I have loved Thai food from the moment I became aware of it. Being insanely curious about food in general, especially about new ingredients and techniques, I had to learn, and am still learning, about the wonderful foods of Thailand.

Pad Thai is where I started my trials of learning this cuisine. Then it moved on to ginger and basil dishes, which were followed by other noodles dishes like Drunken Noodles and similar noodle dishes. After that, it was the soups and more brothy dishes. Eventually I made it to the Thai curries. Honestly, I could list the entire menu of any Thai restaurant most people have been to. I had to know how to make everything.

I just love the use of complex flavors made brighter with acidity from tamarind and lime, then the amazing uses of fish sauce to give salt and umami. There are always fresh herbs torn into the dishes and the option to add fresh chilis for a little extra fire. The first time I made Banh Xeo correctly was another turning point in my understanding of the cuisine. These savory Thai crepes cooked often with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts are delicate and crispy served with lettuce, herbs and one of my favorite sauces, Nuoc Cham, which is a dipping sauce made of sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, garlic and fresh chilis. I like to tear the crepe, roll it around a bit of lettuce, cucumber and herbs, and then dip it into the flavorful sauce.

My wife and I eat Thai food far too often probably. If I don’t cook it, it’s one of the few restaurants we frequent, as I usually prefer to cook at home. I don’t know that I have a favorite Thai dish, but I have a couple that I enjoy more than other such as Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio, which as I understand means grilled meat on noodles with spring rolls. I have ordered it a million times, and it has become one of my wife’s favorites too. It’s a fun combination of textures, flavors, and temperatures. The noodles are soft and chilled, then there is crisp lettuce which is cold, then the warm and flavorful pork loin. I like lemongrass in the marinade I make. You also get some small crispy summer rolls with noodles, meat and vegetables inside. There are crushed toasted peanuts on top with fresh mint and cilantro, and I add a little basil too. And of course, the sauce is the previously mentioned Nuoc Cham which gives aromatics, umami, salt, sweet, sour, garlic and richness. It all comes together in this symphony of an almost salad, but still a noddle dish. I love it.

Last summer and again last month, I prepared a Thai-themed dinner that included several courses. My thoughts were to take authentic Thai flavors and cooking techniques, or at least as I understand them, and present them in a fine dining manner. I feel it was received very well. My culinary arts students at Lincoln Land Community College, who worked with me to prepare the meals, had an opportunity to learn new dishes and flavors as well as fun ways to rethink and present them. If you haven’t had my version of the mango rice dessert, you are missing out, but I think I will save that one for another article.

Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio

• 1 pound boneless pork chops, or whatever meat you enjoy
• 1 shallot
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 green onion
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon vinegar, lime juice, or tamarind pulp
• 2-4 inches of lemongrass, cut into smaller pieces

1. Place everything except the pork in a food processor, or mortar and pestle, and make it into a smooth paste.
2. Marinade the pork in this paste 30 minutes or overnight.

Nuoc Cham

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-4 red Thai chilis, sliced very thin

1. Combine everything in a saucepan and bring to a boil
2. Remove from the heat, and place in a container.
3. Place in fridge.

Spring Rolls

• 1 package rice vermicelli
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 shallot, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch lemongrass, minced
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 package eggroll/spring roll wrappers

1. Cook the vermicelli in boiling water until tender. Drain, Rinse in cold water, Drain, Toss in a bit of vegetable oil to reduce sticking.
2. Brown the pork in a pan, then add everything else besides the vermicelli and the wrappers.
3. Let the filling cool a bit.
4. Lay out one wrapper, place a bit of vermicelli in a pile in the center, top with a little filling.
5. Fold in the two sides, then fold the bottom side up.
6. Roll into a cylinder shape.
7. Freeze spring rolls until needed or cook fresh.

To assemble dish

• 1 package rice vermicelli noodle
• 1 head lettuce, finely shredded
• 1 cucumber, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped or crushed
• Fresh mint, cilantro, and basil

1. Cook the vermicelli in boiling water until tender. Drain, Rinse in cold water, Drain, Toss in a bit of vegetable oil to reduce sticking.
2. Grill, sauté, or broil the pork, slice into bite size pieces
3. Fry the spring rolls, cut in half or smaller
4. Place some of the noodles in the bottom of a large bowl.
5. Arrange the pork slices, spring roll pieces, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and basil on top in a pleasing manner.
6. Top with peanuts.
7. Serve with a generous amount of Nuoc Cham on the side, or just pour it over the top.
8. Give it all a good mix. Enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.