Two great recipes from Thai at Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa – Poo Jha and Kaeng Phet Kung.
Whenever I think of Brazil, the song “Two Tickets to Paradise” by Eddie Money always comes to mind. For me, Brazil is definitely a paradise with its verdant jungles, pristine beaches, beautiful people, phenomenal cuisine and rhythmic music
Speaking of phenomenal cuisine, I just returned from a trip to the fabulous Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa, located at Avenida Miguel Stefano, 1001, Praia da Enseada, Guarujá 11440-530, SP, Brazil, www.casagrandehotel.com.br, where I had the great opportunity to experience their Thai restaurant, aptly named Thai. Mr. Paulo Roberto Cupertino, Operational Manager, Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa, who was responsible for the conception of the restaurant, as well as the recipes, has kindly agreed to share a few of Thai’s recipes with us. To read the complete story on Brazil and the Casa Grande Hotel Resort & Spa, please read our São Paulo article in the Destination section.
POO JHA – Deep fried small cakes with crab meat, pork and Thai spices (Very popular Thai appetizer)
Ingredients for 60 small cakes:
800 grams crabmeat
400 grams chicken or pork minced meat
30 grams coriander leaves finely chopped
2 whole eggs, beaten
2 chopped fresh chili pepper (red)
30 ml Nam Pla (Thai fish sauce)
2 tablespoons onion finely copped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients to form a smooth dough. Wet your hands to prevent the mixture from sticking; roll the mixture into small balls. Heat the frying oil to 140° C (275 F). Place a few balls at a time into the oil and fry for about two minutes, or until they are golden. Place on paper towels and then on a plate to serve.
IKAN BALI COLO COLO – Grilled Fish Filet with Fresh Tomatoes, Onions and Indonesian Spices – 1 Portion.
Ingredients:
180 grams fish filet (4 filets)
½ ripe, red tomato
¼ purple onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 dash salt
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon soy oil to fry the filets
1 tablespoon basil, chopped
1 chili cut in half lengthwise
½ lady finger chili pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Nam Pla
1 tablespoon limejuice
2 tablespoons light Soy Sauce
Method of Preparation:
Season the fish filets with garlic, salt, and limejuice; sauté in a Wok.
Sauce:
1. Dice tomatoes, (seeds removed), onion, garlic, basil and coriander.
2. Mix with Nam Pla, limejuice, Soy Sauce and the chili peppers.
Presentation:Serve on a bamboo basket with banana leaves. Place the fish filets on top of the banana leaves and top with the sauce.
The recipe for Kaeng Phet Kung, which follows below, has been selected from "The Boathouse Cooking School" from Phuket. The Boathouse Cooking School is a very important culinary school in Thailand; located in Kata Beach – Phuket, in the Boathouse Hotel, one of the top small boutique hotels of Thailand. (Where lucky Mr. Cupertino had the opportunity to visit twice.) Chef Tummanoon, one of Thailand’s top Chefs, conducts the Thai cooking classes.
KAENG PHET KUNG – Thai Red Curried Shrimp and Mango – 1 Portion
Ingredients:
8 shrimp (30/40 size) peeled and deveined with tail
½ cup of coconut milk (125 ml.)
1 ½ teaspoon red curry paste
1 teaspoon Nam Pla, (Thai Fish Sauce)
1 teaspoon red lady finger chili pepper, seeds removed, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon green scallions, chopped about +/- 3 cm.
¼ Mango “firm” (not very ripe) cut into small dice, about +/- 1 cm.
Method of Preparation:
1. In a Wok, add the coconut milk, red curry paste, Nam Pla and finely chopped chili
2. Cook until it just starts to meld together. Add the shrimp; reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly for +/- 3 – 4 minutes.
3. Add the scallions and the diced mango, stir quickly and remove from heat.
Presentation:
Serve on a bed of jasmine rice.
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