A taste of the Far East

Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai) with Chicken and Shrimp

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth plus 1 26-ounce container of chicken stock to make it more rich

1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, slit open and cut into 3-inch long pieces

Grated zest of 2 limes 

1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 

2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise (or ½ of a long hot green chili, seeded and cut into long lengths) *

2 garlic cloves, sliced 

1 13- or 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk 

1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

1 ½ teaspoons sugar 

1 15-ounce can straw mushrooms, drained, rinsed and larger pieces medium chopped 

Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce, optional

½ pound large uncooked shrimp, shelled, deveined and each cut into 2 or 3 pieces

For serving:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

6 cups cooked Jasmine rice (prepared according to package directions)

Additional Sriracha hot sauce (optional – only for those who crave heat)

Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, lime zest, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 20 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth. Turn off the heat and let the broth steep another 20 minutes for added flavor. With a slotted spoon, remove the pieces of lemon grass, ginger, chilies, and garlic and discard.

Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, limejuice, and chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Taste – if the long hot chili hasn’t created enough heat, add 1teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce. Add the shrimp and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, just until shrimp has turned pink. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls over a big spoonful or two of cooked jasmine rice. Garnish with the cilantro and – if you dare – a dab of Sriracha. Yield: 8 servings.

* For descriptions and photos of Thai and long hot (green) chilies, go to  HYPERLINK "http://www.melissas.com" http://www.melissas.com.

Chinese Egg Rolls

There is nothing exotic about these old fashioned egg rolls. They are just plain good, and the recipe can easily be halved. Becky sometimes makes them as an hors d’ouevre for outdoor summer cocktail parties where ten people have been known to demolish thirty of these fat egg rolls within twenty minutes. They are referred to as Chinese egg rolls because of their similarity to the fried version served over the years in American Chinese restaurants serving Cantonese style food. It is not known if this is truly a Chinese, let alone a Cantonese, invention. Becky’s good friend Barry Popik, who has made an enormous contribution to culinary history with his research into food and food terminolgy, makes reference to restauranteur Lum Fong who operated a number of Chinese restaurants in New York ( HYPERLINK "http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/egg_roll_won_ton_cantonese_cuisine/" http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/egg_roll_won_ton_cantonese_cuisine/). Prior to his arrival in New York in 1915, Mr. Fong operated a restaurant in Canton and has been credited with introducing won-ton soup and shrimp and egg rolls to American diners. For more information on this and many other fascinating topics, a visit to Barry Popik’s web site is highly recommended ( HYPERLINK "http://www.barrypopik.com" http://www.barrypopik.com. 

Chinese Egg Rolls

30 egg roll wrappers

½ medium green cabbage, sliced very thinly and then chopped

2 cups fresh bean sprouts, washed in cold water and drained (canned bean sprouts, washed in cold water and drained, may be substituted)

1½ bunches green onion, chopped

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, cleaned and chopped into 3 or 4 pieces each

4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

6 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Huy Fong brand Sriracha hot sauce

1/4 cup peanut oil

Additional peanut oil for frying egg rolls

For serving:

Sweet and sour sauce

Plum sauce

In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, bean sprouts, green onion, shrimp, and chicken. In a large skillet, fry the mixture in the 1/4 cup of peanut oil just until the shrimp are cooked through and have turned pink. Season the mixture with the soy sauce, mix well, and then drain the mixture in a colander. Season the mixture with ½ to 1 teaspoon Huy Fong brand Sriracha hot sauce. Cool the filling in the refrigerator.

Fill each wrapper with about one quarter cup of the cooled filling and roll. Heat peanut oil to just below smoking and fry the egg rolls until crisp and golden brown on each side. Drain well on paper towels and serve hot with sweet and sour sauce. Yield: 30 egg rolls.