Thai Meal!

We had a neighbor over for dinner mid-January, and made a Thai meal:

Chicken legs with a garlic-fish sauce glaze.

Som Thaam (green papaya salad), one of my favorites. 
A slaw with a spicy sweet-sour-fish saucey dressing and little nuggets of roasted peanuts.

Laap.  A salad made from ground meat (pork loin in this case), green onions,
cilantro, and fresh mint, seasoned with lime juice, fish sauce, and brown rice powder.

Cucumbers, mint, and basil



Sticky Rice Bundles wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Mushroom Sticky Rice Bundles in Bamboo Leaves
Makes 10

10 Dried Bamboo Leaves
1/4 c. Oil
6 Green onions, chopped
6 oz. Mushrooms, diced
1/4 c. Water Chestnuts, chopped
1/2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Small Chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp. Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
2 c. White Glutinous (Sweet) Rice, washed and well drained
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

Soak the bamboo leaves, either overnight in cold water or in for 10 minutes in boiling water, until soft.  Drain.

Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a frying pan or wok; cook green onions and mushrooms over high heat for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in water chestnuts, soy sauce, chilli, sugar, and cilantro.  Allow to cool.

Bring 1 1/2 c. water to a simmer.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan, add the rice, and stir for two minutes, or until coated.  Stir in 1/4 c. of the hot water over low heat until it is all absorbed.  Repeat until all the water has been added; this should take 10-20 minutes.  Add the soy sauce and season with pepper.

Fold one end of a bamboo leaf on the diagonal to form a cone.  Hold securely in one hand and spoon in 2 Tbsp. of rice.  Make an indent in the rice, add 1 Tbsp. of mushroom filling, then top with another tablespoon of rice.  Fold the other end of the bamboo leaf over to enclose the filling, then secure with a toothpick.  Tight tightly with kitchen string.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Put the rice parcels in a single layer inside a bamboo steamer (or other steamer, or a colander suspended over a pot of simmering water and covered tightly).  Cover with lid and sit over a wok/pot half filled with simmering water.  Steam for 1 1/2 hours, or until the rice is tender, adding more boiling water to the wok as needed.  Serve hot.


Then you peel off the bamboo and eat glorious, mushroom-y, soy-y sticky rice!  Here is a link to a recipe for other kinds of sticky rice pockets, with a video showing how to fill them, which may be helpful.

I adapted this recipe from The Essential Rice Cookbook.