In Thailand Rice is sacred with a rice goddess called Mai Pho Sop that bestows wellbeing. The Thai people respond by taking a bite of rice at the beginning of every meal.
Rice is staple food in Thailand. The Thai phrase 'kin khao' literally means to eat rice or food - Gin Kao - literally translates as "a time to eat rice" or come and eat food. This is because rice is the center of the meal and the other dishes just enhance the rice. Hence the phrase "Gab Kao" or things eaten with rice.
Rice is served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time, as dessert and in soups which is served like tea. Rice is served plain, mixed with other foods, boiled, steamed, baked or stir-fried. Rice and fruit are commonly eaten for dessert, rice flour is made into cakes, bread, cookies and noodles.
Thai Rice Dishes
• Khao rice
• Rat khao any dish served over rice; ordinary Thai restaurants sell their dishes either in portions big enough for several eaters or as rat khao, a serving over rice portioned for one person
• Khao man kai sliced chicken served with plain rice
• Khao na pet sliced roast duck with plain rice
• Khao na kai sliced chicken with bamboo shoots and spring onions in a gravy over plain rice
• Khao mu daeng sliced cooked pork with egg and gravy over plain rice
• Khao mu tot sliced fried pork over plain rice (can be ordered with khai, egg, added on top)
• Khao rat na nua fried vegetables and beef in a gravy over plain rice
Jasmine Coconut Rice Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
2 cups Ajika Jasmine Rice
1 can coconut milk
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Ajika Palm Sugar for sweet smooth mellow flavor
Directions
Heat oil in a pan. Add rice, coconut milk, water, and salt.. Cook over medium high heat. Stir well.
Add sugar and continue to stir (to keep the rice from sticking to the pot) until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Now, turn down the heat to low and cover the pot.
Allow rice to cook for 10-12 minutes, or until rice has absorbed most of the coconut-water.
Turn off the heat and allow to sit 5-10 minutes with the cover on, or until ready to serve.
Fluff the rice before serving
Thai Spicy Fried Rice Recipe
Dried red chilli pepper as per taste
1/2 tsp. Fish sauce
5 tbsp. Soy sauce
lemon 1 cut into wages
2 slices chicken breast sliced long
2 cup cooked rice
green onion / scallion minced
3 eggs omlet
3 cloves garlic minced
Cucumber slice
Directions
Heat oil in a pan. Add oil, garic, and dried pepper cook until it golden brown, Add chicken and cook till chicken is done. Now add cooked rice, fish sauce, thick soy sauce, cooked eggs, and green onion. Fold in the rice until well mixe and it ready to serve. Garnish with lemom wages and silce cucumber and serve warm.
Spicy Thai Fried Rice (Khao Pad Goong)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten well and cooked scrambled in a wok with 1 tbsp. oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sq. inch palm sugar
3 cups cooked and cooled Jasmine Rice
2 Tbs. (or more) Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
1 Tbs. fish sauce
1/2 cup mixed vegetables (try diced red bell peppers, asparagus, or frozen peas)
Optional: 1/4 lb. cooked small shrimp, shelled and deveined, or firm tofu, strained and cubed
heat oil in a wok over medium high heat, stir-fry the onion, garlic, salt and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion and garlic have just turned golden. Add cooked jasmine rice, spicy Thai chili sauce, fish sauce, vegetables and egg (and optional shrimp or tofu), stir-frying to combine. Stir-fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until all ingredients are cooked.
Thai Green Rice Recipe
Ingredients
1.5 cups Jasmine Rice
1 cup coconut cream
4 cloves garlic
2 large or 3 medium-sized fresh green or red chillies
1 inch cube root ginger
1/4 cup fresh coriander
1½ tbsp oil
3 x 2in/5cm pieces cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
15 black peppercorns
1½ oz/40g unsalted cashew nuts, halved
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
4oz/110g fresh peas, or frozen and defrosted
1½ level tsp salt, or to taste
15fl oz/425ml hot water
2 tbsp lime juice
Directions
Mince garlic, chillies, ginger and cilantro stalks, till finely chopped in a blender or mortar and pestle. Keep aside.
Heat the oil over a gentle heat in the frying pan, then add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns and cashew nuts to the pan and sauté everything gently for about 1 minute. Next, add the onions and continue to cook over a medium heat until onions are golden brown. Next add the rice, then stir once and cook for another 2-3 minutes. After that, add the coconut, give everything a stir, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Now add the peas, salt and hot water, bring it all up to a gentle simmer, then cover with the lid. Turn the heat to low and let everything cook very gently for 8 minutes and don't lift the lid.
Then remove the pan from the heat and leave covered. Before serving remove the pieces of cinnamon, sprinkle in the lime juice and the finely chopped cilantro leaves.
Sweet Pork Fried Rice
1 cup cooked Jasmine Rice
2 Tbs. vegetable oil, (divided)
1/2 cup chopped Sweet Pork
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. thick Chinese soy sauce (optional)
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbs. green onions, thinly sliced
Optional garnishes: sprigs of fresh cilantro and cucumber*, thinly sliced
Optional: Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry pork and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes or until light brown. Remove from wok and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and coat bottom of wok. Add eggs and stir-fry for 30 seconds; until scrambled. Add cooked jasmine rice and stir-fry rapidly, turning jasmine rice over to coat with eggs. Add pork and garlic stir-fried mixture, soy sauce, fish sauce and white pepper; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add green onions and cook for 30 seconds more. Place on a serving platter or in a bowl and garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro and sliced cucumber. Accompany with Spicy Thai Chili Sauce. Makes 4 to 6 servings. * For a decorative touch, cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into thin half moon shapes. Fan cucumber on top of fried rice for garnish.
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Jasmine Rice (Kao Hom Mali):
Also known as fragrant or scented rice, this long grain variety is the staple food of the central and southern part of Thailand. As the name suggests, it has a delicate aroma. The uncooked grains are translucent and, when cooked, the rice is fluffy and white.
Glutinous Rice (Kao Niew):
Commonly it refers to sticky rice, which is the mainstay of the diet in the northern and north-eastern regions of the country. It is delicious and very filling. Its name is derived entirely from its sticky texture. Easily cultivated on the hillsides and high plain of these regions, glutinous rice requires less water during the growing period than the white rice of the central lowlands.
Although it is planted in the north and the north-eastern regions, glutinous rice is the most popular since it is eaten elsewhere in the country, most frequently in sweet snacks or desserts. The rice is sweetened and flavored with coconut milk, and is especially popular in the mango and durian season, when huge amounts of sticky rice are sold to eat with these precious fruits. Sticky rice is daily dishes for the Northern and Northeastern since they prefer sticky rice with Somtam (Thai salad or papaya salad) and their special dishes like Lab E-sarn sausages.
Black Glutinous Rice (Kao Niew Dam):
It is generally sweetened with coconut milk and sugar and eaten as a snack or dessert, rather than being used as the staple of a savory meal. It does tend to be quite heavy, filling and indigestible if eaten too much.
In spite of its name, black rice isn't actually black in color. If the grains are soaked in water for a few hours, the water will turn a deep burgundy red, showing the rice's true color.
