Recipe: Green Papaya Salad, Rice Crackers With Pork-Shrimp-Coconut Dip (and more)

Serves 4.

Note: Once you have peeled the papaya and removed the seeds, a good trick for easily shredding it is to whack the fruit repeatedly with a long, sharp knife to create many shallow cuts and then shave off the outer layers with a vegetable peeler. Repeat the process until the papaya flesh is all shredded. Some Asian grocery stores also carry pre-shredded green papaya. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a small bowl and a wooden spoon. From "50 Great Curries of Thailand," by Vatcharin Bhumichitr.

• 4 oz. green papaya, peeled with seeds removed (see Note)

• 1 garlic clove

• 3 small fresh red or green chiles

• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts

• 1 oz. long beans (about 1/4 c.), chopped into 1-in. lengths (green beans can be substituted)

• 3 tbsp. fish sauce (if vegetarian, use soy sauce)

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 1 medium tomato, chopped into segments

• 2 large Chinese cabbage leaves

• 1/2 c. dried shrimp, for garnish (found in Asian grocery stores)

Finely shred the papaya flesh or chop it very finely into long, thin shreds (see Note). Set aside.

In a mortar, lightly pound the garlic. Add the chiles and lightly pound again. Add the peanuts and lightly pound while occasionally stirring with a spoon to prevent the resulting paste from thickening.

Add the long beans and slightly bruise them. Add the shredded papaya, lightly pound and stir until all ingredients are blended together.

Add the lemon juice, fish or soy sauce and sugar, and stir into the mixture. Finally, add the tomato, stirring once. Put the cabbage leaves on a plate and scoop the mixture onto them. Garnish with dried shrimp.

Serves 4.

• Vegetable oil, for greasing

• 1 lb. skinless sea bass, cod, red snapper or haddock, cut into 16 equal pieces

• 2 c. coconut milk

• 6 tbsp. yellow curry paste

• 3 tbsp. red chili-garlic paste (such as Kum-Lee brand)

• 1 tbsp. finely grated palm sugar or light brown sugar

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 3 eggs

• 4 large banana leaves to replace the ramekins, if desired

• Thinly shredded Kaffir lime leaves and sliced red chiles, for garnish

Grease 4 (8-oz.) ramekins with oil and divide the fish evenly in 4 ramekins.

In a large bowl, whisk the coconut milk with the curry paste, chili-garlic paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, salt and eggs, until smooth. Divide the custard evenly in the ramekins. Alternatively, fashion banana leaves into boats, fasten the edges with toothpicks and use in place of the ramekins.

If steaming: Pour about 2 inches of water in a steamer and place the ramekins inside. Steam until the custards are set, but jiggle slightly in the center, about 20 minutes.

If roasting: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place the bowls inside a roasting pan. Place the pan inside the oven and pour enough boiling water in the pan to come halfway up the sides of the bowls. Bake until the custards are set, but jiggle slightly in the center, about 50 minutes. Lift the bowls from the water bath and set on a plate. Garnish with the lime leaves and red chiles.

Serves 4.

• 2 dried Thai long or guajillo chiles, cut into 1-in. pieces, soaked and softened and squeezed dry

• 1 tsp. white peppercorns

• 1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro roots or stems

• 4 large garlic cloves

• 1/2 c. freshly extracted coconut cream or 1/2 c. canned coconut cream plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 oz. shallots, finely diced

• 1 c. coconut milk (see Note)

• 1 c. ground pork

• 1 c. shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped (if extracting the tomalley, purchase 2 c. whole prawns)

• 1 1/2 tbsp. packed grated palm sugar (see Note)

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/3 c. unsalted roasted peanuts, very finely chopped

• 2 tbsp. coconut cream, for garnish

• 3 or 4 red chile slivers, for garnish

• 3 or 4 fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a mortar, grind together the 2 chiles, peppercorns, cilantro roots or stems and garlic to form a smooth paste.

Transfer the paste to a 2-quart saucepan and add 1/2 cup coconut cream and tomalley. Place the pan over medium-high heat and stir constantly for 1 minute. Stir in the shallots, 1 cup coconut milk, pork, shrimp, sugar, tamarind paste and salt, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook until the pork and shrimp are opaque, 6 to 8 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then stir in the peanuts.

Remove from the heat and let cool until just warmer than room temperature. Garnish with 2 tablespoons coconut cream, chile slivers and cilantro leaves, and serve with the rice crackers (homemade or commercially available).

Makes 24 crackers.

• 1 1/2 c. cooked long-grain white rice, preferably Thai jasmine

• Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Directions

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Scoop up the cooked rice, 1 tablespoon at a time, and place on the pans. With damp fingers, form the grains into a single layer, creating a round just shy of 3 inches in diameter. Don't worry if the rounds feel too loose — when dry, they will harden and stick together. Dry in the sun or in a 110-degree oven, flipping every now and then, until they are dried all the way to the center. When in doubt, err on the side of over-drying. Oven drying will take about 12 hours. Sun drying will depend on the weather conditions.

Makes 4 c.

Note: This is used with the Coconut-Rice Pudding Cakes. Limestone paste is commonly available at Asian groceries. From "Bangkok: Recipes and Stories From the Heart of Thailand," by Leela Punyaratabandhu.

• 1/2 c. food-grade red limestone paste (see Note)

• 4 c. water

Directions

Makes 48 small cakes.

Note: In Thailand, these cakes are made with a special pan. However, a cast-iron Danish pancake (aebleskiver) pan also works well, and is widely available in Minnesota. Canned coconut milk is best bought at Asian groceries, where the varieties are typically creamier. From "Bangkok: Recipes and Stories From the Heart of Thailand," by Leela Punyaratabandhu.

Batter:

• 1/2 c. raw long-grain white rice, preferably Thai jasmine, soaked in water for 5 to 6 hours, then drained

• 1 c. rice flour

• 1 c. full-fat coconut milk

• 1/4 c. sugar

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 c. oil for greasing the pan

Topping:

• 1 c. coconut cream

• 1 c. full fat coconut milk

• 3 tbsp. sugar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

To make the topping: In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup rice flour, coconut cream, 1 cup coconut milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk until smooth; set aside.

Heat the pan over medium-high heat until hot. Brush the oil over the surface of each hollow in the mold. Ladle the batter into each crevice, filling it about three-fourths full. Tilt the pan back and forth so the batter coats the sides.