Thai Lao Ice Coffee

It is summer time in Canada and that means Ice Coffee with Sweetened Condensed coffee. For the long drive away from the city, I take ice coffee with me on the road.

Drink Recipe: Ice Coffee with Sweetened Condensed Milk2 tablespoons ground coffee
1/2 cup hot water
1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup ice cubes or crushed ice

In a stainless steel coffee filter, add 2 tablespoons of coffee. Screw the smaller filter into the coffee filter. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk into a drinking glass. Place filter on top of the drinking glass. Pour hot water into the filter. Once hot water has filter through, remove the filter from the glass. Stir the sweetened condensed milk to dissolve into coffee. Add ice with coffee and stir again.

Hot Coffee is made the same way but excluding the ice.

Thai Lao Curry Paste

The Thai Lao Curry paste is often cooked with fresh coconut milk to make a curry dish like:
chicken curry
chicken & shrimp curry skewers
fish curry noodle soup

When purchasing any Thai and Lao curry pastes, make sure the ingredients, that are listed below, are included.

Dipping Sauce Recipe: Thai Lao Curry Paste
1 kaffir lime leaf chopped
1 tablespoon chopped galangal
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped red onions
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1-2 teaspoons chili powder

Place all ingredients in a Thai / Lao Mortar. Using a pestle, pound the ingredients in the mortar until a paste is formed. Store curry paste in the refrigerator or freezer.

Khao Dome (coconut sticky rice in banana leaves)

In the honour of Father's Day, I post this Khao Dome recipe. Khao Dome is my dad's favourite appetizer. He doesn't like coconut but makes an exception for Khao Dome.

I also honour my grandfather in Paksan Laos. He is in his 100th year! He wakes up before dawn everyday and walks to Wat Lao (Buddhist Temple). Khao Dome would be one of the items he would offer the monks.

In the honour of my father and grandfather because of the wisdom, guidance and love, I post this Thai / Lao traditional recipe. Happy Father's Day!

Recipe for Thai / Lao Khao Dome:
1 cup sticky rice
1 cup fresh coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 plantain sliced
1 package Banana Leaves, washed & trimmed

1. Take one cup of Lao sticky rice. Rinse and drain several times in cold water to remove any debris. Add cold water to cover sticky rice. Let sticky rice soak in cold water overnight or for at least 4 hours.
2. Place a sauce pan over medium heat. Add fresh coconut milk and sugar into sauce pan. Stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Drain water from the sticky rice. Add Sticky rice into sauce pan.
4. Stir rice until coconut milk is absorbed and resembles a thick porridge.
5. Turn heat off and let rice cool.
6. Remove the skin from the plantain. Slice the plantain into nine pieces.
7. Take a sheet of a Banana Leaf that is about the size of a standard paper (8.5"x11").
8. Add one heaping tablespoon of rice into Banana Leaf.
9. Add one slice of plantain over rice
10. Add another heaping tablespoon of rice over plantain.
11. Fold banana leaf as if you are wrapping a gift box.
12. Add two inches of water into the steaming pot. Place the steaming pot on a stove element set to high heat. Place steaming basket into steaming pot. Add Khao Dome in the steaming basket. Place a lid over Khao Dome. Steam Khao Dome for 40 minutes.

Preparing Banana Leaves

Bananas grow in abundance in Thailand and Laos. The leaves are used to wrap food for steaming ‘Khao Dome’ and ‘Moke Pha’ dishes. ‘Khao Dome' is coconut milk and Thai Lao Sticky Rice steamed in banana leaf. ‘Moke Pha' is steamed fish with herbs and egg. Try the Fish with Thai Lao Herbs recipe by wrapping the fish in banana leaves and steaming for 40 miniutes.

Corn leaves can also be steamed to make a corn wrap dessert.

Banana leaves are used in Thailand and Laos for steaming, storing, and packaging. Banana leaves may be purchased from an Asian supermarket in the frozen section.

Instructions on how to Prepare Banana Leaves:
1. Thaw the frozen banana leaves for about two hours in room temperature
2. Remove the banana leaves from the packaging
3. Remove the amount you need and re-package and re-freeze the rest
4. Rinse the leaves in cold water to soften them and to remove any debris
5. Wipe the leaves with a cloth on both sides to remove excess water
6. Use a pair of scissors to remove any yellow colour and tears along the perimeter
7. Tear the banana leaf, if necessary, to the size of a standard paper, (8.5” x 11”)

Thai Lao Seafood Salad

The Thai Lao Seafood salad dish is commonly known as ‘Yum Talay’. When making this dish, do not overcook the seafood which will result to a chewy and rubbery texture…big mistake! Serve the seafood salad with Thai Lao Sticky Rice or Khao Chow which is jasmine rice.

Recipe for the Thai / Lao Seafood Salad:
1 cup fresh or frozen raw squid or cuttlefish
1 cup fresh or frozen raw shrimp
1 cup fresh or frozen raw mussels
¼ cup chopped sweet red peppers
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped mint
1 chopped chili
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime

If using frozen seafood, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then rinse in cold water and drain to remove any residue. If using fresh seafood, also rinse them in cold water and drain to remove any residue. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Submerge squid or cuttlefish into the boiling water for up to one minute. Submerge shrimp for up to two minutes and mussels for up to three minutes. Drain the seafood and combine them into a large mixing bowl. Cool seafood to room temperature or keep refrigerated until ready to mix. Add the remaining ingredients into the cooked seafood bowl and mix well. Garnish with extra mint.