Two layered cake

Two layered cake

½ cup rice flour

1¾ cup tapioca flour

2¾ cup coconut milk

1¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup water

1tsp pandan favour

1 baking container

1)    Put the sugar and water in a pot. Stir constantly and boil until the sugar is dissolved. Heat it on a hob until it turns to thick syrup. Leave it aside.

2)    Mix the rice flour and tapioca flour together. Add the coconut milk and sugar syrup. Stir until everything is mixed well.

3)    Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions in 2 separate bowls. Add the pandan favour to one portion and stir well. Put the container on a steamer and heat until it is hot. Pour some white mixture (the one without pandan juice) into the heated container. Close the lid and steam for 5 minutes. Open the lid, pour some mixture with pandan juice to evenly cover the first layer, close the lid and steam for 5 minutes. Continue until you use all the mixture. The total steaming time should be about 20 minutes.

4)    When it is done, remove it from the steamer and let it cool down. Cut into small pieces to serve.

Stir fried egg noodles with fresh ginger

Stir fried egg noodles with fresh ginger

2 chicken fillets, cut into small dices or 8-10 king prawns

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1tbsp chopped fresh ginger

2 Thai red chillies, chopped

125g beansprouts

500g fresh egg noodles

2 spring onions, chopped

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1 oyster sauce, hint of granulated sugar

2tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

1)   Heat the oil in a wok and wait until it is hot. Add the chopped garlic and red chillies. Stir until the garlic is golden.

2)   Add the chicken or prawns. Stir fry until they are cooked.

3)   Add the beansprouts, ginger and spring onions. Stir fry for a few minutes.

4)   Add the egg noodles. Stir fry again for a few minutes.

5)   Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of sugar. 

Thai style papaya salad with grilled prawns

Papaya salad with grilled prawns

* This dish contains cashew nuts.

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2-3 Thai red chillies

50g fine green beans, cut into 1in length

1 unripe Thai green papaya, peeled and shredded

4 cherry tomatoes

1tbsp fish sauce

2tbsp palm sugar

1 lime

5-6 grilled king prawns

1tbsp dried shrimps (optional)

2tbsp peanuts or cashew nuts

1)   Grilled the king prawns. Leave them aside.

2)   Use a large mortar and pestle. Pound the chopped garlic and chillies.

3)   Add the green beans and break them up by using the pestle slightly. Add the shredded unripe papaya and stir with a spoon.

4)   Lightly pound all the ingredients together. Add the cherry tomatoes.

5)   Add the grilled prawns.

6)   Seasoning the salad with 1tbsp fish sauce, 2tbsp palm sugar and squeeze some lime juice. Stir it with a spoon.

7)   Add the peanuts or cashew nuts. Stir until they are mixed well.

8)   Serve the salad with sticky rice.

Stir fried Thai morning glory

Stir fried Thai morning glory (water spinach)

250g Thai morning glory, cut into 2in length

1tbsp chopped fresh garlic

1tbsp soya bean paste 

1-2 red Thai chillies

1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce, hint of granulated sugar

2tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil for stir frying

1)    Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped garlic when the oil is hot and stir until the garlic is golden.

2)    Add the morning glory. Stir fry for a few minutes. Do not wait until it goes soft as it has to be served when it is a bit crispy. 

4)    Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of sugar. Add the soya bean paste. Stir for a few minutes. 

You can also add bacon to this dish.

Thai style spring rolls

Thai style spring rolls

4 Chinese mushrooms, soaked in water until soft and cut into small pieces (optional)

20g Thai bean/ glass vermicelli (‘Wun Sen’), soaked in warm water until soft

2 Thai red chillies, chopped

200g mince pork

5 cooked king prawns, cut into small pieces

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tsp soy sauce

Hint of granulated sugar

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 carrot, shredded

50g bamboo shoots, chopped (optional)

50g bean sprouts

1tbsp chopped fresh coriander

2 tsp plain flour, mixed with water to make smooth paste (to be used to seal the spring rolls)

10 spring roll wrappers

2 cups sunflower or vegetable oil for deep frying

Thai sweet chilli, plum or sweet and sour sauce to serve

1)   Stir fry the mince pork, prawns, chopped garlic and chillies in a wok until they are cooked. Leave them aside to cool down.

2)   Mix the Chinese mushrooms, vermicelli, carrots, bamboo shoots, beansprouts and coriander together in a mixing bowl. Add the mince pork mixture to it and stir well until all the ingredients are mixed well.

3)   Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tsp soy sauce, hint of sugar and ground black pepper. Stir until the sauces are mixed well with the ingredients.

4)   Put a spoonful of the mixture in the centre of a spring roll wrapper. Roll it to cover the mixture and fold the left and right sides. Roll it to the edge and brush it with the flour paste and seal. Do the same with the rest of the mixture and wrappers.

5)   Heat the oil in a wok and wait until is really hot. Deep fry the spring rolls until they are golden and crispy.

6)   Serve them with Thai sweet chilli sauce, sweet and sour sauce or plum sauce. 

Sweet sticky rice with Thai longans

Sticky rice with Thai longans

1 cup cooked sticky rice

4tbsp granulated sugar

200ml coconut milk

¾ cup water (you can use jasmine-flavoured water can be used to make it more aromatic, you can buy the jasmine flavour from any Thai supermarkets)

longans (you can buy them in a can from Thai supermarkets)

1)   Cook the sticky rice. The easiest way is cooking it in a microwave. Soak the sticky rice in warm water for 10 minutes in a bowl (this is important as if you do not soak the sticky rice in warm water the rice would not be properly cooked and not edible). Transfer the soaked sticky rice to a microwave proof container. Add 1 ¼ cup of water (the water has to cover the rice) and cook in high heat for 8 minutes. Stir thoroughly and cook in medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir and leave it aside.

2)   Pour the coconut milk into a pot and heat until it is boiled. Add 4tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp jasmine water and stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat.

To serve, put some sticky rice on a plate, arrange some longans on the side and pour the coconut milk on top of the sticky rice. 

Potato soup

Potato soup

2 baking potatoes, chopped into small dices

2-3 chicken drumsticks

1 onion, chopped

4-5 cherry tomatoes

1 chicken stock cube

2 cups of water

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tsp soy sauce and hint of sugar

1)    Boil 2 cups of water in a pot until it is boiled. Add the chicken stock cube. Stir until it is dissolved.

2)    Add the chicken drumsticks. Boil until they are cooked.

3)    Add the chopped potatoes. Boil until they are soft.

4)    Add the onions and cherry tomatoes. Boil for a few minutes.

5)    Season the soup with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tsp soy sauce and hint of sugar.

Thai style spare ribs

Thai style spare ribs

500g pork ribs

2tsp coarse black pepper

2tbsp teriyaki sauce

2tbsp oyster sauce

3tbsp fish sauce

2tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp chopped garlic

1)    Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Marinate the ribs in the mixture overnight.

2)    Grill the marinated ribs for 30 minutes (or until they are cooked). Turn them over until they are cooked thoroughly. 

Banana in sweet coconut milk

Bananas in sweet coconut milk

2 ripe bananas, chopped (you can also use Thai pumpkin, taro or sweet potatoes for this recipe)

400ml coconut milk

½ cup granulated sugar

½tsp salt

1)    Peel the bananas and cut them into small pieces.

2)    Pour the coconut milk into a pot. Heat it and add the sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3)    Add the chopped bananas and boil until the bananas are a bit soft.

4)    Serve when it is warm.

Thai coconut rice

Thai coconut rice

2 cups Thai jasmine rice

2 cups water

100ml coconut milk

1tsp granulated sugar (if you prefer it a bit sweet)

1)   The easiest way to cook rice is using a rice cooker. If you do not have one you can boil it but the texture of the rice would not be the same.

2)   Put 2 cups of rice in the rice cooker and rinse the rice under the running water. Drain the water out and add 2 cups of water in the rice cooker.

3)   Cook it for 20 minutes. When it is done, add the coconut milk and sugar. Stir until the coconut milk is well mixed with the rice. 

Fried rice with king prawns and basil leaves

Fried rice with king prawns and basil leaves

7-10 king prawns

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups cooked Thai jasmine rice

1 red onion, finely chopped

10 basil leaves

100g fine green beans, finely chopped (optional)

1-2 Thai red chillies, finely chopped

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce, hint of granulated sugar

2tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

1)   Heat the oil in a wok and wait until it is hot. Add the chopped garlic and chillies and stir until the garlic is golden.

2)   Add the king prawns. Stir fry until the prawns are cooked.

3)   Add the chopped onion, green beans (optional) and basil leaves. Stir fry for a few minutes.

4)   Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of sugar.

5)   Add the cooked rice and stir until the rice is mixed with the ingredients. 

Egg fried rice and some tips

Egg fried rice

* There are several versions of egg fried rice. You can add any vegetables you like such as carrots, (red) onions, or peas. You can use any kinds of meat. I sometimes use chorizo and Nasi Goreng pate to add flavour to the rice. Use Thai jasmine rice as it is really soft and fragrant. 

1 tbsp chopped garlic

5-7 king prawns

1 chicken fillet, cut into small pieces

1 egg

2 cups cooked Thai jasmine rice

1 red onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce, hint of granulated sugar

2tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

1)   Heat the oil in a wok and wait until it is hot. Add the chopped garlic and stir until it is golden.

2)   Add the king prawns and chicken. Stir fry until they are cooked.

3)   Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of sugar.

4)   Break the egg into a wok. Stir fry for a few minutes. [This is my secret - cook the egg in the pan until it's cooked and cut in into small pieces. Don't add the egg last as it will make the fried rice soggy.] 

5)   Add the chopped red onions and carrots. Stir fry again for a few minutes.

6)   Add the cooked rice (make sure that it's cool down before you use it). Stir until the rice is mixed well with the ingredients.

Stir-fried king prawns with asparagus

Stir-fried king prawns with asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2in lengths

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g king prawns

1tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of granulated sugar

2tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1)    Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped garlic when it is hot and stir until the garlic is golden.

2)    Add the king prawns and stir fry until they are cooked.

3)    Add the chopped asparagus and cook until they are done.

4)    Season it with 1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp oyster sauce and hint of sugar. Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.

5)    Sprinkle the ground black pepper to serve.

Thai style cookies

Thai style cookies

2 cups plain flour

1 large egg

¾ cup caster sugar

8tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup water

Thai fragrant candle (you can buy it from any Thai supermarkets)

1)   Mix the plain flour with ¾ cup of caster sugar. Add the egg and vegetable oil. Mix them    well.

2)   Add the water and knead the mixture until you can form dough.

3)   Shape the dough into small balls (2cm width). Cut the balls into 4 pieces.

4)   Place 3 pieces together to make a flower and use half of the forth piece to form a small ball and put it at centre of the flower. Do the same with the rest of dough.

5)   Place all the flower shaped cookies on a baking tray. Bake them for 20-25 minutes.

6)   Leave them to cool down and put them in a big container. Light the Thai fragrant candle for a few minutes, then snuff out and place it in the container. Close the lid and leave it overnight. 

Baked curry fish in banana leaves

Baked curry fish in banana leaves

250ml coconut milk (I prefer ‘Chaokoh’ brand)

1tbsp Thai red curry paste (more if you want it spicier)

1tbsp fish sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, hint of granulated sugar

4-5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

250g fish fillets (trout, salmon or cod)

Some vegetables of your choice e.g. carrot, cabbage, Chinese leaves, finely chopped

12cm banana leaf (or big enough to wrap the fish)

1)    Mix the coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and kaffir lime leaves in a mixing bowl.

2)    Cut the fish into small pieces. Marinate the fish in this mixture for at least 15-20 minutes.

3)    Put a banana leaf on a flat surface. Spread a portion of chopped vegetables on top of the leaf. Add the fish mixture on top of the vegetables.

4)    Wrap the fish by turning all the corners and stick them with cocktail sticks.

5)    Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the fish is cooked. Alternatively you can grill it on a barbecue. 

Sweet Thai tea

Sweet Thai tea

This type of Thai drink should be served cold. Add some ice and enjoy. If you like iced tea, you will like this drink even more!

2tbsp Thai tea powder (you can buy it from any Thai supermarkets)

Some ice cubes

6tbsp sweeten condensed milk (more if you want it sweeter)

4tbsp evaporate milk

3cups boiled water

Thai tea strainer (you can buy it from any Thai supermarkets - you can use a normal tea strainer if you cannot find it)

1)    Put 2tbsp Thai tea power in a tea strainer and put it in a jar with 3 cups of boiled water.

2)    Add 6tbsp sweeten condensed milk (more if you like it sweeter) and 4tbsp evaporate milk. Stir it well. Leave it to cool down.

3)    Serve the tea with some ice cubes or you can use a blender to make Thai tea smoothies.