Thai Style Creamed Corn, A Special Black History Inspired Recipe

Thai Style Creamed Corn, A Special Black History Inspired Recipe

Today’s recipe share is a tribute to my grandparents for Black History Month. In memoriam we’ll be getting into the kitchen to make a dish called creamed corn. This staple side in southern cuisine is something you might find on the dining room table at family gatherings, or as a side at a favorite bbq joint. Today’s version though, brings Thai flavors to this dish and has been written to make it easily repeatable at home.

Thai style creamed corn, made with local organic corn and fresh coconut milk.

There’s so much Black History to share this month and always. And yes it’s important to know the most famous events and people, but learning the history of people you know can help make the month more meaningful. So I’m honored to share a little about my grandparents, whose shoulders I stand on today.

In particular, my maternal grandfather, whose cast iron pan never moved far from the stovetop. His name was Harold Dunson, but people knew him as ‘The Vegetable Man’. After working for US Steel in Birmingham, Alabama for 35 years, he retired but never quit working. Instead, he started a small business delivering vegetables on the west side of Birmingham for decades.

Some of my most vivid memories of my grandfather were of him waking early, likely 4 or 5am, to get a jump on the bunches of collard and turnip greens he would slice and prep for his customers. He powered through with hot coffee and the help of his favorite prep knife, that had been repeatedly wrapped in worn masking tape to make it easier to handle.

To help share about Black History with our Thai friends, these recipe cards were created by the team at the US Embassy in Bangkok.

When daybreak came, he’d already have breakfast on the stove by the time my sister and I woke up. The long day’s work required hearty morning staples like biscuits, grits, bacon, and fried fish. After all, he was delivering to Black neighborhoods long underserved by grocery stores. He provided senior citizens with limited mobility to have access to fresh vegetables and fruit by bringing them to their doorstep and allowing those with limited finances to buy ‘a dolla‘ of this and that from the back of his truck. All of this happened long before we invented the term food desert, in swaths of Birmingham with more liquor stores and fast food than anything else.

Now Mr. Dunson may not appear in your history books, but I can’t help but summon him in my work today. Even though I live half a world away from where he spent most of his life, his compassion for people and his quiet perseverance to serve them into his early eighties still inspires me.

Creamed corn served with black eyed pea empanadas (left) and Thai style creamed corn with both mild and spicy versions.

In remembrance of this hero, I’d like to share a dish from his cast iron pan called creamed corn. This isn’t the dairy and bacon grease laden recipe you will find on websites dedicated to southern and soul food. That’s no discredit to soul food, but having the traditional version too often can be unhealthy. Instead, I’m making a Thai style creamed corn with fresh aromatics, grilled or roasted corn, creamy coconut milk, and a bit of spice. The resulting dish should be smoky and creamy, sweet from your corn and coconut milk, and pack a mild spice kick.

I hope you’ll join me in sharing this recipe, and reflecting on where Black History has brought us today as a society, and in our individual lives.

The recipe is below, happy cooking and special thanks to the US Embassy in Bangkok for helping highlight this story and recipe with a video and Thai language recipe cards.

Thai Style Creamed Corn

This recipe serves 1 person or can be shared as a side dish. The recipe can be made oil free, gluten free, and vegan if desired.

Optional utensils include mortar and pestle, and non stick frying pan or wok.

Ingredients

  • 200g Corn (about 1 cup, optionally grill and cut off the cob for extra flavor)
  • 100ml Coconut milk
  • Oil for cooking (optional, since the coconut milk is rich in healthy fats/oil)
  • 1/2 Bell pepper, diced
  • 1 Quarter of an onion, diced
  • 5-6 Garlic cloves, smashed or minced
  • 1 Tsp Palm sugar
  • 1 Tsp Black pepper, toasted and crushed
  • 1 Tsp Nam prik pow chili jam (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Tbsp Sticky rice flour slurry (1 tbsp dissolved into 3 tbsp water)
  • 1 Spring onion stalk tip, sliced thin to garnish
  • Sprinkle of Paprika to garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut your corn off the cobb if needed, and dice your bell pepper. Then prep any other vegetable you plan to include in your recipe.
  2. Over low to medium heat add your onion, bell pepper, and garlic to a small amount of coconut milk or oil.
  3. Sweat these aromatic ingredients until fragrant or lightly browned. Now add corn and stir fry briefly for 2-3 mins.
  4. If needed, add coconut milk, a tablespoon at a time to keep your pan from burning.
  5. When everything smells fragrant, add remaining coconut milk and allow to simmer, gently boiling.
  6. Season with a teaspoon of palm sugar, black pepper, chili jam (nam prik pow), and salt to taste.
  7. Finish by adding a tbsp of your flour slurry at a time and stirring in well. When your coconut milk is no longer runny, or the desired texture is achieved, turn off the heat.
  8. Plate and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and spring onion before serving.
A Simple Recipe for Cooking Thai Coconut Pancakes with Kids!

A Simple Recipe for Cooking Thai Coconut Pancakes with Kids!

Happy 2019 everyone! We finished 2018 on a high, hosting a record number of families in our kids cooking class. So we want to continue to encourage people to get into the kitchen as a family throughout 2019, starting with the first holiday on the calendar, Thai Children’s Day!

Happy Children’s Day!

For the occasion we’re sharing a special recipe that’s easy for kids, tasty for adults, and doesn’t create too much of a mess in the kitchen. The tasty recipe we chose is Thai Coconut Pancakes!

We have been making this simple recipes in our cooking classes, and recently took St. Andrews school, to teach 8-11 year old students in the Eco-Beasts program, while discussing eco-friendly food and packaging.

We’ve got to get more young people thinking about sustainability to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals!

Now it’s your turn to make this simple Thai recipe! There are only 5 ingredients. Share these tasty treats by cooking and eating them with your family. If you love them, remember to support Courageous Kitchen with a donation to help us provide food and education to marginalized youth in Bangkok!

Ingredients

This recipes makes 12-15 silver dollar sized pancakes.

  • 2 cups of sticky rice flour
  • 2 cups of shredded coconut
  • 1 cup of coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup of rice flour
  • 1/3 cup of white sugar
Let’s get more young people in the kitchen in 2019, no matter their age!
Teaching students to make Thai coconut pancakes and banana leaf container trays.

Thai Coconut Pancake Instructions

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add a tap of extra coconut milk if it doesn’t whisk smoothly.
  2. Put a non-stick pan on medium heat, pouring the batter carefully.
  3. When you begin to see bubbles in your pancakes, flip them until they’ve been suitably browned on each side. If your pan is warm enough, this should take only 2-3 minutes on each side.
  4. Allow to cool and serve the hot Thai pancakes on banana leaf instead of plastic or styrofoam!
Jub learning to make butterfly pea, coconut, and corn pancakes!

Can I use other fruit in the pancake instead of coconut?

This isn’t a great recipe if you’re not a fan of coconut, because it includes both shredded coconut and coconut milk. However, you can substitute the 2 cups of shredded coconut with 2 bananas, and make the very banana flavored version. The students we met at St. Andrews recently couldn’t decide which version they liked best!

Why does it seem like so much sugar?

When mixing the batter it can seem that you’re using a lot of sugar. However remember that you’re also getting sweetness from your shredded coconut. The pancakes should ideally be sweet enough that you do not need to add any syrup or butter, making them a significantly healthier snack or breakfast choice than traditional western pancakes.

thai coconut pancake recipe-2
These medallion sized Thai coconut pancakes are kids sized by default, and don’t need butter or syrup to be enjoyed!

Do street food vendors sell these coconut pancakes?

You can find these coconut pancakes at the street food vendors in Bangkok, however, they will be a different style. The type featured in this Children’s Day recipe is called paengji (แป้งจี่), but the type you see more commonly on the street is kanom babin (บ้าบิ่น). You can differentiate them easily because kanom babin is usually smaller and a variety of colors from including taro or pandan. If you spot them have a try, they are equally delicious!

If you enjoyed these recipes and info, don’t forget you can support us by joining a kids cooking class, or donating to our efforts to help people in the need!

Chicken Tom Yum Soup Recipe (Video)

Chicken Tom Yum Soup Recipe (Video)

Today we’d like to share a simple and delicious recipe with all of our supporters. If you watch the video below you catch our students making a big pot of the spicy, satisfying tom yum soup with chicken. Then continue to read below for all the details on how to make this recipe at home. We’ve even included a few frequently asked questions at the bottom, to be sure you’re confident when cooking this homestyle soup for your friends and family.

Remember you can donate to support our efforts to educate and train more at-risk youth.

Tom Yum Recipe Video:

Chicken Tom Yum Recipe (Tom Yum Gai)

This recipe serves 1-2 people, but if you have all your aromatics on hand, it’s easy to make a much larger pot like the one seen in recipe video above. Preparation time is typically 15-20 minutes, while your cooking time can be as quick as 10 minutes.

Primary Aromatics:
3-4 Kaffir Lime Leaves
3-4 Galangal Large Slices
1 Lemongrass Stalk

Seasoning:
2-3 Tbsp of fish sauce
Juice from 1 lime
2-3 Tsp of palm sugar
1-2 Tbsp of Thai chili jam

Other Ingredients:
500ml of Water
4-6 Oyster Mushrooms
2-3 Bird’s eye chili
1/2 Plum tomato quartered
1/4 of a roughly chopped white onion
100g of sliced chicken breast
5-6 Cilantro leaves for garnish

tum yum class bangkok-2

Preparation:

1. Prepare your aromatics. Smack your kaffir lime and tear it, being carful not to remove the leaves from the stem. Pound your lemongrass stalk and tie it in a knot. Cut your galangal root into large slices. For the best final result you want to keep these aromatics large and easily visible (avoid chopping small), because although they are used for their aroma and flavor, they are not typically consumed with the rest of the soup.

2. Roughly chop 2-3 chilies for an average level of spice. You can chop the chili more finely or add more if you prefer your soup extra spicy.

3. Cut your lime in sections by moving your knife around the core. This will help you remove the seeds more easily. You can also tilt your knife down into a bowl and use the blunt side of your knife for squeezing the lime without making it too messy.

group cooking class bangkok-2

Cooking Instructions:

1. Bring your water to a boil in small pot and immediately add your aromatics. Cook a few minutes until fragrant.
2. Add your chicken breast and after it cooks, your onion, tomato, chili, and mushrooms.
3. Let the soup lightly boil uncovered as the vegetables soften, while adding your fish sauce, chili jam, and palm sugar.
4. Taste your soup for saltiness and sweetness.
5. If you are satisfied, remove from heat and add lime juice (remember adding lime too soon can cause the juice to become bitter).
6. Serve in a bowl and garnish with cilantro leaves.
7. Remember you can remove the hard to eat aromatics (galangal slices, lemongrass, and kaffir leaves) before serving or remind guests not to eat them.

Frequently Asked Tom Yum Recipe Questions:

tum yum class bangkok-1

1. Why don’t you add coconut milk to your tom yum soup?

CK: Tom yum has a sibling soup called ‘tom kha’ which is made with coconut milk. The creamy coconut milk is a good match for the spice and a better menu option for people sensitive to the heat from Thai chilies. The confusion comes because some restaurants do a version of tom yum called ‘nam khon’ where they top the soup of with evaporated milk. This is especially common in Bangkok and at wester restaurants abroad. The milk adds a creaminess to the soup without changing the flavor like the coconut milk can, however, many people mistake this for coconut milk.

2. Can I use other mushrooms or forego the chicken altogether?

CK: If you would prefer to make a vegetarian version of this dish you can! The meaty, buttery mushrooms work best. For example, we often mix oyster mushroom with straw, shimeji, and even the small stringy enoki mushrooms. In general most mushrooms will work, however, you may want to limit your portion if you’re using really bulky mushrooms, such as portobello. To completely make this recipe vegetarian you should substitute white salt for fish sauce, and buy or make a vegetarian chili jam.

3. What is the Thai chili jam (nam prik pow) used in the recipe?

CK: An essential ingredient in tom yum, Thai chili jam is not an ingredient many people are familiar with using. The jam is typically made by reducing dried chili with fish sauce, palm sugar, and shallots. A litany of other ingredients are added in homemade recipes and they tend to be more intensely spicy, and less sweet than the ones commonly sold in Asian supermarkets. We often make our own veg and vegan versions for our cooking class guests with special dietary needs.

A Recipe for Making Authentic Khao Soi Curry

A Recipe for Making Authentic Khao Soi Curry

Whether from traveling to Thailand or watching street food videos, people around the world are excited to try Thailand’s rich khao soi curry. This hearty northern Thai dish wins people over by being full of tender stewed meat, aromas from the spices in the curry, and a colorful array of condiments.

We wanted to recreate this recipe in the tradition of Thai street food in Chiang Mai. Our strongest clues for how khao soi was eaten in the past come from the 40 year old flavors you can taste at the restaurant Khao Soi Islam in downtown Chiang Mai. The taste is a sharp contradiction to the extra sweet and salty versions many restaurants, and thus many online recipes promote today.

So here’s our method for the old school version. When you come to Bangkok, be sure to join a cooking class where you can learn to make this yourself. You’ll see in the video, we even pounded the curry in a granite mortar and pestle, this is the same Thai grandma elbow grease method we teach you in the class! Happy eating and remember you can help us feed and train more students by making a donation today!

san diego thai cooking class-3

Khao Soi Curry Recipe

Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 mins
Yields: 6 Servings, Feeds 3-4 People

INGREDIENTS

khao soi recipe ingredients

For the Curry Paste:

  • 8 to 10 dried Thai chili peppers soaked in water overnight
  • 5-6 garlic cloves
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves
  • 3 medium shallots, halved
  • One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (⅓ cup sliced ginger)
  • One 2-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander root or 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stems
  • 2 tablespoons sliced lemongrass (½ lemongrass stalk)
  • 1 tablespoon shrimp paste, toasted in foil
  • 1½ teaspoons toasted coriander seeds
  • 1½ teaspoons toasted cardamom pods, seeds removed and husks discarded
authentic khao soi recipe-2

For the Chicken Rub (Marinade):

  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 tsp sea salt

To Assemble Your Khao Soi Noodles:

  • 3 cups coconut milk, divided
  • Curry paste
  • 3 cups water
  • 1½ pounds chicken legs, drumsticks and thighs separated (4 legs, 8 pieces total)
  • 1 ½ cups oil (I prefer coconut or any high heat oil for frying)
  • 16 ounces thick egg noodles
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • Salt to taste or fish sauce
  • Cilantro sprigs, pickled mustard greens, shallots, chili oil and lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Wash and dry chicken. Marinate with dry rub and set aside. (Can do this overnight)

2. Make the curry paste: Place the dried chiles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let soak until softened, 20 minutes, or soak overnight in cold water. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking liquid.

3. Toast dry spices in a hot pan until darkened, no oil needed, remove from heat and set aside. Toast remaining paste ingredients until they have a slight char or smoky aroma. Toast shrimp paste in a small foil packet. Remove from heat and put all ingredients in your mortar or blender.
3. In a mortar, pound garlic, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, ginger, turmeric, coriander root (or cilantro stems), lemongrass, shrimp paste, curry powder, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, and 2 to 4 tablespoons of coconut milk or the chili soaking liquid (as needed) to make a paste. Makes about 1¼ cups.

4. Make the soup: In a large heavy pot, heat 1 cup of the coconut milk over medium-high heat. When the coconut milk begins to simmer, add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has thickened and reduced, 5-10 minutes. The oils should start to bubble and separate. Add the marinated chicken, browning a little on both sides. Add the water or chicken stock (covering chicken completely) and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 40 to 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry 4 ounces of egg noodles until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

authentic khao soi recipe-1

6. Cook the egg noodles one batch at a time, prepare one pot of boiling water and one ice bath for a 3 step process:

  • Slightly rinse noodles under cold water to remove excess flour.
  • Submerge into rapid boiling water, just to soften, about 30-40 seconds, remove immediately (too long and they will become gummy and inedible)
  • Transfer the noodles immediately from boiling pot to ice bath. This will stop the cooking, retain color and help firm them. Remove after 30 seconds, and place in bowl.

6. Stir the palm sugar into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or fish sauce. Place noodles and soup among 6 bowls. Lightly drizzle coconut milk over top of soup, (don’t stir!) and serve with cilantro, pickled mustard greens, shallots, fried chili oil and lime wedges.

authentic khao soi recipe-3

Special thanks to our friends at Spoon Fork Heart for inviting us to participate in their International Chicken Collaboration Series. If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider donation to Courageous Kitchen to help up provide more cooking classes and education to children in need!

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