Food for thought. Would you care for a Thai bite?

It is a fact that the food industry will never go out of market.The way some of us love food so much, we even take it as far as travelling the world just to taste different kinds of food  from various cultures.  When I went to Thailand at the beginning of July I noticed how restaurants there marketed themselves. They put their customers and their needs first, which is a great strategy and public relations. They sell all types of food for everyone from different cultures to feel comfortable since Thailand is a tourist destinations. They have fried chicken and chips, burgers, and so much more, but they never forget their steamed Thai rice touched with a hint of butter.  They even had drinks I have never heard of: screw driver, pink lady and so on.

Thai noddles with beef and vegetables and Thai rice with vegetables

 Here is a recipe of a saffron coconut rice, prepared in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes        

Total Time: 25 minutes

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white Thai jasmine rice
• 2 cups good-quality coconut milk
• 1+3/4 cups good-tasting chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 +1/2 Tbsp. dry shredded coconut, unsweetened (baking type)
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• optional: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. saffron threads (a nice addition if you have it)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, OR soy sauce if vegetarian
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili (available in the spice aisle)
• 2 green onions OR a few chives, sliced (for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Place stock in a pot and set over high heat. Add the turmeric, saffron threads (if using), garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, cumin, and chili. Stir well and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rice, shredded coconut, plus coconut milk. Stir continuously (to keep rice from sticking to the bottom) while you bring liquid back to a gentle boil.
3. When liquid is gently bubbling, reduce heat to low (just above minimum) and stop stirring. Cover pot tightly with a lid and cook about 15 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed (use a fork to pull rice back so you can see to the bottom of the pot).
4. Turn off heat, but leave the pot on the burner (covered) to steam for another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Rice will stay hot in this way for an hour or more (great if you're having company!).
5. Before serving, fluff rice with a fork and taste-test for salt. If not salty enough (this will depend on the saltiness of your stock), add a little more fish sauce OR a sprinkling of salt if vegetarian. If too salty, add another squeeze of lemon juice.
6. Garnish with the green onion, and serve with a nice Thai Curry, Indian curry, or other dishes of your choice. ENJOY!