Regional Recipes Thailand: Spicy Pork Stir-fry

Without my wok, I might starve.

Okay, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I really do use my wok a lot.

I know I've already used this picture, but I really do love my wok and take every opportunity to show it off.

People probably think I learned the art of stir-frying (yes, it is an art!) from my mom. It’s a nice thought—culinary traditions being passed down from mother to daughter, preservation of traditional foodways and all that quaint stuff.

The truth is mom didn’t do much stir-frying. She’s from the northeastern part of Thailand, where the regional food (Isaan food) doesn’t rely heavily on the technique. Isaan food is really nothing like what you’d find at Thai restaurants in the US. It’s saltier, more sour and less sweet than other Thai food. It’s more about grilled meats and fish, sticky rice, and spicy dipping sauces. We ate a lot of meat and fish salads, fried eggs and omelets, simple soups and curries (usually without coconut milk). And let’s not forget the infamous pla ra, which is fermented fish, the juice of which is used to flavor just about everything. Mom always had a jar of it in a plastic bag, ripening, hidden way in the back of a cabinet. It’s quite an acquired taste, and if you didn’t grow up eating it, you may never acquire the taste for it. Of course Mom would occasionally make the more well known stir-fries, but I never really paid much attention when she did the actual cooking.

If I didn’t learn the art of wokking from my mother, then where?

I've been cooking for my own family for a few years, and I would do the occasional stir-fry, but it wasn't something I did often. That changed about 3 years ago, when a friend gave me a cast iron wok. That single event changed my life. Okay, another exaggeration, but it did change the way I cook. Being able to work with a well-seasoned cast iron wok was a real pleasure, so I used it often. Practice, practice, practice—that’s how I learned the art of stir-fry.

So I guess the moral of this story is that it doesn't matter how late you learn to cook or use a particular technique. With the right equipment and enough practice, anybody can become a good cook. I truly believe it!

Spicy pork with Thai eggplant

Pad phet (pronounced like pet) is a typical Thai stir-fry that’s fairly easy to make and the flavor is fantastic. It’s spicy (Hubby says I really need to emphasize this point, although I didn't think it was that spicy), due to red curry paste and either chili paste (naam prik pao) or fresh chilies. The chili paste is sweet-spicy. If you decide to use it, cut down on the sugar a bit. Mom prefers it with just the fresh chilies. In any case, the difference is minor and both will give tasty results.

A very delicious version of pad phet is made with deep fried catfish nuggets, but I wasn’t in the mood for deep frying this time. Instead I used pork, which is also very common, but chicken, or even tofu will do. My preferred vegetable is Thai eggplant, but green beans, bamboo shoots, green bell peppers, cabbage, and zucchini are also good choices.

This time I used bamboo shoots and cabbage.

Spicy Pork Stir-fry (Pad phet muu)
serves 3

• 12 oz pork (see note)
• 1 ½ tbs red curry paste
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs naam prik pao and/or fresh Thai chilies to taste
  
• 1 tbs palm sugar (light brown sugar is okay), more to taste
• fish sauce, to taste
• 8 to 10 Thai eggplants, quartered (or vegetable of your choice)
• leaves from one bunch Thai basil

Note: Pork belly is commonly used for this type of dish, but I prefer to use pork butt. It has just enough fat without feeling too fatty. If you’re more health conscious, then you’ll probably want to use something like sirloin or tenderloin.

Whenever I stir-fry with pork butt, I like to tenderize it in one of two ways. I slice it into approximately ½ inch steaks, use the tenderizing side of a meat mallet to pound it down by half, then slice it for stir-frying. The pounding helps break down the meat fibers a little so it’s not so tough. Another trick, when appropriate, is to roughly mince the pork by hand. Start by dicing it into very small cubes, then use a sharp knife to mince it roughly. This also works to tenderize the meat. Either of these methods is good for this dish.

In a mortar, pound the garlic, a handful of the basil leaves and chilies (if using) until you get a rough paste. If you don’t have a mortar, do it in a food processor or mince by hand. Mix this paste with the red curry paste in a small bowl. If you are using naam prik pao, mix that in too. Set aside until needed.

Get your wok nice and hot over high heat. Add about 2 tbs oil. When it’s hot, quickly fry the meat until it’s seared, but not cooked through. Remove it to a bowl, leaving as much oil in the wok as possible. If you are using pork butt, some of the oil should have rendered, and you probably don’t need to add more oil. If you don’t have any oil left, add about another tablespoon or two then add the Thai eggplants (or whatever vegetable you're using). Stir-fry them for about 1 minute, then add the spice mix. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, turning the vegetable to coat in the spice mix, then add about ½ cup water. Cover the wok and allow the eggplant to cook for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant is softened a bit (adjust time according to the vegetable you’re using). Add the sugar (if you used naam prik pao, add only about ½ of the sugar, as the chili paste already adds sweetness). Adjust the flavor with fish sauce and more sugar, if necessary. Add the meat back in and the rest of the basil. Cook just until the meat is cooked through, about another minute or two. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

For other Thai or stir-fry recipes, check out the category links in the right side bar.

This is my submission to Regional Recipes, a blogging event that celebrates national/regional cuisine. This time we’re spotlighting Thailand. There's still time if you want to participate. I'm hosting this month and will accept entries until the 20th, which is when the round-up will be posted (sometime that evening). Send your entries to blazinghotwok(at)gmail(dot)com.

Sweet-Salty-Spicy Fish

It was fish night around these parts again and I decided to make something I haven't had in a long (very long) time. You've probably seen it called something like Deep fried Fish with Thai Basil and Chilies. That name tells you very little about the dish. Traditionally, a whole fish (like pompano) is deep fried then quickly turned in a sauce made from red curry paste, sugar, fish sauce and Thai sweet basil. The result is deliciously balanced...sweet, spicy and salty in every bite.

Thai sweet basil has a very distinctive taste. Some say it has an anise flavor. I encourage you to try it side by side with regular basil to see for yourself. BTW, you can use the flowers too!

I've adapted the recipe to cut down on the prep mess and to use what I could find at my local grocer. Here in Portland, despite being known for having access to some of the best seafood in the country, I can usually only find whole trout. I’m not crazy about that fish. Instead, I thought of using a fish fillet with skin, which basically leaves only salmon. Mom, who is a traditionalist, was a bit horrified when I told her I used salmon, but it turned out great.



Fish with Thai Basil and Chilies

• 1 whole fish (cleaned) OR 1 pound fish fillet with skin, de-scaled (pompano, tilapia, red snapper, perch or even salmon will work)
• ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, well dried
• 2 to 3 Thai chilies split lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed (optional)
  
• ½ to 1 tbs red (green okay too) curry paste (store-bought is fine, or see recipe below)
• 2 tbs fish sauce (start with 1/2 tbs if using store-bought curry paste)
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 3 tbs water
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, julienned (optional)

When using fish fillets, pan searing works well. For this task, some people swear by non-stick. I always use cast iron. Whatever you use, it should be able to stand high heat.

Brush the fish with oil on both sides (vegetable or peanut is best). You could even spray the fish with cooking spray if you prefer. When your pan is nice and hot (I mean very hot), put the fish in it, skin side up. Don’t be tempted to rotate the fish. Just let it sear for about 2 or 3 minutes (longer may be necessary for thicker fillets). It needs to form a nice crust; otherwise it will stick to the pan. Flip the fillets and finish frying, skin side down, until done to your liking. We like our salmon a little pink in the center with crispy skin. Remove from the pan onto a plate, with the skin side up to keep it crispy. Keep warm.

Make the sauce (and heat the wok) while cooking the fish. In a small bowl, add the fish sauce, sugar and the water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside until ready to use.

Heat a wok over high heat until very hot. Add about 1 to 2 tbs oil (peanut or vegetable; no olive oil!) and push it up the sides of the wok. Add the dry basil leaves (be careful because they will spatter, no matter how dry they are). Let them fry, without stirring for about 30 seconds. When crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Do the same with the chilies.

To the hot oil left in the wok, add the curry paste. Fry, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Add the sauce mix. It should begin to caramelize immediately. Stir to dissolve the curry paste. Add 1 or 2 tbs more water if the mixture gets too thick too fast. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce if necessary. Lastly, add the fish and coat it with the sauce, carefully flipping once. Remove from heat and serve immediately garnished with the julienned kaffir lime leaves, fried basil leaves and chilies and a side of steamed jasmine rice.



Store-bought paste is fine, but I feel homemade paste gives the sauce a little more texture. You can also make it as spicy as you like, and it won’t contain all the salt found in the store-bought stuff. It may seem like a bit of work, but you’ll have enough to freeze for future use.

Red Curry Paste

• 10 fresh or dried Thai red chilies, seeded and roughly chopped
• 3 (or more) whole red chilies, chopped
  
• 2 stalks lemon grass, whites only, finely chopped
• 1 tbs finely chopped galangal
• 6 or 7 finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 Asian shallots (or 2 tbs regular shallots), finely chopped
• 4 or 5 coriander roots, chopped (if you can’t find roots, use a bunch of stems)
• 2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (also called kapi shrimp paste)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• vegetable or peanut oil as needed

The easiest way to do this is to throw everything into a food processor. With the processor on, add a little oil to help the processing. Stop to scrap down the sides. Try to get the herbs as fine as possible, but don’t expect it to look like the store-bought stuff. And don’t expect it to be red. It will probably be greenish-brown with flecks of red. Freeze in batches of 1 or 2 tbs.