Clams Stir-fried with Roasted Chilli Paste

Though I long to recreate its singing flavours I've always been slightly daunted by Thai food. The recipes always seem so long and complex and contain so many ingredients.

If you feel the same you're going to love Baan, the latest book from Kay Plunkett-Hogge who was born and brought up in Thailand and makes its sensational food miraculously simple. It's like having a personal cooking class in a book.

This simple recipe for stir-fried clams - Baan_Hoy Lai Pad Nam Prik Pao - is typical. "For a dish that takes so little time to make, this tastes surprisingly complex" writes Kay. "The sweet clams, rich chilli paste and fresh basil create a perfect balance of flavour."

Serves 2–4 as a part of a meal

500 g/1 lb 2 oz clams

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2–3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp nam prik pao (roasted chilli paste - see below)

1 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce)

1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

2 long red chillies, sliced diagonally

a handful of Thai sweet basil leaves (If you can’t find Thai basil, you can use regular basil instead)

In a colander, rinse the clams well under cold running water, discarding any open ones that refuse to close after a firm tap with the back of a knife.

On a high heat, heat the wok until it’s very hot and add the oil. Add the garlic and fry until golden. Add the clams and the nam prik pao, and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes.

One at a time, add the nam pla, sugar, 2 tbsp water and the chillies, stirring them in well after each addition. Continue to cook, stirring all the time, until all the clams have opened (discard any that remain closed).

Finally, add most of the basil and stir it in until wilted.

Serve at once, with the last few basil leaves scattered over the top.

There are so many brands of nam prik pao on the market and it will keep in the fridge for ages. My preferred brand is Mae Pranom. As a kid, I used to eat it spread on thick white bread... Try it!

What to drink: Kay intriguingly favours big reds like shiraz and shiraz/viognier with her food but I'm not sure I'd follow suit with this clam dish. Go for one of her other suggestions, a versatile grüner veltliner instead,

From Baan by Kay Plunkett-Hogge is published by Pavilion at £20. Photography © Louise Hagger.

Spicy chicken salad

We normally think of lunchboxes in terms of kids' packed lunches but James Ramsden has come up with this a brilliant book of imaginative dishes you can take to work. Called - appropriately enough - Love your Lunchbox.

Spicy chicken salad

Serves 2

This is based on a south-east Asian salad, larb gai, which is, like much of the food in them parts, pretty fiery. This is a pared-back version, though you could always ramp up the chilli quotient. Should keep your colleagues off your lunch, if nothing else.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 7 minutes

Freezable? Yes

2–3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

stalks from a bunch of coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

½ stalk of lemongrass, finely chopped

zest of ½ lime

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking

4 large-ish Little Gem lettuce leaves (outer leaves, as opposed to inner)

coriander (cilantro) leaves

For the dressing

juice of ½ lime

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1 tsp soft brown sugar

bottom half of a Thai chilli, finely chopped

AT HOME

Put the chicken, shallot, coriander stalks, lemongrass, lime zest, chilli, fish sauce and 1 tbsp oil in a blender and pulse until the chicken is well minced. Alternatively, finely and thoroughly chop with a knife.

Heat a splash of oil in a sauté pan or saucepan over a medium–high heat and add the chicken mixture. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 7 minutes, until cooked through and crisp in places. Set aside to cool, then store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and store in a jar.

IN EACH LUNCHBOX

A portion of chicken (in a microwaveable vessel); lettuce leaves, coriander; dressing.

TO FINISH

Reheat the chicken in a microwave on medium for 3–4 minutes. Serve on lettuce leaves with a few coriander leaves and a spoonful of dressing.

What to drink:

Assuming you're taking this to work I'm taking it for granted you're not going to be drinking alcohol but any sharp, citrussy soft drink would be a good match. Even sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime. If you're making it at home it would go down very well with a glass of Aussie riesling.

Recipe extracted from Love your Lunchbox: 101 Do-ahead recipes to liven up lunchtime by James Ramsden, published by Pavilion. Photograph © Martin Poole

Peter Gordon's nam phrik num dressing

An amazingly delicious Thai-ish sauce that I discovered a few years ago when I was researching food pairings for pinot gris and which seems especially appropriate as I'm in New Zealand currently.

It comes from Peter Gordon of London’s Providores and Kopapa who recommends it with “fish, chicken, roast sweet potatoes, cassava chips, pumpkin and lots more besides”, according to his book Cook: at home with Peter Gordon.

I tried it with salmon which was perfect. You need a blender to make it.

For 8 generous main course servings

30ml lemon juice
250ml light salad oil
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes
1 very ripe mango, approximately 400g, stoned and peeled
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and finely grated
(I'm guessing Peter means a chunk about 2.5cm/1 in square)
1-2 chillies of medium heat, cut into quarters
1 cup coriander, washed, drained then roughly chopped
15 mint leaves.

Put all the ingredients in a blender is the same order as they are listed above, starting with the liquids. Blend for 1 minutes, scraping down the sides if necessary. This dressing will keep for 2 days in the fridge but make sure you serve it at room temperature.