New Rick Stein Thai Recipe Added

Rick Stein's Beef Massaman Curry

In Rick's own words: "I found this curry at the hotel I was staying at during filming, the Royal Orchid Sheraton on the Chao Phraya river in the centre of Bangkok. The Thai restaurant there, called Thara Thong, was unexpectedly good, and I say this because you don’t usually expect to find a really good restaurant in a giant hotel catering for international conferences. The chef was very much a home-style cook specializing in royal Thai cuisine, albeit with a no-nonsense head-chef demeanour about her. The mussaman curry is the Thai version of the Muslim curries of northern India, made really special by the use of fish sauce, shrimp paste, lemongrass and palm sugar, but the element I find beguiling is the black cardamom, which gives the curry a delightfully smoky flavour."

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Thai Cooking Tips

Banana Leaves Enhance Fish Dishes


Summer means serious grilling for many of us. Stores are filled with all sorts of barbecue gizmos and gadgets, but I think simple is better -- so how about an easy cookout this Sunday? You still need to man the grill, but you won't be stuck there all day.

Grilling fish in banana leaves has been around for centuries. The leaves not only look beautiful, but lend a subtle aroma and a taste of tea and anise that complement fish. The leaf protects the fish as it grills and keeps it moist.

If your fish is fresh and/or very delicate, either use an oiled fish cage or place a piece of banana leaf over your grill. Cook the fish right on the leaf (instead of tin foil). The leaf will turn fragrant and will brown as you cook.

You can go minimal and season the fish with salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil, or coat it with an exotic spice paste. Then just wrap the leaf around it. Wrap the packet in aluminum foil to keep the outer leaves from burning.

Banana leaves also make a beautiful background on which to serve various tropical dishes -- excellent for party platters or finger foods. To keep leftover leaves for later use, simply enclose in an extra-large, self-sealing plastic bag and refreeze. If you can't find them, aluminum foil may be substituted in today's recipe.