlic, coriander root and ground black pepper in the mortar until it is paste.
- Add beef and mix well
- Put the cooking oil in the frying pan, when it is hot add and sauté garlic (other half) Add beef and stir until it is cooked.
- Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and then stir well.Add water a little bit at a time and cook with high heat for another 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and chilies at the last minute and stir well for 30 seconds.
- Season with salt, stir well (it should not be too dry or too soupy), turn the heat off.
Serve with steam rice or egg noodles and boiled vegetable such as carrots or broccoli. Garnish with spring onion and chilies.
Stir fried beef in black beans sauce
- 400g beef (thinly cut 0.5x3cm.)
- 20ml cooking oil
- 16g garlic crushed, chopped
- 2g coriander root chopped
- 8g fresh red/green hot chill thinly sliced
- 20ml sweet black bean sauce (dark and sweet soya sauce)
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 2g salt
- 4g ground black pepper
- 100g bell pepper diced 1x1cm. (yellow/green)
- 100 g white onion diced 1x1cm.
- 50ml water
- A small bunch of spring onion and red chilies sliced for garnish.
Ingredients (Serves Four)
Method
- Pound half garlic, coriander root and ground black pepper in the mortar until it is paste.
- Add beef and mix well
- Put the cooking oil in the frying pan, when it is hot add and sauté garlic (other half) Add beef and stir until it is cooked.
- Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and then stir well.Add water a little bit at a time and cook with high heat for another 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and chilies at the last minute and stir well for 30 seconds.
- Season with salt, stir well (it should not be too dry or too soupy), turn the heat off.
Serve with steam rice or egg noodles and boiled vegetable such as carrots or broccoli. Garnish with spring onion and chilies.
Spring Rolls with Vegetables
Ingredients for filling (8-10 rolls)
(Part 1)
- 100g cabbage shredded
- 30g mushroom shredded
- 60g carrot shredded
- 60g sweet potato (small dice)
(Part 2)
- 100g soft glass noodles
- 80g bean sprouts
- 6g spring onion small sliced
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 10ml light soy sauce
- 2g ground black pepper
- 6g sugar
- 2g salt
- 10ml cooking oil
- 8g garlic chopped
Other ingredients
- 10 Spring roll wrappers (8.5”x8.5”)
- 1 egg beaten
- Cooking oil for deep frying
Method
- Place cooking oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat and sauté garlic until golden brown.
- Add part 1 ingredients and stir fry for 3 mins. or until the vegetables are cooked.
- Season with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper then stir well.
- Add part 2 ingredients and stir fry until the glass noodles have gone clear.
- Remove from heat and leave the mix to cool down.
- To roll, lay the wrapper on a dry and clean surface. Place about 40-50g of filling on wrapper (depending on the size of the wrapper and how large you want your spring rolls to be) on 2/3 of the way down, closer to you so you have room to roll it. Then roll over one round before you fold the left and right side of the wrapper. Make sure you fold it tight and secure. Brush with egg to secure around the edge and roll over to the top.
- To fry the spring rolls, place some cooking oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, when the oil is hot place the spring roll and fry both side until they golden brown. Remove on to a paper towel to drain.
- Serve hot as a starter with sweet chilli sauce or sweet plum sauce.
Tip: Dry glass noodles need to be soaked in water (room temperature) until soft before use.
Spring Rolls with Vegetables
(Part 1)
- 100g cabbage shredded
- 30g mushroom shredded
- 60g carrot shredded
- 60g sweet potato (small dice)
(Part 2)
- 100g soft glass noodles
- 80g bean sprouts
- 6g spring onion small sliced
- 10ml oyster sauce
- 10ml light soy sauce
- 2g ground black pepper
- 6g sugar
- 2g salt
- 10ml cooking oil
- 8g garlic chopped
Other ingredients
- 10 Spring roll wrappers (8.5”x8.5”)
- 1 egg beaten
- Cooking oil for deep frying
Ingredients for filling (8-10 rolls)
Method
- Place cooking oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat and sauté garlic until golden brown.
- Add part 1 ingredients and stir fry for 3 mins. or until the vegetables are cooked.
- Season with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper then stir well.
- Add part 2 ingredients and stir fry until the glass noodles have gone clear.
- Remove from heat and leave the mix to cool down.
- To roll, lay the wrapper on a dry and clean surface. Place about 40-50g of filling on wrapper (depending on the size of the wrapper and how large you want your spring rolls to be) on 2/3 of the way down, closer to you so you have room to roll it. Then roll over one round before you fold the left and right side of the wrapper. Make sure you fold it tight and secure. Brush with egg to secure around the edge and roll over to the top.
- To fry the spring rolls, place some cooking oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, when the oil is hot place the spring roll and fry both side until they golden brown. Remove on to a paper towel to drain.
- Serve hot as a starter with sweet chilli sauce or sweet plum sauce.
Tip: Dry glass noodles need to be soaked in water (room temperature) until soft before use.
Crispy Wonton with Prawn and Pork
Ingredients (Serves Four)
Ingredients for filling
- 100g prawn (peeled and chopped small)
- 150g mince pork
- 1 small egg yolk
- 2g roots
- 8g garlic
- 4g ginger
- 2g ground black pepper
- 30g carrot (finely chopped)
- 1g corn flour
- 5ml sesame oil
- 5ml light soy sauce
- 20g salt
Other ingredients
- 30 sheets Wonton pastry
- 1 white egg for wrapping
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Method
- Grind pepper, coriander root, ginger and garlic into a paste with pestle & mortar until paste. Place in a mixing bowl.
- Add prawn, pork, egg, cornflour, sesame oil and season with light soy sauce, salt add carrot and mix well.
- Scoop the mix about 12g onto a wonton pastry, brush the edge with egg and wrap pastry into a bag or triangle shape and repeat until finish all the mix.
- Heat the oil to a medium heat (approx. 160 c).
- Deep fry until it is golden and crispy. Drain well on a kitchen towel/paper.
Serve hot with plum sauce or sweet chili sauce and salad.
Crispy Wonton with Prawn and Pork
Ingredients (Serves Four)
Ingredients for filling
- 100g prawn (peeled and chopped small)
- 150g mince pork
- 1 small egg yolk
- 2g roots
- 8g garlic
- 4g ginger
- 2g ground black pepper
- 30g carrot (finely chopped)
- 1g corn flour
- 5ml sesame oil
- 5ml light soy sauce
- 20g salt
Other ingredients
- 30 sheets Wonton pastry
- 1 white egg for wrapping
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Method
- Grind pepper, coriander root, ginger and garlic into a paste with pestle & mortar until paste. Place in a mixing bowl.
- Add prawn, pork, egg, cornflour, sesame oil and season with light soy sauce, salt add carrot and mix well.
- Scoop the mix about 12g onto a wonton pastry, brush the edge with egg and wrap pastry into a bag or triangle shape and repeat until finish all the mix.
- Heat the oil to a medium heat (approx. 160 c).
- Deep fry until it is golden and crispy. Drain well on a kitchen towel/paper.
Serve hot with plum sauce or sweet chili sauce and salad.
Massaman Curry with Chicken
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 40g Massaman curry paste
- 400g chicken breasts (cut 3x3.5cm)
- 300g potatoes cubes (3x3cm.)
- 100g sweet potatoes cubes (a3x3cm.)
- 280g medium white onions peeled (cut 3x3cm)
- 30g roasted peanut (optional)
- 12g brown sugar/palm sugar
- 400ml coconut milk
- 40ml oyster sauce
- 15ml fish sauce
- 200 ml water
- 15ml cooking oil
- 1 lime wedge
Method
- Put the cooking oil into a large pan, and fry the curry paste in low heat for 2-3 minutes, add 1/4 coconut milk and bring to the boil and cook the paste until fragrant.
- Add chicken and stir roughly then add another ¼ of coconut milk.
- Add potatoes, onion, stars anise, bay leave and add water to cover all ingredients, and bring to boil and simmer until the potatoes is cooked. (stir to prevent it burning)
- Add the rest of coconut milk, peanuts and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Or until the curry turns to the texture you prefer.
- Season with oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and a few drops of lime juice.
- Stir well and remove from heat.
Serve with steam rice, roti or flat bread.
Tip: If you are cooking with tougher meat like beef, pork or chicken thighs/drumsticks, cut the potatoes bigger size and part boil first. Then add after the meat is tender.
Massaman Curry with Chicken
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 40g Massaman curry paste
- 400g chicken breasts (cut 3x3.5cm)
- 300g potatoes cubes (3x3cm.)
- 100g sweet potatoes cubes (a3x3cm.)
- 280g medium white onions peeled (cut 3x3cm)
- 30g roasted peanut (optional)
- 12g brown sugar/palm sugar
- 400ml coconut milk
- 40ml oyster sauce
- 15ml fish sauce
- 200 ml water
- 15ml cooking oil
- 1 lime wedge
Method
- Put the cooking oil into a large pan, and fry the curry paste in low heat for 2-3 minutes, add 1/4 coconut milk and bring to the boil and cook the paste until fragrant.
- Add chicken and stir roughly then add another ¼ of coconut milk.
- Add potatoes, onion, stars anise, bay leave and add water to cover all ingredients, and bring to boil and simmer until the potatoes is cooked. (stir to prevent it burning)
- Add the rest of coconut milk, peanuts and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Or until the curry turns to the texture you prefer.
- Season with oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and a few drops of lime juice.
- Stir well and remove from heat.
Serve with steam rice, roti or flat bread.
Tip: If you are cooking with tougher meat like beef, pork or chicken thighs/drumsticks, cut the potatoes bigger size and part boil first. Then add after the meat is tender.
Glass Noodle Salad
Ingredients (Serves Two)
- 8 prawns deshelled and deveined
- 80g mince pork
- 150g glass noodle (if it is dry, soak in the water until soft)
- 120ml water
- 8g fresh hot chilies thinly sliced
- 6g garlic thinly sliced
- 10g shallots sliced
- 20g onion sliced
- 50g carrot shredded
- 6 cherry tomatoes cut into half
- 1g salt
- 1 bunch of coriander, celery leave and spring onion roughly chopped
For The Dressing
- 6g sugar
- 20ml lime juice
- 12ml fish sauce
Method
- Add water and salt in a sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Add mince pork and cook until cooked
- Add the prawns and glass noodles, cook until glass noodles are a clear color and remove from the heat.
- Add the dressing ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Add the carrot, tomato, chilies, garlic, shallots, onion and herbs and mix thoroughly.
- Place on a serving plate and garnish with lettuce and cucumber.
Glass Noodle Salad
- 8 prawns deshelled and deveined
- 80g mince pork
- 150g glass noodle (if it is dry, soak in the water until soft)
- 120ml water
- 8g fresh hot chilies thinly sliced
- 6g garlic thinly sliced
- 10g shallots sliced
- 20g onion sliced
- 50g carrot shredded
- 6 cherry tomatoes cut into half
- 1g salt
- 1 bunch of coriander, celery leave and spring onion roughly chopped
For The Dressing
- 6g sugar
- 20ml lime juice
- 12ml fish sauce
Ingredients (Serves Two)
Method
- Add water and salt in a sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Add mince pork and cook until cooked
- Add the prawns and glass noodles, cook until glass noodles are a clear color and remove from the heat.
- Add the dressing ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Add the carrot, tomato, chilies, garlic, shallots, onion and herbs and mix thoroughly.
- Place on a serving plate and garnish with lettuce and cucumber.
Green Curry with Chicken
Ingredients (Serves Four)
- 40g green curry paste
- 400g chicken cut 1x2cm.
- 500g coconut milk
- 4 eggplants cut bite size (with the grains)
- 150g baby corn, carrot, long bean, cabbage bite size (optional)
- 4g kaffir lime leaves (torn)
- 20g sweet basil leave.
- 1 red cayenne chili cut long stripes for garnish
- 20ml fish sauce
- 40ml oyster sauce
- 12g sugar
- 20ml cooking oil
Method
- Fry the curry paste on a low heat with oil until fragrant, reduce heat, add ¼ of coconut milk a little at a time and cook while stirring until coconut milk begins to have an oily sheen.
- Add the chicken and cook in for a short time with medium to high heat.
- Add the rest of coconut milk and bring it to boil. (add some water if you prefer a thinner soup).
- Increase heat, and add eggplant and baby corn. Simmer until the meat is done and the veg is cooked.
- Seasoning with oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
- Add sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves, stir thoroughly and remove from heat.
Serve with streamed rice or pasta.
Green Curry with Chicken
- 40g green curry paste
- 400g chicken cut 1x2cm.
- 500g coconut milk
- 4 eggplants cut bite size (with the grains)
- 150g baby corn, carrot, long bean, cabbage bite size (optional)
- 4g kaffir lime leaves (torn)
- 20g sweet basil leave.
- 1 red cayenne chili cut long stripes for garnish
- 20ml fish sauce
- 40ml oyster sauce
- 12g sugar
- 20ml cooking oil
Ingredients (Serves Four)
Method
- Fry the curry paste on a low heat with oil until fragrant, reduce heat, add ¼ of coconut milk a little at a time and cook while stirring until coconut milk begins to have an oily sheen.
- Add the chicken and cook in for a short time with medium to high heat.
- Add the rest of coconut milk and bring it to boil. (add some water if you prefer a thinner soup).
- Increase heat, and add eggplant and baby corn. Simmer until the meat is done and the veg is cooked.
- Seasoning with oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
- Add sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves, stir thoroughly and remove from heat.
Serve with streamed rice or pasta.
