Thai Lao Steam Bun

Appetizer Recipe: Thai Lao Steam Bun
1 package of steam bun mix. Look for steam bun picture to make sure you have the right package
½ cup sugar
1 cup fresh soy milk
1 tablespoon oil
12 quail eggs or 3 chicken eggs
2 Asian sweet sausages
1 cup ground pork
2 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
2 shallots minced
1 clove garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
12 wax paper cut into 2 inches square
2 tablespoons white vinegar

There should be directions on the package of the steam bun. However here are the basic steps:

1. For the Dough - mix the package with fresh soy milk, sugar and oil. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Leave dough aside for 20 minutes. Knead again for 2 minutes and divide dough into 12 equal balls.

2. For Pork Filling - boil quail eggs for 15 minutes or chicken eggs for 20 minutes. Cut large eggs in quarters. Cut sweet sausages into 12 pieces or into very small pieces. For pork filling, add chopped garlic, shallots and mushrooms, salt, pepper, and oyster sauce.

3. Putting it together - Sprinkle flour onto hard surface and roll dough out into a large circle slightly larger than palm of hand. Add eggs, sausages and 1 tablespoon of pork filling. Gather opposite edges and meet in the middle. Pinch dough to seal out any small air holes. Place wax paper under base of steam bun. Place six buns in each stainless steel steaming layer.

4. Add water into steaming pot so it levels 2 inches. Add vinegar and bring water to boil. Add steaming layers with bun over the steaming pot. Steam bun 10 minutes. Lift lid of steamer to remove condensation. Steam another 10 minutes.

Shrimp Chips or Prawn Crackers

Appetizer Recipe: Shrimp Chips or Prawn Crackers
oil
prawn crackers or shrimp flavoured chips

Over medium heat add about 1 inch of oil. Test with one cracker. If the cracker floats within 5 seconds then the oil is at the right temperature. Pick the cracker out of the oil before it burns. If the outside edges of the cracker turn brown, it is over cooked. Add 5 crackers at a time into the oil. Pick crackers immediately as it rises and drain excess oil. Serve crackers with the curry peanut dipping sauce.

Fried Shrimp Rolls

Appetizer Recipe: Fried Shrimp Rolls
Egg roll wraps
Shrimp that are devein and shell removed except for tail
Salt
Vegetable oil
1 egg

Purchase large egg roll wraps and cut squares from one corner the other create triangle sheets. Season shrimp with salt and optional pepper. Separate egg white from egg yolk. Stir the egg yolk. Take one triangle sheet and place one shrimp so that the tail hangs over sheet. Roll the wrap and tuck in sides. Seal wrap with egg yolk. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Submerge shrimp wraps into oil. Stir occasionally. Shrimp will take less than 2 minutes to cook. Remove shrimp from heat and strain excess oil. Serve fried shrimp rolls with the Spring Roll Dipping Sauce or the curry peanut dipping sauce.

Sour Fruit Dipping Sauce

This appetizer recipe is a little different from the Green Mango Salad.

Vegetarian Recipe: Sour Fruit Dipping Sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon dried chili flakes
2 tablespoons ground toasted sticky rice
1 green mango or green sour apple

Remove mango peel but not apple peel. Slice fruit thinly so that surface is size of a teaspoon. In a small bowl dissolve sugar into fish sauce. Add chili flakes and mix. Add ground toasted sticky rice and mix. Serve sliced sour fruit and dipping sauce separately so that individuals can take a slice to dip into sauce.

Watermelon Seeds

I can snack on watermelon seeds forever. The most important tip is to break the shell of the watermelon seed by using your back teeth because the seed is very hard.

Grilling Sticky Rice with Egg

Barbecue Recipe: Grilling Sticky Rice with Egg
1 egg
¼ cup cooked white Thai / Lao sticky rice
sprinkle of salt

Scramble the egg in a small bowl. Take cooked sticky rice, spread flat and sprinkle salt. Knead the rice to encorporate salt and make unto a round pattie. Grill the sticky rice over a barbeque or cast iron grill on high heat. Grill for one minute. Flip sticky rice over and spread one tablespoon of scrambled egg over rice. After one minute flip the sticky rice and spread egg over rice again. After one minute, flip the rice to cook the egg. Serve immediately or repeat by flipping and spreading more eggs over sticky rice.

Fresh Peanuts

Raw or fresh peanuts are not common and not many Asian supermarkets carry them. Raw peanuts are smaller and taste sweeter than peanuts used for roasting. The reason is because the peanuts are harvested about two months earlier than peanuts for roasting. Fresh peanuts taste like sweet corn.

Instructions on cooking Fresh Peanuts:
Wash the peanuts in cold water and drain. Add two inches of water and one tablespoon of salt in a large pot and bring to boil. Add the peanuts and cook for 30 minutes. Remove peanuts and allow to cool before eating.