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Appetizer: Broiled Clams with Lemongrass

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Paste for 4 servings

1 dried New Mexico chili, soaked, seeded and deveined

1 tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 large shallot, coarsely chopped

5 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined and shredded

1 teaspoon peeled, coarsely chopped galangal

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro stems

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 chili pepper

1/2 cup water

Other ingredients

1 dozen medium littleneck clams in the shell

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1/4 cup peanuts, roasted and coarsely ground

Cilantro springs for garnish

Preparation

To make the paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. 

Scrub and shuck the clams.  Lay out half the shells on broiler pan and place one clam in each shell.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the paste, coconut milk, sugar, salt and fish sauce.  Cook about 8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of ketchup.   Spoon the sauce over the clams and sprinkle with the ground peanuts.

Preheat the grill or broiler.  Position a rack about 6 inched from the heat.  grill or broil the clams for 4 to 6 minutes or until heated thoroughly but still tender.  top with sprigs of cilantro and serve immediately.

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Related Blogs

Appetizer: Green Curry with Chicken and Thai Eggplant

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(Gaeng Keo Wan Gai)

Ingredients for 4 servings

1 pound chicken breast halves, skinned

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup green curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup water

1 cup Thai eggplant

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, deveined and finely shredded

2 fresh green chili peppers, thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

Preparation

Cut chicken through the bone into small pieces (1-inch size recommended)

Heat the wok and put oil over medium-high heat until hot.  Add 1 tablespoon curry paste and 1/4 cup coconut milk.  Stir it constantly for 1 to 2 minutes or until oil is visible on the surface.  Add the remaining past and 1/4 cup coconut mild and continue stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add chicken and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture almost dry.  Add 1/4 cup coconut milk and water and simmer gently over medium heat with no cover for 10 minutes.  Add eggplant, fish sauce and sugar, and continue stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until eggplant is just tender.

Add lime leaves, chilies, remaining coconut milk and basil leaves.  Continue stirring constantly for 1 minute or until heated through.  Then serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

Tips

You can use the pea-sized baby or the normal-size Thai eggplant (about golf ball size), darker green in color.  For baby eggplant, you need to score them with a small ’X’ mark or pound them lightly with the back of a knife before use.  For the normal size, you need to cut them into four pieces (quarters) before using.  If you can not find any of them, use fresh or frozen green peas.

What do you think?

I love to hear your thoughts.  Please leave your comments below