Thai food festival at PIC

Inspired by the recent success of Loy Kratong Festival, the Pacific Islands Club and the Thai community on Saipan have decided to offer something different to Asian food lovers that will definitely excite their taste buds.

This coming Sunday, PIC’s Magellan Restaurant will serve Thai Buffet which will showcase a variety of Thai food — all prepared using ingredients, spices, herbs and seasonings that give a unique blend of flavors.

Executive Chef Jim Birk and Chef De Cuisine Kotwal Singh says guests will not only enjoy a sumptuous Thai Buffet but get a glimpse of the Thai culture as well. The Thai community has prepared a short program where the Thai women in their colorful costumes will entertain guests with the traditional dances.

Those who are familiar with Thai food knows fully well that the proper combination of spices and ingredients — such as cumin, nutmeg, curry powder, cilantro, clover or bay leaf is regarded as a high culinary art in Thailand.

If you miss it this Sunday, the Thai lunch buffet will still be offered on January 21 and 28.

Thai cooking can’t be that complicated too as Chef Jim and Chef Singh share one of their many favorite recipes.

Thai Fish Cakes with Cucumber Sauce (Tod Man pla)

Fish Cakes

1/2 lb firm white fish fillet (ground)

Thai Red Curry Paste (From Thai Grocery Store)

3 oz fresh (snake beans) string beans, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk lemon grass, very finely sliced

1/2 cup cilantrro, finely chopped

6 finely minced Asian bird chilies

1-2 T fish sauce

1/4 tablespoon sugar

oil for frying

(Make 15 cakes)

Cucumber Sauce

1 cucumber diced
5 tbs. sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup roasted peanut ground

1/2 cup fish sauce (Nam Pla)

To make fish cake: Put the ground fish in the mixing bowl plus red curry paste, lemon grass, snake beans, cilantro, sugar and fish sauce. Mix well.

Shape mixture into patties 2″ in diameter, 1/2′ thick. Preheat oil to 350 degrees F. Fry just a few at a time until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce: To make sauce, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Check seasoning to your liking and adjust accordingly.

Remember to serve fish patties warm with cucumber sauce. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

Cooking Trivia: A recipe is only a theme which an intelligent cook can play each time with variation.