Keith's Blog

I know I have said this before and, to be honest, I am a lover of Thai food but everything on today’s menu really didn’t let the side down.  The cucumber soup was a real surprise, it was great (seriously who would have thought?).  We didn’t completely clean the squid and left some soft stuff on the inside, personally I think I prefer it clean but there is some soft stuff there that takes the sauce well and helps to surround your mouth with the punch the sauce offers.

Stir fry seafood with fresh curry
Deep fried chicken thigh with sweet chilli dipping sauce
Soft juicy squid with chilli topping
Cucumber soup with pork stuffing

Cucumber soup with pork stuffing

Paste
2	Spur chillies, (bright colours)
3	Bird’s eye chillies
4	Garlic, cloves
1 Tsp	White pepper corns
Preparation
300g	Pork Mince
1	Glass noodles, packet.  Rehydrated
1 Tab	Paste (above)
10	White radish pieces, course chopped pieces
4	Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, coursley chopped
1	Baby cucumber, quarters and seeds removed
1 Tab	Soy sauce
1/2 Tsp	Salt
1/2 Tsp	White pepper powder
10 Cup	Chicken stock

1. Make the paste by putting white pepper corns in a mortar and pounding to dust
2. Add garlic, and chillies and pound to a paste. Put to one side
3. In a bowl mix together the pork, glass noodles and paste.  Massage the ingredients together and put to one side to marinade (30 minutes is plenty)
4. Fill cucumber with pork mix and put to one side
5. In a pot on high heat put the stock and bring to the boil
6. Put in radish, filled cucumber, carrot, mushrooms in pot and reduce heat to low
7. Skim the scum off the top of the top as the soup simmers
8. After a few minutes add soy sauce, salt and white pepper
9. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve

Soft juicy squid with chilli topping

2	Limes, juice
6	Garlic cloves, finely chopped
8	Bird’s eye chillies
1	Coriander root
1/2 Cup	Chicken stock
1/2 Tab	Sugar
1 Tab	Fish sauce
1 Tab	Galangal ginger, slices
1	Squid

1. Slice the squid without cutting all the way through diagonally every 1cm
2. Place 1/2 ginger on a plate and place quid on top. Place remaining ginger on top of squid. Steam for 15 minutes
3. Combine lime juice, garlic, chillies, coriander root, stock, sugar and fish sauce in a pot on low heat and heat until sugar is dissolved. Put to one side
4. Once squid is steamed remove ginger and place on a plate. Pour sauce over and serve

Deep fried chicken thigh with sweet chilli dipping sauce

1	Chicken thigh
Marinade
1 Tsp	White pepper powder
7	Garlic cloves, finely cut
3	Coriander root, finely chopped
2 Tab	Soy sauce
1 Tab	Thai sauce (Maggi sauce)
1/2 Tab	White sugar
2 Tab	Pink noodle sauce
Chicken Coating
3 1/2 Heaped Tab	Plain flour
2 Tab	Limestone water to create thick paste
Dipping sauce
75g	Bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
75g	Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 Cup	White Vinegar
1/2 Cup	White sugar
1/2 Tsp	Salt

1. In a mortar roughly pound chillies and dipping garlic
2. Heat a pot on low heat with vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved
3. Take off the heat and combine the garlic/chilli mix from the mortar and put to one side
4. In a bowl combine all the marinade ingredients and put chicken in the bowl. Coat chick well and leave to stand in the fridge for at 1 hour (not over night)
5. In a bowl whisk together the flour and lime water until it creates a thick paste. If the paste is too runny, add more flour. If too thick add more water. Put to one side
6. Before adding chicken heat oil for deep frying on a medium heat. Coat chicken in the flour water mix and then carefully place in the oil. Allow to cook until golder brown. Turn heat up when just golden brown to high and fry until rich brown and crispy. Take out and serve with the dipping sauce

Stir fry seafood with fresh curry

Paste
2	Spur chillies, (bright colours), finely chopped
3	Bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
4	Garlic, cloves, finely chopped
1 Tsp	White pepper corns
Preparation
2	Half coloured spur chillies, cut 4mm slices
2 Tab	Paste (above)
2	Long bean, cut 2cm lengths
6	Kaffir lime leaves
1 Cup	Sweet basil
2	Fresh pepper branches, cut into 1cm lengths
3	Finger gingers, thinly sliced
100g	Chicken breast, thinly sliced
6	Prawns, shelled and depooed
1/4	Red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tab	Fish sauce
1/2 Tab	Sugar
1/2 Tab	Oyster sauce
1/2 Cup	Chicken stock
3 Tab	Vegetable oil

1. Make the paste by putting white pepper corns in a mortar and pounding to dust
2. Add garlic, and chillies and pound to a paste. Put to one side
3. Heat the oil in a wok on a high heat.  Add the paste and cook until fragrant.  Reduce heat to low
4. Add chicken, prawns, and red onion.  If the mix starts to stick add 2 table spoons of stock (more if required).  Cook until the prawns and chicken are cooked
5. Change to a high heat and add beans, kaffir limes leaves, chillies, fresh pepper, and stock (if required).  Cook until the beans are cooked
6. Add sweet basil, turn off and serve

Today’s menu is missing the dessert.  We had an issue and we are going to fix that tomorrow.  The pork curry doesn’t need crispy pork so if you ever have a disaster crispy pork that just doesn’t work… have this curry, everyone will love it!!

Smoked sour and spicy fish soup
Crispy pork belly with a sweet and smoky dipping sauce
Stir fry pork with crispy pork belly

Stir fry pork with crispy pork belly

Pork	1Kg Pork belly
Paste
20g	Rehydrated dried chillies, finely chopped
10g	Garlic, finely chopped
15g	Red onion, finely chopped
10g	Galangal ginger, finely chopped
15g	Lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 Tsp	White pepper corns
3g	Kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1/2 Tsp	Salt
1	Coriander root, finely chopped
1 Tsp	Shrimp paste
Preparation
3	Large green beans, cut into 2cm lengths and blanched
2 Tab	Paste
6	Kaffir lime leaves
1 Tab	Dried shrimp, pounded
2 Tab	Vegetable oil
4 Tab	Chicken Stock

1. To make the crispy pork you do the following……
2. ‘Shave’ the pork skin by running a sharp knife over the skin and removing any extra hair/skin etc. Video here: http://youtu.be/qwwoQb2e0Lo
3. Cut it into large manageable chunks. Put salt on the skin and out in the fridge uncovered over night to dry out
4. Take the pork out of the fridge and put salt and vinegar on the skin. Prick with a fork all over to encourage the vinegar to ‘sink in’. Put to one side for 1 hour
5. Dry the skin out and put in deep fryer on a medium heat.  Dropping the pork in here: http://youtu.be/FudrIlsGPls
6. Fry for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to dry
7. Turn heat up to high and wait for oil to come to a high temperature. Put pork in the oil. Cook until the skin is blistered and remove from heat and put to one side to dry
8. Once dried out add to the oil once more. Cook until the skin is crispy. Cut into dipping slices and serve with sauce
9. On a medium heat heat the oil and add the paste. Fry the paste until it starts to stick to the pan
10. Add 2 tab of stock to the pan and scrape off any paste sticking to the sides. Add more stock if required
11. Add fish sauce and kaffir lime leaves
12. Cut pork into cubes, take beans and add to wok. Heat a little and serve

Crispy pork belly with a sweet and smoky dipping sauce

Pork
1Kg	Pork belly
Dipping sauce
4	Bird’s eye chillies
4	Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tab	Soy sauce
2 Tab	Sweet dark soy sauce
1 Tab	Vinegar
1 Tab	White sugar

1. Smash the bird’s eye chillies in a mortar and put in a small bowl
2. Add the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Mix until the sugar is dissolved
3. To make the crispy pork you do the following……
4. ‘Shave’ the pork skin by running a sharp knife over the skin and removing any extra hair/skin etc. Video here: http://youtu.be/qwwoQb2e0Lo
5. Cut it into large manageable chunks. Put salt on the skin and out in the fridge uncovered over night to dry out
6. Take the pork out of the fridge and put sale and vinegar on the skin. Prick with a fork all over to encourage the vinegar to ‘sink in’. Put to one side for 1 hour
7. Dry the skin out and put in deep fryer on a medium heat.  Dropping the pork in here: http://youtu.be/FudrIlsGPls
8. Fry for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to dry
9. turn heat up to high and wait for oil to come to a high temperature. Put pork in the oil. Cook until the skin is blistered and remove from heat and put to one side to dry
10. Once dried out add to the oil once more. Cook until the skin is crispy. Cut into dipping slices and serve with sauce

Smoked sour and spicy fish soup

1/4	Red onion, roughly cut
1	Smoked Fish
1	Lemongrass (smashed), pulled into large chunks
1	Coriander root, clean and whole
3	Saw coriander, leaves, roughly chopped
4g	Galangal Ginger, thinly sliced
6	Kaffir lime leaves
2	Tomatoes, small roma
6	Bird’s eye chillies, red and green
3	Dried chillies, deep fried
5 Cups	Chicken stock
1 Cup	Tamarind juice

1. Coursley smash together dried and fresh chillies and put to one side
2. In a pot on a medium heat add chicken stock, tamarind, lemongrass, ginger and coriander root. Bring to the boil
3. Add most of the fish to the soup keeping a little meat to add at the end. Add fish sauce. Taste and adjust
4. Turn heat to low and add tomatoes and kaffir lime leaves and simmer for 1 minute
5. Turn off the heat and add chillies to your taste.  Add remaining fish.  Remove lemongrass and coriander root and serve

The smoked fish….  Personally eating the fish was annoying.  The soup had a great smokey flavour added by the fish.  I was happy to have the soup without the fish but keep the smokey flavour.

I’m one for getting off the beaten track.  I saw this hut over a swamp and wanted a ‘mum can we go swimming’ sort of shot (with the shoes at the deck) but then we saw something in the mud…

There are these little fish called ‘Mudskippers’..  They get around in the mud (it looks like) scooping mud into their mouths.  they then decided to have a little fight after flipping around for a while.  Photos below.

http://youtu.be/XjF9pA0xJ9o..  Train coming through and hitting my camera.

There are several sides to this story… First things first…  If you are coming here expecting to find out how to get to Maeklong Railway Market…  Here you go:

1. Bangkok Victory monument station.  Exit 2 (before 7 then the minibus terminal is ‘closed’ but go down the drive way).
2. On this day (no idea if it changes) at location 4 we got on a minibus.  You apparently need to buy a ticket first but I have no idea how this happens and it all turns out OK, the driver will get money from you (70b one way)…. note… If you are over 160cm…  don’t do what I did…  I ended up at the back of the bus under the AC bent over (the back of the bus has AC vents that make the roof lower) in traffic for 2 hours.  Very uncomfortable for me and OMG I feel sorry for the very small Thai lady on the window side who was squished in to the window by my ever increasing arse…. Another note…. Might be worth while not taking 20Kgs of camera equipment too….  Thank god no one knew English, I’m sure if they knew how to ‘tut’ in English there would have been plenty of that going on too (tripod never wins friends).
3. Theoretically 1.5 hours later you are dropped off at Maeklong.  Behind the bus, over the road is where you get picked up to go back (Victory Monument written in English) and in front of you is the main street.  Head to the main street and look left.  The boom gates are there, the station on the right on and the market on the left. If you go to the station there is a sign that tells you when the next train is.

So the market…. It was amazing.  I have been to a heap of markets all over the world from chickens getting killed and plucked in front of you in Egypt to English fish markets that make you sign a waver before you can take any photos (highly recommended by the way).  This was something else.  Even in Bangkok standards this was a little out there.  Very little ice to be seen, a lot of flies to be seen and even the occasional animal (excluding the tourists), mainly cats.  It has live fish, killed and prepared in front of you, frogs on their backs and the market’s signature dish, mackerel in a bamboo steamer (you don’t get to take the steamer home). The big attraction is the fact a train runs through the middle of the market.  A bell goes off, the stalls finish their transaction and then they start pulling back the fruit, veggies and various animal products from around the tracks.  Second bell goes off and the activity becomes fierce as the slow ones now they have seconds.  The rich stalls move their trollies back along little tracks that move them back just enough to be out of the way of the train.  Tourists get yelled at by the stall holders to get back (constantly) and the train rattles through centimetres from your chest.  Once the train is past everything is put back and everyone goes on with their day.  Photo of the back of the train is here.

For those of you who are concerned (or just want to see my kit destroyed here is the damage to the camera.

…Damage is beside the lens…

The market has stuff all over the place beside the tracks and, as you can see, heaps to move out of the way in a short period of time (watch the video for real time understanding).

Step outside the market and there’s even more going on.  Dried fish, locals looking at Buddha amulets, crepes with savory fillings cooked over charcoal stoves (all photos below) and more but I will put other entries for those..  There is about 4 hours you can kill here and, if you want to stop and talk to anyone (they are all happy to talk) then more.

The one thing I did want to get from the market was a track’s eye view of the train.  I hadn’t seen anyone use the perspective of the tracks in their videos so I dumped my camera in the middle of the track and left it there.  This disturbed everyone, the market holders (on the right of the shot) and the Japanese tourists next to me.  Check it out here: http://youtu.be/XjF9pA0xJ9o

The photos are here:

The market’s traditional fair.. mackerel in bamboo steamers…

 

There wasn’t any active selling.  This lady was just sitting there hoping this lanky Australia would buy something… Sorry

I love the fact this guy’s next ‘customer’ is in the bucket next to him.  They are all alive and get chopped up to ‘order’.

And the poor little frogs.. 80b/kg… They come in a lot less than the quail.  Probably the same amount of meat:-)

Outside the market there’s still a heap going on.  This guy was making savory crepes on a charcoal fire.  They are really hard work to make.  You create a dough with sticky rice flour, water and egg.  Make a flat cake and boil the cake.  Takes the cakes and mix them in a mixer to a paste.  Spread that paste out in to the crepe shape and thickness and put in the sun to dry.  Once dry you stack them, take them to market and so the final step here.  They are sweet in flavour but not a sweet (if that makes sense) .  Brilliant!!

Dried squid run through a ‘mangle’ to flatten them out for (I can only assume) eating… Enjoy.

 

Chef saw this and bought it for us as a gift.

In Thailand there is a short period of time you can buy palm sugar like this (once a year).  This palm sugar is a really bold flavour and is really punchy eaten on its own.  I have to try it in cooking but it looks great.

In spite of the green colour this was delicious.  The padanas leaves added the vanilla flavour and it was gorgeous.  Serving on bread was a very Thai thing to do but it was great on the soft, cafe cut, steamed bread.

Today’s menu involved preparing 3 dipping sauces and serving them with some very fresh vegetables.  I am running out of power on my phone so I don’t think I’ll get the recipes up tonight but here are the photos as a teaser:

Today’s menu included a lot of very fresh flavours. All of the dishes today included texture and taste to delight the sensors. Those of keen eye might notice on the Chicken salad we have banana blossom. I REALLY didn’t like it so I have excluded it from the recipe (it tasted like very very (yes, two ‘verys’) green banana). The fish was light, healthy and tasty, the soup (even with the banana blossom) was delicious and the black sticky rice was a pleasant end to a day of eating. 2 hours in the gym where the spinning instructor did most of the session in English and I guess I may have burned off 50% of the day’s calories.

Chicken soup with banana blossom (Tom Kaa Gai Si Wha Pre)
Chicken salad with tom yum dressing
Thai Summer fish
Black sticky rice pudding

 Black sticky rice pudding

1 Cup	Black sticky rice
3 Cup	Water
1 Cup	Coconut cream
2 Tab	Rice Flour
2 Tab	Water
1 Tsp	Salt
1/2 Cup	White sugar
1/4 Cup	Very fresh, soft coconut meat

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

150g	Sea bass, cut into portions
2 Cup	Cabbage, very roughly cut
10g	Galangal ginger, cut into 6 – 8 pieces
1	Coriander root, very finely chopped
15g	Garlic, very finely chopped
4	Bird’s eye chillies, very finely chopped
1	Lime, juice
1 Tab	Fish Sauce
1/2 Cup	Chicken stock
1/2 Tab	White sugar

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

Paste (3 portions)
50g	Dried chillies, re-hydrated, finely chopped
2	Lemongrass stalks, white only, finely chopped
5g	Galangal ginger, finely chopped
1/2 Tab	Salt
20g	Red onion, finely chopped
1 Tsp	White pepper corns
15g	Garlic
3g	Kaffir lime skin, finely chopped
2	Coriander roots
1/2 Tab	Shrimp paste
Fish
25g	Dried fish, pounded into a dust. Shrimp can be used
Preparation (1 portion)
1	Chicken breast, boiled in chicken stock
1 Tab	Dried fish (above)
1 Tab	Paste (above)
45g	Bamboo shoot, finely chopped
2	Long green beans (or other green beans), chopped into 1cm lengths
1	Young chilli (or cucumber), cut into 1cm lengths
2 Tab	Vegetable oil
1/2 Cup	Coconut cream
2 Tab	Chicken stock
1 Tab	Fish sauce
2 Tab	Tamarind Juice
1 Tab	Palm sugar
1	Lime, juice

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)

1/8	Banana blossom (see below for cutting)
17g	Red onion, chopped
16g	Galangal Ginger, finely chopped
1	Lemongrass stalk (whole) smashed and tied in a knot
3	Kaffir lime leaves, spine removed
1	Coriander root, whole
2	Dried chillies, deep fried, torn into thirds
2g	Thai chilli (very hot chilli)
1	Lime, juice
65g	Chicken thigh, chopped into cubes
1 1/2 Cup	Chicken stock
1 Tab	Fish sauce

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

3	Just ripe bananas
1 Cup	Coconut cream
2 Tab	Water
1/3 Cup	White sugar
1/4 tsp	Salt

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	Duck egg
1 Cup	Green beans, cut to your liking, blanched
2 Tab	Red onion, finely chopped & deep fried
1/3 Cup	Minced pork, cooked
3	Prawns, cooked
1 Tab	Thai chilli paste
1 Tab	Sugar syrup
1 Tab	Fish sauce
1	Lime juice
1 Tab	Dry ‘fried’ coconut meat (explanation below)
2 Tab	Evaporated milk

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)

Marinade (3+ portion)
300g	Pork loin, chopped into fine strips
1 Tab	Soy sauce
1/2 Tab	White sugar
1 Tab	Oyster sauce
1 Tab	Sesame Oil
1 Tab	Corn flour
3 Tab	Water
Preparation (1 portion)
1/2	Carrot, chopped into pieces
3	Mushrooms, cut in half
5 Tab	Vegetable oil
120g	Large flat rice noodle
1/2 Tab	Soy bean paste
80g	Marinaded pork
2	Garlic clove, finely chopped
4 Cup	Chicken stock
3 Cups	Chinese kale, stalks peeled and leaves coarsely cut
1 Tab	Corn flour
1 Tab	Tapioca flour
1/2 Cup	Water
1 Tab	Oyster sauce
1 Tab	Soy sauce
1/2 Tab	Sugar
	Dark Soy for colour

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

Paste
40g	Dried red spur chillies, re-hydrated and finely chopped
5g	Coriander root
30g	Red onion, finely chopped
20g	Garlic, finely chopped
3g	White pepper
20g	Finger ginger
20g	Lemongrass, white only, finely chopped
6g	Kaffir lime leaves, spine removed, finely chopped
10g	Galangal ginger
Preparation
300g	King fish or king mackerel mince (very sticky mince fish)
100g	Paste (above)
1	Chicken egg
1 1/2 Cup	Coconut Cream
1 Cup	Water
1 Tab	Palm sugar
2 Tab	Fish sauce
1 Tab	Rice flour
2 Tab	Sweet basil, very finely chopped
6	Kaffir lime leaves, very finely chopped

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

200g	Coconut meat, shredded
200g	Palm sugar
1 Cup	Water
1 Cup	Sticky rice flour
1/2 Cup	Water (for dough)
2 Cup	Coconut meat, shredded(for coating)
1/2 Tsp	Salt

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

35g	Tuna, canned in sea water, drained
20g	Red onion, finely chopped
1/4	Red spur chilli, chunks, chunks
1	Young chilli, chunks
6	Bird’s eye chilli, cut in half length ways
1	Lemongrass, Finely chopped
1/2	Yellow chilli, chunks
1 Cup	Coconut cream
5/8 Cup	Stock
1 Tab	Fish sauce
1 Tab	Palm sugar
1 Tab	Tamarind juice

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

30g	Tofu, 1cm chunks
2 Tab	Vegetable oil
45g	Bean sprouts
1	Chinese chive, 2cm pieces
1	Egg
20g	Red onion, Finely chopped
50g	Chicken, minced
60g	Vermicelli noodles
1/2 Cup	Coconut cream
1 Tab	Soy bean paste
1 Tab	Thai chilli paste (with oil)
1 Tab	Palm sugar
5 Tsp	Tamarind juice
1/2 Tab	Fish sauce

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

Paste
15g	Red onion, finely chopped
15g	Shrimp paste
10g	Dried shrimp
3g	White pepper corns
1/2 Tsp	Salt
Preparation
60g	Pumpkin, peeled and cut to large chunks
60g	Zucchini, large chunks
1 Cup	Holly basil
3	Mushrooms, halved
1 cup	Baby spinach
2	Baby corn, cut in half
3	Prawns, de-shelled and de-pooed
5 cups	Stock
1/2 Tsp	Salt

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)