We have arrived in 2025, and we would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year, with lots of fun on your culinary adventures. The new year usually brings a desire in us all to eat a bit healthier and cut back on the excess of the holidays. Our favorite cuisine when we think healthy, and light must be Thai food and so we continue the journey…
Are There Health Benefits of Thai Cuisine?
Thai cuisine is known for its unique flavours and fragrant ingredients. From its spicy, sweet, and sour flavours to the delicious culinary experience, this cuisine is appreciated around the world. Not only is Thai food delicious, but it also offers many health benefits. The health benefits of Thai cuisine include improved digestion, immune system, and balanced nutrition. Thai cuisine also incorporates a variety of vegetables, herbs, and lean proteins, making it a great option for people looking for healthy food.
Thai food is also packed with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients for added health benefits. Thai cuisine is packed with a variety of herbs and spices that are known to have immune-boosting properties. From garlic and ginger to turmeric, these flavorful ingredients help fight off viruses and bacteria!
Thai cuisine is naturally gluten-free, thus making it a great choice for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
Here are two of our favorite Thai dishes for you to try:
· Tom Yum soup
· Thai lettuce wraps (Laab Gai)
Tom Yum Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1-pound raw prawns, unpeeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp ‘Thai 10’ Spice&Easy Blend (or 1 tbsp green Thai curry paste)
- 4 limes, juiced with pulp
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (sub soy sauce, tamari or coconut amino acids for vegan)
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 6 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Combine vegetable broth and prawns in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil for 10 minutes, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove prawns from broth; remove and discard shells and set aside.
- Add lime juice and pulp, fish sauce, and sweet chili sauce to broth; cook for 10 minutes. Return cooked prawns to broth and remove the pot from heat.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Top with mushrooms and green onions.
Thai Lettuce Wraps (Laab Gai)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (sub soy sauce, tamari or coconut amino acids for vegan)
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil)
- 2 tbsp ‘Thai 10’ Spice&Easy Blend
- 1 lb / 500g chicken mince (ground chicken) OR pork
- 1/2 red onion, cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced
- 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves, plus extra to garnish
- 1/3 cup mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
Serving
- 3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
- 6 – 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (we use baby cos / romaine)
- Extra lime wedges, chilli
- Instructions
- Sauce: Place water and cornflour into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat.
- Add the chicken along with the spice blend and stir well. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
- Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.
- Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
- Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side – leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!
You can find our range of hand-blended herbs and spices, online at www.spiceandeasycyprus.com. We offer free local delivery on orders over €15 via Akis Express. For more information, please visit our web site or feel free to call us on +357 99104622.
