Gordon’s Great Escape Southeast Asia: 100 of my favourite Southeast Asian recipes
On the second leg of his Great Escapes series, Gordon Ramsay sets out to discover the flavours of Asia, on a remarkable journey that leads him through Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam. 100 new recipes are inspired by the tastes and experiences he encounters along the way.In this book to accompany the TV series, stunning photography and Gordon's inspirational travel stories combine to depict a richly-textured portrait of a continent. With breathtaking landscapes as his backdrop, Gordon is welcomed into local communities and shown the age-old traditions and secrets that underpin their native dishes. He meets characters with fascinating lives, shares delicious meals in beautiful surroundings, and is invited to take part in the customs and rituals of the land – venturing into paddy fields to observe the rice worship, accompanying huntsmen on their quest for frogs and honey, navigating the inky night-time ocean for moonlit fishing, and cooking up a feast in a colossal Malay temple.Gordon has devised over 100 new recipes to showcase the very essence of these cultures and cuisines. There are unique tastes and styles from across the region, with a wealth of enticing ingredients: from tangy limes and the earthy scent of sesame oil, to floral jasmine and lush green banana leaves. Don't let unfamiliar recipe names put you off – Tom Yam Goong Nam Khon is a divine hot and sour prawn soup, Ngah Poh Kai Fan a slow-cooked clay-pot chicken and Karipap the Malay answer to a Cornish pastie.And there are recipes that even wary cooks will recognise – Chicken Satay, Pad Thai, Red and Green Curries – though look closer and each recipe has something extra, an authenticity that comes from taking the time to understand the origins of the dish. Gordon proves that the real thing is easy to replicate at home, whether its a single spice that makes all the difference, marinating a cut of meat for 12 unhurried hours, or being brave enough to try a key new ingredient such as kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass (readily available in supermarkets but often overlooked).Let Gordon open your eyes with his vivid portrayal of a magnificent continent, and enjoy some of the very greatest Asian dishes in your own kitchen.
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Gordon’s Great Escape Southeast Asia
Photographer Emma Lee Text Gordon Ramsay and Lauren Abery
Art Director Patrick Budge Food Stylists Lauren Abery and Lisa Harrison
Home Economist Lisa Harrison Props Stylist Emma Thomas
Contents
Cook’s notes
Searchable Terms
Acknowledgements
Copyright
About the Publisher
Cook’s notes
Spoon measures are level, unless otherwise specified:
1 tsp is equivalent to 5ml; 1 tbsp is equivalent to 15ml.
Use good-quality sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh herbs for the best flavour.
Use large eggs unless otherwise suggested, ideally organic or free-range. If you are pregnant or in a vulnerable health group, avoid dishes using raw egg whites or lightly cooked eggs.
Individual ovens may vary in actual temperature by 10°C from the setting, so it is important to know your oven. Use an oven thermometer to check its accuracy.
Timings are provided as guidelines, with a description of colour or texture where appropriate, but readers should rely on their own judgement as to when a dish is properly cooked.
Introduction
About 20 years ago, in my early days as a commis chef, I remember someone handing me this weird-looking stalk, which I soon learned was lemongrass. I was excited to discover an unfamiliar ingredient – what did it taste like, where did it come from, were there more like this? That day taught me that as a chef you never stop learning, a lesson that holds true today. While I felt confident cooking French cuisine, I was yet to discover the ingredients, flavours and cooking techniques of places further afield. On my first Great Escape to India, I found that the best way to understand the food of another nation is to experience it in the country itself. For my second Great Escape my taste buds were in for an unforgettable rollercoaster ride as I set off on a pilgrimage to experience the culinary delights of not one country but four: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Thailand
Of the four countries on my itinerary, Thailand was the nation and cuisine I was most familiar with because I had visited it on a family holiday. I knew that at the forefront of Thai food is the creation of balance of sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and hot flavours, and that it has more to offer than the Thai green curries and Pad Thais that the West have adopted. It has long been said that some of the best food in Thailand can be found on the streets – and I have to agree. There is no shortage of street sellers, whose wares vary from barbecued chicken (Gai yang, Meat), green papaya salad (Som tam, Salads), deep-fried shrimp (Coconut prawns, Snacks/appetisers), to drinks. A successful street stall can, indeed, be more popular than a restaurant.
As in any country, Thai dishes vary from region to region. In Southern Thailand the food is spicy (they love cooking with chillies and some dishes will blow you away), but in this region you will also find lots of salads (like the Kao Yum) and, due to its close proximity to the sea, fish plays a major part in the diet. On my travels I ventured into a small village about one hour south of Ao Nang, where I spent the afternoon oyster fishing and was then taught some local dishes by a villager and expert called Ya. She spent hours creating the different curry pastes, but after all that effort I was relieved to see that each dish then took only moments to prepare – such as the Khanom jeen (Curries) and Prawn and stink bean stir-fry (Stir-fries).
My journey then took me from the south to the north, as I travelled to Chiang Mai, one of the largest and most cultural cities in Thailand. It was there that I discovered the culture of Buddhist monks; in Thailand, Buddhism is the majority religion and you will often see monks going about their daily duties in their bright orange robes. Every day at around 6am the monks take to the streets, barefooted and carrying urns in which they collect food offerings from locals. Entering orders means you have to erase any ego and give up your worldly possessions, including money, so you rely on handouts to survive. One morning I removed my shoes and walked the pavements with the monks as their assistant; we were given mangoes, sticky rice, dried goods, meat, nuts and so much more. I am the first to admit that I am not a religious person, but I did find the generosity of the community astounding.
It is inevitable that with Buddhism playing such a large role in the lives of the Thai people, food has become interwoven with the religion. One of my favourite dishes that I discovered in Thailand was one I helped cook for a Buddhist house blessing; it was the Gaeng hung lay curry (Curries) which is traditionally served to monks at such ceremonies.
Cambodia
Often just viewed as the country in between Thailand and Vietnam, for me Cambodia is the forgotten kingdom. As a country that has gone through so much hardship – suffering genocide during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, occupation by the Vietnamese and subjected to military coups – Cambodia is finally on a slow path to recovery.
