Riya's Kitchen

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!

poached egg with sauteed mushroom & asparagus on toast

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:08:00 +0000

Poached Organic Egg with Sautéed Mushroom & Asparagus on Sourdough Toast.

Nothing is more delightful than waking up (very late on the weekends) with a smell of freshly brewed coffee and knowing that there is a proper brunch & a Sunday newspaper waiting for you... to me this is a real comfort... one of the simplest pleasures in life.

I personally adore (cooking and serving) fancy "Breakfast & Brunch". When I get to be home on the weekends or holidays, I love to cook big breakfast or brunch. I love all those fancy dishes like Egg Florentine, Egg Benedict, Pancake, Waffle, ect.,.

There were many long weekends in this month. Last weekend, I got to be home. I opened my fridge and found some fresh organic mushroom and organic asparagus. Then I thought I should cook them for brunch. This dish is delightful, very light and lovely. Its very easy to cook as well.

Find below my recipe

2-4 organic Eggs, very very fresh (You can always have more than 1 egg for one serving plate.)

A handful of organic Mushroom, cleaned (Any kind of small mushroom that you prefer.)

A handful of organic Asparagus, cut off bottom forth of asparagus, and discard, as it is tough and stringy. (This can be done in a bunch at one time to save time. Starting at tip, cut the rest of asparagus into equal lengths.)

1/2 Tablespoon of French Butter

1 Tablespoon of Whipping Cream

Sea Salt

Black Pepper, freshly ground

Flat-leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
Sourdough Bread, sliced, buttered and toasted to your liking

Preparation

Take out the eggs from the fridge and leave to room temperature. Set a saucepan over low-heat, wait till water is becoming hot but not boiling or simmering. Add a splash of any kind of vinegar in there. It helps to tighten the egg. Break an egg into a small cup, then slide the egg into the saucepan and leave the egg to cook for a few minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon and keep dried one side.

Set a large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter, wait till the butter is melted (make sure that you don't burn the butter) and later add mushroom and asparagus, cook them very briefly (I like my asparagus sweet and crunchy). Add whipping cream, sea salt and ground black pepper, taste if more seasoning is needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Arrange the sauteed mushroom and asparagus on top of the toasts, top with the poached egg(s) and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley over the top. (Sprinkle a dash of sea salt and black pepper on the eggs if you prefer) Voila!

Happy Holidays !

Stir-fried organic courgette & green bean with chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:07:00 +0000

Stir-fried Organic Courgette & Green Bean with Chicken : ผัดผักคอร์แจตกับถั่วแขกใส่ไก่

Yes... I know I said many times that I will post more recipes but for many reasons, I can't find time at all during the past 2-3 months. I guess I will be kept very busy till end of this year. (I think I am about to change my job again but this time I am going to work in a restaurant! Oh well, nothing is final yet. I am keeping my fingers crossed.)

Anyway back to the recipe, last week I came home from work and felt so worn out and very hungry. I opened my fridge and found that I only had organic courgette and green bean in there. Then I thought I should cook myself a quick-fix dinner as I was so tired and I didn't want to order delivery that I had to wait at least another 30 mins. It turned out to be a surprisingly good dish. The organic courgette was very sweet and crunchy and went very well with chicken. Its a very satisfied meal. I mean its simple, delicious, nutritious and very quick!

Please find a recipe below

1 Free-range Chicken Breast (Skin on or off - depends on your liking)

1 Organic Medium Courgette (Zucchini), cut into bite-sized bits (cut lengthwise or crosswise - whichever way you desire.)

5-6 Organic Green Bean, trimmed off both ends

2 Cloves of Organic Garlic, finely chopped or thinly sliced

1-2 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce

1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon of Seasoning Sauce

2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Extra light and mild)

Preparation

Set a wok over medium heat, wait till becoming hot but not too hot. Add olive oil and chopped garlic. Stir-fry till aromatic. Add chicken, stir-fry briefly and later add oyster sauce, soy sauce and seasoning sauce. Stir-fry till the chicken is cooked through. Finally add courgette and green bean. Stir-fry very quickly for 1-2 mins (at this point you don't want to over cook the greens. You need to make sure that they are cooked but still very green and crunchy.). Turn off the heat. Serve immediately with steamed organic rice or whole grain rice and a cup of chilie lime sauce. Simply delicious!

Serve : 2

garlic butter shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:36:00 +0000

Garlic Butter Shrimp served with crusty French bread.

October is quite a month! First, its my birthday and then there are loads happening in my life right now (I hope all is going to be improved in a much better way and I can finally be content in life as I deserve it!) and currently, I have to deal with the massive flooding situation which is soon to arrive in Bangkok. Hopefully, my area (Sukhumvit road) stays dry and safe. I know that I sound selfish and it is not fair for those who are suffering but I have loads of books, especially cookbooks (let alone my shoes) that I love so very much. I can't allow them to be soaked in water....

Anyway, last night I cooked "Garlic Butter Shrimp" for dinner. This dish is simply delicious served with a few glasses of chilled Chardonnay. So I think I should share a recipe on here. Next month after the flood, I hope that life will be back to normal and I will have time to post more recipes.

Find below a recipe of "Garlic Butter Shrimp"

12-15 Large Prawns/Shrimps

1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

50 G of French Butter (Unsalted)

2-3 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

1/2 Yellow Lemon

Handful of Parsley, roughly chopped

Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Crusty French Bread or Toasted Sourdough.

Preparation

Set a wok or a large saucepan on low heat, heat the olive oil and butter. Add shrimps and garlic and stir well until the shrimps turn pink (about 3 mins). Season with salt and ground black pepper. Squeeze the yellow lemon and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Turn off the heat and serve at once with crusty French bread to tear off and dunk into the juices. Scrumptious!

my apology

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:24:00 +0000

My apology for being so quiet lately. I have been ill for a whole month now (I have the big "V"!) and I just started my new job a month ago and then last week my darling friends came to visit me in Bangkok. I was so exhausted and fully occupied. I hardly could find time for myself and my beloved food blog.

However, I have loads of recipes waiting to be posted on here. Next month, when everything is back to normal and I am more settled with life. I promise to post more of new recipes.

Thanks for reading my blog and please stay tuned!

Riya

buta kakuni (riya's style)

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 08:58:00 +0000

Buta Kakuni Don : Japanese Braised Pork Belly served on Japanese Steamed Rice.

Here it is as I mentioned in my previous post that I will post a recipe of Buta Kakuni. This dish is a favourite for the kids! I don't cook it very often though as its too fatty. Its not a healthy dish but, from time to time, you can allow it on your dining table. Life is about compromising.. eh? Anyway, its not only delicious its also versatile. I mean you can keep it in the refrigerator and later use it as a main topping for the hot Ramen.

Find below my very own recipe of "Buta Kakuni"

Pork Belly approx. 1-1.5 Kilos (free-range), cut into chunks (You can always use any kind of pork - tenderloin, shoulder or anything that you prefer but keep in mind that this recipe works best with fatty part of pork.)
2 Tablespoons of Brown (Un-refined) Sugar
1 Large Organic Leek and/or Onion, sliced
1 Large Piece of Fresh Ginger, finely grated (Approx. 2 tablespoons.)
2 Large Cloves of Garlic, finely grated
2 Coriander Roots, crushed (Optional - To me, it is a bit like adding a touch of Thai. Its more aromatic using this ingredient.)
1-2 Teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon
3-4 Tablespoons of Shoyu or light Soy Sauce (Go light on the salt, when the liquid/gravy is reduced. It will become salty.)
1/2 Cup of Sake
1/3 Cup of Mirin
Approx. 3-5 Cups of Water

Side

Organic Bok Choy, Leek, Broccoli or Green Bean, blanched
Boiled Organic Eggs

Preparation

Set a large saucepan over medium-heat. Sauté the pork belly chunks, with no oil (you don’t need it.) until browned. Add enough water to cover the pork and add ginger, onion, sake, sugar, soy sauce, ground cinnamon, garlic, leek and mirin in and bring to a boil on medium heat. Put a lid on and leave to simmer for 2 hours or until the liquid is 2/3 gone. (Make sure that there is enough liquid left. Its more delicious with lots of gravy drizzled on top of the rice when serving.)

Serve, in a bowl, on top of steamed Japanese rice with a side of very plain vegetables, like green bean, bok choy, leek and boiled egg. Drizzle with lots of gravy. Yummie!

miso ramen (riya's style)

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:36:00 +0000

Miso Ramen with Home-roasted Kakuni

First, I would like to apologise for not posting any recipes at all this month. I have been kept very busy with my work as I have got a new job. I need to clear so many things at my current work place before leaving to a new place in early September.

My life is completely hectic but I do like it as I know that there is a better future waiting for me. : ) Now... I do believe that "good things will finally come to those who wait".

Anyway, last night I cooked this "Miso Ramen" and it tasted really good. So, I think I should share the recipe here. (I will need to go round the Miso soup a few more times to get it exactly right. I will keep the recipe updated.)

Soup

4 Litres of Water
2 Kilos of Free-range Chicken/Pork Bones
Ginger, roughly sliced
Kombu (Optional)
1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon of Sesame Seed Oil
1-2 Cloves of Organic Garlic, finely chopped
1 Large Organic Onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of White Miso Paste
2 Tablespoons of Red Miso Paste
2 Tablespoons of Tobanjan (I prefer the Korean Gochujang)
2 Tablespoons of Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce)

Toppings

4 Slices (Per One Serving Bowl) of "Kakuni" / "Chashu" (I will post a recipe of my home-roasted "Kakuni" later in the next post. I like to serve it with in a bowl of steamed Japanese rice, blanched Bok Choy, boiled egg and drizzle with lots of gravy. Its absolutely delicious.)
Organic Tofu (Optional)
Organic Bean Sprouts, Sweet Corn,
Wakame Seaweed / Dried Seaweed Sheets
Sliced Organic Green Scallions / Organic Leeks (I prefer sliced leeks)
Sliced Organic Shiitake Mushrooms. blanched
Organic Bok Choy, blanched
Boiled Organic Eggs

Noodles

You can always get an instant Ramen noodles that's available in any supermarkets but I prefer fresh noodles. I use fresh noodles that I bought from (Fuji) Japanese Supermarket.

Preparation

In a large pot, add water and chicken/pork bones, ginger, kombu and sea salt. Leave to simmer for 30 minutes or hours (this depends on the time that you have. The longer you leave it to simmer, the more flavour you could pull out of the bones. Add white and black miso, tobanjan, sesame oil, shoyu and chopped garlic. Leave to simmer and allow all flavours to blend well together. When the soup is ready, remove all the bones, drain well and keep the broth hot one side.

In a large saucepan, add water & salt and bring the the boil. Cook the noodle as instructed at the side of the package. (You can blanch the vegetables and boil the eggs in the same saucepan while you are cooking the noodles.) Rinse in a pasta-drainer with hot water and put the noodle in a serving bowl. Arrange the toppings on the bed of noodles, then poor the hot broth on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with sliced leek. Serve hot with small cups of Japanese rice vinegar, tobanjan or dried chili flakes and shoyu.

fried chicken with garlic & pepper

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:50:00 +0000

Fried Chicken with Garlic & Pepper : ไก่ทอดกระเทียมพริกไทย

Here it is a recipe of the popular "fried chicken with garlic & pepper. There were many people writing to ask for a recipe. This recipe is very easy and very simple. There are not many ingredients needed and all it takes is 5-10 minutes to cook.

300-400 G. Chicken Slices (thigh, leg, breast or any part that you prefer. Skin on/off depends on your liking.) You can always go for Pork or Shrimp.

6-8 Very Small Cloves of Organic Thai Garlic, crushed & roughly chopped (Please, note that Thai Garlic is more aromatic & stronger in flavour. If you couldn't find it, any garlic will do. )

3 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce

1-2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

1/2 Tablespoon of Seasoning Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Extra light & mild)

Ground White Pepper

Un-refined Brown Sugar

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves , roughly chopped

Fresh Organic Japanese Cucumber , sliced

Preparation

Set a wok over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, wait till becoming hot but not too hot. Add garlic, fry till aromatic and turn golden. Add chicken, fry till almost cooked through. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, seasoning sauce and a dash of brown sugar. Sprinkle with ground white pepper, stir-fry to mix well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with steamed rice and fresh sliced cucumbers, sprinkle with coriander leaves . (A small cup of fish sauce with lime & chili is optional.)
...

Serve : 2

braised chicken with egg noodle

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:22:00 +0000

Braised Chicken with Egg Noodle : บะหมี่แห้งไก่ตุ๋น

Currently, I have been kept very busy with work. My life is hectic and I am entirely worn out. I was/am so exhausted and didn't/don't want to do anything else but to rest on my comfy bed.

Today, I feel a little better and I keep telling myself that I need to be productive. I need to post some thing on here. Hence a recipe of "Braised Chicken with Egg Noodles". I personally love all things noodle. I love cooking noodle, any kind of noodles. (If I manage to find time.)

Find below my recipe of "Braised Chicken with Egg Noodle"

1 Pack of High Quality Fresh Egg Noodles (4 or 6 serving in one pack / available in any decent supermarkets)

4-6 Large Pieces of Free Range Chicken thigh, Leg, or Breast (Whatever you fancy - Boneless / Skin-on is preferred.)

4-6 Cups of Chicken Stock (home-made stock is preferred.)

2 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Seasoning Sauce

1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon of High Quality 5 Spices

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon of Un-refine Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Ground/Crushed Black Pepper

4 Organic Coriander Roots, crushed

3 Cloves of Organic Garlic, crushed

2-3 Cups Cooking Oil (Choose the one for deep frying like Sunflower or Palm Oil)

4-6 Organic Fresh Chinese Kale (Kai-lan or "Hong Kong Kale")

10 Medium Organic Shiitake Mushroom (Optional)

Organic Coriander Leaves and Spring Onion, finely chopped

2-3 Tablespoons of Garlic Oil

Condiments

1/2 Cup of Rice Wine Vinegar with Red Chili

1/2 Cup of Ground Dried Chili (Optional)

Ground White Pepper (Optional)

Preparation

Set a wok over medium-high heat, add cooking oil. Fry the chicken bits till turned golden. Remove from the wok and set one side

Set a large saucepan/pot over medium heat, add chicken stock and add oyster sauce, soy sauce, seasoning sauce, sea salt, brown sugar, black pepper, 5 spices, crushed garlic and coriander roots. Add fried chicken and keep simmered for 40 minutes or upto an hour or till the chicken bits are soft and tender. Taste if the gravy is too salty. If so, then add 1/4 cup of water or chicken stock and bring back to a boil again. Turn off the heat.

Set a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the egg noodle as instructed at the side of its package. Drain and keep dried. Drizzle with garlic oil and keep warm one side.

Bring a large pot of water back to a boil again. Branch the Chinese Kale briefly, then drain and transfer into very cold water immediately to stop them from being cooked. This way, they will look nicely green and they will be very crunchy. Cut them roughly.

In a serving noodle bowl, arrange some blanched Chinese Kale on the plate. Then arrange some cooked egg noodles on top of the kale. Lay a braised chicken thigh on a bed of noodles & kale and drizzle with a few spoons of chicken gravy and dash of garlic oil. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and spring onion. Served with a cup of chili vinegar and a cup of ground dried chili (optional).

Serve : 4-6

a busy bee

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Currently, I am as busy as a bee. I know I have disappeared for almost a month now as I have been kept very busy with work since mid of last month.

I have lots of recipes waiting to be posted on here but I couldn't find time at all. Later this month, I will definitely have all of them uploaded.

Thanks for reading my blog and, please, stay tuned.

:)

thai spicy smoked sausage salad

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 15 May 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Thai Spicy Smoked Sausage Salad : ยำใส้กรอก(รมควัน) แบบไทยๆ

I am a big fan of charcuteries, especially the French ones. I love everything that's related to smoked bacon, ham, sausage, terrine & pâté. In Thailand, there aren't many places or choices that you could find good charcuterie products. (This is what I love about Paris and London, over there you could easily find all these good quality yummie things.)

At my current work place where is located very close to "Bei Otto" restaurant. They have their own delicatessen located at the front of the restaurant. I have become one of their customers. I love their good quality house's (smoked) products. Almost everyweek, after work, I like to stop at the deli and pick up some smoked bacon, ham and sausages to stock in my fridge. I always keep these things on hand as they are very good and handy for breakfast and brunch or when we happen to be hungry at late night. We would simply put them together and we could have a good meal like a simple sarnie or salad.

Anyway, last week, I browsed through "tastepotting" and I saw an old post of "Cee". She posted a recipe of "Hot Dog Thai Style" in there. I was inspired and wanted to cook the dish of my own.

Find below my version of Thai Spicy Smoked Sausage Salad

2-3 Medium Smoked Sausages (Get the best quality that you could afford or find)

3-4 Organic Medium Cucumbers, roughly sliced

1 Organic Onion, sliced

2 Organic Plump Tomatoes, sliced

2-3 Organic Plum Chinese Celery, cut

Organic Coriander Leaves, cut

Organic Spring Onion, cut

Spicy Chili & Lime Dressing

4-6 Organic Bird-eye Chili, finely chopped (Deseeded, if you can't handle hot chili)

2-3 Tablespoons of Organic Lime Juice

3 Tablespoons of Premium Quality Fish Sauce

A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar

Preparation

Dressing : Add all ingredients in an empty jam jar and shake to mix well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Keep one side.

Salad : Add all ingredients into a big salad bowl. Drizzle with chili & lime dressing. Toss gently to mix everything well. Taste if more dressing is needed and the salad is well coated with dressing. Remove into a serving plate. Serve immediately. (This salad can be served alone or with a cup of steamed whole-grain rice.)

grilled pork tenderloin served with spicy dipping sauce and black sticky rice

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Grilled Pork Tenderloin served with Spicy Dipping Sauce and Black Sticky Rice : หมูย่างน้ำจิ้มแจ่วเสิร์ฟกับข้าวเหนียวดำ

I love eating "Isaan" food. I think it has something to do with the standout bold flavours that Isaan food has to offer. (I love everything salty & tangy.) Therefore, Isaan food fits my taste buds perfectly.

This recipe is modified a little from the original recipe of "Grilled Pork Shoulder" (คอหมูย่าง). I find pork shoulder too fatty. So, I change it to pork tenderloin or pork chop instead. I choose the part that's as soft and tender but less fat. Feel free to choose any part of pork that you prefer.

Find my recipe below

Half Kilo (500 g.) of Pork Meat (Any part that you prefer.)

Marinade

2-3 Organic Coriander Roots, roughly cut

2-3 Cloves of Organic Garlic, roughly cut

5-6 Pepper Corns

3 Tablespoons of Premium Fish Sauce (If you don't like Fish Sauce, 1 teaspoon of Sea Salt will do.)

2 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce

1 Teaspoon of Palm Sugar

Spicy (Dried) Chili Dipping Sauce
2-3 Tablespoons of Premium Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Organic Lime Juice

1 Tablespoon of Ground Roasted Rice

1 Teaspoon of Chili Flakes

2 Medium Shallot, sliced

Organic Long Leaves Thai Pasley, finely chopped

Organic Coriander Leaves & Spring Onion, finely chopped

Add all ingredients into an empty (Jam) Jar, put the lid on. Shake to mix well. Transfer into a small serving cup.

Garnish

Fresh Cucumber

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Fresh Basil Leaves

Fresh Thai Parsley Long Leaves

Preparation

Pound all ingredients together by using stone mortar and pestle. Add dried bits first, pound them till fine and later add the liquid ingredients, pound lightly to mix everything well. (If you want to save time, add everything in a food processor and press a button, there you have it.) Rub the pork with marinade mixture and keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours or over night.

Grill the marinated pork till cooked through. Cut into bite-sized pieces and serve with a cup of spicy chili dipping sauce, fresh green salad or fresh vegetables and black sticky rice. How easy peasy is this recipe... : )

Serve : 2-3

shrimp scampi pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Shrimp Scampi (with Yellow Lemon & Cherry Tomato) Pasta

This is another favourite pasta dish of mine. If you ever notice, I don't like pasta with cream sauce. I personally think that cream is too rich and too creamy for any savoury dishes. (To me, aromatic creamy food is good for dessert.) I like my pasta cooked very light and summery. (~~I, sometimes, cook creamy pasta for the kids though as they love it!)~~ The heaviest pasta dish that I ever cook for myself is/was with beef or lamb. (Heavy with protein not with cream.)

Anyway, I cooked this "Shrimp Scampi Pasta" last week. This pasta dish is very aromatic and delightful. The yellow lemon really brings out the best flavour of the shrimp. In Thailand, it is impossible to find fresh "Scampi/Langoustine". Therefore, I substituted it with fresh "Tiger Prawn" but I do like a word "Scampi". So, I keep its name in my recipe. You can cook it without tomato but I happen to love tomato. So, I put a lot of tomatoes in there. (Italian sun-dried tomato is also a good choice.)

Find below my simple recipe of "Shrimp Scampi Pasta". Its very refreshing but filling.

1 pound of dried pasta (Long form pasta ; Linguini, Capellini or Spaghetti)

16 medium / 8 big Tiger Prawns, peeled, de-veined and cleaned

4 cloves of organic Garlic, finely chopped or grated

1 cup of organic Tomato, roughly chopped (Cherry Tomato is as good / halved.)

1/4 cup of Shrimp Stock or White Wine

1/2 Yellow Lemon, juiced (Slice the 2nd half and keep one side for garnish.)

4-5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-2 tablespoons of Red Chili flakes

2-3 tablespoons of unsalted Butter, cut into cubes

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

For Garnish

1/2 Yellow Lemon, sliced (Lemon Zest if you prefer.)

Flat-leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
Italian Basil Leaves, roughly chopped (Optional)

Grated (Parmigiano-Reggiano) Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add plenty of salt. Add pasta, cook till al dente. Drain and return to the pot

Set a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and chopped garlic, fry till aromatic. Add tiger prawn, lemon juice, red chili flakes, sea salt, black pepper and 1/2 of butter. Stir-fry very quickly to combine everything well. Remove the prawn and keep one side. (Be careful not to over cook the prawns. If they turn pink, they are already cooked.) In the same saucepan, with remaining sauce, add white wine or shrimp stock. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add back the prawns, lemon slices, tomatoes and 2nd half of the butter. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Add pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Turn off the heat. Remove into serving plates and serve immediately.

Serve : 4

spaghetti aglio olio e pepercino

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Spaghetti AOP with Shimeji Mushroom.

As I mentioned in my last post that this month is a month of pasta. Therefore, I will post only pasta recipes. (I know that some of you prefer to read only Thai recipes in my blog but, at times, I am bored. I need distraction. Please, bear with me.)

Anyway, to me, Spaghetti AOP (Aglio Olio e Pepercino) is way too easy. I seriously think that it doesn't require any skills. Any (grown-up) one could be able to cook it. I personally like to cook it when I feel very lazy and I want a meal ready in 5 to 10 minutes. If you want to cook to impress someone with less effort this dish is the dish. All you have to do is to add "Mushroom" and/or "Shrimp". I choose "Shimeji" Mushroom because I like the way it presents itself on the plate. I really think this mushroom looks very clean, elegant and tasteful.

Find below my recipe which is inspired & combined by a few recipes from "The Silver Spoon - Pasta" Cookbook.

1 pound of dried Spaghetti or Capellini (Any kind of pasta that you like but I prefer long form pasta for this recipe.)

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Use the best quality that you could afford.)

1-2 tablespoons of organic Garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh organic Red Chili, chopped & de-seeded (You can always use dried chili flakes.)

1 cup of Shimeji Mushroom, cleaned

Sea Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper

For Garnish

Fresh flat-leaf Parsley, roughly chopped

Grated (Parmigiano-Reggiano) Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add plenty of salt. Add pasta, cook till al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

Set a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add garlic and red chili and cook till garlic is lightly browned. Add mushroom, sauté for a few minutes. Add a dash of sea salt and black pepper. Add cooked pasta and toss. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley, stir to mix well. Remove into serving plates. Sprinkle, if you like, with some grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (Some people like it plain without cheese.) Serve immediately.

Serve : 4-6

martha stewart's beef ragu with pasta recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:44:00 +0000

Beef Ragù with Pasta (Recipe by Martha Stewart)

Once in a while, if I happen to find time, I like to experiment recipes from my cookbooks collection. This month (~~and last month~~) happens to be a month of "Pasta". For some good reason, I crave for pasta and I have tried many recipes from my favourite cookbooks ; "The Silver Spoon - Pasta", "The River Cafe - Classic Italian" and "Martha Stewart's" (She is actually not that much of my favourite but I guess I am brain-washed by watching her TV programs 4 days in every week for over a year now).

Anyway, last week, one of my very best mates came for dinner. I was in mood of cooking. So, I cooked her a 3-course-dinner. She was all happy and satisfied with my cooking skill. I opened a few decent bottles of "Merlot" for her and the evening was absolutely divine. Our main course was "Beef Ragù with Penne" (Bangkok was very cold last week. Its 18-19 degrees Celsius. Therefore, I think it was very appropriate to cook a winter dish.) The dish was very hearty and delicious. I personally think that it would be even better if I served it with "Chianti" but unfortunately, I didn't have any "Chianti" on hand that night.

This original recipe is picked from Martha's website as, to me, it feels very home-cooked, very easy, & very simple (It matches my cooking concept perfectly.). Find below a recipe of Martha's which is modified a little by me.

Beef Rump (Beef pieces for Stew - about 3 pounds)

Sea Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper

1/4 cup of Olive Oil

3 medium Onions, halved, then cut crosswise into slices

4 cloves of Garlic, crushed and finely chopped

1 pound of Cremini Mushroom, sliced (If you can't find Cremini, Champignon Mushroom will do - I think they are almost the same type of mushroom.)

3 tablespoons of fresh Oregano leaves, roughly chopped
1 can (28 ounces) Italian Tomatoes with juices, whole peeled

2 cups of dry Red Wine

1/2 teaspoon of Red Pepper flakes

1 pound of Penne or other Tubular pasta

For Garnish

Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese, shaved
Flat-leaf Parsley, chopped

Preparation

Season the beef pieces with sea salt and black pepper.

Set a large cast-iron-casserole (mine is a lovely blue colour from Le Creuset.) over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, and then brown the beef pieces on all sides. When the beef is done, remove from the casserole and keep one side.

In the same casserole, add sliced onion, stir till cooked through. Add garlic, mushroom, oregano and salt, stir for a few minutes. Add red wine and red pepper flakes. Return the beef pieces into the casserole and add tomato mixture. Braise till the beef is fork-tender, about 4 hours.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add plenty of salt. Add pasta, cook till al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

Toss pasta with the sauce, transfer to serving plates. Top with pieces of beef, garnish with shaved Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese. Sprinkle with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh oregano.

Serve : 4-6

pork spare ribs , pickled chinese cabbage , bitter melon & chinese black mushroom soup

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:13:00 +0000

Pork Spare Ribs, Pickled Chinese Cabbage, Bitter Melon & Chinese Black Mushroom Soup : ต้มกระดูกหมู(อ่อน)ใส่ผักกาดดอง มะระและเห็ดหอมสด

This dish is always in my most favourite dishes. I am not sure why it has become my favourite. I guess it has something to do with my childhood and another reason could be the tangy flavour which comes from the pickled cabbage that keeps me addicted. (If you read my blog for quite a while, you should know by now that I love eating something tangy.)

Find below my recipe which is modified a little from my mum's original recipe.

1/2 kilo of Pork Spare Ribs (Free Range is preferred.)

2 cups of organic Pickled Chinese Cabbage, cut

1 cup of fresh organic Bitter Melon, cut

1/2 cup of fresh "Shiitake Mushroom" aka " Chinese Black Mushroom" (If you can't be able to find fresh ones, then dried ones will do as well.)

3 cloves of Garlic, crushed

2-3 Coriander Roots, crushed & cleaned

3 tablespoons of organic Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon of Black Peppercorn
4-5 cups of Chicken Stock (Home-made is preferred.)
Sea Salt

Garnish

Organic Coriander Leaves

Preparation

Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add water and bring to the boil. Add bitter melon and leave to cook for 5 minutes. Drain and remove the bitter melon pieces into cold water. (Keep repeating the same process for a few times if the bitter melon is still very bitter.) Drain and keep them one side.

Set another large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add crushed coriander roots, crushed garlic, black pepper corn and pork spare ribs. Leave to simmer for over an hour or till the ribs becoming very soft and tender. Add pickled Chinese cabbage and bitter melon. Simmer for another 15-30 minutes. (This depends on how you like your vegetable cooked. If you like them soft, then you should leave them simmered for 30 minutes or longer but if you like them a little crunchy and firm then 15 minutes will do.) Add soy sauce. Taste if more seasoning is needed. (This soup should taste 50% tangy, 25% sweet & 25% salty.) Add Chinese black mushroom and turn off the heat. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve hot with a cup of steamed whole-grain rice.

Voila! Now you have delicious hot & light soup to keep you warm on a cold night.

Serve : 3-4

fried-rice served with fried egg

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Thai fried-rice served with fried egg : ข้าวผัด (ไก่, หมู, หรือ เนื้อ) ไข่ดาว

I have been ill (I have a terrible cold.) for almost 2 weeks now. I think of my Mum's dishes a lot something like "Kao Dtom", "Chicken Noodle Soup" or "Kao Phad".... You know.. Comfort food that she cooked for me when I was ill.

Call me an odd person, somehow, I don't like my "fried-rice" cooked too dry like in those Thai and Chinese restaurants. I think it has something to do with my mum's recipe. Her "fried-rice" is always very moist and soft. Its very delicious. Therefore, I am programed to like my "fried-rice" cooked very moist and soft just like my mum's.

Find below my very own version of "fried-rice"

1 cup of meat (chicken, pork, beef or seafood)

2 cups of steamed organic rice (I personally prefer whole-grain rice.)

1/2 cup of organic Tomato, sliced

1 cup of organic Chinese Kale. sliced

1/2 cup of organic Mushroom (Optional)

2 cloves of organic Garlic, crushed and chopped

1 medium organic Onion, sliced

2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil, extra light and mild

2-3 tablespoons of Oyster Sauce

2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon of Seasoning Sauce

A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar

2 organic Eggs

Garnish
.

Fresh organic coriander leaves, chopped

Fresh organic cucumber, sliced

Fried egg

Lime (cut into wedges)

Preparation
.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Wait till the wok is becoming hot (but not too hot though), then add olive oil and then chopped garlic. Fry till the garlic is aromatic. Add onion and meat (pork/chicken/beef or seafood : whatever you fancy), stir-fry till the meat is almost cooked through. Add tomato, Chinese kale, and mushroom. Stir-fry to mix everything well. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, seasoning sauce and a dash of sugar. Add steamed rice and stir-fry to mix everything well. Add egg, leave for a few minutes for the egg to set a little. Then stir-fry to mix everything well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Remove into a serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve with with "fried-egg", fresh organic cucumber, a few of lime wedges and a small cup of "nahm pla prik".
.

Serve : 2-3

salmon fillet with spicy green mango salad

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:47:00 +0000

Salmon Fillet served with Spicy Green Mango Salad : ปลาซาลมอนทอดยำมะม่วง

This dish is one of my "PMS" dishes. I mean it helps to ease PMS when my hormones is running wild inside of me. I seem to intensely crave for food that's spicy, tangy and salty altogether... something like "Som Tum" or any spicy salad dish aka "Yum" (I know that I should limit "salt" intake but what can I do. I can't resist. I am helpless as I am just a woman with PMS... you know what I mean.)

This dish is very simple and easy. It takes 10 minutes to prep and then 5 minutes to put everything together. Its light and it has all of bold flavours in one dish. To me, its just perfect. Find below my recipe

2 Salmon Fillets (Premium Quality is preferred.)

1 Medium Organic Green Mango, peeled & then julienned

1/2 Cup of Roasted Cashew Nuts

3-4 Medium Red Shallots, thinly sliced

3-4 Red & Green Bird-eye Chilies, thinly sliced

1-2 Tablespoons of Organic Lime Juice (Depends on how tangy the raw mango is)

2-3 Tablespoons of Premium Quality Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Extra light & mild)

1 Tablespoon of Sugar Syrup (made from un-refine Brown Sugar is preferred.)

Organic Coriander Leaves

Preparation

You can choose to grill or fry the fish. (Note : Normally, in Thailand, "Big-eye Trevally" fish is popularly used in this dish - its called "Pla Samlee" in Thai and the dish is called "Pla Samlee Yum Mamuang" but this time, I replaced it with salmon as I like salmon better with Omega 3 thing. ) I did choose to fry it lightly with olive oil. Brush both sides of the salmon fillet with olive oil and seasoning with sea salt and ground black pepper. Set a saucepan over medium-low heat, wait till becoming hot (but not too hot) . Place salmon fillet into a pan skin-side down. Fry slowly till the skin is crispy. Turn and leave to cook to your liking.( I personally don't like to over-cook salmon.) Remove from a saucepan and keep one side.

In a small mixing bowl, add sugar syrup, fish sauce, lime juice & chopped chilies. Whisk to combine everything well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. (It should taste sweet, tangy, spicy and then a little salty. Then again there is no definite rule as its your salad. You should cook/dress it to your liking.) Then add some julienned green mango and sliced shallot. Keep one side.

In a serving plate, place a fried salmon fillet on a bed of julienned green mango. (If you couldn't be able to find Thai green mango, any kind of raw mango will do. You can, as well, use green apple but you won't get an original taste of this dish.) Sprinkle with roasted cashew nuts and coriander leaves. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve immediately. This dish will satisfyingly make a nice & light lunch on your "PMS" day. Oh well, it does for me.

Serve : 2

spicy stir-fried straw mushroom and minced pork with basil leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 03:04:00 +0000

Spicy Stir-fried Straw Mushroom & Minced Pork with Holy Basil Leaves : ผัดกะเพราเห็ด (ใส่หมูสับและถั่วฝักยาว)

I love "Phad Ka-Prao" (I already posted a recipe on here with seafood.) and I think every(Thai)one loves it.

Lately, as I grow older, I try to watch my own health. I try to limit eating meat. (I mean I do love eating meat but I try to control how many grams should I eat in one day and one week.) I am not vegetarian and I definitely can't be. I know I can't stop eating meat. The best I could do is to try to limit meat & try to avoid (white) carbohydrate in my food and try to add lots of more vegetables. Last weekend, I went to a farmer market in my neighbourhood and found these plump, firm and fresh straw mushrooms which were picked in the morning. First, I thought that I want to cook "Dtom Yum" for dinner but then I found fresh organic holy basil leaves. So, I changed my mind. Hence, "Phad Ka-Prao Hed"

Find below my recipe of "Spicy Stir-fried Straw Mushroom & Minced Pork with Holy Basil Leaves"

8-10 organic plump, fresh & firm Straw Mushroom, cleaned & halved/quartered
1/2 cup of minced pork
1/4 cup of organic string Beans, chopped into tiny bits
2-3 cloves of Garlic, smashed and finely chopped
3-4 organic Red Bird-eye Chillies, smashed and finely chopped
A handful of organic Holy Basil Leaves
2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil, extra light & mild
2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon of Seasoning Sauce
2-3 tablespoons of Oyster Sauce
A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar
A few of big Red Chillies, de-seeded and thinly sliced

Preparation

Set a wok over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and wait till becoming hot (not too hot though). Add chopped garlic & chopped chillies, fry till aromatic (Careful : this process could be dangerous for those westerners who lack of experience with cooking spicy stir-fry as the hot-smoke which is caused by "frying-chili-in-hot-temperature" could harm your eyes and cause serious sneezing.) Add minced pork and chopped string bean, stir-fry till pork is almost cooked through. Add soy sauce, seasoning sauce, oyster sauce, and a dash of brown sugar. Add straw mushroom, stir-fry till everything is mixed well but make sure that you are fast and not to leave everything in the wok for too long as the crunchiness of string bean and firm texture of mushroom could be ruined by heat. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn of the heat. Sprinkle with holy basil leaves and sliced red chillies. Remove into a serving plate. Serve hot with "fried egg" and a cup of steamed whole grain rice.

Serve : 2

steak : zero carbs

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 03:40:00 +0000

Steak (cooked medium-rare) served with Organic Blanched French Green Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad

January is a month of being on diet to me (New Year Resolutions). Being in my 30s, my metabolism does not work as fast as it used to be. Therefore, I have gained lots of kilos.

I have been reading lots of books about diet (Atkins, Dukan, South-Beach, Low-Carb, Metabolism Miracle, ect,.) I have learnt from these books that nothing can be good for me directly or solely. I have to bring out a little of each thing from these books to make it my own way to make it works for me.

Anyway, I start to limit (white) carbohydrate, salt & sugar intake (I only eat whole-grain / 7-9 grain/ whole meal-brown carbohydrate.) and eat more protein (not over eating though) & vegetables (Try to choose/mix lots of natural-coloured vegetables). Find below my recipe of easy & simple steak.

60-70 g. of Steak (Sirloin/Tenderloin - any cut that you like but try to avoid fat)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Sea Salt (Try not to put too much of salt.)

Preparation

Rub both sides of steak with olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. This is very simple but its the best way of cooking steak. (You don't want to over-power the natural taste of the meat by putting to much of herbs or seasoning but if you happened to have a bottle of premium "Truffle Oil" stored in your pantry then feel free to drizzle a few drops on your steak. It will make a big different.)

Set a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, wait till becoming very hot. Cook the steak to your liking. (Mine is preferably cooked between "rare" to "medium-rare") Remove from the skillet. Leave to rest for 5 minutes (Once the heat transfer is completed during resting period, this steak will achieve "the Perfect Steak" - tender & juicy.). Serve with your choice of side salad or vegetables. (I will post my recipes of side salad here later.)

ramen bankara

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Ramen Bankara : An authentic taste of real Japanese ramen in Bangkok

I meant to write about "Ramen Bankara" a few years ago but I didn't get a chance to and later I forgot about posting this restaurant here completely. Anyway, in the past 2 years, there are many franchise of famous Japanese ramen chains from Tokyo (Yamagoya Ramen & Bankara Ramen) open their branches in Bangkok. We (Bangkokian) love Japanese food. So, these (yummy) famous ramen chains are more than welcome to be here in our city.

Bankara is very famous in Tokyo. It promises to bring a taste of real ramen to Bangkokian. (It actually does keep its promise.) It really gives an authentic feel and taste of Japanese food and atmosphere (even Chef Ian Kittichai seconds that.). There are 4 types of different ramen soup (ingredients) to choose from. There are 1) Bankara original ramen (very flavorful but very fatty & oily), 2) Tonkatsu ramen (pork bone is simmered for 1-2 days in order to achieve the unique out-come of cloudy white coloured broth.), 3) Tsugimen and 4) Miso ramen (my most favourite). Each type of ramen can be dressed with additional toppings like Kakuni (Japanese braised brown pork belly). Cha-shu (sliced Japanese pork), Nori (dried seaweed), vegetables and different sized of noodles.

I personally do love Ramen, especially in winter time. A good big bowl of hot & hearty ramen soup really warms your tum and that feeling is warmly awesome. (You gotta try it yourself to know what I mean.) Although, I don't go there as often as I want to (This is mainly because their ramen soup is too rich & too fatty for a woman in her 30s like me. Oh well, you know what I mean...), Ramen Bankara is definitely one of my favourite ramen places in Bangkok.

Ramen Bankara

32/1, The Manor

Sukhumvit Soi 39,

Bangkok 10110

T : 02 662 5162-3

Opening Time : 10.00am - 23.00pm

(Last order is at 22.30pm.)

spicy rustic thai anchovy-relish served with boiled eggs and fresh mixed veggies

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:17:00 +0000

Nahm Prik Plara : น้ำพริกปลาร้า (เสิร์ฟกับไข่ต้มและผักสด)

Last weekend, I really missed "Nahm Prik Plara" that mum used to cook at home. I don't normally cook "Plara" not that I hate it or something but because I don't know where to get good "Plara" from. One of my good mates is from Isaan. Therefore, she always has good "Plara" stored in her fridge. I asked her to come over for dinner and asked her to bring a good cup of cooked "Nahm Plara" (She boiled it first and then (double) drained well and kept only fine "Plara" liquid in a cup.) So, I could put this rustic relish together and we could have delicious dinner together at my place.

Find below my recipe of this rustic spicy Thai anchovy relish "aka" Nahm Prik Plara

2 tablespoons of Plara liquid, boiled & drained well (You can always add as much as you like.)

1 fillet of sea-bass, poached/cooked

2-4 of organic red chilies, roasted & peeled

2-4 of organic green chilies, roasted & peeled

3-4 of organic red Shallots, roasted & peeled

2-3 of organic garlic, roasted & peeled

2-3 tablespoons of premium fish sauce

2-3 tablespoons of organic lime juice

A dash of un-refined brown sugar

3-4 organic eggs, boiled & halved

Fresh organic coriander leaves & spring onion

Lots of mixed organic fresh or boiled vegetables (You can serve this delicious rustic relish with lots of vegetables that you like.)

Preparation

Pound roasted red & green chilies (I used mixed chilies because I want to achieve mixed colour in my relish but if you like only green or red. You can choose to use only one colour of chili.), roasted red shallots and roasted garlic by using stone mortar & pestle till almost fine. Add fish fillet, pound roughly till mixed well. Add plara liquid, fish sauce, lime juice & a dash of brown sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander leaves & spring onion. Remove into a serving cup. Serve in a platter with mixed fresh or boiled organic vegetables and halved boiled eggs or fried pork and a good cup of steamed whole grain rice.

Serve : 2-3

yaki udon

noreply@blogger.com (Riya) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:57:00 +0000

Yaki Udon : Stir-fried Japanese Rice Noodle with Mixed Vegetables

After a New Year blast, what I want is simple food - something low calorie with lots of vegetables. Yaki Udon/Soba comes to mind.

This dish is very easy to cook. You can put only greens in there and its very delicious on its own. (If you are on diet then you can cut sugar out as well.) When you are too lazy to cook something fancy then you know that this Japanese stir-fry noodle is something you are going to cook as you can simply throw (any left-over) whatever in your fridge in a wok and there you have it. You know what I mean...

Anyway, find below my Yaki Udon/Soba recipe

2 Packs of fresh Udon or Soba (if you can't find fresh Udon. Dried Udon will do.)

1/2 Organic Onion, sliced

1 Organic Carrot, julienned

1 Organic Chinese Cabbage, chopped
1 Pack of Organic Japanese Mushrooms, cleaned (Shimeji is preferred.)

1 Pack of Organic (left-over from X'mas / New Year) Ham or Pork or Chicken

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Extra light & mild)

2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce (Organic is preferred)

1 Tablespoon of Mirin

1 Tablespoon of Organic Ginger, finely grated (Optional)

1 Tablespoon of Sake (Optional)

Sea Salt & Pepper (To taste)

A pinch of Un-refined Brown Sugar (Optional)

A dash of Sesame Oil (Organic is preferred)

A few sheets of dried Japanese Seaweed, finely sliced (Optional)

Preparation

Mix soy sauce, sake, mirin and brown sugar in a bowl, keep one side. Set a wok over medium-high heat. Add olive oil in a wok and later add sliced onion and grated ginger, stir-fry till onion is soften. (I really like adding grated ginger in my Yaki Udon/Soba. I just love the smell of ginger.) Then add ham and carrot, stir-fry till carrot is almost cooked through. Add sliced cabbage & mushroom. Add Udon noodles and a cup of pre-mixed sauces. Stir-fry to mix everything well. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper, stir-fry to mix everything well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Remove into a serving plate. Sprinkle with sliced dried-seaweed. Serve immediately.

Serve : 2