Light Lunch Thailand by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Thailand by Ruth Paget 

I first time I tried Thai cuisine was at Thai 55th in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago when I was a student at the University of Chicago. I absolutely loved satay chicken kebabs with spicy curry dips, stir-fried noodle dishes, and red or green curries over rice. The food was exotically tropical with sleet falling outside and my feet warming up in my snow boots inside. 

The following 5 dishes are a great introduction to Thai cuisine. You can now buy green and red curry paste online, which makes many of the book’s recipes a cinch to make.

p.18 – Satay Chicken Skewers 

-For marinated chicken: 

-chicken strips 

-coriander 

-turmeric 

-cumin 

-coconut cream 

 -dipping sauce 

 -red curry paste 

-peanuts 

-coconut milk 

-tamarind sauce 

p.64 – Hakka-style Fried Noodles 

-pork fillet 

-reconstituted dried squid 

-egg noodles 

-light soy sauce 

-dark soy sauce 

-garlic chives 

-bean sprouts 

p.68 – Stir-Fried Minced Pork with Chilies and Basil 

-Thai chilies 

-basil 

-garlic 

-minced pork 

-oyster sauce 

-light soy sauce 

-eggs 

p.236 – Deep-Fried Fish with Turmeric 

-white fish 

-garlic 

-turmeric 

-coriander roots 

p.244 – Chicken Braised in Rice with Turmeric and Spices 

-chicken legs 

-curry powder 

-turmeric 

-coriander 

-cumin -cinnamon 

-evaporated milk 

-jasmine rice 

-shallots 

In addition to these recipes from Thailand: From the Source published by Lonely Planet, youtube has many videos about Thai food by Mark Wiens. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Light Lunch Japan by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Japan by Ruth Paget 

Reading through Japan: From the Source published by Lonely Planet brought back memories to me of being an exchange student in Japan, working with Japanese clients in Chicago and Paris (France), presenting Japanese culture programs for teens as part of summer reading in Monterey County California, and reviewing Asian restaurants for the Monterey County Weekly newspaper. 

I like the following recipes as introductions to Japanese cuisine: 

p.183 – Okanomiyaki (Savory Pancakes)  

-flour 

-shredded cabbage 

-bean sprouts 

-pork belly (bacon) 

-egg 

I first ate this at the Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival) in Kyoto after walking between huge floats with taiko drummers playing. My host family took me to a restaurant where these pancakes were prepared on a tabletop grill. The salty soy sauce syrup tasted great in the sultry heat. 

p.14 – Iga-Menchi (Squid Croquettes) - Shrimp could be a substitute for squid 

-chopped squid 

-cabbage 

-onions 

-carrot 

-egg 

-flour 

-sake 

-oil for frying 

p.106 – Tonkatsu (Deep-fried Breaded Pork) 

-flour 

-egg 

-pork loin 

-bread crumbs 

-cabbage and tomato to serve 

p.206 – Torinabe (Chicken and Vegetable Hotpot) 

-chicken 

-soy 

-mirin wine 

-Chinese cabbage 

-daikon (white radish) 

-chicken 

-shitake mushrooms 

-tofu 

-white rice 

-egg 

p.198 Kamata Udon (Wheat Noodles with Egg) 

 -udon noodles 

-eggs 

-light soy sauce 

-chives 

If you want to try making Japanese food that is not sushi, Japan: From the Source published by Lonely Planet might interest you. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Light Lunch Spain by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Spain by Ruth Paget 

I have visited northern Spain 9 different times and grew to like Spanish food based on the great experiences I had in the following places: 

-Barcelona – 2 visits 

-Figueres – Dali’s hometown with his museum 

-Pamplona – without bull running 

-Roncevalles – Read the Horn of Roland before going 

-San Sebastian – home of the conch shell-shaped beach 

-Puigçerda – train station town 

-Saillagouse – for Catalan dances 

-Mont San Marsan – they do bull running, too 

I found some of the dishes I ate in Spain: From the Source published by Lonely Planet. The following 5 dishes are relatively easy to prepare and give a flavor of Spain: 

p.236 – Tortillitas de Camarones (Shrimp Fritters) 

-chopped shrimp 

-flour 

-scallions 

-parsley 

-olive oil 

p.202 – Vieras al Gallega (Galician-style Scallops) 

-chopped scallops 

-onions 

-olive oil 

-paprika 

-white wine 

This recipe uses more onion than scallop, which stretches expensive yet flavorful scallops. 

p.122 – Revuelto de Setas (Scrambled Eggs with Wild Mushrooms)  

-olive oil 

-leeks 

-mushrooms 

-eggs 

-ham 

-cheese 

-truffle oil 

p.46 – Pollo al Chilindrón (Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes)  

-olive oil and garlic 

-chicken 

-onion 

-tomatoes 

-peppers 

-white wine 

-chopped, boiled ham 

p.16 Escalivada (Chargrilled Vegetable Salad) 

-red peppers 

-tomatoes 

-eggplants 

-onions 

-olive oil and salt  

If you are interested in an introduction to Spanish cuisine, Spain: From the Source published by Lonely Planet might interest you. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Light Lunch France by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch France by Ruth Paget 

I go through cookbooks looking for ways to eat well on a budget. I like international cookbooks, because they provide me with ideas for adding variety to my diet by using local ingredients in different combinations to keep costs down. 

With that thought in mind, I went through France: From the Source published by Lonely Planet Publishing and found the following five recipes that could easily be incorporated into an American diet for variety:  

-Gratin Dauphinois (Dauphinois Potato Gratin) 

-Salade Lyonnaise 

-Pissaldière (Caramelized Onion Tart) 

-Gâteaux des Noix (Walnut Cake) 

-Clafoutis (Cherry Flan) 

I have listed the main ingredients that go into these dishes below along with the page number with the recipe in France: From the Source: 

-page 52 – Gratin Dauphinois (Dauphinois Potato Gratin) 

-potatoes 

-garlic 

-single cream 

-thick cream 

-grated Swiss cheese 

-blue cheese for the topping to be broiled 

 -p.222 – Salad Lyonnaise 

 -poached or over easy egg 

-slab bacon 

-sherry vinegar 

-bread for croutons 

-lettuce 

-p.234 – Pissaldière (Caramelized Onion Tart) 

 -onions 

-garlic, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper 

-black olives 

-cherry tomatoes 

-pizza dough 

 -p.206 – Gâteaux des Noix (Walnut Cake) 

-ground walnuts 

-eggs 

-sugar 

-white wine 

-walnut oil 

-flour 

-corn flour

-p.202 – Clafoutis (Cherry Flan) 

 -eggs 

-milk 

-sugar 

-vanilla extract 

-flour 

-butter 

-cherries with or without pits 

If you would like an introduction to France’s classic dishes, you might be interested in purchasing France: From the Source by Lonely Planet Publishing. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Barbecue Chicken and Potatoes Recipe by Ruth Paget

Barbecue Chicken and Potatoes Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

For Barbecue Sauce- 

-1/2 cup chopped onion 

-1/2 cup chopped green pepper 

-1/4 chopped celery 

-1/4 cup olive oil 

-1/2 cup catsup 

-1/4 cup water 

-2 tablespoons vinegar 

-2 tablespoons sugar 

-1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce 

-1 tablespoon mustard 

-2 teaspoons salt 

-1 teaspoon pepper 

 -3 pounds chicken drumsticks 

-4 large peeled and chopped Idaho potatoes 

Steps: 

1-Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2-Sauté onion, green pepper and celery in oil in a frying pan until tender. Add catsup, water, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Simmer for 15 minutes. 

3-Arrange chicken and potatoes in a shallow baking pan. Pour barbecue sauce over chicken and bake for 1 hour or longer until potatoes are tender and chicken cuts easily, basting frequently. 

(A Royal Oak, Michigan recipe)

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Salmon Patties Recipe by Ruth Paget

Salmon Patties Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

-2 cups drained, canned salmon 

-4 cups crushed saltine crackers 

-1 beaten egg 

-4 tablespoons butter 

Steps: 

1-Mix salmon with crackers in a bowl. Add in eggs and thoroughly mix. 

2-Make 1-inch patties with your hands. 

3-Melt butter and fry patties until dark brown on all sides 

Serve with catsup or hot sauce. 

You could probably make this recipe with drained, canned tuna as well.

(A Royal Oak,Michigan recipe)

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Pork Chop Casserole Recipe by Ruth Paget

Pork Chop Casserole Recipe by Ruth Paget 

You will need two frying pans with lids to make this recipe. 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

-6 pork chops 

-2 tablespoons butter 

-2 sliced onions 

-1 green pepper sliced in rings with ribs and seeds removed 

-1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes 

-1/2 cup cooked rice 

-1 teaspoon salt 

-1 teaspoon pepper 

-1 cup water 

Steps: 

1-Brown pork chops in butter for 10 minutes 

2-Top each pork chop with onion slices and green pepper rings. 

3-Add half of the tomatoes, rice, salt, pepper, and water to each frying pan. 

4-Cover and simmer for 1 hour and no pink shows when you cut the pork chop. 

(A Royal Oak, Michigan Recipe) 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books