All About Thai Foods

Salmon Souffle in Banana Leaf Cup (Ho Mok Pla Salmon)

2009-05-02T02:27:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS :

Coconut milk 1/2 cup

Red curry paste, (Kaeng phet curry paste) 2 tbsp.

Egg 1 whole

Fish sauce 1 tbsp.

Sugar 1 - 2 tsp.

Salmon fillet, sliced 5 oz.

Sweet basil leaves, (bai horapha) 1/4 cup

(Makes 1 banana leaf cup. / 1 serving)

1. Mix the curry paste and the coconut milk together in a bowl until you have a smooth mixture.

2. Add egg and blend in well. Season this mixture with fish sauce and sugar. Mix this into a batter, and add pieces of salmon which have been sliced. This process is very much like making a custard or batter for quiche.

3. Prepare a baking dish and line the bottom of the dish with fresh basil leaves and spoon the batter and fish pieces into the dish. Steam or bake in bain-marie until done. lt takes about 30 - 40 minutes depending on the size and depth of the container. To test that the custard is done, insert a skewer into the center of the custard. If it comes out clean, the custard is done.

Tips

Substitutions : lt may be difficult to find fresh Thai basil, so please use fresh local basil or even fresh green leaf lettuce or spinach or kale. When buying Thai curry paste which comes either in a can or vacuum packed in a plastic container, read the label carefully to check that you are getting the correct type of curry paste.

Thai main dishes are usually eaten with plain steamed rice. If you eat some of these dishes by themselves the flavors may be too strong.

Stuffed Crab Shells (Pu Cha)

2009-05-02T02:23:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS : The stuffing

Ground pork 5 oz.

Crab meat 4 oz.

Garlic, chopped 1 tbsp.

Onion, chopped1 1/2 tbsp.

Spring onion, chopped1 1/2 tbsp.

Egg 1 whole

Fish sauce 1 tbsp.

White pepper, ground 1 tsp.

INGREDIENTS : The Shells

Crab shells 2

Egg 1 whole

Vegetable oil for frying 2 cups
(2-4 servings)

1. In a bowl, mix together all the stuffing ingredients but not to the point where the mixture becomes a sticky ball of paste.

2. Stuff the crab shells with this mixture. If you do not empty crab shells, you can use large scallop shells and pack the stuffing in tightly.

3. Steam these stuffed shells in a steamer until done (20 minutes). Lift the shells from the steamer and let cool.

4. Pour excess juice off the shells. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Dip the whole shells in beaten whole egg to cover then fry the whole shells face down first until golden brown then turn to finish the other side. This frying process is merely to give the stuffed shells color and heat.

5. Serve hot.

Tips

Thais eat meals in a totally different way from Westerners. Many main dishes are served at the same time at the center of the table and are eaten with rice. Everyone shares all the dishes.

Banana Pudding (Khanom Kluai)

2009-05-02T02:20:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS :

# Fresh banana,pureed in a food processor or blender 3cups
# Freshly grated fresh coconut meat 1 cup
# Pre-sifted rice flour 3 cups
# Granulated sugar 2 cups
# Salt 1 tbsp.
# Cream of coconut milk 1cup

GARNISHES : Freshly grated long strands of coconut meat
(6 servings)

1. Mix together all the ingredients except the bananas.

2. Once everything is in a mixing bowl and well mixed, puree the bananas and immediately pour it into the mixture.

3. Pour this mixture into an either round or square baking pan and steam this pudding in a steamer for about 20 minutes or until the flour in the pudding is cooked and the pudding sets.

4. Take the pudding out of the steamer and allow to cool before cutting and serve garnished with a little of the freshly grated coconut meat and salted coconut cream.

Tips

Coconut meat can be bought from your grocery store by buying a whole fresh coconut. Crack the coconut open with a hammer and the juice will run out. The white meaty flesh of the coconut that is attached to the inside shell is the meat that you will use to grate.

Coconut cream is derived from canned coconut milk by allowing the can to sit up in a cold place. Open the can from the top and the solidified mass on top of the can is the cream. Spoon only this top part and warm it in a sauce pan; if the liquid is too thick add a little of the milk from the rest of the can.

Salted coconut cream is only the melted cream from the top of a coconut can which has been salted. If this cream is too thick, thin it out with a little coconut milk,

Tom Yum

2009-01-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

We are starting this week with Tom Yum Gai which is something I often cook. For most people, tom yum is a hot and sour soup cooked with prawns. However, when I am cooking, I prefer to use chicken instead! The word "tom" means to boil and "yum" is to mix together. The main ingredients, as you can see in the picture below, are the kaffir lime leaves, galangal, bird's eye chilies, a lime and lemon grass stalks. I also added straw mushrooms, plum tomatoes, coriander and red shallots. I have noted that some recipes for the chicken version don't have any galangal. However, I ignored that as galangal is good for your health.

To cook is quite easy. Bring some chicken stock to the boil. Prepare the first wave of ingredients. Trim the bottom of the lemon grass and then peel away the outer layer. Then cut the lemon grass in diagonal slices. Some people discard the top two inches but I slightly crush it with the back of the knife and add it to the pot. Do about four or five fine slices of the galangal. Tear up the kaffir lime leaves which releases the flavour. I usually also add a slightly crushed red shallot. Add these to the stock and bring back to the boil. While this is boiling I am preparing the next wave of ingredients. I chop up the straw mushrooms. I sometimes use oyster mushrooms. Depends on what you have. These go in next. Then I slice the chicken into small pieces and add to the pot. I save these for last because if you cook too long it gets tough. Almost straight away I am adding the seasoning. This is fish sauce and sugar. Then I add the chili jam (nam prik pao) and a little bit of coconut milk. I usually turn the heat off by now. I then add the tomatoes and chopped coriander. Finally I add some lime juice. It is important the latter is only added at the last moment and is not cooked. The taste should be salty, sour and hot.

There are two versions of tom yum. If you don't say anything when ordering at the restaurant they will give you the clear soup version. However, I prefer the thick soup called "nam kon". To make this, you need to add some coconut milk and chilli jam (nam prik pao). The chili paste in the jar on the right is specifically for making "tom yum". I always put a good table spoon into my soup hence the red texture. You can then lighten it with the coconut milk. You need to experiment with this dish a lot in order to get the right mixture of ingredients. In Thai cooking, most cooks don't do any measurements. They add a little at a time and then give it a taste. Also, don't be afraid to experiment because that ispart of the enjoyment of Thai cooking.

credit:thai-blogs

Roast Duck Curry (Gaeng Ped Ped Yang)

2008-12-19T05:31:00.001-08:00

Ingredients :

1 roasted duck Curry, deboned and cut into 1-inch squares
2 ½ cups coconut milk
1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon red curry paste
2 medium tomatoes, halved or 10 cherry tomatoes
½ cup sweet basil leaves (horapha)
4 kaffir lime leaves, halved
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup water (or chicken stock)

Put vegetable oil into wok over medium heat and add the red curry paste, stir well, add ¾ cups coconut milk and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the duck and stir well. Next, add the remaining coconut milk, water, tomatoes, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, salt, fish sauce and sweet basil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until duck absorbs curry flavor.

Khao Neaw Mamuang

2008-12-05T01:25:00.000-08:00

Khao Neaw Mamuang
(Mangoes and sticky rice)
6 ripe mangoes, peeled
2 cups sticky rice, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

Wrap the prepared sticky rice in a clean tea-towel and steam for 30 minutes. Meanwhile dissolve the sugar in the coconut cream over a very ow heat. Add the salt. Stir welL Remove from the heat. Put the cooked sticky rice in a bowF Gradually blend in the coconut cream. Stir with a wooden spoon Serve with ripe mangoes.

credit:luxurythai

Beef Salad or Yam Nuea in Thai

2008-11-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

Yam Nuea is a very common to include cucumber in the salad. Thin slivers of onion, or slices of shallots go well with the blend of tastes. In each bite, you get the saltiness from the nam pla, the sourness from nam manao (lime juice), the heat from prik pon (Thai roasted chile, ground or powdered). Adding mint and lemon grass takes it over the top! I usually use fresh serrano chiles and prik pon to provide the heat. I start with the serrano, and to taste, bring the heat up to the desired taste with prik pon. I also blend in a little palm sugar when I make Yam Nuea to include a faint taste of sweetness to round out the flavors of the dish

Sometimes I don't mix the cucumbers with the salad. Instead, I line the serving plate with lettuce leaves, then form a ring of sliced tomato and cucumbers around the edge of the plate, and spoon the salad in the middle of the tomato and cucumber ring.
-clay

1 ½ pounds beef tenderloin, room temperature
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 leaf lettuce head
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 small red onion, thin sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small cucumber
2 tablespoon nam pla
fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 lime, thin wedges

Preheat oven to 500°F. Set beef in small baking dish and roast for 20 minutes until rare. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refridgerate until cold, approximately 2 hours. Slice against grain into ¼ inch by ¼ inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine meat strips, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and toss. In a small bowl, combine garlic, nam pla, palm sugar, and lime juice. Mix well. Pour this dressing over the meat and toss to coat.

Cover a large platter with lettuce leaves. Arrange the tomatoes around the outside, overlapping the slices, as necessary. Arrange cucumber slices inside the tomatoes, then the onion slices inside those.

Remove the meat from the dressing and mound in the center of the platter. Pour any dressing that remains over the meat. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Before serving, sprinkle with black pepper, and garnish with lime wedges.

credit:allthaifood

PO PIA THOT or Tried Spring Rolls

2008-10-31T22:36:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS :

Spring roll wrappers 12 oz.

Ground pork 1 cup

Egg 1 whole

Mung bean noodle (or beanthread) 2 oz.

Green cabbage, sliced thin 1 cup

Bean sprouts 1 cup

Garlic, chopped 1 tbsp.

Flour and water paste 1/2 cup

Ground pepper 1 - 2 tsp.

Soy Sauce 2 tbsp.

Frying oil 4 cups.
(4 servings)

1. Soak the beanthread in water until soft, drain and cut into short lengths.

2. Mix together ground pork, egg, cabbage, bean sprouts, ground pepper, soy sauce and beanthread and put aside.

3. In a pan heat up a little oil and fry the chopped garlic until aromatic, then add the mixture and fry until cooked and well seasoned. Take this mixture off heat and allow to cool.

4. Once cooled, stuff this filling into the spring roll wrappers and seal with flour paste.

5. Fry spring rolls in hot oil until golden brown and drain. Served hot with plum sauce.

Tips

This dish originates in Vietnam and the dipping sauces vary from region to region. Most likely the sauce that you would easily find in your country is plum sauce which comes bottled and ready made. Should the plum sauce be too sweet and not spicy enough simply warm it up and add a little vinegar with chopped hot chili peppers.

credit:thaicuisinerecipe

Sweet Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream and Black Beans (KHAO NIAO TAT)

2008-10-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS :

Dried black beans,soaked in water overnight, then boiled until tender and drained 3 oz.

Sticky rice 2 cups

Coconut milk 1 cup

Salt 1 pinch

Sugar 1/3 cup

CREAM TOPPING :

Sugar 1/2 cup

Salt 1/2 tsp.

Coconut milk 1 cup

Tapioca starch 1 tbsp.
(6 servings)

1. In two separate bowls, soak the black beans and the sticky rice overnight.

2. Boil the beans until done, drain and reserve for topping.

3. Using a baking pan large enough to fit all the sticky rice, drain the rice and pour it into a baking pan.

4. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup of coconut milk, sugar and salt, making sure that all the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture into the pan containing the sticky rice.

5. Set the pan in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes until the rice absorbs all the coconut milk and increases in volume.

6. Combine the ingredients for the cream topping in a bowl and pour this sauce over the top of the cooked rice in the pan and return the pan to the steamer and continue to steam for 5 to 8 minutes or until the topping sets like custard.

7. Take the pan out of the steamer and sprinkle black beans over the top of the custard.

8. Let the cake cool before cutting into squares and serve.

Tips

Sticky rice is available in all Asian grocery stores. It differs from regular jasmin rice because when it is cooked it has a characteristic of sticking together and the grain is shorter and harder than regular rice, hence the overnight soaking.

credit:thaicuisinerecipe

Kaeng Phed Pet Yang or red curry of duck

2008-10-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Main Ingredient
Roasted duck	1
Cherry tomatoes	200 g.
Ma-euk, hairs scraped off	13 fruits
Grated coconut	500 g.
Chilli	1
Sweet basil	5 g.
Kaffir lime leaves	5 leaves
Sugar	6 g.
Fish sauce	10 g.
Zalacca	30 g.

Chilli paste Ingredient
Dried chilli	5
Shallot	20 g.
Garlic	5 g.
Chopped galangal	5 g.
Lemon grass	12 g.
Kaffir lime skin	4 g.
Coriander root	8 g.
Coriander seeds	5 g.
Cumin	5 g.
Pepper seeds	5 g.
Salt	3 g.
Shrimp paste	3 g.

* 30 grams = 1oz. , 1kilogram = 2.24 lbs.

How to cook

Chilli paste cooking

Pound all the mixture until ground

Squeeze the grated coconut to get a half cup coconut cream and 3 cups coconut milk
De-boned the duck, cut into 1 inch strips
Simmer the coconut milk with the neck bone and joint
ล้างมะเขือเทศให้สะอาด
Heat the coconut cream until shine, mix the chilli paste and fry until fragrant, mix the duck meat, fry and add to the simmered coconut milk, use the medium heat and add kaffir lime leaves
Mix tomato, ma-euk, sweet basil and zalacca, seasoning with sugar and fish sauce

credit:thaifoodtoworld

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables or Phat Pak Ruam

2008-10-12T00:31:00.001-07:00

Fly the garlic for a little while in the oil and add the cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, carrot, asparagus, mushroom, chillies, baby corn, and ear mushrooms and sauté'. Add dark Soya sauce, light Soya sauce and bean sprouts and stir fry until mixed well. Spoon up onto platter and sprinkle with ground pepper.

ir Fried Mixed Vegetables : Ingredients
1 1/2 cup	cabbage cut bite size	1/4 cup	ear mushroom thinly sliced
6	broccoli, cut bite size	1/2 cup	bean sprouts, clipped both ends
10	snow pea, ends clipped	2 teaspoons	chopped garlic
10	carrot, sliced across	4 tablespoons	cooking oil
2	asparagus, cut to 1-in lengths	1 tablespoon	dark Soya sauce
3	mushroom, halved	2 tablespoons	light Soya sauce
1/2 cup	green and red bell chilli, slices lengthways	1 pinch	ground pepper
4	baby corn, medium size

credit:sawadee

Papaya Salad or Somtum

2008-10-12T00:25:00.000-07:00

Peel the papaya and rinse under running water. Remove the seeds and shred the flesh with a grater. Set aside. Place the garlic cloves and chillies in a mortar and mash with a pestle until crushed into chunks. Add the papaya and the remaining ingredients and gently combine all with the pestle and a spoon. Serve cold.

Papaya Salad : Ingredients
	medium dark green papaya
4	garlic cloves
6	green Thai chillies (phrik khi nu)
2	tomatoes, cut into wedges
1.2 cups	green beans, chopped into 1/2 in (2.5 cm) pieces
2 tablespoons	anchovy sauce
1/2 teaspoon	salt
1/4 cup (60 ml)	lime juice or tamarind juice

credit:sawadee

Chicken Curry or Kang Kai - Learn How to Cook

2008-09-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

Chicken curry is so common that you will find it at any to-go curry vendors in Thailand. Chicken curry is eaten with rice or 'kanom jeen' noodles.

You can see chicken curry's popularity when you go to a temple in Thailand; Thai people frequently bring the classic dishes like chicken curry to feed the monks and other temple patrons.

2-4 Servings

3	cups	water
3-5	sprigs	Thai basil
2	tablespoons	fish sauce
1/2	lb	eggplant
1	tablespoon	red curry paste
1	cup	coconut milk
1		chicken breast

I use Thai eggplants, the golf ball size ones. But, they can be difficult to find. Regular eggplants that you find in supermarkets are a good substitute. If you have the Thai eggplants, cut them up into quarters. If you have the regular eggplants, cut them into bite size pieces. Wash and pick the basil leaves.

Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces. If you have this dish in Thailand, you will see that the chicken comes with bones. All parts such as legs and thighs can be used. The bones make the curry more flavorful.

Pour half of the coconut milk into a large pot, over low to medium low heat. Add the red curry paste. Break up the paste and mix it with coconut milk. Stir constantly. Lower the heat if it splatters too much. Add chicken when you see red oil bubbling on top. Stir and coat chicken with curry sauce. Add the eggplant when chicken starts to turn white. Add the rest of the coconut milk and water and the fish sauce. Let it boil until all the eggplant pieces turn dark and tender. The longer you boil the curry, the thicker the curry becomes because the eggplant disintegrates and thickens the sauce. Add the basil leaves just before you serve and make sure the leaves are submerged quickly in the curry to preserve the color.

Serve hot with rice or rice noodles.

credit:thaitable

Fried Noodle or Phat Thai

2008-09-21T01:28:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS :

Vegetable oil 1/3 cup

Garlic, chopped 1 tbsp.

Pressed beancurd, sliced into small pieces 1/4 cup

Prawns, fresh and peeled 6 oz

Chanburi rice linguini, soaked in water and drained 2 cups (packed)

Fish sauce 1 - 2 tbsp.

Coconut sugar 1 - 2 tsp.

Unsalted, toasted peanuts, chopped 2 tbsp.

Thai chili flakes (prik pon) 1 tsp.

White vinegar or tamarind pulp juice 1 - 2 tbsp.

Bean sprouts, roots picked 1 cup

GARNISHES :

Omelet julienne 1

Fresh red spur chili peppers, julienne 1 tbsp.

Spring onion, julienne 1 tbsp.

Fresh lime wedges 2
(2 servings)

1. For best results, this dish should be cooked in a wok, Prepare all your ingredients in advance and have them ready beside you. Heat up the oil in a wok until almost smoking.

2. Add the chopped garlic and pressed beancurd to the wok. Stirfry until cooked but not browned; add the prawns and stir quickly.

3. Prawns cook very fast so do not over cook them. Once the prawns are slightly white add the flat thin rice noodle from Chanburi province. This noodle has to be soaked in water to make it pliable but not soggy, and drained before use.

4. While stirfrying the noodles, season this dish with fish sauce, coconut sugar, chili flakes and vinegar. The liquid from the prawns and seasoning sauces will make the noodle soft yet " al dente" . Add peanuts and toss to mix well.

5. Finally add the bean sprouts and quickly toss in the hot wok to warm them up but do not over cook them. Garnish the dish on top with a julienne thin omelet, red spur chili peppers and julienne spring onions with a few fresh bean sprouts and a lime wedge on the side.

Tips

This dish is very famous in Thailand and the world over. It's a great lunch item and our national pasta dish. Chanburi noodles are easily found in most Asian grocery stores, they come dry packed in a bundle wrapped in plastic. Ask your Thai or Asian grocer for phat thai noodles. Eating and seasoning tips: Westerners usually season their pasta dishes with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese but each phat thai dish is seasoned by the diner with fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, lime juice for sourness, chili flakes for spiciness and peanuts for crunchiness.Credit:thaicuisinerecipe

Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Coconut Soup)

2008-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

5 cups coconut milk
1 oz shallot, finely chopped
½ oz galangal, sliced thinly
2 stalks lemon grass, cut into 2 cm pieces
6 fresh small whole red chillies
5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into small pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1cup boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized
½ cup fresh mushroom (oyster mushroom if available)
2 tbsp lime juice
½ tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp coriander leaves

Instructions:

Pour the coconut milk into a pan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cook until is done.
Add the shallot, galangal, lemon grass, chili, lime leaves, salt and mushrooms, then bring it to boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and coriander leaves.

credit:bangkokcooking

Isan Food - Chaeo Bong

2008-08-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

Let's start today menu "Chaeo Bong (Anchovy Dip)"

Recipe from: Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott

This is a traditional Isan (North East Thailand) dip for barbecued meals, steamed fish and vegetable dishes. The traditional method of cooking the anchovies is as shown below: if you prefer you can wrap them in aluminum foil and roast them in a medium oven for 15 minutes. You can also remove the heads and backbones first. You can also use tinned anchovies (drain and use - they are already cooked).

5 bai makrut (kaffir lime leaves),

shredded
½ pound. anchovies
¼ cup lemon grass
¼ cup shallots, chopped
¼ cup kha (galangal) chopped
3 tablespoon prik ki nu (green birdseye chilis), sliced
¼ cup tamarind juice (or rice vinegar)
3 tablespoon garlic, sliced

Wrap the anchovies in banana leaves, and place on the embers of a charcoal brazier until the leaf blackens. Remove from the fire and unwrap. Discard the heads and backbones of the fish. Combine all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Will keep for about 3 weeks if refrigerated. credit:allthaifood

Fried vegetables Good Recipe For Health

2008-07-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

Fried vegetables
Pad Paak Ruamit
Serves 4

250 g (8 oz) Thai broccoli
400 g (13 oz) babycorn
100 g (3 1/2 oz) mushrooms
3 spring onions
3 clove garlic
oil
2 tb fish sauce
3 tb oyster sauce
1 tb sugar
2 tb sherry

Takes 35 minutes
1. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Cut babycorn into halves.
2. Cut mushrooms into halves.
3. Cut spring onions into 2 cm long pieces. Chop garlic.
4. Heat oil in a wok or a pan. Add garlic and spring onions and stir-fry for one minute. Add vegetables and continue to stir-fry for five minutes.
5. Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and sherry. credit:allthaifood

Beef Salad or Yam Nuea

2008-07-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

The picture above is call Yam Nuea. It is very common to include cucumber in the salad. Thin slivers of onion, or slices of shallots go well with the blend of tastes. In each bite, you get the saltiness from the nam pla, the sourness from nam manao (lime juice), the heat from prik pon (Thai roasted chile, ground or powdered). Adding mint and lemon grass takes it over the top! I usually use fresh serrano chiles and prik pon to provide the heat. I start with the serrano, and to taste, bring the heat up to the desired taste with prik pon. I also blend in a little palm sugar when I make Yam Nuea to include a faint taste of sweetness to round out the flavors of the dish

Sometimes I don't mix the cucumbers with the salad. Instead, I line the serving plate with lettuce leaves, then form a ring of sliced tomato and cucumbers around the edge of the plate, and spoon the salad in the middle of the tomato and cucumber ring.
-clay

1 ½ pounds beef tenderloin, room temperature
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 leaf lettuce head
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 small red onion, thin sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small cucumber
2 tablespoon nam pla
fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons palm sugar
1 lime, thin wedges

Preheat oven to 500°F. Set beef in small baking dish and roast for 20 minutes until rare. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refridgerate until cold, approximately 2 hours. Slice against grain into ¼ inch by ¼ inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine meat strips, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and toss. In a small bowl, combine garlic, nam pla, palm sugar, and lime juice. Mix well. Pour this dressing over the meat and toss to coat.

Cover a large platter with lettuce leaves. Arrange the tomatoes around the outside, overlapping the slices, as necessary. Arrange cucumber slices inside the tomatoes, then the onion slices inside those.

Remove the meat from the dressing and mound in the center of the platter. Pour any dressing that remains over the meat. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Before serving, sprinkle with black pepper, and garnish with lime wedges.
credit:allthaifood

Thai Soup - Tom Yam Pla Krop

2008-06-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

This isn't a crispy soup, it's a soup made with crispy fish.

Specifically pla krop (pronounced 'plah grob' with the 'o' in krop
being something between a short o sound an a 'au' sound (a bit like
saying 'crab' when you have a very nasal cold)) is deep fried catfish.

The catfish is fried whole in very hot oil (smoking peanut oil), so the
usual cautions and caveats apply. Also for the proper flavor it should
be fried with the head on - in Thailand it is fried before it is cleaned
and trimmed for the second stage of cooking. You may of course clean and
fillet the fish first.

The very hot oil ensures that only the outside of the fish is
crunchy-crisp, and the inside is not reduced to concrete hardness!

If you prefer this dish can be made with salmon, trout, or sea bass.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ingredients

one catfish, to yield about half a pound of catfish pieces.

6 thin slices of kha (galangal)
6 thin slices of khing (ginger)
4 hom daeng (shallots - purple onions)
6-8 prik chi fa haeng (dried red Thai jalapenas)
4 kratiem (cloves of garlic - with skins)
2-3 stalks of takrai (lemon grass or citronella), cut in 2" pieces

half a cup of nam pla (fish sauce)
half a cup of nam som makham (tamarind juice)

method.

1: Deep fry the catfish whole in very hot oil until the skin is very
crisp.

Remove and drain.

When cool enough to handle, remove the head and the tail (don't waste it
- it can be added to your fish stock pot, or fed to the cat), then break
the rest into large bite sized pieces, discarding the major bones.

2: on a grill or barbeque, grill the galangal, ginger, shallots,
jalapenas, garlic and lemond grass until slightly charred.

discard the skins, and chop, then pound to a paste in a mortar and
pestle or a food processor.

Bring about 3 cups of water to a rolling boil, and add the ingredients,
after one minute lower the heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for about
20 minutes.

credit:allthaifood

Thai Soup - Kaeng Chuet Pla Muek Yat Sai (Stuffed Squid in Plain Soup)

2008-06-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

The picture on the center is the soup call "Kaeng Chuet Pla Muek Yat Sai (Stuffed Squid in Plain Soup)". The version of this dish is to stuff the squid with a mixture of ground pork, wunsen noodles, minced garlic, and ground white pepper. In addition to using the tentacles to secure the stuffing, also pushed a toothpick through the open end of the squid. Don't include cucumbers in the soup broth. It was tender and sliced easily with a spoon to reveal the inner pork goodness.
-clay

10 small squids
1 cup minced pork
3 cucumbers, peeled and cut horizontally 4 times
2 bunch scallion, cut 1 inch long
1 bunch cilantro, cut 1 inch long
¼ cup minced carrot
2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups stock from pork or chicken bone

Clean the squids very well. Mix minced pork with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, pepper, minced carrot and light soy sauce. Stuff the squids with mixed pork and close the hole with its tentacles. Peel the cucumbers and clean. Fry 1 tablespoon minced garlic until it has aromatic smell. Heat the stock. When it is boiling, add stuffed squids and cucumber. Cook for 8 minutes then remove from the stove. Add scallion, cilantro and mix well. When you serve, don't forget to sprinkle fry garlic in the soup. It will give the nicest smell that makes your stomach cry. credit:allthaifood

Thai Food - Chicken Coconut Soup

2008-05-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

"Tom Kha Gai (chicken coconut soup)" is on my favourites list that I decided to have a go at cooking it.

My first stop was my collection of cookery books. I soon discovered that although each book had a recipe for Tom Kha Gai they were quite different from each other. From my memory of eating this dish I decided to use the recipe from "Thailand The Beautiful Cookbook". I made a list of the ingredients before setting off to the supermarket. I needed: coconut milk, galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, coriander leaves and some chili. They wanted green but I wanted red.

(Left): galangal (Right): lemon grass

On the left is the galangal (kha). As you can see, it is similar in appearance to ginger. It is pinkish and has a peppery flavour. The label on the pack said it cost 45 baht per kilo. This pack cost 5.75 baht. More than enough. On the next shelf I noticed another pack with both lemon grass (right), galangal and kaffir lime leaves (below right). These are the ingredients for Lemon Grass Soup (more famously known as Tom Yum). As this was only 7 baht I decided to go for that. (1 US$ is presently 38 baht.) As far as I understand, although these two dishes have similar ingredients, Tom Yum focuses more on the lemon grass and Tom Kha Gai focuses more on the galangal. If you are wondering at this stage what "tom" means then I will tell you that it means "boiled".

(Left): coriander (Right): kaffir lime leaves

Next I needed the coriander or "pak chee" in Thai. There were two varieties on the shelf. One was "pak chee tai" and the other "pak chee jeen". I guess the former was Thai and the latter Chinese. As "pak chee jeen" was translated into "coriander" on the label I knew which one to pick. This only cost 4 baht. Next on my list was the small green limes, coconunt milk, chilis and of course the chicken. Oh yes, did you know that the red chilis that are labelled in English as "red bird chili peppers" are called in Thai "mouse shit chilis"! I wonder why they didn't translate that properly in the supermarket?

Tom Kha Gai - Chicken coconut Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups of coconut milk
6 thin slices of galangal
2 stalks of lemon grass (cut into 1 inch strips and crush with cleaver)
5 fresh kaffir lime leaves (torn in half, not cut)
250 g of boneless chicken
5 tablespoons of fish sauce (naam blaa)
2 tablespoons of sugar
Half a cup of lime juice
1 teaspoon of black chili paste (nam prik pow)
Quarter cup of coriander leaves
5 green chili peppers (I will use red chilis)

Method 1:
(1) Combine half the coconut milk with the galangal, lemon grass and lime leaves in a large saucepan and heat to boiling. Add the chicken, fish sauce and sugar.
(2) Simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Add the remaining coconut milk to the saucepan and heat just to boiling.
(3) Place the lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl then pour the soup into the serving bowl.
(4) Garnish with the torn coriander leaves and chili pepers, and serve.

Other recipes I have read don't include the lemon grass. I also saw another one that said add the chili at the same time as the chicken. I will do that. This next version of the same recipe comes from a book called "Simply Thai Cooking". I am thinking I will go for a mixture of the two. However, they say add lemon juice which I don't have!

Method 2:
(1) Slice the chicken into thin strips.
(2) Smash lemon grass with the flat side of a chef's knife once and then cut into 1 inch pieces; slice galangal into thin rounds; tear lime leaves into thirds; cut chilis in half.
(3) Heat coconut milk and water in a saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Don't let it boil. Reduce heat to a medium and add lemon grass, galangal, lime leaves, chilies and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously and not letting it boil.
(4) Add chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes, stirring over medium heat, until the chicken is cooked.
(5) Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and quarter tablespoon of sugar. stir, and continue cooking for another minute or two/
(6) Transfer to a soup bowl and serve immediately, garnished with fresh corriander leaves.

Well, I think everything is ready.

Thai Food - Chicken and Wax Gourd curry

2008-05-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

Today I want to show you an example of “gaeng kua”. This soup is generally regarded as being a mild one and can have tastes such as sweet, sour and salty. The dish I want to show you today is called Chicken and wax gourd curry or gaeng kua fak in Thai. The vegetable call "fak" (despite sounding like a swear word in English) is wax gourd which is sometimes also known as a winter melon. It is cucumber shaped and even has green skin and pips inside. To prepare for cooking, you need to first peel the wax gourd and then scoop out the pips. Then cut into one inch chunks. This is then added to the soup. As well as gaeng kua you can also add it to gaeng liang. When cooked, the wax gourd maintains its shape but has a rather bland flavour.

The ingredients are wax gourd, chicken, gaeng kua paste, coconut cream, coconut milk, red spur chili, kaffir lime leaves, and seasoned with palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind juice. Heat the coconut cream in a pan and then fry the chili paste until fragrant. Add the chicken and cook until nearly done. Pour in the coconut milk and then add the wax gourd chunks and continue cooking until done. Season the soup and then just before serving add the torn kaffir lime leaves and red chili. Credit:www.enjoythaifood.com

Thai Food-Massaman Curry

2008-05-17T08:50:00.000-07:00

In Thailand we are blessed with a variety of curries such as green curry, red curry, yellow curry, massaman curry and panaeng curry. The two former curries are probably the most popular and what most people would label as genuine Thai food. The other curries are more influenced by Indian and Muslim food as they contain spices such as cassia, cumin and cardamon.

I usually eat these mulsim curries at the weekend when I go to watch a movie or do some computer shopping at Seri Center on Srinakarin Road. In the food market in the basement, there is a food stall run by some muslim ladies. They have four or five different curries for sale. You can choose to eat the curry with either rice or a fresh roti. I usually go for the latter just to make a change from the rice I normally eat during the week. This meal is relatively expensive at 40 baht (about US$1). I don't usually spend so much money on meals but these curries are really filling. And of course they are all really delicious.

Normally I would eat this meal at Seri but today I thought I would do it as a take-away so I could share it with you. I don't mean I am going to let you taste any. I just wanted to share with you the pictures of my lunch today! By the way, to take food home, you just tell them to "sai toong" which means put in a bag. So, they poured the massaman curry into a plastic bag and tied it up with a rubber band. The cucumber relish was put in another and then the roti in a third bag.

Thai Muslims of course usually eat this dish with beef. But today, I decided to eat gang masaman gai which is with chicken. There are different recipes for this dish, but some of the main ingredients include: coconut milk, potatoes, roasted peanuts and onions. It is seasoned with cardamon pods, cinnamon sticks, palm sugar, tamarind juice and lemon juice.

Of course, it is the massaman curry paste which gives it is distinctive taste. The ingredients for this include: red chilies, roasted shallots, roasted garlic, sliced galangal, sliced lemon grass, roasted coriander seeds, roasted cumin, roasted cloves, white pepper, salt and shrimp paste. This is all then pounded together to make the paste. Of course, you have a choice to do all this yourself or just buy a packet of massaman paste for about 5 baht! I bought some today at Foodland and will try to cook some massaman curry later this week.

This curry has a side dish of cucumber relish. You may remember me talking about this a few months back in my blog about satay pork as they both use the same relish. As you can see, this is made up with red chili, sliced cucumbers and sliced shallots. it is then mixed in a sauce of vinegar, salt and sugar.

If you like, when I go to Seri Center next weekend, I will buy you a different curry. Hope I am not making you too hungry!. Credit: www.enjoythaifood.com

Sour Curry with Vegetables and Shrimp (gaeng som )

2008-05-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Most of my favourite Thai curries are coconut based. But there are a couple of spicy ones that are not. The most famous is probably gaeng som, which is a sour soup. It is a bit like a thick vegetable soup that we have back home but it is both hot and sour. For a long time I always thought that this soup was called gaeng som because it looked orange. So, I always referred to it as the orange soup. But reall, here "som" means "sour" even though it is spelled the same.

You will find lots of different recipes, though it is often seen with either fish or, in the above case, with prawns. The vegetables in this version are long beans, Chinese cabbage and carrots. The paste is made up with red chilis, chopped red shallots and shrimp paste. The ingredient that is mainly responsible for making it sour is the tamarind juice. A good side dish for this spicy soup is omelette. Try it, it is a different experience. Credit: www.enjoythaifood.com

Food from the Northern Region of Thailand

2008-05-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

Thai food of the north, in some way, is cooked with the sole thought for the taste for the northern people. The recipe consists of vegetable and ingredients available in their immediate vicinity. The common meal includes steamed glutinous rice, chili sauces which come in a host of varieties, such as "namprik noom", "namprik dang", "namprik ong" and chili soups (gang) such as gang hangle, gang hoh, gang kae. In addition there are also, local sausages such as sai ua, and nham; steamed meat, roasted pork, pork resin, fried pork, fried chicken and vegetable to go with them.

The northern people have penchant for medium cooked food with a touch of salty tastes almost to the exclusion of sweet and sour tastes. Meat preferred by the northern people is pork followed by beef, chicken, duck, bird etc. Sea food is the least known on account of the remoteness of the northern region from the sea.

Thai food of the north does not lack in varieties. These are dishes to be consumed at different times of the day. The northern breakfast known in the local dialect as khao gnai consisting mainly of steamed glutinous rice. Cooked in the early hours of the day, steamed glutinous rice is packed in a wicker basket made from bamboo splints or palmyra palm leaves. The farmer takes the packed basket to the working rice field and eat the glutinous rice as lunch, known in the dialect as "khao ton". Dinner or "khoa lang" is an familiar affair is served on raised wooden tray or "kan toke". The tray which is about 15 to 30 inches in diameter is painted in red.

Traditional Method of Serving Northern Food

The northern people are known to follow their traditions in a very strict and faithful manner, in particular the tradition of serving and partaking of the evening meal. Food is placed in small cups placed on "kantoke" which could be an inlaid wooden or brass tray depending on the economic status of the house owner. Served together with "kantoke" is steamed glutinous rice that is the staple food of the northerner packed in a wicker basket. There is also a kendi containing drinking water nearby. Water is poured from the kendi to a silver drinking cup from which water is drunk. After the main course come desserts and local cigars to conclude the evening meal.

Credit: enjoythaifood.com/

Fish Curry in a Cup - Thai Food

2008-05-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

You know me, I just love blogging about Thai food. I love cooking Thai food and I love eating Thai food. If I am walking down the market and I see my favourite dish in the distance, I will cross the road just to buy it. That is what I did yesterday afternoon when I spotted haw mok being sold by the side of the road near Paknam Market. I haven't had this dish for such a long time.

This curry dish can be made with either fish, chicken or pork. I don't particularly like seafood but I love this dish. (Sorry, I think I said that already.) Anyway, it is quite simple to make. Stir red curry paste with one cup of coconut milk and mix in the fish. Break in an egg and season with fish sauce (I will try and do a blog on sauces soon). Add some more coconut milk and keep stirring and stirring for up to 20 minutes! Then add half a cup of basil leaf, two tablespoons of coriander and one tablespoon of kaffir lime leaves. Stir again.

Next, make cups out of banana leaves. Line the bottom with plenty of basil leaves. Fill the cup with the mixture and then steam for about 15 minutes. Next you add the creamy topping. This is made from coconut milk and rice flour. Sprinkle on top some chopped coriander and a kaffir lime leave. Add a slice red chili for a bit of colour. Steam for a further one minute and then it is ready. Delicious!

You can find this recipe in an excellent cookery book by the advertising above.

Lemongrass Soup With Shrimp - Thai Food

2008-05-16T03:42:00.000-07:00

Probably one of the most famous Thai dishes around the world is the one called tom yum kung. In English, it is sometimes called Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup or Lemongrass and Shrimp Soup. I took the above photograph at Pornsiri Kitchen in Samut Prakan this afternoon. This version has shrimp, but you could also cook it with chicken if you like. The basic ingredients are all the same. Shrimp, straw mushrooms, lightly crushed hot red chilis, sliced galangal, lemongrass stems, torn kaffir lime leaves, coriander, and seasoned with fish sauce, sugar and some lime juice. Use chicken stock to make up the soup. It is very quick and easy to make. In the supermarkets in Thailand, you can buy the starter kit with most ingredients for only about 8 baht!

If you would like to see how this dish was cooked, then visit our free downloads section:

www.enjoythaifood.com

This dish is number 21 in set 3. This video is 13 MB. If you have a slow internet connection or would like a better quality video clip you can now purchase CDs of the downloads. At the same time you will be helping to support the running cost of having so many free downloads! The pad thai video is the most popular one so far with over 1200 downloads in the last 7 days.

Noodles in a thick vegetable gravy -Thai Food

2008-05-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

One of the first Thai meals I really enjoyed when I came to Thailand was this one - rat naa. It not only tasted good but the name was memorable too. I remember writing home and telling people that I had eaten a Thai dish made from rat (I was young back then). And not forgeting of course the other delicious meal made from cow pat (khao pat). Anyway, this meal is basically noodles served with a thick gravy containing kale (Chinese broccoli) and pork. However, I once had a version with seafood. The type of noodles is up to you. In the picture above you can see that I chose sen yai (the wide noodles). But, I sometimes have mee grob (deep fried noodles) with this dish to make a change. You can see that noodle in the picture below.

The recipe for rat naa varies a lot so some people, like myself, will cross town just to find the perfect version. Actually, I don't have to travel far as my local rat naa food shop is at the top of Tetsaban 4 Road where my school is located. It is easy to tell this is a popular shop as there is always a line of Thai people waiting to buy. There are two shops in my soi that cook rat naa. They are Ok but not perfect. So, I have to cross Sukhumwit Road to buy my noodles in gravy. A word of warning, if you go to my favourite shop then make sure you are very hungry. A normal serving costing only 25 baht will easily fill a big bowl. They give you a lot of gravy unlike other shops. For an extra 5 baht you can order special but don't do that unless you can eat for two people!

The recipe for rat naa that I want to share with you today is for food shops. The ingredients here are enough for 40 plates and apparently will only cost you 150-200 baht.

The main ingredients are:

เส้นก๋วยเตี๋ยวเส้นใหญ่ - wide noodles ( 2 kilograms)
เนื้อหมูสันในหั่นชิ้นพอคำ - sliced pork fillet (1.5 kilograms)
ผักคะน้าหั่น - sliced kale (1 kilogram)
กระเทียมสับละเอียด - chopped garlic (quarter of a cup)
พริกไทยป่น - ground pepper (1 tablespoon)
แป้งข้าวโพด - corn flour (6 tablespoons)
เต้าเจี้ยวดำ - fermented soybeans (quarter of a cup)
น้ำตาลทราย - sugar cane (quarter of a cup)
ซีอิ๊วขาว - light soy sauce (three quarters of a cup)
ซีอิ๊วดำ - dark soy sauce (quarter of a cup)
น้ำปลา - fish sauce (three quarters of a cup)
น้ำซุป - stock (half a cup)
น้ำมัน - oil (one and a half cups)
น้ำส้มพริกดอง - chili sauce in vinegar

Mix the pork with the light soy sauce, ground pepper and one tablespoon of sugar cane. Leave to marinate for one hour. Mix together the noodles and dark soy sauce. Add one tablespoon of oil to a wok. Once it is hot, add the noodles and fry until it is ready. Take out and place on a plate. Add the remainder of the oil to the wok. When it is hot, add the garlic and fry until it is fragant. Add the fermented soybeans and stir as you fry. Add the sliced pork and fry for a little longer. Then add the kale and stock. Season with sugar cane and fish sauce and give it a good stir. When it is boiling, add the corn flour which has been mixed with water. When it is ready, serve.

Credit: enjoythaifood.com

Chicken Yellow Curry or Gang Gari Gai

2008-05-16T03:26:00.000-07:00

Today I bought gang gari gai otherwise known as Chicken Yellow Curry.You might be interested to note that "gari" is actually a Tamil word which gave us the English word "curry". Like before, I ordered this meal with a roti. A few readers pointed out that I should really call it a "Parantha" as roti is a single layer and is cooked without oil. That might be true, but Thai people still call it "roti"!

The main ingredients include: coconut milk, potatoes, onion, palm sugar, fish sauce and deep-fried shallots. You could also add cherry tomatoes which I quite like to do in my curries. The meat here can either be chicken or beef. The ingredients for the yellow curry paste include: red spur chilies, roasted shallots, roasted garlic, galangal, ginger, lemon grass, coriander seeds, roasted cumin, curry powder, salt and shrimp paste. This curry has a sidedish of cucumber relish which I told you about last time.

We can adapt Chicken Yellow Curry to another new menu call "Chicken on Yellow Curry Rice" as below.

Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste-Thai Food

2008-05-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

This fried rice dish is called khao kluk kapi. I must admit it is not among my most popular dishes. In fact, you don't seem to see it around so much these days. The big difference between this dish and normal fried rice is that the rice is fried with shrimp paste which gives it a brown look (see picture above). It is also seasoned with sugar and fish sauce.

In the above picture, you can see we adding some sweet pork onto the rice. To make this you fry the pork with shallots in a wok. You then season with fish sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. After adding the pork to the plate, we also garnishes the dish with shallots, thin slices of omlette, grated papaya, chopped long beans, cucumber and lime wedges. we also had a jar of chopped green and red chilis. It is worth trying this as an alternative to normal fried rice. But the strong smell may turn off many people.

Creativity of Thai Cooking

2008-05-16T03:05:00.000-07:00

A renowned Australian restaurateur David Thompson once said "Thai cooking is a paradox. It uses robustly flavoured ingredients--garlic, shrimp paste, chillies, and lemongrass--and yet when they are melded during cooking they arrive at a sophisticated and often subtle elegance."
Like many Asian cuisines, Thai cooking is a "mix-and-match" style of cooking that allows much room for creativity. Whether spicy-hot, relatively bland or bitter sweet, harmony and contrast are the guiding principles behind each dish. It is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. However, characteristics of Thai food depend on the person who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked. Dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all tastes.

Thai cuisine has enjoyed an outstanding worldwide reputation for its delicate and unpredictable flavors. Visit any major city in the world, and you will come across a Thai restaurant. Some traditional dishes such as Phad Thai, Tom Yam Gung and Mee Krob have been included in the menu of various hip restaurants in New York and London.

Eating ranks high on the Thai scale of pleasurable activity. The evidence is shown on the streets of Bangkok and other major cities throughout the country.

Regional Cuisine

Thai food may be known for its spicy and hot flavors but that is only a part of the kingdom’s gastronomic creations. The northern cuisine has a reputation for its milder taste with a decided touch of sweetness. Famous northern dishes are Nam Prik Ong (red chili paste), Khao Soi (egg noodles in curry) and Sai Oua (spicy pork sausages). On the opposite end of the country, southern Thailand dishes out some of the hottest curries in Thailand. Some curries like Khaeng Lueng (yellow curry) and Khaeng Tai Pla (vegetables and fish curry) are known to have a fiery taste that even some Thais can’t take it. However, not all southern dishes are made to make eaters cry. The famous Khao Yam has an amazingly pleasant taste, which is a result of a harmonious blend of steamed rice mixed with various types of herbs and served with dipping sauce.

Credit: www.thailandwonders.com

Thai Menu-would you like to try?

2008-05-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Kung Opp Woon Sen (Shrimp with noodle roast)

2008-04-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Kung Opp Woon Sen is another menu that I would like to recommend. It's easy to make Kung Opp Woon Sen. You can do step by step as following;

Ingrediants :

Shrimp (mediam size) approx. 8-10
Becon 2 piece
Woon Sen or small noodle
Onnion
Pepper
White sauce
Blace sauce
Sugar
Chicken soup

1. bring Woonsen or small noodle to put on the bowl and fill water for 5-10 minutes.
2. clean up shrimp
3. bring all ingrediants mix each other and with Woon Sen around 5 minutes
4. put becon on the bottom of the pot and put shrimp approx.4-5 later.
5. put all mixed ingrediant and Woon Sen above
6. use at 400 F around 25-30 minutes

Thai Menu with Phak Waan

2008-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Today we will recommend some of Thai Menu with Phak Waan.

Phak Waan is at its best during the hot season when the vegetable trends to appear. It is vegetable that has long been popular in rural areas because of its sweetness and crunchiness, and its food value in high because of the fibre and vitamin C it contains. Phak Waan had been added to the Kaengsom in generous quantity, as had the fried fish, which kept its crispness throughout the long interval.

The Nam Phrik Jaew Pla Chon, it was based on the fresh-water fish called Pla Chon pounded to a fine consistency. The flavour of the fresh fish was blended with the aroma and bite of roasted chilli and onion, with lime juice adding a bright accent.

Khanom Jeen Nam Phrik Phao was unusual but unremarkable. Small bunches of the fermented rice noodles called Khanom Jeen were arranged on a plate with white chicken meat. This share with the platte with vegetable that had been dipped in batter and fried, together with a hard-boiled egg.

Kuaytiew (or Noodle)

2008-04-06T03:38:00.000-07:00

We will recommend you to Kuaytiew Nua Khaowang J Din is quite possibly the best place in Thailand for beef noodles.

There's a picture on the wall at Kuaytiew Nua Khao Wang J Din in Hua Hin showing TV connoisseur McDang. The real guarantee that the food here is tasty is the logjam of motorcycles parked out front.

Known in English as J Din's Beef Noodles ,the little shop near Chatchai Market in often crowed with locals, but this is a place that shuns trendiness.

It's hot and unpretentious, and the food here doesn't pose for photos-it just tastes great. Crowds there are, but you never have a long wait. The beef noodles are the most popular dish, and they're already waiting for you.

Served in a thick namtok-beef broth with blood-the noodles are swimming in savoury meat. The meatballs in the bowl aren't extraordinary, but the fresh sliced nua-sod is lovely and tender, and the long-stewed nua-puay is a treat go get teeth into.

And there's not a whiff of the off-putting aroma that sometimes comes with boiled beef.
Among the other speciallities at J Din's are yentafo-noodles in a red beancurd soup-and taking a little longer to prepare, the one-dish servings of pad thai and kaprao, fried sweet basil and rice that comes with a choice of meats.

And none of these terrific meals is going to hurt your wallet. The price start at bath 25.