Category: Thailand

 Black sticky rice pudding

1. Boil the rice and 3 cups of water together in a pot until the water is a deep red (nearly black). While this is happening….
2. Combine 2 tab of water with rice flour in a small bowl. Put to one side
3. Put coconut cream and salt in a pot on a low heat. Add the rice flour mix to the coconut cream little by little while stirring until the mix is the consistency of thickened cream
4. Once the rice reaches the correct colour add the sugar to the rice and stir in. Prepare the rice for serving in individual bowls
5. Put put a ‘dob’ of the coconut cream on the rice and serve

Thai summer fish

Click on image for a full size version

1. Place cabbage on a plate in a pile and place fish on top. Place ginger on fish
2. Put fish etc in a steamer for 10 minutes. Make dressing while waiting
3. On a medium heat combine in a pot put chicken stock, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, chilli and sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Put in a bowl for serving
4. Place fish on a plate and pour some of the dressing over the fish. Serve with a portion of the dressing

Chicken salad with tom yum dressing

1. In a wok on a high heat add the chilli paste and cook until the oil turns to a very red colour. Keep the paste moving the entire time to ensure it doesn’t burn
2. Turn the wok to a medium heat and add coconut cream and chicken stock. Keep the mix moving the entire time. Cook until the cream turns a deep red colour. If the mix dries out add more stock
3. Add fish sauce, tamarind juice and palm sugar. Taste and adjust
4. Add dried fish and lime juice. Put in a bowl for serving
5. Blanch all the vegetables in boiling water and place them in ice water and assemble on a plate for presentation. Dry roasted coconut meat and deep fried red onions can be added for extra flavour and texture on the salad
6. Serve and allow people to pour the dressing over the salad and combine it in the way they like….YUM (tom yum)!!!

Chicken soup with banana blossom (Tom Kaa Gai Si Wha Pre)

1. To prepare the banana blossom first prepare a bowl of water with vinegar (about 2L water to 200ml vinegar) that’s big enough to fit immerse the blossom when cut. Peel all the outside ‘petals’ away to reveal the core. You may need to take more than one layer away. Cut the bottom stalk off the blossom. Do the next bit as quickly as possible as the blossom changes colour quickly. Cut the blossom in half down the centre from the tip to the bottom. Put 1 half in the water mix (stops it from turning black). Cut the other half in half and put one quarter in the water/vinegar mix. Cut the final quarter in half and place the two halves in the vinegar water.
2. Remove 1/8 of blossom from the water/vinegar mix and cut roughly.
3. In a pot on a high heat place  chicken stock, lemongrass, coriander root,  cut banana blossom, red onion and galangal ginger. Boil until chicken is cooked
4. Add coconut cream to pot and reduce heat to medium.  bring to the boil
5. Add fish sauce, fresh chillies (not dried), and kaffir lime leaves
6. Allow to simmer.  Turn off heat and add lime juice.
7. Remove lemongrass and coriander root and serve

I discovered a down side to all this cooking…. Today after the gym session to attempt to burn the cooking and tasting I put the t’shirt on that I had on all day (normally I have a new one but washing cycles and all that….). OMG my t’shirt smelt of coconut cream. I go to a local pub to do the updates, now I am sitting in the local pub smelling like a sweet coconut ball…. Not so sure that’s a good thing. The menu is below:

Steamed Fish Cake
Pork with sweet Thai gravy (Lat Ma)
Thai pork salad with delicious sweet dressing
Banana with sweet coconut milk

Banana with sweet coconut milk

1. In a pot place coconut cream, water, sugar and salt together and bring to the simmer. While this is simmering…..
2. Peel, chop and boil the bananas in water for 4 minutes
3. Put the bananas in a bowl to serve and pour over the coconut cream mix. Garnish with sesame seed if desired

Thai pork salad with delicious sweet dressing

1. Cook the duck egg by placing in boiling water for 8 minutes.  Ensure it is kept moving for at least 4 minutes to have the yolk centered
2. In a bowl combine the chilli paste, sugar syrup, fish sauce and lime juice
3. Add green beans, pork and prawns to the bowl and toss
4. Add milk and coconut milk and toss
5. Serve with duck egg on the side

Pork with sweet Thai gravy (Lat Ma)

1. To marinade pork put all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Cover and leave in a fridge for more than 1 hour (overnight is better)
2. In a bowl mix together the corn flour, tapioca flour and 1/2 cup water. Put to one side
3. In a bowl combine the kale, carrot and mushroom and put to one side
4. On a high heat put 3 tab of vegetable oil in a wok and heat to very hot
5. Add noodles and flatten out the noodles to a pancake and allow to sit and fry.  When they are brown on the bottom flip and cook the other side to brown.  Place in the bottom of a large serving bowl (1 person) ready for pork.  Put to one side.  Allow wok to cool slightly
6. In the wok put 2 tab of vegetable oil and heat on a medium heat
7. Place garlic in oil and cook very briefly
8. Add kale etc mix, and soy bean paste. Combine with garlic in wok
9. Tun heat to high and add stock, pork, oyster sauce, soy sauce and white sugar.  Bring to the boil
10. While stirring the mix slowly add the tapioca/corn flour mix until the mix is to the desired thickness
11. Add dark soy to add colour and serve on noodles

Steamed Fish Cake

1. Combine 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1/2 cup of water in a jug and put to one side
2. In a bowl combine mince fish, sugar, and egg
3. While mixing the fish mix add the water/coconut cream mix little by little until the mix is quite watery. Add kaffir lime leaves & sweet basil. Stir until the mix thickens (a while; you can use a mixer here on low). Put to one side
4. In another bowl combine 1 cup coconut cream, 1/2 cup of water and rice flour. Stir until well combined
5. Put the fish mix in containers for steaming. Put a ‘dob’ of the coconut cream/water mix on top
6. Steam for approximately 10 minutes

As a hater of canned tuna today’s menu ended up with a surprise.  The coconut tuna can only use canned tuna and, believe it or not, it is GREAT….. I think this will make up a standard for my personal lunch menu when I eventually have to go back to work.

The sweet coconut balls are something I would order in a Thai restaurant, they are the right balance of sweet and salt without being overpowering or boring.  Again, another great day and 2 hours in the gym to attempt to burn it off.  The menu is below:

Thai spicy mixed vegetable soup with prawns
Stir fry noodles with coconut
Coconut tuna vegetable dip
Sweet coconut balls

 Coconut tuna vegetable dip

1. In a bowl combine the 2 cups of coconut meat and salt and put to one side
2. In a heavy bottom pot on high heat simmer 200g coconut meat, palm sugar and 1 cup water until the water is absorbed by the coconut
3. Once absorbed allow to cool slightly and then create small balls with the meat. Don’t allow to completely cool as they won’t stick together as a ball when completely cooled. Put balls to one side
4. Combine in a bowl flour and 1/2 cup of water. Knead until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers anymore. If the dough it too sticky or doesn’t stick together enough add more water/flour
5. Create dough balls approximately the same size as the ball of coconut you want to cover
6. Flatten the ball and place the coconut ball in the middle.  Pull the sides over the coconut ball and stretch the dough to surround the coconut
7. Place ball in aggressively boiling water.  When the ball floats it is cooked
8. Take the ball out and roll in the salted coconut meat.  Serve and enjoy

 Coconut tuna vegetable dip

1. In a pot on high heat simmer coconut cream and stock
2. Add lemongrass, onion and tuna
3. Reduce to a medium heat and add fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind. Taste and adjust
4. Add chillies and cook briefly. Serve with fresh vegetables

Stir fry noodles with coconut

1. Break the egg into a small bowl and beat to mix.  Put to one side
2. In a hot wok put a little oil.  Spread the oil around the wok and, using some paper towel, remove excess oil
3. With the wok still hot put egg in and move wok to spread out creating a thin ‘crepe’. Remove the crepe and put to one side
4. On a high heat heat the wok.  Add vegetable oil (2 Tab), onion and tofu.  Keep moving quickly.  When the onion starts to turn brown
5. Add chicken and cook until the chick is just cooked (slightly under if you are brave)
6. Add coconut cream and bring to the boil
7. Add soy bean paste and chilli paste.  Boil until the oil starts to form around bubbles
8. Add palm sugar, tamarind, and fish sauce. Taste and adjust.  Remove about 3/4 of the mix from the wok
9. Blanch noodles in boiling water.  Put those noodles in a hot wok with the mix from the previous step
10. Combine with the mix in the wok and, once combined put Chinese chives and bean sprouts.  Plate and serve

Thai spicy mixed vegetable soup with prawns

1. In a mortar make the paste. Pound the pepper until it is a fine powder
2. Add onion and chillies. Pound to a paste. Put to one side
3. Once paste is removed from mortar pound dried shrimp to a rough pink powder. Put to one side
4. In a pot on a high heat boil stock, paste, and shrimp
5. Reduce to a medium heat and add pumpkin, zucchini, baby corn and mushrooms. Boil until the pumpkin is cooked. Skim scum for a clearer soup (optional)
6. Add prawns and cook until prawns are cooked
7. Add basil and spinach, combine and serve

Today’s menu was great. The only comment here is if anything that’s Thai says ‘Southern Style’ tread with caution. Tends to mean it is a clear curry with little fat to take away the heat and actually more chillies that you would find in something eastern or mid Thai. Try and enjoy….
Tumeric soup with chicken
Curry Pork Neck Southern Style
Deep fried rice crackers with dipping sauce
Layer cake (Karon Chan)

Layer cake (Karon Chan)

1. In a blender put pandanus leaves and 1 cup of water and blend until the water turns green.  Filter the water through a sieve and wring out the leaf fibers.  Put the water through coffee filter (optional) to remove all leaf fibers in the green water.  Put to one side
2. In a bowl mix all the flour and 1/2 cup of water and coconut cream.  Create a smooth paste. Divide the paste in half
3. Add the green water to one half and the other 1/2 cup of normal water to the other.  Mix the water in to each (individually) to give you green mix and white mix
4. In a steamer put your bowls or tins to hold the cake.  Steam them for 5 minutes before putting in the first layer of cake mix.
5. Place a thin layer of mix (either white or green) over the bottom of each cake container.  Cover the mix and allow to steam for 5 minutes
6. Remove lid and carefully pour to opposite colour over the cake to completely cover the previous layer.  Cover for another 5 minutes
7. Keep laying a new layer with alternating colours every 5 minutes until you no longer have any more space or run out of mix.
8. Allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes after the final layer has been applied
9. Once cooked put the cakes in the fridge (or some ice water) to cook down.  Once cool pry the cake away from the edges of the container and serve

Deep fried rice crackers with dipping sauce

1. In a mortar make the paste. Pound the black pepper until it is a fine powder
2. Add red spur chilli and salt. Pound to a paste
3. Add Coriander root, and garlic. Pound to a fine paste and put to one side
4. In a wok fry on a medium heat put 1 tab of paste per serve with vegetable oil until it is fragrant
5. Add coconut cream and chicken. Cook until chicken is cooked
6. Add red onion and cook until oil forms around bubbles
7. Add peanuts, tamarind and palm sugar. Taste and adjust
8. Serve with deep fried rice cakes or toasted dry bread snacks. Use sesame seeds as garnish

Tumeric soup with chicken (Gai Tom Kamin)

1. In a pot put stock, lemongrass and red onion together on a high heat and bring to a boil
2. Add chicken and bring back to the boil
3. Add turmeric and turn the heat to low
4. continue to heat at a very low temperature, skim off the fat and scum that gathers at the top. Continue to heat for about 1.5 hours
5. Serve when required. Just before serving add approximately 1/2 tab of lime juice

Curry Pork Neck Southern Style

1. Place black pepper in the mortar and pound to a powder
2. Add dried chillies and salt and pound to a paste
3. Add very spicy chillies and lemongrass and pound to a paste
4. Put the rest of the paste ingredients in the mortar and pound to a paste. Put to one side
5. In a wok on high heat put vegetable oil
6. Put paste in pot and cook until oil changes colour
7. add stock and ribs and turn to low heat
8. Season with fish sauce and palm sugar. Taste and adjust
9. Add kaffir lime leaves and serve

Click on any of the images for the full size version.

Going to the grave yard was actually quite moving.  Looking at the ages of all of the Australian troops and understanding how they must have suffered in the heat at the hands of their captors.  It was great to see that some of the graves are clearly regularly maintained as the constant polishing of the brass has worn out the embossing on some of the badges had started to wear out.

At the bridge there was a farmer moving his cattle along.  He stopped for me to take his photo after I had chased his ‘beasts’ around trying to get a 1/2 decent shot.

The boat tour took us to a palm sugar farm. We had the opportunity to see palm sugar being made, how it was farmed and a really fit guy running (the only way to describe it) up a tree. Great to see how that sugar that we use so much is produced.

Boat repair and production shop in the palm sugar plant

The newest labour force for the palm sugar trade.  Perhaps if Thai cooking doesn’t work out this might be her new calling?

Pim did a great job of sorting out a van to take us outside Bangkok for the day.  Stop 1 (except for the coffee) was the floating market.  The floating markets where great.  Pim organised for 300b ($10) the whole group to have a boat down the canals.  It was a really brilliant morning with fruit, vegetables, pancakes, fish, and chicken all on offer down the canals.   Any of the photos can be clicked on to get a full size version

Today’s menu was a Thai style barbeque with small pieces of squid, prawns and pork neck to be dipped into the various dipping sauces.  The sauces are all great but are best served with certain types of meat.

Red meet and pork is great with the rich flavours and earthiness of the Eastern style spicy and sour dipping sauce

Pork is best with Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Sauce where the complex flavours of the sauce can come out

And a great, fresh Seafood dipping sauce with…. seafood

The Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Sauce makes a really great Thai-Style Sukiyaki Soup and Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Stir Fry

I still have to update the blog with the recipes.  I will get to this on Sunday.  James is in Bangkok and we decided to show some paper who’s boss..

Bangkok shooting range in one of the army barracks for 3000b ($100) you shoot 3 types of handgun,  .45mm, .9mm and a ’38’. Two clips in the 9mm & 45 and 15 rounds in the 38.  As James said ‘the quickest $100 you can blow in Bangkok’.  They did offer a M16 at 2000b ($65) but I think we had already illustrated to the paper that we shouldn’t be messed with.

Seafood dipping sauce

1. In a stone mortar and pestle pound chilli, coriander root, garlic and lemongrass
2. In a bowl combine mortar contents, sugar syrup, fish sauce and lime juice. Put in a serving dish

Eastern style spicy and sour dipping sauce

1. In a pot bring the tamarind and palm sugar to the boil. Boil until all the palm sugar is dissolved. Put to one side to allow to cool slightly
2. When cooled enough that you could put your finger in the mix add the sticky rice powder and stir in
3. Add chilli powder, saw coriander, Chinese coriander, fish sauce and red onion and stir in. move to a serving dish
4. Place finely chopped kaffir lime leaves to top of sauce

Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Sauce

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until they are well combined (about 5 minutes)
2. Pour contents of blender into a pot and bring to the boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved
3. Pour the contents of the pot through a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as practical. Place vegetable meat from strainer into the blender and blend further. Attempt to gain a smooth consistency
4. In a bowl combine the liquid from the filtering through the strainer and the newly blended vegetable meat. Place in a bowl for serving

Pantai Sukiyaki Stir Fry

1. Make the Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Sauce and put to one side
2. On  a high heat place garlic, and vegetable oil in a wok and cook until garlic is fragrant
3. Add noodles and egg and stir vigorously
4. Add soy sauce, meat, stock and sugiaki sauce. Taste and add more sugiaki sauce if required. Serve

Thai-Style Sukiyaki Soup

1. Make the Pantai Sukiyaki Dipping Sauce and put to one side
2. Place stock, cabbage, fish balls and mushrooms in a pot and bring to a simmer
3. Add egg, squid and mushrooms and cook until the squid is cooked
4. Add spring onion, noodles and sugiaki sauce. Taste and add more sugiaki sauce if required. Serve

Today James arrived.  Although it’s rude to leave the poor guy floundering in Bangkok without a guide I felt it was more important to update the blog…. OK…… truth be told, he was flagging after crossing several timezones and going from Swedish, no dark summer to Bangkok no cold hot season.  We went back to the hotel and I’ve put today’s menu up… Here you go (time for bed for me)….

Roast coriander pork (Pick lab moo)
Northern style red curry pork belly (Kaeng Lee Hung Moo)
Not quite spaghetti and meat balls – Thai style

We put a little lime juice with the Roast coriander pork to take some of the fire out of it. if you like a real ‘zing’ add more paste to this recipe and get ready to blow your mind.