Quick-fix Thai dishes

You'll find convenience foods such as canned coconut-ginger soup that's ready to serve and several sauces that trim steps from recipes, and dipping sauces, stir-fry mixes, rubs and marinades.

Asian Home Gourmet, for example, makes Thai tom yum soup mix, chicken curry mix, lemongrass fried rice mix and satay mix. From Ka-Me comes pad Thai sauce, green curry paste and roasted red chile paste. Thai Kitchen makes coconut-ginger soup, Thai curry pilaf, ginger-basil fried rice and jasmine rice stir-fry noodles. A Taste of Thai makes soup mixes and a red curry base. Satay brand makes a garee yellow curry sauce.

Here are some ideas using supermarket Thai convenience products to get you started.

THAI STIR-FRY RICE (as an entree)

Add cubes of baked Thai-style tofu (available in the refrigerated case at natural foods stores) and thawed frozen stir-fry vegetables to rice made from Asian Gourmet's Thai Stir Fry Rice kit. (Baked tofu is firm and super-easy to use.) Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Vary by substituting cooked shrimp or leftover chicken for the tofu.

PAD THAI

This Thai favorite is as easy as pasta when you have Thai Kitchen's bottled pad Thai sauce on hand. Toss boiled spaghetti, rice noodles or egg noodles with the sauce, along with cooked shrimp or baked tofu cubes and chopped scallions. Top with roughly chopped peanuts, cilantro and hard-cooked egg. If you want to add some crunch, toss on a handful of mung bean sprouts. Serve with lime wedges.

SPICY SEAFOOD COCONUT SOUP

Start with Thai Kitchen's canned coconut-ginger soup. Simmer the soup for 8 minutes, then add cooked, bite-sized chicken breast pieces, shrimp or fish fillets along with canned bamboo shoots. Simmer until meat is heated through. (Alternatively, you may cook the chicken or seafood by simmering it in the soup until done.) Serve garnished with cilantro. Too spicy for your taste? Dilute the soup with vegetable or chicken stock.

INSTANT SATAY

Use bottled satay sauce to marinate chicken tenders, sliced pork or shrimp. Marinate chicken or pork for an hour or two, shrimp for 15 to 30 minutes. Thread the meat or shrimp on skewers (if using bamboo skewers, be sure they've been soaked in water for at least 2 hours so they don't burn). Grill or broil until cooked through (about 5 minutes for chicken, 6 minutes for pork, 4 minutes for shrimp), turning once. Serve with bottled or instant peanut sauce for dipping on the side.

THAI GREEN CURRY WITH BASIL

Mix one (14-ounce) can of coconut milk with 1 or 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock and 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce. Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1/3 cup sliced bamboo shoots and 3/4 pound diced chicken breast. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve over jasmine rice. Makes 4 servings. Source: Thai Kitchen

THAI STEW

Saute one small onion in a medium saucepan. Add one can of Satay brand yellow or red curry. Bring to a boil, then add a roughly chopped large potato and 1 pound chicken cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook until tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Add one 5-ounce can of drained bamboo shoots. To make with beef or pork, brown the chunks of meat with the onion before adding to the stew. Simmer covered, until meat is tender.

THAI BARBECUE

Use Asian Home Gourmet's Thai Aromatic Grill as a marinade for chicken before grilling. Mix the packet with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and marinate 2 pounds of chicken pieces for at least one hour before grilling. Variation: Marinate a pork tenderloin for several hours or overnight before roasting in the oven or grilling.

For even more ideas, visit www.thaikitchen.com; www.asianhomegourmet.com; or www.atasteofthai.com