European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                America s taste for thai cuisine Bojoh Demers United press International on t look now but a cuisine that once seemed too exotic even Lor most restaurants has become a popular alternative in the United states to traditional hot dogs and ribs Lor summer entertaining at Home. Thai food near the top of Oriental styles Lor both spiciness and subtlety is proving the Choice of More and More americans for parties at which beating the heat is a significant part of the Mission. With its affection for red Chili peppers thai cuisine applies the old fashioned Southern notion that nothing is More Cooling than perspiration the same kind of reasoning used from cajun country to Calcutta. We just followed both our own palates said Boyce Brawley a partner with Jean Michel Savoca in a catering firm called new York parties and one of the first to View thai cuisine in a Home entertaining context. Over the years you Start thinking about what the next flavor will be and that has a lot to do with your own  the cuisine of Thailand has been influenced Over the centuries by its neighbors primarily China and India. Curries naturally came from India while stir frying was Learned from the chinese. The other major influence was a bit More surprising but Europe staked its culinary claims on Thailand or Siam As it Long was known via the kingdom s Many ports. Staples like Chili peppers tapioca and Coffee found their Way in with the help of foreign sailors. Like most other asian cuisines thai food requires a relatively Long time to prepare but very Little time to Cook making it perfect for enjoying one s own parties. Stir frying most often in a wok is the favored cooking technique. Unique spices in thai cooking include Lemon grass and Gali Gale known As Toas or a plants of the Ginger family. A special fish sauce usually referred to As Nampula is used As a flavor enhancer and is available at most Oriental groceries. It should be used carefully at first because of its Strong flavor. Fresh Ginger and Cilantro coriander leaves used As an Herb also popular in southwestern cuisine Are used extensively. A hot sauce called Nam Erik is commonly placed on every table As americans set out Salt and Pepper. We be started introducing thai food with other things on mixed bag evenings said Brawley an Industrial Engineer by training but a chef by passion. Rather than having a Taco table Well have thai food. We be had a wonderful reaction to it and i think it s going to be a really big seller in the  Here Are three recipes provided by new York parties for summer entertaining. The dishes include a version of the ultimate thai soup a simple cashew Chicken and a pungent mix of string Beans with fresh Ginger. Spicy shrimp soup a Pound shrimp peeled but retaining Shell at Tail 4 cups water 1 stalk fresh Lemon grass sliced available in the United states at Oriental markets 1 Bounce can Straw mushrooms drained 1-4 tbsp tha Ilish sauce according to preference i cup fresh Lime juice 2 tbsp sliced Green onions 1 tbsp chopped Cilantro 1-4 red Chili peppers seeded and chopped chinese Parsley sprigs for Garnish Devin shrimp. Bring water to a boil. Add Lemon grass and Straw mushrooms then reduce heat to medium Low. Add shrimp and Cook Lor 3 minutes. Stir in fish sauce and Lime juice. Sprinkle with Green onions chinese Parsley and red Chili peppers according to taste. Serve hot garnished with sprigs of chinese Parsley. Cashew Chicken it Pound Boneless Chicken breast i cup Oil 2 cloves garlic crushed 2 tbsp Oyster sauce 8 Green onions Cut into 2-Inch lengths 1-5 whole dried red Chili peppers it Pound unsalted roasted cashew nuts about 3 cups 4 Large lettuce leaves Cilantro for Garnish thinly slice the Chicken. Heat Oil in a wok add garlic and stir Fry until Light Brown. Add Chicken and Oyster sauce cooking for 4 to 6 minutes before reducing heat to medium. Add Green onions red Chili peppers and cashew nuts. Mix Well. Place lettuce leaves on a Platter and top with Chicken. Garnish with Cilantro. String Beans with fresh Oinyer 1 Pound fresh string Beans 2 tbsp Oil 1 stalk fresh Lemon grass finely chopped 1 tbsp shredded fresh Ginger 1-5 red Chili peppers seeded and finely chopped to cup Coconut milk Salt to taste 3 cups chopped cabbage Cut string Beans into thin strips. Saute Lemon grass Ginger and red chilis in a hot wok. Stir in Coconut milk and reduce liquid Lor 1 minute. Toss in the string Beans. Season to taste with Salt removing from the heat when the Beans Are Bright Green. Pour hot Beans Over chopped cabbage. Barbecuing Lamb steaks by Pierre Franey new York times attend an outdoor Barbecue at a neighbor s Home the other Day and was fascinated to Lind the Host grilling loin Lamb steaks a Cut of meat that is Little used in american Homes but a Cut that i often served years ago when i was chef at be Pavilion restaurant. They Are commonly called Lamb steaks or double chops and Are made by cutting through the Center Bone of a loin of Lamb to produce a single piece of meat two Matching chops joined together by that single Bone. The virtue of the Lamb steaks is the ease of cooking and the appearance which is very appealing. A Short while after the Barbecue i persuaded my Butcher to produce enough Lamb steaks to serve a party of six and As an Experiment i used the same recipe but cooked the steaks in two ways Over a hot charcoal Grill and under the broiler. Incidentally if you can t buy the steaks you can achieve similar results by buying 12 individual chops each Cut about t Inch thick this is a very easy and tasty recipe. Prepare a Vinaigrette sauce with Lemon juice and Olive Oil and add crumbled dried Rosemary to this marinade. Grill or Broil the chops with mushrooms preferably Large whole mushroom which Are also coated with the sauce. An excellent accompaniment to this dish is sauteed potatoes cooked about 15 minutes until nicely browned. Loin Lamb steaks with Rosemary 1-Inch thick loin Lamb steaks about i Pound each or 12 single Lamb chops each 1 Inch thick about it Pound each. Salt to taste it desired freshly ground Pepper to taste 12 Large fish mushrooms about 1 Pound 3 Tablespoons Lemon juice 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon Rosemary leaves preheat an outdoor charcoal or Gas Grill or preheat the broiler to High. Sprinkle the steaks on both sides with Salt and Pepper and place them in one layer in a Flat dish. Cut Oil and discard the stems of the mushrooms to make Flat Caps. Put the Lemon juice in a Small bowl and add Salt and Pepper to taste. Beat the juice while adding the Olive Oil. Crumble the Rosemary and add it to the sauce. Arrange the mushroom Caps Over the Lamb steaks and spoon the sauce Over All. Turn the mushroom Caps so that they Are coated with the sauce. If the steaks Are to be broiled place them on a rack in one layer with the mushrooms arranged steam Side Down about 3 inches from the source of heat. Leave the broiler door open. Cook about 3 minutes and turn the steaks and mushrooms. Continue broiling on the other Side about 3 minutes. If the steaks Are to be grilled arrange them on a Grill and arrange the mushrooms Cap Side Down. Cook 4 minutes on one Side and turn the meat and mushrooms. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on the other Side. Yield six Servings. Note loin Lamb steaks sometimes called English chops Are single pieces of meat. They Are Cut through the loin in one piece to produce double chops held together with the Center Bone intact. Sauteed potatoes 8 White potatoes about 2vi pounds peeled 4 Tablespoons Corn Peanut or vegetable Oil Salt to taste if desired freshly ground Pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons Butler 1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic i cup finely chopped Parsley Cut each potato into /4-Inch thick slices. There should be about 8 cups. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the Oil in a heavy Skillet and add half the potato slices. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Cook shaking the Skillet and stirring gently so that the slices Cook evenly without breaking. Line a mixing bowl with a Sieve. When the slices Are nicely browned on both sides after about 7 minutes scoop them out and put them in the colander. Add the remaining Oil to the Skillet and add the remaining potato slices Cook As before until browned about 7 minutes. Remove the potatoes to the colander. Pour off the Oil from the Skillet. Heat the butter in a Skillet and add the potatoes. Cook shaking the Skillet and tossing or turning the potatoes gently about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic and toss and stir to distribute the garlic. Sprinkle with Parsley and stir gently to blend. Yield 6 Servings. Page 14 the stars and stripes