Su Mei Yus Big Four Paste A Thai Condiment Recipes

SU-MEI YU'S BIG FOUR PASTE (A THAI CONDIMENT)

Steps:

• Heat a 7 inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the coriander seeds and dry roast sliding the skillet back and forth over the burner, until the seeds are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the seeds to a small bowl to cool and repeat with the peppercorns. When cool, grind the coriander seeds and peppercorns separately in an electric grinder and transfer to separate bowls.
• TO PREPARE WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE:.
• Place a mortar on top of a damp towel on the kitchen counter. Add the sea salt and garlic and pound them together by holding the pestle in the center of your palm and pounding straight up and down into the center of the mortar until a paste forms, scraping down sides as needed.
• Add the cilantro and pound to a smooth paste.
• Add the coriander and peppercorn powders and pound and blend until the paste is smooth.
• Transfer the paste to a jar, seal, and refrigerate.
• TO PREPARE USING A FOOD PROCESSOR:.
• In a small processor or magic bullet, add the sea salt, garlic and cilantro and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the side of the bowl frequently.
• Add the coriander and peppercorn powders and process to a paste. The paste will be coarser than the paste made with a mortar and pestle.
• Transfer the paste to a jar, seal, and refrigerate.
• USING THE BIG FOUR PASTE:.
• For Grilling: Coat 1 lb meat, fish or shellfish with juice of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoons olive oil; rub generously with 1 tsp Big Four Paste; refrigerate for 1 hour; grill.
• For Stir-Fries: Use 1 tablespoons Big Four Paste for each 1/4 to 1/2 lb meat, fish or shellfish and 2-3 cups sliced vegetables or noodles; add the paste at the beginning of stir frying, after you've added the oil to a hot skillet.
• For Meatballs for soup or curry: Add 1 tablespoons Big Four Paste per lb of ground meat mixture and shape into balls. Add to the boiling broth or grill.
• For other uses: use to coat meat before battering and deep frying; use as a rub for roasting chicken or turkey; use in meatloaf 1 tablespoons per lb. of meat.

SEUR RONG HAI (CRYING TIGER)

Steps:

• In a small skillet, dry-roast the green peppercorns over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the Big Four Paste and the minced garlic in a mortar and pound until blended into a paste. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and pound until the garlic and peels are blended into the paste. Do not worry if the membrane is separated from the cloves. (You may want to remove the peel; I encourage you to try it the authentic Thai way. It may seem unusual, but the reward is the wonderful texture and added taste of crispy garlic peel.) Add the chiles and continue pounding. Add the green peppercorns and, instead of pounding, crush them by pressing them against the side of the mortar in a circular motion. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and set aside. The paste will keep well in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
• Trim any fat from the chicken breast. Cut the breast in half. Working with one half breast at a time, slice horizontally almost but not quite in half. Open the meat up into a butterfly shape. Put your hand firmly on top of the meat and press down on it to flatten it. Using a very sharp knife, held at a 75-degree angle to the work surface, slice thinly against the grain into 2 to 3 long pieces. Try to keep the pieces the same size and thickness. Set aside on a plate.
• Arrange the ingredients near the stove in the order they will go into the skillet: oil, chile paste, chicken, fish sauce, sugar, and a small cup of water.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat for 2 minutes, or until when you put your hand an inch or so above it, you can feel the heat. Add the oil, then add the chile paste, stirring it quickly, until it turns slightly brown and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken, lower the heat to medium, and sprinkle a bit of water into the pan to prevent the paste from burning. Try to keep the chicken pieces flat as you saute them to ensure even cooking. When the chicken is browned, push it to one side of the skillet and add the fish sauce and sugar to the center of the skillet. Stir and blend until the mixture bubbles, then push the chicken pieces into it while you continue to stir until the chicken is coated. If needed, sprinkle a bit more water to prevent sticking. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, garnish with the crushed pork rind and cilantro, and serve hot.

THE BIG FOUR PASTE (GLURH, KA-TIEM, PRIKK THAI, RUGG PAKK CHEE)

Steps:

• To prepare with a food processor:
• Heat a 7-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coriander seeds and dry-roast, sliding the skillet back and forth over the burner, until seeds are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a small bowl to cool and repeat with the peppercorns. When cool, grind the coriander seeds and peppercorns separately in an electric spice or coffee grinder and transfer to separate bowls.
• Fit the food processor with a steel blade. Add the sea salt, garlic, and cilantro roots and stems and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the side of the bowl frequently. Add the ground spices and process to a paste. Transfer to a jar, seal, and refrigerate.

SU-MEI'S VIETNAMESE SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and chiles into a paste. Add the sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Mix well to combine, and taste. If sauce is too pungent, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Serve, or store in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more lime juice if needed.