Adventures in Thai Cookery

And so last night was the end of my cooking classes that my boyfriend got me for my birthday. I ended with Thai Cooking, and we made

Tom Ka Gai (lemongrass and coconut soup)
Green Papaya Salad
Red Curry with Chicken
Pad Thai
Stir Fried Broccoli and Red Peppers with Peanut Sauce
Mango with Sticky Rice

I loved the way that this instructor ran her class. It was extremely organized and efficient, but it was also very informal and people could ask any questions at any time. She wasn't making jokes all over the place like my Chinese cooking instructor, but she was eccentric and she (and the class) had a lot of fun.

There were two stations at each of the three tables. Everyone had to chip in cutting and measuring their ingredients, so there was a lot of hands-on time. Thai food has such a different and distinct taste compared to anything that I'm used to. The lime and coconut flavors really come out in every dish. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it's so different that it takes some getting used to.

My favorite entree was the Red Curry Chicken, and luckily for me it's also the easiest to make. Also you can change the curry around if you don't like it quite as hot. I love spicy food, but Thai spice can really be overpowering sometimes. I was cutting some Thai chili peppers and the instructor made me wear gloves because the chilis are so strong.

I also loved the Mango and Sticky Rice. It was so sweet. You take

3 mangoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups cooked sticky rice
1 1/2 - 2 cups lite coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
and a pinch of salt

Cook the rice in a rice cooker with the coconut milk, then add in all the sugar and salt. Serve warm with mango.

Very simple, and it really takes care of that craving after dinner for something sweet. Well, I have that craving anyway... my boyfriend tells me that not everyone does.

So my romp with classroom cooking is over. Hopefully I'll get my ass out the door and locate an Asian store to purchase some of these hard to find ingredients (wood ears, anyone?). If you want any recipes let me know!