The taste of balance finds its ultimate expression in the Thai kitchen. It's where it makes the country's cuisine as much of a unique national treasure as its dances, textiles, courtly arts, and sacred temples.
But balance doesn't mean bland.
Make no mistake, when you taste an expertly prepared Thai dish, you will taste a flood of different flavours.
Pungent, spicy, sweet, herbal, salty, tangy; they're all there.
But if pressed to describe the overall flavour, you couldn't pin it down as specifically salty, sour, or even spicy. In the end, what you'll notice is nothing less than exquisite, harmonious balance.
Skilled Thai cooks have an almost sixth sense for synthesizing these competing elements into a seamless, unified whole. And that's not something they achieved by accident.
Thai cuisine has been developing as long as Thailand itself, and over that time, its practitioners have learned which ingredients counter others, when to pair something mild with something heavy, and when to balance something sweet.
This skill is a sort of kitchen alchemy born of an experience and savvy palate.
And yet, the finest elements of Thai cuisine also show an artist's appreciation for the play of colours and textures, for the wit of an elaborately carved melon, or the grace of a blossom perched on a salad.
The chief tools of this edible art are the herbs, spices, roots, shoots, and other ingredients that comprise the Thai cooks seasoning armamentarium. The Thai kitchen has ingredients like cilantro, kaffir lime leaf, Thai basil, mint, lemongrass, coriander seed, peppercorns, garlic, galangal, ginger, chilies, tamarind, shallot, coconut milk, palm sugar, dried shrimp and fish sauce are common coin throughout Southeast Asia -- in some cases throughout the World.
Spicy Angel Wings
3 cups cooking oil
1 tsp paprika
1 pounds chicken Wings rinsed, Thoroughly dry and cut into halves at the joint
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock or water
1/3 cup red Thai curry paste
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, for garnish
1 tbsp fish sauce
Method
1. In a large wok or deep fryer, heat three-to-four inches of oil to 375 F on a deep fryer thermometer. Add the wings, in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, and fry until golden brown, seven-to-10 minutes. Remove the crispy wings with a wire skimmer and drain on an absorbent paper towels. Set aside
2. In the same hot oil, add the Thai basil leaves and fry until they turn bright green and look slightly transparent, no more than 10 to 15 seconds; remove immediately and drain on absorbent paper towels. Set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the stock, sugar, fish sauce, paprika, and vinegar. Mix.
4. In another wok or medium-size saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red curry paste, stirring until fragrant, about two minutes. Add the stock mixture, raise the heat to medium high and keep stirring until the sauce thickens, another two minutes.
5. Add the fried chicken wings to the sauce and stir to coat them well. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the fried basil leaves.
This week's column was written by Chef Ron Christian, who has been a chef for 30 years. He is a CNC professional cook instructor, who has also taught at BCIT, Vancouver Community College and has worked all over the world. If you have any questions or comments, e-mail christianr@cnc.bc.ca.
