Shrimps, broccoli and cauliflower with Pad Thai sauce
September 27, 2007
Filed under Asian cooking, School lunchbox
About a month ago, on the same day that I bought the bottle of Kecap Manis, I also bought a jar of crushed galangal, Sambal Bangkok, Pad Thai sauce and a huge bottle of authentic Xiaoxing wine. The crushed galangal, I knew went into many Indian dishes. The Xiaoxing wine was something I had been searching for for a long time. Sambal Bangkok looked like chili sauce but I was intrigued as to whether it would be different from local chili sauce. I had no idea what Pad Thai sauce was but it looked pretty interesting. So, I bought them all at the same time. It was only this morning that I finally opened the Sambal Bangkok and the Pad Thai sauce.
Sambal Bangkok is a hot sauce, alright. The difference is that it contains fruit juice. Pad Thai sauce turned out to be sweet and sour sauce BUT the souring agent is tamarind. I used both, and the crushed galangal, for the shrimps and vegetables dish that went into the girls’ school lunch boxes.
Although I don’t touch crustaceans, I know that the thing about shrimps and prawns is that you don’t really want to overpower their natural flavors. You want to enhance those flavors rather than add seasonings that will compete with them.
This recipe serves two.
You will need 200 grams (shelled weight) of medium-sized shrimps, two cloves (segments) of garlic, half an onion, half a head of broccoli and half a head of cauliflower.
Peel and finely mince the garlic. Peel and dice the onion. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets.
Heat about two tablespoonfuls of cooking oil in a frying pan. Add the shrimps and the vegetables all together — they require roughly the same amount of cooking time. Season with salt. Stir fry for two to three minutes1 then add two tablespoonfuls of Pad Thai sauce, one teaspoonful of chili sauce (I used Sambal Bangkok) and half a teaspoonful of crushed galangal.2 Stir to blend then turn off the heat.
Notes:
1How long you need to stir fry the shimps and vegetables depends on their size. To make sure that you don’t overcook or undercook either the shrimps or the vegetables, make the sizes uniform. If the shrimps are rather large, cut the broccoli and cauliflower into rather large florets.
2It is tempting to say that galangal is optional but it does impart a citrus-y taste and aroma to the dish.
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Connie, could you post a picture of the Xiaoxing wine you bought. So I could easily spot the authentic one as there are several brands on the rack. I prefer the Pantai sweet soy sauce than the Indofood Kecap Manis.
pad thai is a noodle dish using Thai rice stick noodles. The bottle is basically tamarind extract, palm sugar and nam pla (patis). you should try making some pad thai noodles - i’ve never tried using pre-made pad thai sauce, but, from scratch, it’s a great tasting dish. garnish with some crushed peanuts and lime..to die for!
yummy yung Pantai brand na sauce. sarap din yung sweet-chili or mild chili sauce nila na dip for fried food!
hi connie! this looks so easy and delicious- two of my favorite things. how do you know if two different condiments compliment each other? do you taste them raw/as is? or, do you just look at the ingredients and know for sure they will work. ginawa pa yata kitang magician! cencia na…napabilib lang ako.
Pad Thai sauce is intended for stir fried Thai noodles - pad thai noodles!
pad thai sauce is for the pad thai noodles that is famous all over the place.
Hello Ms. Connie,
Just wanted to say I really enjoy your blog, I discovered your blog 2 years ago and somehow I lost track of it, last night I was in a state trying to plan my menu for our fiesta and I remembered you. Since last night i have been reading all of your entries…and I have quite a number of dishes I would like to prepare, the Fiesta is on Saturday.
and… I also would like to start my own blog, I have been cooking since I was 8 years old, and I know cooking is my passion, but I have been pulled to a profession I also love… psychology…but i guess psychology and food is great together. Anyway, I don’t know how to start, although I have a blog on some other site, I don’t know how to set up a food blog. If you could help me with this…please… it would be appreciated much!
I will, Ryan, when I use it. Haven’t opened it yet; still consuming an old bottle of rice wine.
Adelle, Jacky and Noemi, yeah, I found a doable recipe for Pad Thai noodles already and I intend to do the dish one of these days. Unless I consume the Pad Thai sauce in the meantime. It’s really, really good noodles or no noodles. Even as a dipping sauce, it works!
Toniette, are you thinking of a free blog service or your own domain?
I use the Pantai brand of Sweetened Chili Sauce for Spring Rolls for my Vietnames lumpia and chicken wrapped in pandan leaves. Makes them tase more authentic. I must try the Pad Thai sauce.
Thanks for the reply…can you explain the difference? hehehe…
I’ve always wanted to try thai cooking. I once tried chicken pandan, but it didn’t really turn out well. I’ll check these sauces once i hit the grocery.
Toniette, good place to start about food blogging! I started here myself!
peterb, chicken pandan is what started me on the road to thai food. i can eat an entire platter without help hehehe
Toniette, ahhhh own domain means you don’t have to host the photos in third-party servers, better control over design and choice over the blogging system you want to use.
wow, i can already imagine all the colorful flavors of the dish!
“colorful flavors”
hehehe I like that.
last last Saturday Ka-toque Lutong Barkada on studio 23 feautured Pad Thai noodles with Kristine Bersola-Babao. I like eating in Krua Thai restaurant but have’nt tried it yet, maybe I should. I’m not really a fan of noodles kasi.
hi connie im looking for padthai souce for my padthai noodles kaya lang wala sa asian grocery here in new jersey sana you can make recipe ng pad thai noodles from scratch
send me the recipe. I am interested in thai food preparation despite its seemingly unbearing chili hot flavor.
wow, demanding! heheheh
thick-faced, noh?
i cant find pad thai, sambal olek and kecap manis here in florida :(, i really would love to try your recipe, are there any substitute?