Core Lemon Grass Drink (tasty and medicinal) - Thai Cooking School

Lemon grass has been used in Asian medicine for thousands of years.

It is well known for:

• settling all digestive ailments
• recovering from colds and flu
• reducing fever, cramps
• "gas" (yes the polite word for farting)
• relieving aches and pains (great for 'girl pains')
• relieving any sort of cramps
• relieving athritis symptoms

And it is also apparently good as an antifungal. If you have athletes foot, don't tell me about it, but try soaking your tootsies in a diluted solution.

Lemon grass also makes a tasty beverage which is particularly refreshing on hot muggy days.

Serve icy cold with heaps of ice cubes.

Also can be drank hot as a "tea" if you prefer.

This was my favourite drink in Phuket - the drinking water is icky and I avoid all artificial sweetners (I react to them).
OK - my favourite drink was cocktails, but I didn't drink them all day :)

Serves: 10+ glasses

Difficulty: Super Easy - chop and boil

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks lemongrass, chopped to approx m]5mm rounds (about 1 cup worth)
• 2 1/2 litres cold water
• your choice of sweetener - sugar (pts), Equal, Stevia or Xylotil

Method:
Put cold water and lemongrass into a large pot and slowly bring to boil with lid on
Allow to simmer for about 10 mins, until the lemon grass is vaguely green and the water is tinged yellow.
Turn off heat, strain and allow to cool.

This makes a concentrate which you have about 1/2 and 1/2 with cold water, according to your tastes. Try with soda or mineral water too!

Sweetening - sweeten according to your tastes. If using a liquid or a powder which dissolves quickly, you may prefer top do this in the glass rather than sweetening the concentrate.

If you want to sample the drink straight away, add about 1/2 cup to a small jug and add 3 or 4 large ice cubes, stir until ice cubes stop melting. Then serve with more ice cubes and stir in your sweetener.

Store in a airtight jug or bottle in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to store as concentrate to save room, but you may prefer to store as ready to drink.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 0 if you don't use sweeteners with points.

Core Gai Kratiam - Chicken with Garlic and Pepper - Thai Cooking School (Core +1pt)

I learnt this authentic Thai recipe at Thai cooking school in Patong, Phuket in January

The accompaniments in the photo are chilli sauce and rice vinegar with cucumber, chilli and shallots

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 80g chicken breast, sliced
• 2 tsp chopped garlic (don't use garlic in a jar for this one, you need real garlic)
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• * 1 teaspoon brown sugar or palm sugar (*1pt)
• 4 pinches of ground white pepper (black pepper looks like burnt flecks)
• 1 TB vegetable oil

Method:

In a bowl, add together all of the ingredients except the oil and allow to sit for 10 mins.
Turn on fry pan or wok to LOW heat and add the oil.
Fry the chicken mix until the chicken is cooked.
Serve

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 3.5pts
If serving with rice, don't forget to add the points for rice - 1/2 cup cooked rice is 1.5 pts

On Core, allow 1 pt for the sugar.

Core Khao Tom - Thai Rice Soup - Thai Cooking School (Core + 1pt)

I learnt this authentic recipe at Thai cooking school in Patong, Phuket in January.

If using chicken, it's called Khao Tom Gai
Beef = Khao Tom Nua, Pork = Khao Tom Moo, Prawns = Khao Tom Goong

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• cooked rice, 60g or 1/3 cup
• 500ml water
• meat - handful of meat of choice, sliced thin (for Pointing, 80g chicken breast or lean steak, you can also use 2 pts of pork or seafood if you wish)
• * 1 TB brown sugar or palm sugar (*1pt)
• 3 TB light soy sauce
• 2-3 pinches ground white pepper (note black pepper may be used for taste, but it looks like burnt flecks)
• 4 baby corns, cut to 2cm
• 1 handful cabbage, cut to 2-3cm square
• 1/3 small carrot, sliced thin

Method:
In a small pot bring the water to the boil.
Add meat and keep boiling until meat is cooked.
Add cooked rice and remaining ingredients.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to over cook the vegies.
Serve and enjoy.

This is traditionally served with 2 garnishes - 2 pinches of pickled radish and a pinch of fried garlic.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 4pts for a large bowl

On Core you need to allow 1 pt for the sugar

Me in cooking school serving Khao Tom. Yes I am very sunburnt from snorkelling the day before.