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Original poster

thai dinner party help needed!

31 replies

oxocube · 15/05/2006 11:12

Hi, I am planning a Thai dinner for some friends and am struggling a little. I am planning to cook a Thai style beef salad for starter and a prawn and butternut squash red Thai curry with noodles or sticky rice for main. Any ideas on pud and also for some little nibbly things to have before hand with drinks - sort of the Thai equivalent of olives etc.

Many thanks in advance, oxo

OP posts:
mythumbelinas · 15/05/2006 11:16

oh, i've bought some thai style crackers before. You fry them yourself but it's so easy.
i love tom yum soup and saw nigella lawson make that before which looked v simple
Thai fish cakes?
for dessert, how about those coconut jelly things? wouldn't know how to make or where to buy tho, sorry, otherwise exoctic fruits like mango, dragon fruit (i think)

Original poster
oxocube · 15/05/2006 11:19

Ooh, mini Thai fish cakes might work as a nibble and like the sound of the crisp type things as no work involved!Would something like a mango or passion fruit fool work do you think or would the texture be too similar to the soupy curry?

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mythumbelinas · 15/05/2006 11:22

sorry, don't know what mango/passion fruit fool is .. but sounds fine hahaha .. is it like mango pudding .. that's nice!!

..ooohh .. i love thai .. had it last week Grin

controlfreaky · 15/05/2006 11:26

you can make v easy and yummy ice cream (no special maker needed) with coconut milk and mango or lemon grass... think recipe was from frances bisell times cookbook. or else exotic fruit salad...

Frenchgirl · 15/05/2006 11:26

yum.....
A friend made us a fab thai lunch yesterday, it was wonderful: thai fish cakes with a dipping sauce, then she made three main courses, a rather hot lamb with mint, a delicious beef with peppers and a prawn curry (yummy), with rice. For dessert she made a fruit salad and some pots au chocolat with a layer of fresh raspberries at the bottom, delicious. It was perfect.

Gingerbear · 15/05/2006 11:30

Thai food is traditionally served with all courses together, with the emphasis on balance and harmony of all flavours, namely, sweet, salt, sour, spicy.

A typical meal should consist of soup, salad, something crispy, something hot and spicy, and something sweet.

for a sweet- sweet sticky rice pudding is good.

How about sesame chicken strips with lemongrass and sweet chilli sauce as something crispy?

cremolafoam · 15/05/2006 11:45

\link{http://www.foodiesite.com/recipes/1999-08/goldenmoneybags.jsp\these are delicious}
i wouldn't bother making the dip but just buy some sweet chilli sauce instead.

Piffle · 15/05/2006 11:46

I have a stunningly nice recipe for thia fishcakes using cod loin.
pudding mango and sticky rice :)

shazronnie · 15/05/2006 11:58

yum yum

Frenchgirl · 15/05/2006 12:03

cod loin piffle?? Have you checked with her first?

Original poster
oxocube · 15/05/2006 12:17

Thanks everyone! Have just come back from supermarket to all these lovely ideas! Gingerbear, the sesame chicken strips sound lovely. Is it just chicken coated in sesame seeds and fried or are there loads of other ingredients? Piffle, could I have your fishcake recipe please? All these things sound yummy. The only thing I'm trying to keep to a minimum is loads of last minute frying.Thanks again everyone!

OP posts:
Original poster
oxocube · 15/05/2006 12:34

Gingerbear, love the idea of all the courses being served at one but the thought of getting it all ready to go at the same time gives me a panic attack!

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stitch · 15/05/2006 12:37

my friend buys the yummiest fish cakes in the world and just warms under a grill.
i think serving everything at once is easier than doing courses and constantly having to get up to do it

Piffle · 15/05/2006 13:09

serves 4 (from A worral Thompson GI cookbook)
500g skinned cod fillet
25 fresh coriander chopped
2-3 tablespoons thai red curry paste (sainsbury do one in their finest spices that is from thailand and perfect)
1 tsp cornflour mixed in with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice.
1 egg white
2 spring onions finely chopped

Blitz all ingredients in blender EXCEPT spring onions. Blend until smoothish paste. Take out and mix in the chopped spring onions.
Form into 12 small balls and fry in light oil spray or olive oil. about 3 mins each side.

Terrific, as good as anything I've had in any thai restaurant!

moondog · 15/05/2006 13:12

I would just do a tropical fruit salad for afters.
How about tiny skewers of grilled chicken/pork/beef with a peanut sauce??

I cook Thai all the time and just heave it all out at the same time.
As Ginger says,the course idea isn't really an Eastern thing.

Sounds divine btw.

P45 · 15/05/2006 13:43

I throw a tin of mango (no juice) with leftover cocunut milk or even cream I think to make a really yummy dessert. Try it and see!

Gingerbear · 15/05/2006 15:12

sesame chicken:

use chicken gougons or thinly sliced chicken breast.

mix equal quantities of cornflour and lime juice with half amount soy sauce (2 tablespoons for 2 large chicken breasts) and marinade chicken for half to 1 hour.

Mix 200g breadcrumbs with 3 tablespoons sesame seeds. Dip chicken strips into beaten egg then into breadcrumb mix and fry until golden brown. (I have also cooked them in the oven before - a highish heat for 10-15 mins)

for the sauce:
100ml water, 100ml lemon juice, 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar (or palm sugar - get it from Oriental supermarket), 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar), 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, Zest from 1 lemon, 1/4 teaspoon of lemongrass (I cheat and use Bart's stuff in a jar). Heat all in a saucepan, bring to boil then simmer for 2 minutes until thickened. Allow to cool then add a teaspoon of sweet chilli sauce.

Original poster
oxocube · 15/05/2006 18:27

thanks everyone! Will def try the fishcakes and the sesame chicken. my kids would love the mango!

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TicTacsMum · 15/05/2006 19:00

I've travelled to Thailand a few times and my fave dessert was bananas in coconut milk.

No idea how they actually made it but I did the following and it tasted pretty authentic!!

Slice a few bananas diagonally (so you get slanty slices), warm some coconut milk, add sugar to taste and throw in some sesame seeds. Add the bananas and warm through.

So easy.

Had actually totally forgotten about this and think I have all I need in the house so am away to rustle it up. Mmmmmm

earthtomummy · 15/05/2006 19:07

For nibbly things I have done little 'dumplings' - make some minced pork or minced/finely chopped prawn and cook it with minced onion, garlic, lemongrass,Thai lime leaves, ginger, chilli, etc - anything you fancy really. Then get filo pastry - brush one sheet with melted butter and then layer another on top and brush. Then basically cut squares or whatever, put in a tsp of filling and pick up the corners and make little bunches. Then brush with melted butter or oil and bake. Dipped in a sweet chilli thai sauce they are delicious. Hungry just thinking about it and it's not as fiddly as it sounds. Always worked well for me and you can make them in advance and keep in fridge and pop in oven just before people arrive.

Original poster
oxocube · 16/05/2006 16:20

earthtomummy, they sound delicious! My friends who are coming to dinner are all real dinner party pros and are fab cooks. I love the idea of having everything on the table at once as a few have suggested here but can I just ask, firstly, how do you get everything ready at the same time -curry no problem nor starter but if doing a deep fried thing plus a rice or noodles thing and something else hot - also, wouldn't things go cold, with everything served at once without those dinky food warmer things?

Am going to try lots of these recipes in advance and test them on my kids (and me!) Thanks so much Smile

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mythumbelinas · 16/05/2006 16:26

can i be a taster??? everything sounds truely delicious!!!
think i will try to make those dumplings too, thanks oxocube and earthtomummy!! Grin .. i buy some dumplings called xiao lung baos which i think is similar .. lovely ..

sarahinphuket · 16/05/2006 17:04

I would definitely go with the idea of serving everything at the same time.......that is how things are done here. A huge pot of rice, and then everyone takes little bits of the other things (it is considered rude to heap everything on your plate). If you are doing it properly you also have to eat with spoon and fork, not knife and fork Wink

for starters - my favourites are spring rolls, 'goong sarong' - which are basically prawns wrapped up in thin noodles and fried, tempura prawns, fish cakes......

It always amuses me that half of the things that are in the Thai cookbooks in the UK you never actually see out here in Thailand!

Original poster
oxocube · 16/05/2006 17:57

thanks sarah! Am truly inspired now Smile Wish I had all the lovely local foods that you have: we live in Holland where the local cuisine (with apologies to any Dutch mumsnetters) is truly vile. Local specialities include stampot which is basically mashed together potatoes, cauli and a few other veggies, crocket (sp?) which is like deep fried toast toppers, bitterballen, also deep fried toast toppers but in a ball as opposed to an oblong and frikandel which is a sausage made from indescribable parts of a pig. Waitrose would clean up here, I tell you. The good side is that when all us 'foreigners' get together, the food tastes fab!

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BudaBabe · 16/05/2006 18:10

Yummy! It all sounds yummy. I get withdrawal symptoms!

sarahinphuket - what is that starter of ricecake types circles with a spicy pork dis to servie with them. ?? bai krapaow????

DH does a great Thai dinner party. Feel one coming on!

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