Riya's Kitchen

tomato relish

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 12:42:00 +0000

Tomato Relish : น้ำพริกแจ๋วมะเขือเทศ (ทานกับข้าวกล้อง ผักต้ม และปลาทอด)

Mid of August, I started a new job (yep, I know "again"). The new job looks everything that I ever want. When I started working 10 days ago, the reality hit me hard... I mean I have found out that I am not as good as I think I am. The new job is very challenging but.. for some reason I can't bring out the best in me... I guess I feel intimidated by my new bosses who are younger than me and I think they are "smarter" than me. I can't be myself there... I feel smothered and feel like I have to please everyone (which I hate) and I have to keep up all the time (This I like). Despite the fact that I am totally crap at my new job, I have learnt loads in the past 10 days. Its not bad but its the most exhausting job I have ever had... Oh well enough of babbling.

Today is my day-off. I need to cook something to put myself at ease. I went to the supermarket and found these tiny cute little organic tomatoes. Hence the recipe

3 organic medium tomatoes ( 10 for small tomatoes), roasted
6 medium red chilies, roasted
3 dried red chillies, roasted
3 medium shallots , roasted
2 cloves garlic, roasted
Fish Sauce
Lime Juice
Tamarind Paste

Garnish
Steamed or fried fillet of fish (to your liking)
Hard boiled eggs, halved
Fresh organic vegetables (to your liking)
Boiled organic vegetables (to your liking)

Preparation

Roughly chop tomatoes, red chilies, shallots and garlic and transfer to a mortar and pestle. Pound to a rough paste. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Remove into a small serving bowl. Serve with steamed wholegrain rice, boiled egg, fried fish and mixed vegetable. Delicious!

arunwan eatery

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:09:00 +0000

Arunwan Eatery : อรุณวรรณ (I am absolutely addicted to this old school eatery! )

Speaking about "Nose to Tail" eating which is becoming a big trend in Bangkok right now. "Aruwan" has been serving something almost as similar as "nose to tail" concept in Bangkok for more than 50 years! For some reason, this small & humble eatery, which is hidden in mid of Ekamai Road - Sukhumvit 63, has been underrated - I mean that I am surprised that its only well known among the locals in Ekamai and Thonglor.

I do love "Arunwan" for the quality and consistency that this place has to offer. Everything here is really delicious. My most favourite dishes are "Dtom Luerd Moo - เกาเหลา/ต้มเลือดหมู" and "Tue Huan - ตือหวน". The place is very busy at lunch time. To avoid the crowd, I prefer visiting this place on weekend. (Preferably on Sunday, so I can take time to enjoy my late lunch peacefully.)

Recently, the 2nd generation renovated the place. I think they try to modernise it and at the same time try to keep the charm of the old place. I think they have done quite well. The service is now faster and more organised which is very nice. Though the new decoration really reminds me of those cha chaan teng eateries in Hong Kong.

Anyway, if you have never been to "Arunwan". I highly recommend that you go now. Order anything out of the menu. You won't be disappointed. Its a place that you can really enjoy unpretentious food thats not only very delicious but you can also feel/see that the owners really care for their customers. Everything (ground red chillies, fish sauce, condiments, ect.,) that put on the table are well-selected, good quality and very clean. Oh well, I don't know what else to say only I just love this place!

Arunwan (อรุณวรรณ ตือหวน)
Ekamai 15, Sukhumvit 63,
Bangkok 10110
T. 02 3925301

spicy boiled eggs salad

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 28 May 2013 07:20:00 +0000

Spicy Boiled Eggs Salad : Yum Kai Dtom ยำไข่ต้ม (กินกับข้าวต้มร้อนๆ)

This is a quick-fix dish which take zero effort to cook. Its one of my favourite dishes (to me anything with lime juice is delicious.) Its so simple and very easy to cook. I often cooked it at night when I got home very late feeling exhausted.. no energy left... was starving... and in need of something quick.

4 Soft Boiled Organic Eggs, halved (Cook the eggs to your liking. I liked them cooked not too hard.)

4-5 Chillies, finely chopped

2 Medium Shallot, sliced

2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

A dash of (un-refined) Brown Sugar

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Preparation

In a bowl, add fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chillies and a dash of brown sugar. Whisk briefly to mix well. Pour the dressing over the halved boiled eggs. Sprinkle with sliced shallots and chopped coriander leaves. Served with a cup of rice congee/porridge. Yummie!

rustic esaan style chicken with mixed veggies and herbs soup

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:58:00 +0000

Rustic Esaan Style Chicken with Mixed Veggies & Herbs Soup : แกงอ่อมไก่แบบอีสาน

I was introduced to this "Kaeng Om Gai" by one of my friends who was originally from e-saan. Its a love at first bite! Its so aromatic, very light and delicious. This rustic soup is very healthy. I just love it! Everytime, I was invited to dine at this friend's place, I begged her to cook this rustic soup for me. Later, I asked for a recipe and created my very own version which is absolutely addictive.

Please, note that my recipe is not the same as the typical e-saan style recipe as I adjusted the flavour to suites my personal taste.

3-4 cups Chicken Stock

2 cups Chicken thigh or breast (to taste), sliced (I prefer boneless chicken but Thai will go with bone.)

Mixed Organic Vegetables (Whatever you like), cut into bite-sized

- Pumpkin

- Thai Choy Sum

- Napa Cabbage

- Thai Apple Eggplant

- Fresh Bamboo Shoot

- Mushroom

Mixed Organic Herbs

- Dill

- Thai Lemon Basil

- Spring Onion

Paste

-Galangal, sliced

-Kaffir Lime Leaves, shredded

-Shallot, halved

-Garlic, halved

-Lemon Grass, sliced

-Fresh Chillies, crushed

-Dried Chillies, cut

Ground Roasted Rice

Fish Sauce

Tamarind Paste (I add this to suite my personal taste. Its not what Esaan people usually add.)

Preparation

There are 2 different ways to cook the paste.

1) Using pestle and mortar, add galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic, lemon grass and fresh chillies. Pound into a rough paste, remove the paste into a large sauce pan. OR

2) Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add sliced galangal, shredded kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic, sliced lemon grass and crushed fresh chillies in, add 2-3 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir fry till aromatic. Add chicken pieces, keep stir-frying till the chicken is almost cooked through. Add fish sauce and the rest of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add vegetables (add vegetables that take longer time to cook first and the ones that are easily cooked later). Taste if more seasoning is needed. (I add the tamarind paste at the very last minute before serving.) Sprinkled with dill, lemon basil & spring onion. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with a cup of steamed wholegrain rice or sticky rice. Absolutely delicious!

rice soup with seabass

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:18:00 +0000

Rice Soup with Seabass : Kao Dtom Pla ข้าวต้มปลากะพง

When I was young I didn't like rice soup at all. I just learnt to like/appreciate it in my late 20s. Now, I find "Kao Dtom" very comforting... I guess it has something to do with me not living with my parent any more (aka "homesick"). Rice soup always reminds me of my mum... she always cooked it for me when I was ill. Anyway, "Kao Dtom" is delicious.. its warm (as warm and as warm-hearted) and light yet filling. Its not only good for breakfast (Thai people usually have rice soup for breakfast.) but its aslo very good for light dinner. At times, you feel so stuffed and you dont want any heavy dinner but if you dont eat then you will probably get very hungry later at late night. Rice soup with seabass seems to be the perfect choice.

Find below my recipe

1/2 Cup Rice (whole grain rice is preferred)

250 G. Seabass, cut or sliced (This could be any kind of white fish that you like. I prefer Seabass.)

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed

2 Coriander Roots, crushed

1 Teaspoon Galangal, grated

Chinese Celery, cut

Coriander and Spring Onion, chopped

Ginger, julienned

Garlic Oil (to taste)

3 Cups Chicken Stock/Fish Stock

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (to taste)

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (to taste)

White Pepper, ground

Sea Salt

Soy Bean Paste Sauce

3 Tablespoons Soy Bean Paste

2 Garlic, finely chopped

5 Chilies, finely chopped

Ginger, grated

Coriander Root, grated

3 Tablespoons Lime Juice

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

A dash of unrefined Brown Sugar

Preparation

Set a large pot over medium heat, add stock and later add rice. Cook the rice till almost cooked through, keep stirring. Season with sea salt, crushed ginger, crushed coriander roots, and crushed garlic. Bring the soup back the the boil. Add seabass and grated galangal, leave till the seabass is cooked through (at this stage - DO NOT STIR, otherwise the soup will be very fishy and you will break the seabass into small bits. You don't need small bits of fish in the soup as it doesn't look nice in term of presentation. Believe me, everyone wants the seabass in nice chunks in their rice soup!). Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn of the heat.

Sauce : Put everything into a mixing bowl, add all ingredients, mix everything till combined well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. It should taste tangy (with lime juice) and salty, with very little of sweetness and with a touch of spiciness.

Plating : In serving bowls, spoon the rice soup and some seabass chunks in. Sprinkle with julienned ginger, chopped Chinese celery and garlic oil (to taste - I don't normally drizzle the garlic oil on my rice soup as I like it simple and clean. I always serve the garlic oil separately.). Sprinkle lightly (or heavily) with ground white pepper. Serve hot with a small cup of soy bean paste sauce. Delightful!

hot and spicy pork noodle soup

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:35:00 +0000

Hot & Spicy Pork Noodle Soup : Guay Tiew Moo Dtom Yum ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหมูต้มยำ

I love eating noodles to bits especially "Dtom Yum Noodle". It doesn't matter its noodle soup or dry. I always enjoy it. I think its my most favourite street food ever! (I am kind of addicted to it. If I hear that there are some delicious noodle joints somewhere... I will always find my way to try them.) Oh well, I just love noodles!

I love "Dtom Yum" noodle but I never once cooked it at home as it requires many ingredients and its time consuming. Yes, I love spending hours in the kitchen but lately, I have been kept too busy with work. (I work 6 days a week and 10 hours everyday.) On my day-off, I just want to sit.. doing nothing but being relaxed with books and music... I think I work too hard. I can hardly find time to do anything I enjoy doing. Let alone spending hours in in the kitchen. Luckily, last week, I had a 3-day-off. Hence, this yummie noodle recipe!

Find below my recipe

Soup

3-4 Cups Water

1/2 Kilo Pork Cartilage or Pork Ribs

1 Medium Daikon, Cut

Coriander roots, crushed

Black pepper, crushed

Garlic crushed

Noodle (egg noodle, thin rice noodle, vermicelli or any kind of noodle that matches with your personal taste)

Minced Pork, boiled (made into balls and then pressed to make them flat)

Pork Liver, boiled briefly (do not over-cook otherwise it will be tough and bitter)

Hard or Soft Boiled Egg, halved

Bean Sprout

Fresh Organic String Bean, sliced

Fresh Organic Red Chilies, sliced

Fresh Organic Thai Parsley, thinly sliced

Fresh Organic Spring Onion, roughly chopped

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped

Peanut, roughly ground

Dried Chillies, Ground

Palm Sugar

Lime Juice

Preparation

Set a large pot our medium heat, add water, crushed coriander roots, garlic and black pepper. Bring to the boil, add pork ribs. Leave to simmer for 30 mins or till cooked (spoon-tender).

Set another large and deep pot our medium high heat, add water and bring to the boil. Cook the noodle as instructed on the package. Remove into the serving bowls. Later, cook bean sprouts and string bean in boiling water briefly (do not over cook otherwise you will loose the crunchiness of the veggies) and then remove into the serving bowls. Drizzle garlic oil on cooked noodles and vegetables and toss to mix well everything well. Set one side.

Serving : In a bowl, mix palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, dried chilies, ground peanut and chopped parsley, then add the soup and mix everything well. Taste if more seasoning is needed (to taste). Pour the seasoned broth into the serving blows on top of mixed noodle & vegetables. Lay some minced pork balls, cooked pork liver pieces, pork cartilage, daikon (a little of this and a little of that) and a piece of boiled egg on top. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and spring onion. Serve hot with some crispy wantons. Absolutely delicious!

minced pork simmered in coconut cream

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:18:00 +0000

Minced Pork Simmered in Coconut Cream & Soy Bean Paste : Lon Tao Jiew หลนเต้าเจี้ยว

I dont' normally like eating coconut cream or milk but some dishes are way too delicious to skip. I remember that my grandmother cooked this "lon" very often when I was very young. I didn't like it then as there were to many greens accompanied it. People change over time and so do I. As I grow older, I now learn to like/appreciate eating fresh vegetables. I dont know why.. I guess it has something to do with the thought that eating vegetables helps me to be healthier.

Find below my recipe

1 Cup Coconut Cream

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

1 Cup Minced Pork

2-3 Tablespoons Fermented Soy Bean Paste

1-2 Tablespoon Palm Sugar

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (find the best quality that you possibly could.)

1-2 Tamarind Paste

2-3 Medium Shallots, sliced

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

Garnish

Red & Green Chilies, sliced into rings

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves

Fresh Organic Cucumber

Fresh Organic String or Winged Beans

Fresh White Turmeric peeled and sliced

You can simply add any raw fresh vegetables (to taste)

Preparation

Set a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the coconut cream to the boil, then add minced pork. Wait till pork is cooked through, add soy bean paste. Season with palm sugar, tamarind paste and fish sauce. Taste if more seasoning is needed. (The relish should creamy, salty (from the bean paste) with very little sweetness) Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with red & green chillie slices and some fresh chopped coriander leaves. Serve in a small serving cup with lots of mixed fresh vegetables and steamed wholegrain rice.

happy new year!

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:01:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

I know (again) I have been very quiet. I have been kept too busy with work in the past months. If you like to know whats happening in my kitchen on a daily basis. Please, feel free to follow me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/RiyaKitchen

My personal facebook page is also open to public.

www.facebook.com/riya.sawamiwas

Have a very yummie 2013, everyone!

Love

Riya

stir-fried pork and string bean in red curry paste

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:21:00 +0000

Stir-fried Pork & Organic String Bean in Red Curry Paste : หมูผัดพริกแกงใส่ถั่วผักยาว

Lately, I have been working very hard. I work 6 days a week and I spend/t more than 10 hours at work and I was/am entirely worn out. When I got back home I were extremely exhausted. I cooked a lot of quick-fix meals for dinner. I always love good quality home-cooked food and I love to cook my own food mainly because I know whats in it. This dish is perfect (Protein, Veggie & Carb) for a mid-week dinner. Its simple and easy to prep and very fast to cook.

Find below a recipe

Red Curry Paste : you can cook the paste on the weekend and have it kept in the fridge.

4 Whole Red Shallots, peeled

4-6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled

1-2 Lemongrass, thinly sliced

1 Kaffer Lime, grated (only the green bits)

1 Galangal, thinly sliced

4-6 Dried Red Chillies, soaked and cut into small pieces

2 Teaspoons Shrimp Paste (find the best quality)

1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt (coarse sea salt will make it easier when you pound the paste)

1-2 Coriander Roots, cut

2 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds

1 Teaspoon Caraway

Smash all ingredients together by using a mortar and pestle until well-mashed. If you don't have them on hand, then a blender will do but the paste will not be as good. Put the paste in an airtight container and it can be kept in the fridge for a month.

1 Cup Pork Shoulder, sliced (You can always change to pork tenderloin.)

1 Cup Organic String Beans, cut

3 Kaffir Lime Leaves, Shredded

2 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste (You can find some good quality red curry paste in Supermarket if you are too lazy to cook your own paste)

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil

Preparation

Heat a wok over medium-high heat, add cooking oil. Add curry paste, stir-fry till aromatic. Add pork and stir fry to mix well. Add a little of water or stock and keep stir-frying till pork is almost cooked through. Turn the heat up a little, then add string bean, stir-fry for a few minutes. (Don't leave string bean in the heat too long. You need to be quick at this stage. Make sure that string bean is not over-cooked. I personally like it crunchy and green.) Add kaffir lime leave, fish sauce and a pinch of brown sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn of the heat. Serve immediately with steamed rice or steamed whole grain rice. (You can always add one or two fried eggs on top as we "Thai" like to have it served with.) Absolutely satisfying.

gastro 1/6

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 10:02:00 +0000

Gastro 1/6

I know I dont do restaurant review for ages. The reason is not that I didn't get to eat or dine out (I did more than 50 restaurants in the past year and visited each of them more than twice!) but I don't have time and energy to think of what to write about them. There are loads to talk about but I am not very good when it comes to words. At times, I find writing about restaurants is very very difficult. I mean its nothing like writing about my own recipes or my own food and more importantly, I am not born being a food critic by nature.. I like eating out and I know what I like or what I don't like and thats all. Oh well, you know what I mean.

Anyway, this one is worth the wait and its totally worth writing about. If you read my blog for a long while you know by now that I personally, love love love cooking and having Breakie and Brunch. Living in Bangkok, there aren't many choices when it comes to good breakie/ bunch joints (Of course, there are loads of buffets available at those fancy 5-stars hotels but I am talking about a place with a big pinch of personality.)

Gastro was found by Khun Bo and Khun Dylan - owners/chefs of the impeccable Bo.Lan. I personally admire them to bits. The passion and the effort that they have put into their restaurants are amazing. Their food is very honest and full of favours. Its exactly as its promised to be. The menu is very limited. I think they focus on flavour, freshness and well-selected good quality ingredients. Everything is delicious. (Yep, I have already tried them all.) Service is very slow though, its not recommended if you are on a rush as the place is perfect for a slow morning, having a good breakie or brunch with mates, doing nothing but chatting and laughing. You could hang out there for hours enjoying your flavourful meal and taking it very slow. (I always feel like I am on holiday eating at this place.)

Love love this yummie little place.

Gastro 1/6
238 Soi Sai Namthip 2,
Sukhumvit 22,
Bangkok 10110
T : 080 603 6421
Facebook.com/Gastro16

stir-fried long green bean with pork tenderloin

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Stir-fried Organic Long Green Beans with Pork Tenderloin : ผัดถั่วฝักยาวใส่หมูสันใน

This is a quick-fix-dinner (I like cooking something easy & quick for a mid-week dinner). When you are totally worn out after a day at work, you simply want something easy, quick and delicious for dinner. This dish is very easy to prep and all it takes is 5 minutes to cook.

Find below a recipe

1 Cup Pork Tenderloin, sliced

1 Cup Organic Long Green Beans, cut

2-3 Cloves Organic Garlic, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil (I prefer Olive Oil - extra light & mild)

2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce (Optional)

A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar

Preparation

Heat a wok over medium high heat, add cooking oil. Add chopped garlic, stir fry till aromatic. Add pork, stir fry till almost cooked through. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce and a dash of sugar. Add long green bean and keep stir frying. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn off the heat. Serve with steamed wholegrain rice, soft boiled eggs and a small cup of chilli lime fish sauce. Simply delicious!

egg noodle with five-spice roast pork

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Egg Noodle with Five-Spice Roast Pork : บะหมี่หมูอบ

There are many things on my mind lately. The only way to calm myself down is to cook something. Tonight, after work, I cooked this dish for dinner just to be able to focus on one thing and to be alone with myself. Amazing how cooking can help me through many tough times!

Anyway, find below my recipe

400 G. Pork Tenderloin Fillet (or any part that you prefer. I like Pork Belly or Shoulder)

1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon Garlic, finely chopped

2 Coriander Roots, crushed

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Palm Sugar

1-2 Star Anise

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper, roughly crushed

1 Tablespoon Chinese Five-Spice Power

2 Litres Chicken Stock

200 G. Dried Fine Egg Noodles

1 Cup Organic Mushroom (I always prefer mini Japanese Mushroom like Bunapi-Shimeji. I like the way it presents itself tastefully on the serving plate.)

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves

Sea Salt

Preparation

Brown the pork fillet in a large saucepan. Heat the remaining oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add garlic and stir fry till aromatic and turning yellow, add the browned pork fillet back in. Add soy sauce, palm sugar, chicken stock, star anise, coriander roots, black pepper and five spice. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 1 or 2 hours or till the pork is fork-tender. Make sure there are lots of sauce/gravy left as well. Keep one side. Cook the egg noodle as instructed on the side of its package. Cook mushroom briefly, remove and keep one side. Slice the roast pork.

Plating : Lay a few pieces of sliced roast pork over a bed of egg noodle. Spoon some gravy on top of the noodle. Sprinkle with cooked mushroom and fresh chopped coriander leaves. Voila!

fried rice with shrimp paste

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste : Khao Kluk Kapi - ข้าวคลุกกะปิ

I love fried-rice with shrimp paste but I don't often cook it at home as there are too many ingredients. (If I want to eat this dish, its easier for me just to order the dish in any of my favourite restaurants.) Actually, its not difficult at all but its time consuming and, as you know, I am kept very busy with work and things lately. I am too tired and I don't want to spend hours prepping for a meal. Luckily, on last Wednesday which was a very slow day-off, I woke up in a good mood and as I intensely craved for this dish for days. I felt that I need to cook it, hence this recipe.

Note : The raw mango was kept at my house for days before cooking and its ripe (as shown in the picture above). The dish is best eaten/served with very sour green mango. I will re-do the picture later.

Find below my recipe

Shrimp Paste Fried Rice

2 Cups of steamed rice

1 Tablespoon Shrimp Paste

1 Teaspoon Garlic, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons cooking oil (I prefer light & mild Olive oil)

Sweet Fried Pork

1 Cup Pork Belly, cut into bite-sized cubes/strips

1/3 Cup Shallot, sliced

1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil (I prefer light & mild Olive oil)

1 Teaspoon Sweet Black Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

2-3 Tablespoon Palm Sugar

Garnish

Omelette - sliced into strips

Organic Raw/Green Mango - sliced

Shallot - sliced

Organic Long Green Bean - roughly chopped

Organic Red Chilie - roughly sliced

Organic Fresh Cucumber, sliced

Organic Lime Wedges

Sweet Fried Dried-Shrimp (Optional)

Cashew Nuts (Optional)

Salted Egg, quartered (Optional)

Preparation

Set a saucepan over medium-high heat, add cooking oil. Add sliced shallot and fry till soften. Add soy sauce, black soy sauce and palm sugar. Wait till the palm sugar is caramelised and add pork and keep stir-frying till the pork is cooked through. Turn off the heat and keep one side.

Set wok over medium-high heat, add cooking oil and chopped garlic. Add steamed rice and shrimp paste. Keep stir-frying till everything is mixed well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn off the heat and keep one side.

Plating : In a serving plate, arrange sliced omelette, sliced green mango, sliced shallot, long green bean, chopped chillies, cucumber, lime wedges, sweet fired pork around/on the fried rice. Just before eating, combine everything together and then squeeze the lime juice over the fried rice and enjoy!

places to eat in hk

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:59:00 +0000

Places to eat in Hongkong

I love HK. I visited Hongkong very often, probably once or twice a year. I know where to eat around this island pretty well. I wish I had more money that I could afford to eat at many places that I don't get to try yet : )

Anyway, I ate at these delicious eateries when I was there last week and these places are absolutely awesome. I think I should share them with you.

Dim Sum
Luk Yu Tea House
24 Stanley Street, Central
T. +852 2523 5464
The Sweet Dynasty
100 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
T. +852 2199 7799

Egg Tarts
Honolulu
Stanley Road, Central
T. +852 2526 8063
Tai Cheong
35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
T. +852 8300 8301

Breakfast
Tsui Wah
15 Wellington St, Central
T. +852 2525 6338
Law Fu Kee
G/F 50 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
T. +852 2850 6756
Wai Kee
Shop 5, 1/F, 2/F Bowrington Road Market, 21 Bowrington Road, Wan Chai
T. +852 2574 1131

Noodles
Mak's Noodles
77 Wellington Street, Central
T. +852 2854 3810
Tsim Chai Kee
98 Wellington Street, Central
T. +852 2850 6471
Wing Wah
89 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
T. +852 2527 7476

Lunch/ Dinner / Night-Out

Joel Robuchon
L'ATELIER de Joël Robuchon. Shop 315 & 401, The Landmark, Central
15 Queen's Road West
T. +852 2166 9000
Mandarin Grill
Mandarin Oriental - Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central
T. +852 2825 4004
Sevva
Prince's Building, 25th Floor,
10 Chater Rd, Hong Kong
T. +852 2537 1388
Zuma
Level 5 & 6, The Landmark, Central,
15 Queen's Rd W
T. +852 3657 6388
Mo Bar
15 Queen's Road Central, The Landmark, Central
T. +852 2132 0188
Yung Kee
32 Wellington Street, Central
T. +852 2522 1624
Keung Kee
G/F, 382 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
T. +852 2572 5207

spicy sour fish and okra curry

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:51:00 +0000

Spicy Sour Fish & Okra Curry : แกงส้มกระเจี๊ยบเขียว

I went to a new branch of "Taling Pling" restaurant in Sukhumvit 36 for lunch with my mate a few days ago. I saw this "Gaeng Som with Okra" in their meu. Out of curiosity, I ordered this dish and I was not disappointed. Its absolutely delicious. I have to confess here that I had never tried okra before. (I know that I can be narrow-minded when it comes to food. I need to learn to be more open-minded. A lesson is well learned!) Then, I came back home and dreamt about it. Yes, its that good... I told myself that I need to cook it. Yesterday, I went out to find some okra and managed to cook this curry. Hence this recipe.

Lots of fresh Seabass Fillets or Shrimps (shelled and deveined)

Lots of organic Okra, trimmed and halved.

Tamarind Paste

Lime Juice/ Wedges

Fish Sauce

Palm Sugar

Water, 5-6 cups

Curry Paste

5-6 Dried Red Chillies, soaked in water till soft and roughly chopped (You can add as many chillies as you like. This depends on how you can handle spiciness.)

5-6 Medium Shallots, roughly chopped

1-2 Grachai or "Lesser Ginger"- Rhizome grows in bunches of slender and long orange finger-like roots and, in Thailand, its normally used in fish or seafood dishes.), peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 or 1 Tablespoon of Shrimp Paste

Preparation

Set a pot with water on high heat, bring to the boil. Add half of shrimp/seabass, leave till cooked through. Do not stir. Turn off the heat, remove and keep dried one side.

First, we need to prepare the curry paste. Using stone mortar and pestle, pound all ingredients (for curry paste) till very fine. Add cooked shrimp/seabass and pound till everything is mixed well. By adding cooked shrimp/seabass meat into the paste, this will help to thicken the curry, so the broth will not be too watery (like in the cheap version of Gaeng Som that requires no effort that you often see on the street side, in the market or restaurants that the cooks couldn't care less for the quality.) and it helps to add more flavour to the broth as well. Keep the paste one side. (To make it easier, you can just put everything into a blender. Press a button and its done! Cooking the paste this way is very easy but the paste won't be as good. Oh well, you can't have it all.)

Now the broth, set another large pot with water on medium-high heat, bring to the boil. Add curry paste, bring to the boil again. Add the second half of fresh shrimp/seabass. Do not stir and leave to cook. Wait till the broth is back to the boil. Add okra and add fish sauce, tamarind paste and a little of palm sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed. The soup should taste spicy, salty, slightly sweet and very sour. To me its important to not leave the okra in the hot broth too long as I like the okra green and crunchy. Turn off the heat. Squeeze some lime on top just before serving. (It needs to taste tangy to be delicious. If you added the lime while its cooking, the sour favour would be disappeared/ruined by the heat.) Serve hot with a cup of steamed wholegrain rice. Delicious!

buttermilk waffle with banana and strawberry

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Buttermilk Waffle with Banana & Strawberry

I know I have been very quiet for months. I have been kept too busy with work... I am extremely worn out but I really do enjoy it. It’s fun and very challenging. I mean I am really grateful and I know that I am so lucky that I am given an opportunity to run a restaurant. This is really a trial run for me to discover myself if I really want this or not... I mean I love cooking to bits but running a restaurant is a total different thing. It’s so tiring and it’s such a big headache! Without passion, I don’t' think anyone would want to do it.

Anyway, I have a few posts, which I shall have them updated on here very shortly. But tonight, I think I should post something here. Last Sunday, I cooked this buttermilk waffle and its very yummie. Find below my recipe. (Which is adapted from a recipe in Saveur)

1 Cup All-purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1⁄2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

3 Free-range Eggs, separated

2 Tablespoons French Butter, melted and cooled

1 Cup Buttermilk

Preparation

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Beat egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and add buttermilk and butter. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Beat egg whites in a medium mixing bowl until stiff and fold into flour mixture. Batter will be airy. Spread batter over three-quarters of the surface of a hot, lightly greased waffle iron, close lid, and cook until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.

Plating : Drizzle with Maple Syrup. Serve with plenty of French butter and mixed fresh fruits (to taste, I personally like to pair fruits by colour. I mean to me pairing is very important as I like the plate to look very tasteful and colourful. At times, I would go for "Nectarine & Kiwi" or "Mango & Passion Fruit", or "Mango, Dragon Fruit & Kiwi" or "Raspberry, Blackberry & Blueberry", ect,.). Dust lightly with Icing Sugar. Voila!

one of the best

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:58:00 +0000

Riya's Kitchen is again rated one of the best food blogs in Bangkok by BK Magazine.

I am flattered. Many Thanks!

Riya

stir-fried noodles korat style

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:33:00 +0000

Stir-fried Noodles Korat Style : Phad Korat - ผัดหมี่โคราช

I seriously craved for "Phad Korat" and I realised that I never once cooked this dish! I told myself that I have to try to cook it.

I tried to cook this dish 3 times and its absolutely delicious! Its best eaten with "Somtum" but I personally think its delicious on its own as well.

Find below a recipe

150 G. Rice Noodle (or Korat Noodle - If you can find it!)

100 G. Pork/Chicken, sliced or ground

2 Cups Beansprouts

1 Cup Garlic Chives Leaves

2 Organic Eggs (Optional)

2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil/Olive Oil (extra light & mild)

2 Tablespoons of Shallot, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons of Garlic, finely chopped

2-3 Tablespoons of Palm Sugar

1 Tablespoon of Fermented Bean Paste

2 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Tamarind Paste

2 Tablespoons of Roasted Peanuts, roughly ground

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Sweet Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon of Ground Dried Chilies

1 Cup of Water/Chicken Stock

Garnish

Beansprouts

Garlic Chives Leaves

Lime Wedges

Ground Roasted Peanuts

Ground Chilies

Preparation

Set a wok over medium high heat. Add cooking oil and later add chopped garlic and shallot, stir-fry till aromatic. Add palm sugar, keep stirring till the sugar is little caramelised or turned into light brown colour. Add fermented bean paste, tamarind paste, fish sauce, ground chilies, ground peanuts, and black sweet soy sauce, stir to combine well. Add pork/chicken, keep stirring. Add water or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Add rice noodles, keep stirring till everything is mixed well. Lastly, add beansprouts and garlic chives leaves. Turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh beansprouts, fresh garlic chives, ground chilies, ground roasted peanuts and a few of lime wedges. Simply delicious!

dtom kah gai (mum's recipe)

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:15:00 +0000

A Rustic Version of Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup : Dtom Kah Gai - ต้มข่าไก่สูตรบ้านๆ

I seriously think that anything thats cooked by Mum is always delicious! I don't normally like coconut milk but I do like "Dtom Kah Gai". I guess it has something to do with my childhood. My mum cooked it for me very often when I was very young and I always loved it. (Actually, I love anything with lime juice.)

This recipe is very different from the boring Dtom Kah Gai thats served in the restaurants. This one is more home-cooked, very rustic and full of bold favours (with lots of lime juice, fish sauce and there are chilie flakes added). It tastes very much like "Dtom Yum" with coconut milk.

Find below a recipe

2 Cups of Coconut Milk

1-2 Cups of Chicken Stock

2 Cups of Chicken Thigh (cut into pieces)

2 Cups of Straw Mushroom (clean and halved)

1 Cup of Chicken Blood Curd (cut into cubes)

3-4 Kaffir Lime Leaves (roughly shredded)

1 Galangal (cut)

3 Lemongrass (Sliced)

2 Shallots (cut)

1-2 Coriander Roots (Optional)

1/4 Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

1/4 Fish Sauce

1 Tablespoon Chillie Flakes

Fresh Organic Coriander, Spring Onion and Long-leaf Parsley, cut

Preparation

Set a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add coconut milk. Add kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass, shallot and coriander roots. Bring to a boil or till aromatic. Add chicken, leave till cooked through. (If the soup is too thick, add chicken stock to thin it to meet with your taste). Just before serving, add chicken blood curd, mushroom, fish sauce, lime juice and chillie flakes. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves, spring onion and long-leaf parsley. Serve hot with a cup of steamed whole-grain rice. Absolutely delightful!

hot & sour pork spare ribs soup

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Hot & Sour Pork Spare Ribs Soup : Dtom Sab Kra-dook Moo On - ต้มแซ่บกระดูกหมูอ่อน

A week ago, I had a thought of cooking this dish and today I cooked it for lunch. This hot, sour and richly fragrant soup is absolutely delicious! Its very easy to cook but you need to simmer the spare ribs for hours in order the get them very tender (till melt-in-your-mouth).

Find below my very simple recipe

1 Kilo Pork Spare Ribs

3 Sticks Organic Lemon Grass, roughy sliced

1 Galangal, roughly sliced

3-4 Red Shallot, halved

3-4 Kaffir Lime Leaves, roughly shredded

2-4 Fresh Organic Red & Green Chillies (Optional)

7-8 Fresh Organic Straw Mushroom, cleaned and halved (Optional)

2 Medium Organic Plump Tomato, quartered (Optional)

Fresh Organic Coriander

Fresh Organic Thai Long-leaf Parsley

Dried Red Chillies, fried and ground

3-4 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

3-4 Tablespoons Lime Juice

Preparation

Set a large pot over medium high heat, add water (you can use the stock but I use water as it will be simmered for hours.) and bring to a boil. Add a dash of sea salt, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, red shallot and lemon grass. Add spare ribs and leave to simmer for an hour or more (till fork tender).

You can choose to season the whole soup in the pot at once or do each time in an individual serving bowl. I like the latter as you can keep the rest (wich is not yet seasoned with ribs in the fridge) and serve it later the next days. It tastes fresher and tastier to season it each time just before serving.

Plating : In a serving (deep) bowl, add fish sauce, lime juice and ground dried chillies. Add the hot soup with spare ribs. Stir to mix well and taste if more seasoning is needed. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and Thai long-leaf parsley. Serve hot with a cup of whole grain steamed rice. What a very satisfying dish!

steamed rice topped with chicken in brown gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:20:00 +0000

Steamed Rice topped with Chicken in Brown Gravy : Kao Nah Gai - ข้าวหน้าไก่

I started my new job a month ago and my life (time - to be precise!) is changed entirely. I thought this job is going to be easy and fun. Reality hits me hard! The thing is its fun but not as easy as I thought. Now I doubt that I could ever be able to run a restaurant alone. Anyway, I am not a kind of person who gives up on things easily, especially, things that I like. I am going to give it a try for a few years to see how it goes and if I really like it... then I shall decide what I will do with my life next.

Geez, I have always thought that when we get to do what we love... it will be a happy ending.

Anyway, its my day off today. I got to stay home and I didn't want (too lazy as I am entirely worn out by long-hours-work) to go out and its too hot to handle in Bangkok right now. I cooked something easy for lunch and its delicious. So, I think I should post a recipe on here.

Find below a recipe

300 G. - Skinless Chicken Thigh or Breast (cut into cubes)

5-6 Fresh or Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, halved (Optional)

2 Tablespoons - Oyster Sauce

1 Tablespoon - Shaoxing Wine

1 Teaspoon - Black Sweet Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons - Soy Sauce

1/2 Teaspoon - Sesame Oil

1/2 Teaspoon - Un-refined Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon - Corn Flour/Tapioca Flour (Optional)

1 Teaspoon - Garlic (finely grated)

A dash of Ground White Pepper Corn

Garnish

Fresh Green Chilies - roughly cut

Fresh Red Chilies - roughly cut

Fresh Coriander

Fresh Cucumber

Fried/Boiled Eggs - halved

Fried Cured Chinese Pork Sausage (Optional)

Preparation

Marinate the chicken cubes with all ingredients and keep in the fridge for 30 mins. Set a saucepan over medium-high heat, add a cup of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add marinated chicken. Stir till the chicken is well cooked and the gravy is thicken. (I personally don't like adding too much corn or tapioca starch into my food. Therefore, my gravy is a much lighter version.)

Serve hot over steamed rice or whole-grain rice. Sprinkle with lots of green chilies (I like to mix red & green chilies as they give more colour on the plate) and fresh chopped coriander. You can always garnish it with fried egg or boiled egg, sliced fresh cucumber and fried cured pork sausage. I like mine served simple as you can see from the picture shown above.

northern curry noodle with chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Northern (Chiang Mai) Curry Noodle with Chicken : Khao Soi Gai - ข้าวซอยไก่

When I still worked in my old office in January, the new girl who replaced my position brought "Khao Soi" for my lunch. For some reason, it immediately ticked my to do recipes. I mean I have cooked many dishes more than a hundred times but I have never once thought of cooking "Khao Soi" until I that day. Its so delicious and memorable. I have an urge to give it a try.

Find below a recipe

3 Tablespoons of Red Curry Paste

1 Tablespoon of Yellow Curry Powder

1/2 Teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

1 Small Fresh Organic Ginger, peeled & finely grated

2 Free Range Chicken Thighs & 2 Free Range Chicken Dumpsticks

1 Pack of Egg Noodles (approximately 400 G/100 G for each - enough for 4 portions)

1 Teaspoon of Black Sweet Soy Sauce (Optional)

2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

A dash of (un-refined) Brown Sugar

2 Cups of Coconut Milk

3 Cups of Chicken Stock

Garnish

1 Small pack of Pickled Green Mustard, roughly sliced

4-6 Organic Shallot, sliced

Fresh Organic Coriander & Spring Onion, roughly chopped

Fried dried-chilies, whole chilies or ground

Fried Egg Noodles, very crispy (you can simply use wonton wrappers)

Organic Lime Wedges

Preparation

Set a large saucepan on medium-high heat, add coconut milk. Wait till the coconut milk is bubbling and aromatic. Add red curry paste, stir to mix well. Later add yellow curry powder, turmeric powder and grated ginger. Keep stirring to mix everything well. Add chicken, tossing now and then to cook it evenly and to mix it with the curry paste and later add chicken stock. (You can always add Beef instead of Chicken but the beef will take longer time to cook.) Leave to cook for 20 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Season with soy sauce and brown sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed.

Cook the egg noodle as instructed on the package. Remove into cold water and drain.

Plating : In a serving noodle bowl, lay chicken bits on top of a bed of cooked egg noodle. Spoon lots of curry soup over the chicken and noodle. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and spring onion. Serve hot and garnish with crispy fried-noodle nests, a few pieces of fried dried-chilies, sliced shallots, pickled green mustard & lime wedges. Squeeze the lime wedges (to taste) over the noodle soup before eating, the lime juice really helps to bring out the flavour in the curry soup (like yellow lemon does in many Italian dishes). Absolutely delicious!

Serve : 2-4

fried-rice with fermented pork sausage

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:49:00 +0000

Fried-rice with Fermented Pork Sausage : Kao Phad Neam - ข้าวผัดแหนม

I got so lucky. I got paid to be home for the past 2 weeks! I really enjoyed my mini break. This was the reason why I had time to post more recipes lately and I hope to be able to do a lot more this year.

I felt like January was a very good & fresh start for me as, unexpectedly, many good things keep happening. It seems to me that my life is gradually getting back on track. If things work as the way I have planed. In the next 2 years, I will be moving to London and open my own restaurant! (keep my fingers crossed).

Anyway, back to the recipe, last week, I craved for fermented pork sausage and I cooked this dish for lunch. Its very easy and delicious. I mean its boring to eat the same old fried-rice for lunch all the time - you know what I mean...

Find below a recipe

1 medium stick (180g.) of Fermented Pork Sausage (make sure to get a good or high quality one - mainly for a hygienic reason.), sliced/chopped roughly into small pieces

2-3 organic Eggs

1-2 cups of Steamed Rice (white or whole-grain - I prefer whole-grain rice.)

2-3 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of Cooking Oil (I prefer Extra light & mild Olive Oil - I think its healthy!)

2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce

1 tablespoons of Seasoning Sauce

1 tablespoon of Oyster Sauce (Optional)

A dash of un-refined (brown) Sugar

1 medium Onion, roughly chopped (Optional)

1 medium organic Plum Tomato, sliced (Optional)

1-2 organic Red Chilies, sliced (Optional)

Garnish

Roasted Peanuts (Optional)

Organic fresh Ginger, thinly julienned (Optional)

A handful of fresh organic Coriander and Spring Onion, roughly chopped

Fresh organic Cucumber, sliced (I prefer Japanese Cucumber as its more crunchy.)

Organic Lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

Set a wok over medium-high heat, wait till hot but not too hot. Add cooking oil and chopped garlic and fry till aromatic. Add fermented pork sausage, red chilies and egg, stir-fry a few times and leave till almost set. Add steamed rice, stir-fry very quickly. Add soy sauce, seasoning sauce and a dash of sugar. Taste if more seasoning if needed. Removed into a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and spring onion. Served with roasted peanuts, ginger, fresh cucumber and a few of lime wedges. How easy!

spicy vermicelli salad

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:43:00 +0000

Spicy Vermicelli Salad : Yum Woonsen - ยำวุ้นเส้น (ใส่กุ้ง ปลาหมึก หมูสับ)

I have been craving for "Yum Woonsen" for weeks but I was kept very busy with work after New Year. Luckily, this week, I am told to take a short break again. I am not sure if this is supposed to be a good thing as it sounds too good to be true and (I seriously think) it probably is... Anyhow, I am glad that I get to be home and get to cook this spicy vermicelli salad.. Its very delicious and I am totally satisfied.

Please find below a recipe

4-6 King Tiger Prawns, cleaned and deviened

1 medium Squid, cleaned and cut into rings

1 cup minced free-range Pork

1 Medium Organic Onion, sliced

A handful of organic Chinese Celery, cut

2 medium organic Plum Tomatoes, sliced

A handful of organic Spring Onion & Coriander Leaves, cut

1 Small pack of Glass Noodle/Vermicelli (approx. 100 G.), cut and soaked in water

Roasted Peanuts/Cashewnuts (Optional)

Spicy Chillie & Lime Dressing

4-6 Bird-eys Chillie, roughly chopped

4 Tablespoons Lime Juice

3-4 Tablespoons Premium Quality Fish Sauce

A dash of Un-refined Brown Sugar

A few of Coriander Roots, cleaned

Preparation

Add all ingredients of dressing into a blender. Press a button briefly and there you have it. (Make sure that you don't blend the dressing too long as we don't want it too smooth/fine.) Set one side.

Set a large sauce pan over medium-hight heat, add water and bring to a boil. Add minced pork, wait till almost cooked through, then add prawns and squid, leave to cook for a few mins and lastly add vermicelli. Remove everything into cold water to stop them from being cooked. (We don't want to over cook prawns and squid.) Strain the water and keep one side. (You can cook them separately ; one by one for each ingredient but to save time and energy, I cook them all at once as I know how to cook them nicely at the same time.)

In a large salad bowl, add all vegetables, cooked minced pork, prawns, squid and vermicelli. Drizzle with lots of dressing. Toss to mix everything well. Taste if more dressing is needed. Remove into a serving plate, sprinkle with roasted peanuts or cashewnuts. Serve immediately. (You can either serve it alone or with a cup of steamed rice.)

spicy sour curry with seabass and mixed veggies

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Spicy Sour Curry with Seabass & Mixed Veggies : Gaeng Som - แกงส้มปลากะพงใส่มะละกอ ชะอมทอดไข่ ถั่วฝักยาว

I meant to write this recipe for ages but I never got a chance to cook it at home in the past year at all till this holiday. This sour curry is very easy to cook but it needs many ingredients and it takes time to prep. Normally, given that I am a bit lazy & very busy lately, I like cooking something simple and easy (I am a product of my time.) Sour Curry or "Geang Som" is one of my most favourite Thai dishes. Everytime when I get to go out dining at any decent Thai restaurants, I often order this dish. I just love it and I like to try/see how (good or bad) other people execute this dish. My mum cooks a mean dish of Keang Som. I think anything thats cooked by mum is always delicious.. eh?

Anyway, Keang Som is a dish thats good to cook with seafood (Sea fish or shrimp). I find that it is best eaten a day after its cooked as when you leave it over night, the curry has time to rest, settle and develop the flavour.

Find below a recipe (This recipe is for sour curry form central of Thailand. There is another version of sour curry or in another name called "yellow curry" which is from southern of Thailand. The flavour is bold, more spicy and more sour. I will post a recipe later)

Lots of fresh Seabass Fillets or Shrimps (shelled and deveined)

Organic Vegetables (Raw Papaya, Long Bean & Acacia (Cha-Om) Omelette or Pickled Bamboo Shoots)

Tamarind Paste

Lime Juice/ Wedges

Fish Sauce

Palm Sugar

Water, 5-6 cups

Curry Paste

5-6 Dried Red Chillies, soaked in water till soft and roughly chopped (You can add as many chillies as you like. This depends on how you can handle spiciness.)

5-6 Medium Shallots, roughly chopped

1-2 Grachai or "Lesser Ginger"- Rhizome grows in bunches of slender and long orange finger-like roots and, in Thailand, its normally used in fish or seafood dishes.), peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 or 1 Tablespoon of Shrimp Paste

Preparation

Set a pot with water on high heat, bring to the boil. Add half of shrimp/seabass, leave till cooked through. Do not stir. Turn off the heat, remove and keep dried one side.

First, we need to prepare the curry paste. Using stone mortar and pestle, pound all ingredients (for curry paste) till very fine. Add cooked shrimp/seabass and pound till everything is mixed well. By adding cooked shrimp/seabass meat into the paste, this will help to thicken the curry, so the broth will not be too watery (like in the cheap version of Kaeng Som that requires no effort that you often see on the street side, in the market or restaurants that the cooks couldn't care less for the quality.) and it helps to add more flavour to the broth as well. Keep the paste one side. (To make it easier, you can just put everything into a blender. Press a button and its done!)

Now the broth, set another large pot with water on medium-high heat, bring to the boil. Add curry paste, bring to the boil again. Add the second half of fresh shrimp/seabass. Do not stir and leave to cook. Wait till the broth is back to the boil. Add vegetables (You can always add many kind of vegetables as you like ; like Chinese cabbage, daikon, raw papaya, young water melon, long bean, cauliflower, Thai morning glory and water mimosa. The veggies added in this sour curry are your own choice, or in Thailand, people add seasonal veggies - what is available at the market, as you can see from my picture shown above that I only added what I like eating.) Add fish sauce, tamarind paste and a little of palm sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed. The soup should taste spicy, salty, slightly sweet and very sour. To me its important to not leave the vegetables in the hot broth too long as I like my veggies green and crunchy. Turn off the heat. Squeeze some lime on top just before serving. (It needs to taste tangy to be delicious. If you added the lime while its cooking, the sour favour would be disappeared/ruined by the heat.) Serve hot with a cup of steamed wholegrain rice. Absolutely delicious!