Spiced Up Cranberry Sauce with Thai Herbs
Spiced Up Cranberry Sauce with Thai Herbs
Many years ago, when I cooked my very first cranberry sauce, I just followed the recipe on the back of the cranberry package. Now that I have lived in America for almost twenty years, I know the ingredients in the sauce quite well and have done some experimenting. For the past few years, I have enjoyed adding Thai flavors to the sauce, but now I have settled on this flavor profile. The sweet from the evaporated cane juice organic sugar (Wholesome Sweeteners Brand) goes well with the hint of caramel from the rum. Thai herbs and a unique sea salt balance out the flavors. This recipe has the sweet, sour, salty and spicy elements that add the Thai accent to my family’s Thanksgiving traditions. I hope you will enjoy cooking this recipe. Have a great Thanksgiving.
Pranee's Cranberry Sauce with Spiced Rum and Thai Herbs
Pranee’s Cranberry Sauce with Spiced Rum and Thai Herbs
Yield: 4½ cups
2 (12 ounce) packages fresh cranberries, washed and drained 2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar, or regular white sugar 1 ½ teaspoons Hawaiian Kine Seasoning Salt – Lemon Grass, or regular sea salt 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum 2 tablespoons Triple Sec orange-flavored liqueur 3 tablespoons lime juice, about 1 lime 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed (cut off the lower bulb and remove tough, outer leaves) and smashed 1 to 2 fresh Thai chilies, smashed 3 Kaffir lime leaves 1 shallot, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons minced cilantro roots or stemsPlace cranberries, sugar, salt, water, rum, triple sec, lime juice, chilies, shallot and cilantro root in a large pot, stir well and bring to a boil. Then stir as needed while cooking on medium heat until it reaches a jam-like texture, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove lemongrass, chilies, and Kaffir lime leaves. Pour cooked cranberry sauce into sterilized jars. Keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze.
Pranee’s note:
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is a Caribbean rum with spice, caramel and other natural flavors.
Hawaiian Kine Seasoning Salt – Lemongrass is made from rock salt, pepper, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. You may use any sea salt.
Cilantro roots (rahk pak chee) are an important Thai flavoring ingredient. Unfortunately, cilantro usually comes with its roots already cut off. Look for whole cilantro plants with roots at farmer’s markets, grow your own, or substitute the bottom stems. If you do find cilantro with roots, rinse them well and use the roots along with about an inch of the bottom stems to which they are attached. You may also find frozen cilantro root in Asian markets.
Pranee's Thai Kitchen 