Jeni explains her inspiration for this ice cream:
For years, there was a rivalry in the North Market about who had the best pad Thai. One shop’s sign said “Best Pad Thai in the Market,” which was answered with another shop’s “Best Pad Thai in Columbus.” One of the battling merchants was a young Thai woman named Nida. Hers was everything pad Thai should be: fresh and light, exquisitely spiced, and slightly sweet with layers and layers of flavor.* Jeni’s sweet cream base uses cornstarch since it binds water molecules. Making ice cream is much easier when you don’t have to worry about excess carbohydrates.
As the debate heated up, I decided to throw my hat in the ring. Using locally produced all-natural peanut butter, ground toasted coconut, and cayenne pepper, I created Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream and, with tongue firmly in cheek, touted it as the “Best Pad Thai in the World!”
For more authentic flavor and a lighter finish, add a bruised lemongrass stalk and 4 “coins” of ginger during the boiling stage, then remove before whisking in the cornstarch slurry.*