tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3851437060270434002024-02-02T00:52:37.083-08:00The Cook's Broth.... HAS MOVED TO: andyoliverchef.comwww.andyoliverchef.comAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-497999375617376972011-11-28T10:14:00.000-08:002011-11-28T10:14:49.220-08:00NEW WEBSITE<b>The Cook's Broth has moved to <a href="http://www.andyoliverchef.com/">www.andyoliverchef.com</a></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>It's a new and improved version of this blog, focusing on Thai food.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>No more posts will appear here (and this site will be shut down soon enough). </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>So please head over there and have a look, I hope you'll like what you find.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Andy </b><br />
<b><br />
</b>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-89776973728345438832011-08-26T04:33:00.000-07:002011-08-26T04:33:32.098-07:00Secrett's Thai fest in Surrey<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quick one to say am off to a Thai festival on a farm in Surrey tomorrow...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's in aid of an amazing cause - stopping child prostitution in Thailand through education (causes don't get much better methinks). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See here <a href="http://www.muditatrust.com/amazing-thailand.html">http://www.muditatrust.com/amazing-thailand.html</a> and here <a href="http://www.secretts.co.uk/events.htm">http://www.secretts.co.uk/events.htm</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come down, and if you can't, then perhaps have a look Mudita's website <a href="http://www.muditatrust.com/">http://www.muditatrust.com</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andy</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-86761941969074312512011-08-19T08:22:00.000-07:002011-08-19T08:24:19.036-07:00theloftproject<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly apologies for my awful lack of love for my blog of late....it's not that i've given up on it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the contrary: i'm actually in the process of pimping up my blog and website and bringing them together. So watch this space!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, in the meantime here's something i want to bang on about a bit: I'm going to be doing The Loft Project in late September, along with a mate - Mark (the sous chef at Nahm).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's basically a special private dining space owned by Nuno Mendes of <a href="http://www.viajante.co.uk/">Viajante</a>. Top chefs from all over the world cook - there doing multi course menus for a single table of 16 diners. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhUbv1smHGwflmmx4kcJsSuS6uBXuzL72Y4UkB78fxKy61KktvtpFzPpRODqUzg5mfvac0TB8c-vpJLmJgEDaenRtuNwEa_2TTmGMrjVrzWcROWDtfDmZx8ASqipV6ejX7kWwCJ69O7w/s1600/CT_045630_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhUbv1smHGwflmmx4kcJsSuS6uBXuzL72Y4UkB78fxKy61KktvtpFzPpRODqUzg5mfvac0TB8c-vpJLmJgEDaenRtuNwEa_2TTmGMrjVrzWcROWDtfDmZx8ASqipV6ejX7kWwCJ69O7w/s320/CT_045630_web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TheLoftProject </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are doing two nights - the 23rd and 24th of Sept. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food will be <i>at least</i> 8 courses of Southeast Asian food, plus canapes and petit fours. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're going to be finding the best & most interesting Asian ingredients. smuggling some things from Bangkok and combining it all with some of the best British meat & seafood. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I urge you to come! See here for more info and to book: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.theloftproject.co.uk/whats-on/">http://www.theloftproject.co.uk/whats-on/</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We've been working on it for a few weeks already, coming up with ideas and testing dishes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's our example menu:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #dfd9cb;"></span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Canapes*</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kanom 'taco', grilled pork, pickled ginger flower & chilli jam</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Powdered trout, crispy shallots, cold watermelon</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Menu*</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Som saa cured scallop, lemongrass, orange chilli & mint</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grilled cured pork, crisp quail egg & white turmeric salad</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Duck broth, green melon & chanterelles</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red curry, harlequin squash & green papaya</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salad of Thai herbs, snake-head fruit, tamarind & sesame</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lobster, grilled coconut relish, Thai basil</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Braised beef cheek, bamboo & pickled Vietnamese vegetables</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warm perfumed coconut cream, tapioca pearls, jackfruit doughnut</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*Petit fours*</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mango 'gnuan', teenage coconut</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(223, 217, 203) !important; margin-bottom: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lychee, iced jasmine and pandanus syrup</span></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-12699274430403665242011-07-18T15:08:00.000-07:002011-07-18T15:12:19.792-07:00Final snaps from latest Thailand trip - assorted southern food<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHG2fis-qxYQogYbYWFr8ZlaSxrWGvyq2VIV81L3vyp_6N6qy7VbEleDKepCYUHQvIjsmux01ASv9fH4vRMHQJENiCtDM1yMmTfbjR7QzregeGycBq84aXj_B55R3gWJ5blhiocOa56rA/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHG2fis-qxYQogYbYWFr8ZlaSxrWGvyq2VIV81L3vyp_6N6qy7VbEleDKepCYUHQvIjsmux01ASv9fH4vRMHQJENiCtDM1yMmTfbjR7QzregeGycBq84aXj_B55R3gWJ5blhiocOa56rA/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">roti mataba - delicious crisp roti with ground spiced beef, accompanied by a sweet - sour ajut </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPFapOQbhnPTWBkAYe7xq9_gl307eeqqVVmwuh0SmF5tEDRT6uutZpcHQzcZVa0R5UWlbwvdo6-9OflBdPc1MmZQFV_g9thN7t9EpsQ9NvbB4vkecJ82BZR82RkaTMTKbpAeV4GE4k4/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhPFapOQbhnPTWBkAYe7xq9_gl307eeqqVVmwuh0SmF5tEDRT6uutZpcHQzcZVa0R5UWlbwvdo6-9OflBdPc1MmZQFV_g9thN7t9EpsQ9NvbB4vkecJ82BZR82RkaTMTKbpAeV4GE4k4/s320/IMG_0854.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gaeng tai plaa - southern, very hot, very pungent curry which involves fish innards. served here with vegetables and kanom jeen noodles, it IS good, just in moderation!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosiQvjvRt5ZVRYGv3AzweeQEvn0n22c71dSjIHNi9p1JK6HAenlCKEb1sGQCbi2bFSBeAEEdwUa__FfcsxiC8KC3oHmb_Gz4MUXBkP0A0tIvmEwM9j3d3eBdf7kdH9vdJHd8XXJ7C-nE/s1600/IMG_0868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosiQvjvRt5ZVRYGv3AzweeQEvn0n22c71dSjIHNi9p1JK6HAenlCKEb1sGQCbi2bFSBeAEEdwUa__FfcsxiC8KC3oHmb_Gz4MUXBkP0A0tIvmEwM9j3d3eBdf7kdH9vdJHd8XXJ7C-nE/s320/IMG_0868.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">brilliant example of khao yam - southern rice salad, including three types of rice, prawn floss, pomelo, lime leaves, toasted coconut, green mango, lemon grass...etc etc</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL-yWMQg7Dgr_dQYruXvsEw19zo8c9XlC9iLbOHXaQD0YeuDiScfHPv7q6EFrRUXi61KyYln_vrb9IUxToLqzJRapnwb3HB_aXnEae8hTX6eo3eQfgn1SzwOAW2m6uFbXHtsIC1j0lQc/s1600/IMG_0871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL-yWMQg7Dgr_dQYruXvsEw19zo8c9XlC9iLbOHXaQD0YeuDiScfHPv7q6EFrRUXi61KyYln_vrb9IUxToLqzJRapnwb3HB_aXnEae8hTX6eo3eQfgn1SzwOAW2m6uFbXHtsIC1j0lQc/s320/IMG_0871.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">khao yam from above, including amazing herb garnish to be picked at along side</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sGyUTxcapk1w8TfTXRtRPs12dWJmMufJ9jCjoKX6NiwfVMQ_dtAxy8mPUYl6cDZ6dTXrw7tg3QIOXLHAlo8QYH-RQP6UWWk_eZ-A8MjeQnFHi-9FuqVLXxm1bUJ_jrMTPU8GXOimNxU/s1600/IMG_0878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sGyUTxcapk1w8TfTXRtRPs12dWJmMufJ9jCjoKX6NiwfVMQ_dtAxy8mPUYl6cDZ6dTXrw7tg3QIOXLHAlo8QYH-RQP6UWWk_eZ-A8MjeQnFHi-9FuqVLXxm1bUJ_jrMTPU8GXOimNxU/s320/IMG_0878.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fritters of whole shrimp - a common dish but this version - found in Trang evening market - was the best i've tried. served with a zingy nam jim. it was amazing</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufHITtg1JbDCkmCsZHYNgLYPBM3C7SsEqS2Cf5c0yTiSrBa_tHJB9DZcj1u0Mtg_Ii9iLIC2xn99ckyPN1qqfhLiZlmOkBsWTBZgCW5EsnQ9MPgMmHoQWuW_Vf6tH0AcGDAKUZgVrvL8/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufHITtg1JbDCkmCsZHYNgLYPBM3C7SsEqS2Cf5c0yTiSrBa_tHJB9DZcj1u0Mtg_Ii9iLIC2xn99ckyPN1qqfhLiZlmOkBsWTBZgCW5EsnQ9MPgMmHoQWuW_Vf6tH0AcGDAKUZgVrvL8/s320/IMG_0890.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a lovely lady and her stand which specialises in a salad of pork skin, fermented pork and crispy rice balls. really good.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxq4i09KgyArzaZZOXV6lANO1sgfgihf2cFWkskdULcX3L7xeIwunvaIG1vVCzzUMXAIZHdgAJO77-nuA5iVEaLaN7Yl1I1OlOYfgcTSV43H5XO0kfBIzSQzbUBiAFO-cUEn8Iurrutw/s1600/IMG_0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxq4i09KgyArzaZZOXV6lANO1sgfgihf2cFWkskdULcX3L7xeIwunvaIG1vVCzzUMXAIZHdgAJO77-nuA5iVEaLaN7Yl1I1OlOYfgcTSV43H5XO0kfBIzSQzbUBiAFO-cUEn8Iurrutw/s320/IMG_0904.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trang is famous for it's moo yang (grilled pork) which is in fact more a marinated and roasted whole pig, often eaten with dim sum believe it or not (legacy of chinese communities which settled there)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vCbn4zXD2rL4w6hRGNn3j-cg4jmhwvqIk-6tFe3EBm1p34dfla3PFvxi18Ikfo2p4E0xUpZiv9THx-eVNdzx6F20goXtG7yxMT_5PCgeqVRwz4gpocFCUyBJlc9385a7mczAeftZxy4/s1600/IMG_0918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vCbn4zXD2rL4w6hRGNn3j-cg4jmhwvqIk-6tFe3EBm1p34dfla3PFvxi18Ikfo2p4E0xUpZiv9THx-eVNdzx6F20goXtG7yxMT_5PCgeqVRwz4gpocFCUyBJlc9385a7mczAeftZxy4/s320/IMG_0918.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">southern curries - yellow curry of fish and pineapple, plus southern version of the famous massaman </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcnHOlGfChp-IhyeOcRYDinETejyMNuhTdq30d6sGrPibnOSTF1Qe0vNzbso-TdN3TIUyTq_hrPAJyDN-OGdI2OlwnV6goPl5wgixfkz5DVGFN509XQF6mwg72BrHDxjn-8_z46BrYao/s1600/IMG_0929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcnHOlGfChp-IhyeOcRYDinETejyMNuhTdq30d6sGrPibnOSTF1Qe0vNzbso-TdN3TIUyTq_hrPAJyDN-OGdI2OlwnV6goPl5wgixfkz5DVGFN509XQF6mwg72BrHDxjn-8_z46BrYao/s320/IMG_0929.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gaeng gari gai (indian influenced chicken curry) with roti</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD-QCXxH3BTWwBXeAiTd5COz8PvlofdBRDTNJnoiK0oflQqxqQ5Sayo0f7rBcwRz_bmpXynmI2c6E1LPbFr671Yrjad9i8DwEQfGj6pZjQscebpcEHK1BHXXRRQ3-35T1HdIA0ykpuSM/s1600/IMG_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFD-QCXxH3BTWwBXeAiTd5COz8PvlofdBRDTNJnoiK0oflQqxqQ5Sayo0f7rBcwRz_bmpXynmI2c6E1LPbFr671Yrjad9i8DwEQfGj6pZjQscebpcEHK1BHXXRRQ3-35T1HdIA0ykpuSM/s320/IMG_0930.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">khao mok gai - southern Thai style rice pilaf with chicken and sweet nam jim</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqBgi4DFkXOS_a7Pk5Srpe6z8r5S93BOPcd_38LLBoNkyfYSU6OE2PUuXvGQhIEfsDIZsyGbGTi-Rbw-CCOmdra6KQCWmRnDT4NdFhTwEdoi2BldI731-e1XTfryGAGCVBDvQoRQlV94/s1600/IMG_0932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqBgi4DFkXOS_a7Pk5Srpe6z8r5S93BOPcd_38LLBoNkyfYSU6OE2PUuXvGQhIEfsDIZsyGbGTi-Rbw-CCOmdra6KQCWmRnDT4NdFhTwEdoi2BldI731-e1XTfryGAGCVBDvQoRQlV94/s320/IMG_0932.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">an amazing muslim beef soup, using dried spices, soured from lime juice and tomatoes and sprinkled with crispy shallots</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-67028780782849510542011-07-03T07:37:00.000-07:002011-07-03T12:29:05.658-07:00More snaps - market in Chumphon, Southern Thailand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2AXG03b-UQmRGgYmxY-wPh1mbhFX_Bwi2xBpv69TyNl7H72rzVVVy5Uu1oKrHffzHby4qH53FPGgKRrw5EykJb54TW63G2l3XEYMLZuZldf72lx8XXzSfk4ooSDwXMgGZP81WnCd3ck/s1600/IMG_0766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2AXG03b-UQmRGgYmxY-wPh1mbhFX_Bwi2xBpv69TyNl7H72rzVVVy5Uu1oKrHffzHby4qH53FPGgKRrw5EykJb54TW63G2l3XEYMLZuZldf72lx8XXzSfk4ooSDwXMgGZP81WnCd3ck/s400/IMG_0766.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different grades of gapi (shrimp paste)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MSIrMkX9hi8akpTfBC1oM8Xpv1mYfbqSc3pTcA6Ilc0iLI-1vZESyJPk6ypcnaRzkbGjyfAeXnAkj796XdC7DIje7TP1GnTA0pKn3YNWfKkW-A_EMjIjw3aau5DDgdEycmqEX_gJzNs/s1600/IMG_0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MSIrMkX9hi8akpTfBC1oM8Xpv1mYfbqSc3pTcA6Ilc0iLI-1vZESyJPk6ypcnaRzkbGjyfAeXnAkj796XdC7DIje7TP1GnTA0pKn3YNWfKkW-A_EMjIjw3aau5DDgdEycmqEX_gJzNs/s400/IMG_0772.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boiled young jackfruit & banana blossom ready to be eaten with nam priks, put in curries soups or wot not</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Y4dSVddkZFaDRojgOav15PFnc_aWwrX5m8slWICDtc5UkLuVECdZmp1MXtDdtxOM5xRkoX6W34KRUFgLDs1K3d-ynNL8HotF-1OP9qtwipgdRrRzLbbqWa-P06n8w-1XZkUq3nDbBCc/s1600/IMG_0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Y4dSVddkZFaDRojgOav15PFnc_aWwrX5m8slWICDtc5UkLuVECdZmp1MXtDdtxOM5xRkoX6W34KRUFgLDs1K3d-ynNL8HotF-1OP9qtwipgdRrRzLbbqWa-P06n8w-1XZkUq3nDbBCc/s400/IMG_0776.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not too sure on this one....a type of morning glory at a guess</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgcYII_hh1z4I1GiPcVyfm8MukZ-JJCLLTyheLpU2LJcBIstmMfug4Oerc1VOm8Ufi0zqIfW8XEGP_hXY997lrfp0YeO5INB49Mh7o9qyGxbi2dEhJvRoj3WA3CYz-sCaKvU-FI0riSw/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgcYII_hh1z4I1GiPcVyfm8MukZ-JJCLLTyheLpU2LJcBIstmMfug4Oerc1VOm8Ufi0zqIfW8XEGP_hXY997lrfp0YeO5INB49Mh7o9qyGxbi2dEhJvRoj3WA3CYz-sCaKvU-FI0riSw/s400/IMG_0778.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young tamarind leaves, and in the background grachai</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8tvho1-jfpoAxlk6OeA-RBp84TbyDAwKsuQbji78lq7QM6udrBmgcNXMituCb1TuEUksKQM2ofMn4e5TCerGbcbiKiZMxrglAiuB19RIEr78kzAvgUNp-LRSzHjOHfNngkd6bMohbJ4/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8tvho1-jfpoAxlk6OeA-RBp84TbyDAwKsuQbji78lq7QM6udrBmgcNXMituCb1TuEUksKQM2ofMn4e5TCerGbcbiKiZMxrglAiuB19RIEr78kzAvgUNp-LRSzHjOHfNngkd6bMohbJ4/s400/IMG_0780.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai fern, and a Thai lady</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNnMrMl-0mH4jZpr_E5jBpCf_bjk6YEl_ItDPPfu9htmKZhxZs-Xl-FLHICP3tn80VMBNwWH8wGZ065eRHTgUgw3Ix7vdM_hyPwakOlCykOQgPCWKNrab2RFMXzA0rGy3_rjikZmupnk/s1600/IMG_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNnMrMl-0mH4jZpr_E5jBpCf_bjk6YEl_ItDPPfu9htmKZhxZs-Xl-FLHICP3tn80VMBNwWH8wGZ065eRHTgUgw3Ix7vdM_hyPwakOlCykOQgPCWKNrab2RFMXzA0rGy3_rjikZmupnk/s400/IMG_0784.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asian pennywort, a Thai herb, sometimes eaten with nam prik, also made in to a refreshing drink</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrW0J40lH4SX_WI5c3Ey9qRKGQVOtv_I_dE7zEeIGxHCn_4cdnQ55DCMzberJebY67KBIeGtsiqUZr-dBkyRz6TLFKL-82MrYQnlEOlY53ZE021EHLIXVrrDAeXBQbCPiW02PVGuxGnI/s1600/IMG_0787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrW0J40lH4SX_WI5c3Ey9qRKGQVOtv_I_dE7zEeIGxHCn_4cdnQ55DCMzberJebY67KBIeGtsiqUZr-dBkyRz6TLFKL-82MrYQnlEOlY53ZE021EHLIXVrrDAeXBQbCPiW02PVGuxGnI/s400/IMG_0787.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very sour little number...madang I think it's called</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWKpwelbFpfO2cd_tTKlKJVfetE8AYsQH06i-YYqj7nw8yLIXp3TviFUPo_3Li2i8s1GsHMYTLP0oNuCgzTSw4H-nqXVqXFfjLk9DRVF7cHS9BmsCj9vikjyCVx8rqxLmv9vAeeGasMY/s1600/IMG_0789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWKpwelbFpfO2cd_tTKlKJVfetE8AYsQH06i-YYqj7nw8yLIXp3TviFUPo_3Li2i8s1GsHMYTLP0oNuCgzTSw4H-nqXVqXFfjLk9DRVF7cHS9BmsCj9vikjyCVx8rqxLmv9vAeeGasMY/s400/IMG_0789.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An abundance of stunningly fresh fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKh0cKiIleoFQCR3uMAzraHIPZo1yaruywHkGhn-aKbyxK0htQF0y0YsB5oNNkftrohj_1lgYTBAjV4Slo3EIEkMFZIcZSr9WL622Qt7yEd3oNnbPKEh7N19J5VUMQnxKzs-Z9HwKPXzA/s1600/IMG_0801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKh0cKiIleoFQCR3uMAzraHIPZo1yaruywHkGhn-aKbyxK0htQF0y0YsB5oNNkftrohj_1lgYTBAjV4Slo3EIEkMFZIcZSr9WL622Qt7yEd3oNnbPKEh7N19J5VUMQnxKzs-Z9HwKPXzA/s400/IMG_0801.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hor moks - steamed fish curries - being wrapped in banana leaves </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03uDKkBKpDOMIMhk0887v9jSsjPu42MJK_Uxd_kghW1mC99gucpaWfiR6KNug5ir1pDFDa3HKhIsgdBsF-UDXSgLSzF1lYmJi0bkyLtgbbpJETJfTwlp9Kdpu4pTNX9iIhWMdu_SBZjo/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi03uDKkBKpDOMIMhk0887v9jSsjPu42MJK_Uxd_kghW1mC99gucpaWfiR6KNug5ir1pDFDa3HKhIsgdBsF-UDXSgLSzF1lYmJi0bkyLtgbbpJETJfTwlp9Kdpu4pTNX9iIhWMdu_SBZjo/s400/IMG_0802.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The steamed hor mok...hot from the steamer,utterly delicious it was too</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI6cNX5KiBUB6Co65wCWH96l4smfKHgHF0XbaCJm7XoVpoAQtAhFoGLbN6Z3vYepC38Axfvx4iUOCo3u8H1XVfAYLTDm38d948YJcGq-62qqTi0m_gaTp_KNHQ_zcO7FITF8iONISswQ/s1600/IMG_0800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULNYzli5mT3AK9Ypa7mN6J5TkIh6kbpF1vGOvX32FxPeLreFeKqdiaJLKPKSbkGqoAHsK1pBiaTAKdWGhcXdGOsnufsXj4aBWEr_sFTEqtsfpfhMBjzuTc2Rkr0FCtEBtTMi9zGrLQA/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmULNYzli5mT3AK9Ypa7mN6J5TkIh6kbpF1vGOvX32FxPeLreFeKqdiaJLKPKSbkGqoAHsK1pBiaTAKdWGhcXdGOsnufsXj4aBWEr_sFTEqtsfpfhMBjzuTc2Rkr0FCtEBtTMi9zGrLQA/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a lady laughing at me after seeing me eat three of these hor moks in a row</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhv83ZLj2FLI2BEZH5IeebSBhc1Tw1Qxu6wAUjiQAroZmXrezeeXrcMuoJHUSLN8LSj80GbAe8_4vl-geWOXlA193BXUUGnP_WcoiVbA8AyTTNkzVvEtSNeM67sIK_Kt0bm2HrGjKEvdI/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhv83ZLj2FLI2BEZH5IeebSBhc1Tw1Qxu6wAUjiQAroZmXrezeeXrcMuoJHUSLN8LSj80GbAe8_4vl-geWOXlA193BXUUGnP_WcoiVbA8AyTTNkzVvEtSNeM67sIK_Kt0bm2HrGjKEvdI/s320/IMG_0809.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friendly locals selling sadtor beans ('stinky' beans, which get stir fried with prawns and gapi, among other things)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-20552816593422877732011-06-12T11:28:00.000-07:002011-06-12T11:28:03.071-07:00Northern Thai style pork rib curryHere's a recipe for a Northern Thai style pork curry. It's something I've eaten in and around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Mai">Chiang Mai</a>, and, on my latest trip, had an especially good version at great restaurant a bit out of the city (where I was taken by Robyn and Dave, the v.knowledgeable and lovely people behind <a href="http://eatingasia.typepad.com/">EatingAsia</a>).<br />
<br />
The version we had contained young jackfruit, which, when cooked until tender, is an absolutely delicious artichoke-like vegetable addition and works really well with the pork in this dish.<br />
<br />
It's a red curry in that the paste is deep red due to the dried long red chillies pounded into it, but it's not like the red curry most people will be familiar with. Why? Well mainly because a) there's no coconut cream used, and b) the paste has much fewer ingredients in and is boiled, not fried.<br />
<br />
So if you're craving that classic ubiquitous style of Thai red curry then this isn't it. <br />
<br />
But if you want to try something different i.e a slightly spicy, pork and vegetable curry with clean flavours and a richness of good dried chilli, then give this one a go. To me it's a great introduction to the style of some Northern Thai dishes.<br />
<br />
The day I made this wasn't a great shopping day for SEAsian ingredients in London; no young jackfruit nor cha-om (a slightly stinky herb that works really well in this dish). The veggies I used instead where: red shallots, bamboo, apple aubergine and cherry tomatoes, it still worked out pretty tasty and satisfying. <br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Ingredients (makes enough curry for 4):</b><br />
<b> </b><b> </b><br />
<ul><li> 400g of good quality pork ribs, cut through the bone into chunks</li>
<li>3-4 apple aubergines, cut into bite sized chunks</li>
<li>5 or 6 small Asian shallots, peeled</li>
<li> 100g of bamboo shoots or boiled heart of bamboo, cut into bite sized chunks </li>
<li>10 - 12 cherry tomatoes</li>
<li>Seasoning: sea salt and perhaps a splash of fish sauce, plus possibly a pinch of white sugar</li>
</ul><b>Paste:</b> <br />
<ul><li>5-6 long dried red chillies, de-seeded & soaked in water for 20mins</li>
<li>2 sticks of lemon grass, sliced (save the trims) </li>
<li>2 tablespoons of chopped galangal</li>
<li>3 small Asian shallots, chopped</li>
<li> 3 garlic cloves, chopped</li>
<li> 1 good teaspoon of gapi (shrimp paste) </li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbrKKmuVxC9yVwyD1U1p3vjQQMFu9xpmFkOVhneGkNjbX6pk8bT4ue7hW6BsQdbi-iPvmfVa4kuB7z4y6CB4k2y8MlhKKAcDCvRRWZUpnsofyfkNXK2AYVrqIVKfEK6dR2-aZFBuoI9c/s1600/IMG_0951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbrKKmuVxC9yVwyD1U1p3vjQQMFu9xpmFkOVhneGkNjbX6pk8bT4ue7hW6BsQdbi-iPvmfVa4kuB7z4y6CB4k2y8MlhKKAcDCvRRWZUpnsofyfkNXK2AYVrqIVKfEK6dR2-aZFBuoI9c/s400/IMG_0951.JPG" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
<br />
<ol><li>Make the paste by pounding the ingredients one by one in a pestle and mortar until fairly smooth (tips here are: start with a pinch of sea salt and the hardest ingredients - like galangal & lemongrass - first, and before pounding the dried chillies be sure to squeeze them dry and chop them up a bit).</li>
<li>Give your pork ribs a rinse and then put them in a pot with enough water or chicken stock to cover plus an inch or so. Add the shallots, plus a piece or two of lemongrass or galangal trimm and a good pinch of salt. Bring this to a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender (30 - 40 mins), skimming any scum so you have a nice clear broth.</li>
<li>Now fish out any trims of what not you've put in, turn up the heat to a boil and dissolve two generous tablespoons of the paste in boiling stock. Boil for a minute or so then turn back down to a simmer and add your apple aubergine, bamboo and cherry tomatoes. Season with sea salt and optionally a splash of fish sauce too, plus a pinch of white sugar if it needs it. </li>
<li>You're ready to serve once your tomatoes and aubergine are tender.</li>
</ol>Eat with rice, and ideally as part of a Thai meal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KVkI0HnWyNlycOSvkrhS02HoAlZcJBe8OLDm_gH-CCQU05kfRh9cExcvX1jddXhhlXrZKWu9SuF9D6UgOxiOZ4p4MxM4ex8mDPwjaMLrTKhbrQaONQ187FHvRdQu8Ps1dbhz25JzCx0/s1600/IMG_0966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KVkI0HnWyNlycOSvkrhS02HoAlZcJBe8OLDm_gH-CCQU05kfRh9cExcvX1jddXhhlXrZKWu9SuF9D6UgOxiOZ4p4MxM4ex8mDPwjaMLrTKhbrQaONQ187FHvRdQu8Ps1dbhz25JzCx0/s400/IMG_0966.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
p.s if you dont like the idea of pork ribs then use chicken thighs or something (though on the bone is definitely better for the taste of the broth), other veg such as pumpkin or banana blossoms or green beans could also be used. Herbs you could use: cha-om, coriander, betel leaves or long leaf coriander (pak chii farang).Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-56101949453523901552011-06-05T08:45:00.000-07:002011-06-05T08:45:59.239-07:00Food pics from my latest Thailand trip: Bangkok<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMjIIYX5FsvEnCw2W_br7ynMtzgTO9vP-68oq6kIuD1IbT0HTUxVYel06XilaZZOxVZRbWj2mHxi-GNHXXRNyiqhs6heXJ7GBlaKQg6aF3rycUinjckywsgVf3hRWCDNcipRUVt7gX_k/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span id="goog_285678469">Well, I'm now back safe and sound from my SEAsia trip. I've actually been working part time back at Nahm London, in between private catering and other stuff, has been great.</span><br />
<span id="goog_285678469"><br />
</span><br />
<span id="goog_285678469">So here's some long overdue snaps from eating my way around Thailand. More instalments to come.</span><br />
<span id="goog_285678469"> </span><br />
<span id="goog_285678469">These are a sample from Bangkok, I'll do some from down south, up north and around in subsequent posts...</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaVgVlpgAXA8qXUJJQ9HQ4Q3zyERqmoW_N6eGfU5YJk0WjcLcWJet1gKwoXlPUp6r-eZoIwJ9IhQGnG9z2nz8DW2Op44vpXMYghsvVV0zeAenaxP8gkhM7Ko3jxSRPaqa9LGlSw-kphU/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaVgVlpgAXA8qXUJJQ9HQ4Q3zyERqmoW_N6eGfU5YJk0WjcLcWJet1gKwoXlPUp6r-eZoIwJ9IhQGnG9z2nz8DW2Op44vpXMYghsvVV0zeAenaxP8gkhM7Ko3jxSRPaqa9LGlSw-kphU/s320/IMG_0075.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night time 'khao man gai' (poached chicken rice) seller, Chinatown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAz9v3o2l4B7GbRfRFFM8aSzG-f4ZewkplSJGQ55Y3CnIXq3jiM7G5bdgU6s9Yo9OzhOneCWKR4ApsiipQVt6FUrmR3CGgmCIsOl-falX1KCLDfwx1k99TdsFdKyefMWE-4PIK5a_Al8/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAz9v3o2l4B7GbRfRFFM8aSzG-f4ZewkplSJGQ55Y3CnIXq3jiM7G5bdgU6s9Yo9OzhOneCWKR4ApsiipQVt6FUrmR3CGgmCIsOl-falX1KCLDfwx1k99TdsFdKyefMWE-4PIK5a_Al8/s320/IMG_0488.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge fresh water prawns for sale 'Or Tor Kor' market </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCKguxpe4BISnC1fCBFlB_p_2oCQzvhz_rw56KydTYtolHUbpKwHIEJfU1SrSo4N3Xijbup0DxPzEc4dQertekhB7AnGpRbZpU7_Gryw49Y7RqmAth45BpShYN6zPXFW8oLCodmfFL_I/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCKguxpe4BISnC1fCBFlB_p_2oCQzvhz_rw56KydTYtolHUbpKwHIEJfU1SrSo4N3Xijbup0DxPzEc4dQertekhB7AnGpRbZpU7_Gryw49Y7RqmAth45BpShYN6zPXFW8oLCodmfFL_I/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dry red curry cooked with a crispy catfish 'pad prik king pla dook foo' - 'Or Tor Kor' market </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIV6L3KdaGJKYoXOTBkjjKzVAy4u3I_VdW6ut65WuXD0x3JlOoY8eBxoV764xKytqgVND8aswb3rod0YbHNXxaqMrG4_ZXp0yc_QHfgTrZiHrjHaQceRgl4_xPy1oab7inNNdhE-KtgI/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIV6L3KdaGJKYoXOTBkjjKzVAy4u3I_VdW6ut65WuXD0x3JlOoY8eBxoV764xKytqgVND8aswb3rod0YbHNXxaqMrG4_ZXp0yc_QHfgTrZiHrjHaQceRgl4_xPy1oab7inNNdhE-KtgI/s320/IMG_0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Thai berries' a type of tender, non-sour tamarind eaten raw (especially in Isarn) - 'Or Tor Kor' market </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsUwQyKY6FD_I3UjnBl2Ol-VcqGb4HAqZ64_rXwk8WHUAfsyFxLWJ91JyphV_7jyDKg-dDQ2-9iU9wAYPcHN413IoKOzeoQQQPswhoFRdPwyftbnaYftEhLTPm_uN0YGgwfcC68sS1JQ/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsUwQyKY6FD_I3UjnBl2Ol-VcqGb4HAqZ64_rXwk8WHUAfsyFxLWJ91JyphV_7jyDKg-dDQ2-9iU9wAYPcHN413IoKOzeoQQQPswhoFRdPwyftbnaYftEhLTPm_uN0YGgwfcC68sS1JQ/s320/IMG_0074.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Pad kee mao' ('drunk man's stir-fry'), Chinatown </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p9g5xU_1IyT4Dn3aYrEE7MLWswfFWDnUKpu-2I4R4Sxa5KEwJqiI-52vEB0pjrIDH6W-5RekLkEI9tpcHeN7zRpnUnGVZEEffj2XZA-gQJjEpPa6Uatfco_3YQbv5Da7cajpPeY2GFc/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p9g5xU_1IyT4Dn3aYrEE7MLWswfFWDnUKpu-2I4R4Sxa5KEwJqiI-52vEB0pjrIDH6W-5RekLkEI9tpcHeN7zRpnUnGVZEEffj2XZA-gQJjEpPa6Uatfco_3YQbv5Da7cajpPeY2GFc/s320/IMG_0667.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Kanom jeen nam prik' special rice noodles served with a sweet spicy & fragrant sauce, plus herbs, eggs and crispy fish skin accompaniments </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2r81HuCbA_XkJHQZKeD87VWCb-9-dg_Vl3kPx6eQKxdN5DWZt30s91iUVdnOmeIbChUBHHw5wEgsWb6eBp-qj7OEp6RALBXE_wGGh0d8WCDoGlyMXVBN_wa-lyFyJQCrNXOhZoLDVhk/s1600/IMG_0668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2r81HuCbA_XkJHQZKeD87VWCb-9-dg_Vl3kPx6eQKxdN5DWZt30s91iUVdnOmeIbChUBHHw5wEgsWb6eBp-qj7OEp6RALBXE_wGGh0d8WCDoGlyMXVBN_wa-lyFyJQCrNXOhZoLDVhk/s320/IMG_0668.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poached bananas with young coconut sorbet, MBK shopping mall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2-YtLfjaWcP4PpJ_tARgpfgwKGniBXoADFOEA4SnwwRP0ybhA9AdTlZop5qDSOjdm6REju9VBPYCe1OaZGF21X6yyHsdsneG94BzDD-j999FVRxqkrFc-aqle8vdx_WyE9P4OeVvTbc/s1600/IMG_0761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2-YtLfjaWcP4PpJ_tARgpfgwKGniBXoADFOEA4SnwwRP0ybhA9AdTlZop5qDSOjdm6REju9VBPYCe1OaZGF21X6yyHsdsneG94BzDD-j999FVRxqkrFc-aqle8vdx_WyE9P4OeVvTbc/s320/IMG_0761.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Dtom Klong pla grop' (a herbal, smokey hot n sour soup with crisp fish), plus in the background: wing bean salad - Chote Chitr, Banglamphu </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IeccAikQZkY9Gez_yccFII0Yh7_rKrMTdjyCsGR-jp9qHaHWZQRNEcLV5eD05_XBHyNFSBzJfcyE95uxLn-FJnjexqQvAwHVuoK77tHrbIJBT50SZmljwIUA2Qr7F4_L-zzcJRTNT-w/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IeccAikQZkY9Gez_yccFII0Yh7_rKrMTdjyCsGR-jp9qHaHWZQRNEcLV5eD05_XBHyNFSBzJfcyE95uxLn-FJnjexqQvAwHVuoK77tHrbIJBT50SZmljwIUA2Qr7F4_L-zzcJRTNT-w/s200/IMG_0632.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MBK food hall, hundreds of dishes, some good some not so good - 6th floor of MBK mall </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3ZAOWwWP6c_3XM6QET-1JG6fOsV-MVqt9_nIfQo6g3jjUK9I9-rfU7DwhpUq4fX5M_dGSS6wY8mRjdNoNqPP3SfnZqgA6uFeehYXUm2FWeP1ntkPaJuX26v9r5AigMaWQlOoKweJlyQ/s1600/IMG_0423.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3ZAOWwWP6c_3XM6QET-1JG6fOsV-MVqt9_nIfQo6g3jjUK9I9-rfU7DwhpUq4fX5M_dGSS6wY8mRjdNoNqPP3SfnZqgA6uFeehYXUm2FWeP1ntkPaJuX26v9r5AigMaWQlOoKweJlyQ/s320/IMG_0423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Pad si ew' a smokey stir fry with wide rice noodles and pork @ <a href="http://www.austinbushphotography.com/2009/04/nay-lao.html">Nay Lao</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span id="goog_285678469"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMjIIYX5FsvEnCw2W_br7ynMtzgTO9vP-68oq6kIuD1IbT0HTUxVYel06XilaZZOxVZRbWj2mHxi-GNHXXRNyiqhs6heXJ7GBlaKQg6aF3rycUinjckywsgVf3hRWCDNcipRUVt7gX_k/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMjIIYX5FsvEnCw2W_br7ynMtzgTO9vP-68oq6kIuD1IbT0HTUxVYel06XilaZZOxVZRbWj2mHxi-GNHXXRNyiqhs6heXJ7GBlaKQg6aF3rycUinjckywsgVf3hRWCDNcipRUVt7gX_k/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night eating & drinking session with some friendsd at an Isarn food stall - don't ask me where we were!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-13350157810403752672011-05-30T03:20:00.000-07:002011-05-30T03:20:21.221-07:00Wanderlust article<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apologies for lack of blogging last couple of weeks, will be posting some good stuff v.soon. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in the meantime </span><a href="http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/planatrip/inspire-me/lists/secrets-thai-regional-cooking-masterchef-andy-oliver"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here's an article</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I've just written for Wanderlust online. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's on regional Thai food.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Andy</span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-37927594319987476172011-05-16T03:44:00.000-07:002011-05-16T03:44:19.894-07:00Cha Ca, Hanoi<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry-OsDQ22N5PF1yM2jbj4xGrMMyYrlAqrmzqnw_aS4WzgmdN3zOiv5a0b4500Fk5k9L-14DRXdgItjemtYOm5m_jVHNZrs1VUDIDe4nyxHzTRAPN-jtXufer7c4nfbKFJIACdBTbq-Hg/s1600/Picture+018.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593199111144335058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry-OsDQ22N5PF1yM2jbj4xGrMMyYrlAqrmzqnw_aS4WzgmdN3zOiv5a0b4500Fk5k9L-14DRXdgItjemtYOm5m_jVHNZrs1VUDIDe4nyxHzTRAPN-jtXufer7c4nfbKFJIACdBTbq-Hg/s400/Picture+018.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Nt6jTW7Z_BFSaD_nE4Zwod02hxhOVaWwNLLhIk5hA6112WYjZdFInSzlPMp5U3DO35nfFLklSvkXUNBNSh7HpCRNZY2s9QUSv4cPA2RqpPwMs0My2sTLohz6pJFYSMfFgOKHZ-1TYOc/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593199107953635794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ay1D0SX4Sk6CqSPx1Z0dumXDwIP7awSIb-XAh9rI4f8UHvG9acKDG4MK1lw3Xg8ozvfuhi-CK0khllUBS7lPyLduVzsorrSWuC8GXeS34GFR3tYHRh0mwLwp_qqSvxIXHJZyR3Bd9-8/s400/Picture+016.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" />Ok so....I did write and publish a big old post on this dish just a few days ago, but blogspot seems to have bloody lost it! Either that or I'm going mad. <br />
<br />
Anyway here's a short version of what was previously here:<br />
<br />
The pics are of 'cha ca thang long' in Hanoi, 'cha ca' for short - it's a delicious combination of turmeric marinated white fish (often 'snakehead' fish, or 'pla chorn' as it's known in Thai) along with fresh dill, chillies, peanuts, more herbs and some dipping sauce.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Nt6jTW7Z_BFSaD_nE4Zwod02hxhOVaWwNLLhIk5hA6112WYjZdFInSzlPMp5U3DO35nfFLklSvkXUNBNSh7HpCRNZY2s9QUSv4cPA2RqpPwMs0My2sTLohz6pJFYSMfFgOKHZ-1TYOc/s1600/Picture+015.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593199097916356018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Nt6jTW7Z_BFSaD_nE4Zwod02hxhOVaWwNLLhIk5hA6112WYjZdFInSzlPMp5U3DO35nfFLklSvkXUNBNSh7HpCRNZY2s9QUSv4cPA2RqpPwMs0My2sTLohz6pJFYSMfFgOKHZ-1TYOc/s400/Picture+015.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
The dish is famous in Hanoi and there's loads of places to try it. I tried a few places, the best version I ate was <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/hanoi/restaurants/vietnamese/cha-ca-thanh">here </a>...where the pics above are from.<br />
<br />
Or make it at home, it's pretty straightforward, here's a good couple of recipes you might want to check out:<br />
<br />
Great vid from Luke Nguyen: <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/lukenguyen/recipes/detail/recipe/11022">http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/lukenguyen/recipes/detail/recipe/11022</a><br />
<br />
Nice version by the lovely people behind 'Ravenous Couple' (great sounding dipping sauce recipe there too): <a href="http://www.theravenouscouple.com/2009/06/cha-ca-thang-long-vietnamese-turmeric-fish-with-dill.html">http://www.theravenouscouple.com/2009/06/cha-ca-thang-long-vietnamese-turmeric-fish-with-dill.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Andy<br />
<br />
<br />
<div><br />
<br />
<div></div></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-83098472603483845382011-05-02T23:16:00.000-07:002011-05-02T23:17:29.401-07:00Viet sweet stand, Hanoi<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH79YPQRViG1s6QO9jrhgxNIeY5nrOPvLhGXE6A5aoB8GVbOAUhL1ohYI8HCQQKWJZRvNJakOcoQoZEjDef8qu4KoRGxJO6FeHinlvrDKNeowEKVNmyHBQR374SqPnIotU0E-DID3bOs/s1600/Picture+021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593191190441185714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH79YPQRViG1s6QO9jrhgxNIeY5nrOPvLhGXE6A5aoB8GVbOAUhL1ohYI8HCQQKWJZRvNJakOcoQoZEjDef8qu4KoRGxJO6FeHinlvrDKNeowEKVNmyHBQR374SqPnIotU0E-DID3bOs/s400/Picture+021.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My selection: eating my way to the bottom was quite an experience! </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I know I said the Hanoi fish with turmeric & dill 'cha ca' would be my next post, but here's a quick sweet themed entry in the meantime... <br />
<br />
Again location is Hanoi, but this time a dessert. Actually 'sweet snack' would probably be more accurate (as I believe the Vietnamese, like the Thais, don't do desserts really - they eat sweet stuff as a snack preferring to have just a little fruit after a meal).<br />
<br />
The snaps below are of a little street stall, where you sit on the bench opposite and choose want sweet madness you want concocted. If, like me, you don't speak any Vietnamese beyond 'thanks', 'hello' and 'delicious' then this means smiling, bobbing your head, pointing and generally just fairly philosphical about what you end up with.<br />
<br />
In the case what <i>I</i> ended up with included beans, tapioca pearls, palm seeds, taro, banana all in some form of syrup and the whole lot topped off with some sweet coconut cream and banana chips. There were probably serval other things in there too. <br />
<br />
I've eaten this kind of thing a few times in Thailand, the key difference here seemed to be that more of the items were not just in syrup but in a kind of gelatinous syrupy gloop (sp?) which was so stretchy and viscous that the lady serving it was having a hard time getting it off the spoon and in to the glass!<br />
<br />
Along with frogsspawn like tapioca pearls and other unusuals each spoonful is textural insanity. <br />
<br />
But I ate the entire contents of my glass, and, I think, quite enjoyed it.<br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH79YPQRViG1s6QO9jrhgxNIeY5nrOPvLhGXE6A5aoB8GVbOAUhL1ohYI8HCQQKWJZRvNJakOcoQoZEjDef8qu4KoRGxJO6FeHinlvrDKNeowEKVNmyHBQR374SqPnIotU0E-DID3bOs/s1600/Picture+021.jpg"></a> <br />
<br />
There were also some nice looking rice flour dumplings which I didn't have room for, I think sesame seed paste or suchlike would have been found inside.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyzQtKYHaai4f76i71F0WaFjk3k8m0TMDmTjrTjGX9I_RxKnuL8R8oERhM6PFGWb0kpawDJiCqOovc9c6RBku6_sq9NwACa3m_m3HTzbbYoxLI4fqrG42OA2BL9S6o52Q_fI60gc4lvY/s1600/Picture+022.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593191194765272642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyzQtKYHaai4f76i71F0WaFjk3k8m0TMDmTjrTjGX9I_RxKnuL8R8oERhM6PFGWb0kpawDJiCqOovc9c6RBku6_sq9NwACa3m_m3HTzbbYoxLI4fqrG42OA2BL9S6o52Q_fI60gc4lvY/s400/Picture+022.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nice looking riceflour dumplings. </i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Ok so next post definitely is now cha ca, and it will be the last of my Vietnamese themed ones. After that: back to Thailand, where I have been for the last month or so. <br />
<br />
Andy <br />
<div></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-65065187023187867422011-04-30T07:29:00.000-07:002011-04-30T07:29:24.674-07:00Banh cuon, Hanoi<div> <br />
<div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">So this is my second post from my time in Hanoi. The dish this time? Another Hanoi speciality: Banh cuon.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">They are very thin steamed rice flour pancakes which get rolled around a filling of minced pork & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_ear_fungus">cloud ear mushroom</a> (the dried type which is also used in all sorts of spring rolls, soups etc), and are finished with final topping of crispy shallots.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I found the vendor in question on a great food alley just off Hanoi's central market; there must have been 60 different dishes on offer in this poky little street. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The business of steaming the super-thin pancakes, getting them off in one piece and rolling them up is clearly pretty skillful. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Though this guy was making it look easy, knocking out plate after plate: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593194196628106738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wTOLhRqHutEsDbT1GgotAxXNiO-arjR4R2EbnHraWKoWo3mi9CJM2vuize4LtYPyNJB5BqjQlC2BfjnjMgXq4SIfri8zdAbu5bE6oTg2-tXS_X3PPHHhhjUcgPb2FcQkSa7TwFiD674/s400/Picture+009.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A mushroom cloud of steam as our man lifts the lid and whips off another delicate pancake</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's the plate he sent in my direction:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8MxqcCanLJXvdqtNYwLqRmsJKkDrOSC7bsz7xgpHrMZ04F6SxlwrQDVCpNfem3nDwB_RI6xd7hD20HIeA4_vusAAX1x6Wvt1w7VA6wxMo1UTrGSY42VoIbz7pOeBR6cRaUqtr0XsdmA/s1600/Picture+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593194198731069890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8MxqcCanLJXvdqtNYwLqRmsJKkDrOSC7bsz7xgpHrMZ04F6SxlwrQDVCpNfem3nDwB_RI6xd7hD20HIeA4_vusAAX1x6Wvt1w7VA6wxMo1UTrGSY42VoIbz7pOeBR6cRaUqtr0XsdmA/s400/Picture+012.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My plate of banh cuon,along with basket of greens and bowl of sauce</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It came with a sweet-watery-vinegary dipping sauce, probably a version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Bc_ch%E1%BA%A5m">nuoc cham</a> but not the standard one I was used to. I also got some Vietnamese pork cake thing floating in there, and some herbage alongside. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593194204299129506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznHkGnBOdZxMNLD9kvSekhpz1pUWoN5R54HVw7YCCr3ifd14gLfE7Sy7CVEyPa5dJXbAi69jw2dkHReavPrfyGqWZym79_cRBYvHfrUV0-WHAakcD_FvomSBiKQbe4jyj14cVCSPr-pk/s400/Picture+010.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dipping sauce (with spongy pork cake & deep fried shallots floating around in it</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></span></div><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you ask me Banh cuon is a nice dish. But you do have to like the slightly chewy, slippery texture of steamed rice noodle. Works for me, though I can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup o tea. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=385143706027043400&postID=6506518702318786742" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-size: small;">Next post will be Hanoi's famous '<b>cha ca</b>' - one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes. </span> </div><div></div></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-29791404185581372302011-04-25T05:39:00.000-07:002011-04-26T09:39:59.161-07:00Bun Cha, Hanoi<div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGDhjAon3QKtMP2etk4erTkr9dQWBs2m6F8N3wN6AmkhsDJwa0zJo-TEPe8eTdoyB_cGfpDbJicwX3gQtSVmV5EVkcDKDllUejPgadETy1sBeEG7qUJNk1va1JESSJO-zwuFJC-zVHY4/s1600/Picture+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593191956323861586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGDhjAon3QKtMP2etk4erTkr9dQWBs2m6F8N3wN6AmkhsDJwa0zJo-TEPe8eTdoyB_cGfpDbJicwX3gQtSVmV5EVkcDKDllUejPgadETy1sBeEG7qUJNk1va1JESSJO-zwuFJC-zVHY4/s400/Picture+008.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Lunch in Hanoi: Bun Cha.</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My Vietnamese food trail has now reached the Northern capital: Hanoi. I really liked it up there, despite the weather reminding me a little too much of England. The small streets and old town made it a great place to explore and 'progress' seems ten years behind the southern capital Saigon, in a good way. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Here's the first of a few posts I'm going to do on what I ate in the city. I only had two days there, which was just enough time to tick off the classic Hanoi dishes (and probably not all of them). The first being Bun Cha... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> There are no surprises here, this dish is made up of the classic Vietnamese elements:grilled meat, basket of herbs, plate of rice noodles and broth. Plus nouc cham dipping sauce, of course.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The meat is pork: minced pork patties seasoned with fish sauce sugar and garlic, and also strips of pork belly, marinated similarly. These are sandwiched </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">inside one of those wire racks the Vietnamese love (which i now consider essential BBQ kit)</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> and then grilled over charcoal, often with the aid of a nearby electric fan. The result is as you'd hope: charred, caramelised smokey pork, moist on the inside.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">These go in to a clear broth, sometimes with a few veggies in. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you go to Hanoi don't miss Bun Cha. It's not hard to spot: just look for those grills, fans and wire racks.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">That's about it really. Oh and the herbs: in the basket above I had perilla (red & green), some lettuce type stuff, sweet (or 'Thai') basil, and mint. All spanking fresh.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">More Hanoi posts shortly. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-46842365403589414052011-04-19T05:20:00.000-07:002011-04-19T11:16:51.111-07:00Mystery grilled chicken sticks, Hoi An<div> <br />
<div><div class="" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's another of the many delicious things I ate in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoi_An">Hoi An</a>: marinated chicken strips, expertly grilled to smoky carmelised perfection over charcoal and served with fresh rice papers, herbs, lettuce, cucumber etc and an interesting chilli sauce:</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUSBgLTJW-1OmeKLgEHsfCFM_3oZrMGQKXNmU9hH5aZobBy8ijUkBznKNKiLxsF4dPJ3uOy4DxmvGWME-0fNsuMy8_nhOp7p-YJFri_Kv4En_Q70Ybl1zcP4tC8X9fVQo7VcNDXrr1Ao/s1600/Picture+004.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593189730559362002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUSBgLTJW-1OmeKLgEHsfCFM_3oZrMGQKXNmU9hH5aZobBy8ijUkBznKNKiLxsF4dPJ3uOy4DxmvGWME-0fNsuMy8_nhOp7p-YJFri_Kv4En_Q70Ybl1zcP4tC8X9fVQo7VcNDXrr1Ao/s400/Picture+004.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grilled chicken - ready to be doused with sauce, garnished with greens and rolled in rice paper.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUSBgLTJW-1OmeKLgEHsfCFM_3oZrMGQKXNmU9hH5aZobBy8ijUkBznKNKiLxsF4dPJ3uOy4DxmvGWME-0fNsuMy8_nhOp7p-YJFri_Kv4En_Q70Ybl1zcP4tC8X9fVQo7VcNDXrr1Ao/s1600/Picture+004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately I can't tell you much about this dish as a) I'd never eaten it before, and b) my Vietnamese doesn't go much beyond 'hello' and 'thank you', and the lady who made it for me could speak even less English. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The best I can do is guess.... I think the marinade had lemongrass, garlic, sugar, fish sauce & fresh turmeric in, and probably a few more things besides, and I have a feeling the 'interesting' sauce was given it's meaty body by chicken livers. It was very tasty indeed, and nice to have a break from the ubiquitous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Bc_ch%E1%BA%A5m">nuoc cham</a> too, much as I like the stuff. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Please do chip in if anyone knows the name or can add a little more detail here; it was really delicious and I'd like to have a go at knocking up my own version when I'm back in Blighty. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593189729742913890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq1QRjPsdUAellT6IiRXkVeEA2wuZaySvJvgRktCOhhds5A07rZhOwLceX4YD2VqEB_ULWp2x4ewxw5EIari67ndR_aGazx9PM9HhodO3GGVd0FBlEUxO7kqLBYxIBXHfGTl9pHul2F0/s400/Picture+003.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Smokey charcoal-grilled morsels.... in all their glory.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593189719555616626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCx_EZ4YDvDmI0WXxsEoydnMfGjXmn2cMy5AgWllPfNi9PmoFPIUbX36HKV_OuealT-FEu37XCjyF3LbnnWGJDLKkuCIXBf9Pc8twjoNICbm76sMeTssCnWIGC1MSforCJet9q7AzRPjk/s400/Picture+001.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A squatting maestro at work. If my Vietnamese wasn't so crap I might have got the recipe. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
<div> <br />
<div></div></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-64555781576350611352011-04-17T21:07:00.000-07:002011-04-17T21:21:08.476-07:00Thai banquet cookery class - 28th June<span style="font-family: arial;">Quick post to mention I'm doing a Thai cookery class with <a href="http://www.divertimenti.co.uk/">Divertimenti </a>cookery school in London on 28th of June. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">There's still a few places left, so </span><a href="http://www.divertimenti.co.uk/Cookery_school/ao1s-thai-banquet-with-andy-oliver-hands-on-masterclass.html"><span style="font-family: arial;">see this link</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> if you're interested.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As ever if you'd like to do a cookery lesson but this date doesn't work for you, or if you're interested in me cooking a dinner party for you, then drop me an email: </span><a href="mailto:oliverandyj@googlemail.com"><span style="font-family: arial;">oliverandyj@googlemail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Andy</span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-40274265558881469792011-04-11T02:33:00.000-07:002011-04-12T02:33:04.106-07:00Cau Lau, Hoi An<div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">In terms of the food, Hoi An was probably my favourite stop on my whitsle-stop eating tour of Vietnam.</span> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Here's a dish the town is famous for: Cau Lau.</span> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">A lunchtime noodle dish with thinly sliced bbq/roasted pork, a thin porky gravy-like sauce, various greens and herbs, and finally it's topped with crisp-fried squares of noodle dough for added texture.</span> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">The noodles are worth a special mention; they're supposed to be made using the water from one or two particular Hoi An wells. Don't ask me why. But they are made differently...the result is a light brown noodle, which has an almost nutty flavour and is pleasingly chewy and satisfying.</span> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">Served with some tasty condiments, and eaten squatting on a miniscule plastic stool, it makes an ideal lunch: </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL38MrlXSRPrGnL9xfO3wtjAv3zGNDFigSMOKTp6omvoep6738LUbSzP_aHBPxRmC-6dpJaJ2pdH0U07_wP9BeF9W5ewC3-HM44F69yIprzHfxULamZEeeSQDnjtKfzR5h3zJCQSldbM/s1600/IMG_0353.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590273980632478194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL38MrlXSRPrGnL9xfO3wtjAv3zGNDFigSMOKTp6omvoep6738LUbSzP_aHBPxRmC-6dpJaJ2pdH0U07_wP9BeF9W5ewC3-HM44F69yIprzHfxULamZEeeSQDnjtKfzR5h3zJCQSldbM/s400/IMG_0353.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL38MrlXSRPrGnL9xfO3wtjAv3zGNDFigSMOKTp6omvoep6738LUbSzP_aHBPxRmC-6dpJaJ2pdH0U07_wP9BeF9W5ewC3-HM44F69yIprzHfxULamZEeeSQDnjtKfzR5h3zJCQSldbM/s1600/IMG_0353.jpg"></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIL38MrlXSRPrGnL9xfO3wtjAv3zGNDFigSMOKTp6omvoep6738LUbSzP_aHBPxRmC-6dpJaJ2pdH0U07_wP9BeF9W5ewC3-HM44F69yIprzHfxULamZEeeSQDnjtKfzR5h3zJCQSldbM/s1600/IMG_0353.jpg"></a></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">My dining partner was clearly loving her bowl just as much:<span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWw9uwnUEE-tu1h6fl-_aq9ar34ON-T96_WQEtHHKIYkpKugSqFjXAhVEzNJYQBSv6bHxSbEqSrR-Y78ZHke74Cgm11yk1KZRV-rfN6gAWX0gzA8BsxVpU3brrpF3JBslgeSht2k2324/s1600/IMG_0351.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590273971769424322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWw9uwnUEE-tu1h6fl-_aq9ar34ON-T96_WQEtHHKIYkpKugSqFjXAhVEzNJYQBSv6bHxSbEqSrR-Y78ZHke74Cgm11yk1KZRV-rfN6gAWX0gzA8BsxVpU3brrpF3JBslgeSht2k2324/s400/IMG_0351.jpg" /></a></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-23462997754396467982011-04-03T23:39:00.000-07:002011-04-04T00:28:29.180-07:00Thai & SEAsian dinner parties, private catering & cookery teaching.<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So, a quick note to say that, this summer, I'm going to be available to do some private catering and cookery teaching...<br /><br />I'm back from my stint in Thailand & Vietnam in early May and I'm going to be doing some dinner party catering and a cookery teaching. <br /><br />I'll be focusing on my passion: Thai and Southeast Asian food.<br /><br />So, if you're interested in a Thai or SEAsian dinner party, canapé </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">event or alike then please get in touch.<br /><br />As far as cookery teaching goes I am going to doing some cookery school work (e.g in June I'll be doing a 'Thai banquet' class with the London cookery school <a href="http://www.divertimenti.co.uk/Cookery_school">Divertimenti</a>), but I'm also happy to do private lessons. So, again, just get in touch.<br /><br />The best way to contact me is by email:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> oliverandyj@googlemail.com</span><br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Andy <br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-21708714586363721422011-03-31T08:30:00.000-07:002011-03-31T20:58:45.142-07:00'Bun Nem Nuong'<div><span style="font-size:85%;"> '</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Nem nuong' are Vietnamese grilled pork patties. The ones pictured below I ate at some stall right next to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binh_Tay_Market">Binh Tay market</a> in Saigon.<span style="font-weight: bold;">..</span>when I walked past I wasn't hungry, but they looked and smelt so good it would have been foolish not to sample.<br /><br />I'm glad I did. I honestly don't think I can remember eating nicer pieces grilled pork.<br /><br />Observe the juicy slow-grilled porky goodness:<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHbs_At0mpJeCDVUXt94jUkxc8VSvbG-1Or_zhcHY_OTfsA75Z-SWTqfo2_zdgT4Y8zac0OsFhij5st-AFuRAmWHIbMQym_WACpLaqImBcUvA1eyXHaXEsMLKCQiLve9rC_RAjiPpEGM/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; display: block; height: 400px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590272581556826738" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHbs_At0mpJeCDVUXt94jUkxc8VSvbG-1Or_zhcHY_OTfsA75Z-SWTqfo2_zdgT4Y8zac0OsFhij5st-AFuRAmWHIbMQym_WACpLaqImBcUvA1eyXHaXEsMLKCQiLve9rC_RAjiPpEGM/s400/IMG_0252.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">I think the pork mix is pretty simple: nice fatty pork, minced garlic, a little salt, sugar and fish sauce. As well as the patties there was some skewered pork (shoulder, I think), which was equally tasty.<br /><br />This was 'bun nem nuong', the 'bun' meaning they are served with rice vermicelli. You also get a bunch of herbs mixed through, some pickled carrot & diakon, plus roasted peanuts with some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuoc_cham">nuoc cham</a> drizzled over. It's one delicious plate; Vietnamese food at it's best.<br /><br />As well as the noodle version you also sometimes see the meatballs served with rice papers, when it's </span><span style="font-size:85%;">called 'nem nuong cuon'. Then you use the rice papers to roll up chunks of meat along with things like sliced sour star fruit and green banana plus lots of herbs, dip and eat. Funnily enough I actually first ate this in Laos (there's fair bit of Vietnamese food to be found there).... see snap <a href="http://thecooksbroth.blogspot.com/2009/03/eating-in-thailand-and-laos-part-2-laos.html">here</a>. <br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS1lMpzCOeFKu3IkWTgLOe2NAryBiBAOy4vBYVd6w0sYBO2L0gtyTqs33P7xX7_0Fw36MebDtrjg0gYJDXRNyoUF8LfaciwuLWQRJfmIWw0qC0AOs8eWEv_1PzqesdHq_nAZVoSiIXAs/s1600/IMG_0243.jpg"><img style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; display: block; height: 400px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590271171447629666" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS1lMpzCOeFKu3IkWTgLOe2NAryBiBAOy4vBYVd6w0sYBO2L0gtyTqs33P7xX7_0Fw36MebDtrjg0gYJDXRNyoUF8LfaciwuLWQRJfmIWw0qC0AOs8eWEv_1PzqesdHq_nAZVoSiIXAs/s400/IMG_0243.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The stall also did fresh-pressed sugar cane juice (that's the beaker of yellow stuff in above shot). Delicious, but it was bit sweet to go with the sweet grilled pork and dipping sauce. My blood sugar was off the chart by time I'd finished. <br /><br />A beer would work better. I'll know for next time. </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><br /></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-45183564922307290292011-03-23T08:40:00.000-07:002011-03-29T04:03:04.152-07:00Seafood BBQ, Mui Ne<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Al fresco seafood BBQ, Mui Ne: t</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">he unlucky prawns, crabs, fish, lobster, turtle (yes turtle) etc.... are kept live in tanks of sea water. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">You point, and the nice Vietnamese people slap it on the grill. </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">They're good at it too; I went back two nights running and everything I ate was perfectly cooked (which isn't as easy as it sounds). </span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">A few snaps:</span> </div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Crabs and lobster are grilled plain, then served with lime, white pepper & salt:</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587304355610516434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbd2DnaEIeSpAM6sZNAZn4qzxYsEdc26eK_Rd14SfNB3Zdrnw2r3iCH6xqiFq1H5HJ-U96KagUTBrqzPjtD5YdYyLVJSCwxh7YOQdZlvwRZs7Yib8kAkREwXQZ7w0P9LxaJjIS0HX8tQ/s400/IMG_0331.jpg" border="0" /><em>Little sweet tasting scallops get a brushing with spring onion oil:</em></span></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyD3UEf2s1pgQhQPGCj-k93tE7NVU9xdZYZ8WWgCBWmqRvtgSArAC2p8kdbHt9tcvLaHDrSXPFFS_khBIX8ztYZFNlhhnhu9TP0Knur0cpWvFQDED61noJBNSw-FGCrhg53d8XCqS_7I/s1600/IMG_0335.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587302729537559986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyD3UEf2s1pgQhQPGCj-k93tE7NVU9xdZYZ8WWgCBWmqRvtgSArAC2p8kdbHt9tcvLaHDrSXPFFS_khBIX8ztYZFNlhhnhu9TP0Knur0cpWvFQDED61noJBNSw-FGCrhg53d8XCqS_7I/s400/IMG_0335.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em>...& tiger prawns get a simple garlic marinade: </em></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><em><br /><p></em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds6d1VZzx9fphhbpmZSflavqf778elq-macaEVBVqXltPnvJTE0GpqRZyRNNKJ9ejTTlboLG6MzU4S0ddHk3zxhv8U47P8OTyiCh6qOHa4vhdynBnqyPmQccsJLfhPHIUNnEMolhlYuw/s1600/IMG_0337.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587302723822520226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjds6d1VZzx9fphhbpmZSflavqf778elq-macaEVBVqXltPnvJTE0GpqRZyRNNKJ9ejTTlboLG6MzU4S0ddHk3zxhv8U47P8OTyiCh6qOHa4vhdynBnqyPmQccsJLfhPHIUNnEMolhlYuw/s400/IMG_0337.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Then you just buy a few beers, and perhaps a french bagette or two, and you're set.</span></span> </p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;">(I didn't try the turtle). </span></p><br /><p></p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-11961258064388770012011-03-23T08:30:00.000-07:002011-03-26T04:45:24.446-07:00Seafood 'hot pot', Mui Ne<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5kjFIVHHjVYalgTiikC16dJOPK3X-9mDNNiaT_XxmTVhFNEqhQsy13uePaXh9y5OVLamhQmYfOEbOKaQzU7h4fkAuki-mTQOddntbJpwPMl2LkS8d7vJuYtcNzdQ995uMG5jWcDAqBY/s1600/IMG_0329.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5kjFIVHHjVYalgTiikC16dJOPK3X-9mDNNiaT_XxmTVhFNEqhQsy13uePaXh9y5OVLamhQmYfOEbOKaQzU7h4fkAuki-mTQOddntbJpwPMl2LkS8d7vJuYtcNzdQ995uMG5jWcDAqBY/s400/IMG_0329.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587300222322260866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">This</span><span style="font-size:10pt;"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">is</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">seafood</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hot</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">pot</span> I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ate</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">on</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">beach</span> in Mui Ne (a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">small</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">beach</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">town</span> in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">South</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Vietnam</span>).<br /><br />I'm <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">normally</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">bit</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">suspicious</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">something</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">with</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">name</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">like</span> '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Seafood</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">hot</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">pot</span>': can <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">mean</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">anything</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">really</span>...perhaps <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">there</span>'s no <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">recipe</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">but</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">the kitchen just</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">boil</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">up</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_43"></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">some</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">seafood</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">odds</span> 'n' <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">ends</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">with</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">token</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">vegetable</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">or</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">two</span>.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Not</span> so <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">this</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">one!</span><br /></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:10pt;">It</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:10pt;" > <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">was</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">perfect</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">seaside</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">bowl</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">food</span>: a very tasty <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">broth</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">sweetened</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">by</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">chunks</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">juicy</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">pineapple</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">soured</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">with</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">fresh</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">tamarind</span> (the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">seeds</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">from</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">pods</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">were</span> in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">bottom</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">of</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">bowl</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">once</span> I’d <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">slurped</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">it</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">dry</span>). Floating temptingly about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">in it were</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">big</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_90"> pieces of</span> </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_90">v.fresh</span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_92"> veg: tomato</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_93">okra</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_94">and</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_95">spongy</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_96">juicy</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_97">taro</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_98">stem</span> – a perfect<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_99"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_100">soup</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_101">vegetable</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_102">and</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_103">one</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_104">which</span> I’ve <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_105">only</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_106">come</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_107">across</span> in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_108">Vietnam</span>.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_109">Plus</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_110">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_111">course</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_112">seafood</span>: squid</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_114">chunks</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_115">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_116">white</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_117">fish</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_118">and</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_119">prawns</span> (the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_120">Vietnamese</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_121">tend</span> to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_122">eat</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_123">small</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_124">ones</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_125">shell</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_126">and</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_127">all</span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_128">which</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_129">works</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_130">for</span> me). I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_131">think</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_132">recipe</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_133">was</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_134">based</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_135">on</span> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_136">soup</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_137">which</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_138">comes</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_139">from</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_140">Mekong</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_141">region</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_142">called</span> '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canh_chua"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Canh chua cá</span></a>'.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_143">Delicious</span>. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_144">Plus</span> the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_145">kind</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_146">of</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_147">dish</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_148">that</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_149">you</span> can <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_150">feel</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_151">doing</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_152">you</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_153">good;</span> swim in the sea everyday and eat this...you'd live past 100. Guaranteed. </span></span> </p>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-43550616300677054072011-03-20T05:06:00.001-07:002011-03-23T08:17:18.444-07:00Banh Xeo, Saigon style<div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Banh xeo are Vietnamese savoury stuffed crisp pancake things. I've eaten them before in London based Viet restaurants but, not surprisingly, it turns out they taste much better in Vietnam.<br /><br />They're made from a rice flour batter. Egg?....nope, no egg. Powdered turmeric gives them the shocking yellow colour and they tend to come with pork, prawns and beansprouts inside. The one below was also dotted with cooked mung beans, no complaints from me. They're light, crispy and delicious, at least good ones are anyway (I imagine the shit ones are heavy, soggy and 'orrible!).<br /><br />Alongside you get, in true Vietnamese style, a small hedgerow of harvested greens. With mine I spotted mustard leaves, lettuce, Asian/Thai basil, mint, perilla and betel leaves.<br /><br />You're also furnished with a bowl of nuoc cham, which is the ubiquitous dipping sauce over here. It's basically made from sweetened fish sauce, with some lime juice and/or vinegar, a little water and v.often has some garlic & chilli floating round in it. Very nice it is too.<br /><br />The idea is that you get stuck in and sort of fill your palm with a bed of greens n herbs, tear off a chunk of your pancake, place it ontop and then roll the whole lot up as best you can. Finally you dunk this tasty parcel in the nuoc cham and down the hatch it goes.<br /><br />I went to a streetside place called Banh Xeo 46a (see <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-city/restaurants/vietnamese/banh-xeo-46a">here</a>) which, according to the people in the know (like the guy who writes <a href="http://www.noodlepie.com/">www.noodlepie.com</a>), is supposed to be the place to go in Saigon for them. Far as I could tell they were bang on the money, but then what would I know?<br /><br />Having never cooked one myself I wouldn't dream of offering up a recipe, but <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/banh-xeo-recipe/">this</a> looks like a good one<br /><br />See pics below.<br /><br />p.s this is the Saigon version but <span style="font-style: italic;">apparently </span>there are Banh Xeo variations galore as you head North (which I am currently doing).... so will report back.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" ><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Saigon style Banh xeo</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" > (nuoc cham and mountain of herbaciousness </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >in the background</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >):</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtKucB0cRQVsxcqwhSQe14nsfQumoiEntkvRy8eYpyOL-eqU-6fWxbarZarXZ2MtBWiqO1yCuNRTb-CfLJ6e9Bu95Wlr4TIGwTm6myswkgIDunIgKrnaKnFY__Sd6KgLwnmv5QO9otWA/s1600/IMG_0225.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586136102230073954" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtKucB0cRQVsxcqwhSQe14nsfQumoiEntkvRy8eYpyOL-eqU-6fWxbarZarXZ2MtBWiqO1yCuNRTb-CfLJ6e9Bu95Wlr4TIGwTm6myswkgIDunIgKrnaKnFY__Sd6KgLwnmv5QO9otWA/s400/IMG_0225.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I gobbled it down in record time, and then ate another:<br /></span></span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYN2YBJQKqg7eOUMjrQEzlHaP1fhmMOow0KB2Mhlhu6yEN3GQ8ZEJPYXZ9zWOTWJ6Dvow84MVlAECgG4aCqiyjW0Q8PwSlCfRXaO1VT6w0NveBDkiucPUnCBtuIsg2wtHKzjeqNRbbV8/s1600/IMG_0228.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586136107594843906" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 267px; height: 400px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYN2YBJQKqg7eOUMjrQEzlHaP1fhmMOow0KB2Mhlhu6yEN3GQ8ZEJPYXZ9zWOTWJ6Dvow84MVlAECgG4aCqiyjW0Q8PwSlCfRXaO1VT6w0NveBDkiucPUnCBtuIsg2wtHKzjeqNRbbV8/s400/IMG_0228.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtKucB0cRQVsxcqwhSQe14nsfQumoiEntkvRy8eYpyOL-eqU-6fWxbarZarXZ2MtBWiqO1yCuNRTb-CfLJ6e9Bu95Wlr4TIGwTm6myswkgIDunIgKrnaKnFY__Sd6KgLwnmv5QO9otWA/s1600/IMG_0225.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-85225224310517361662011-03-20T03:06:00.000-07:002011-03-21T09:43:30.513-07:00Rice noodle factory, Mekong Delta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV2vBfDMjGs2Mu560itQWGl00HJ-37FFo1f0UbYgNxeGEBI8vEIBmWyGrdVRs1Xj5aWYJ3q6b6kvC0H0FK9CCh4Ue3J6upXGMxhranLkF7HPkJy3K9lvJmG3QBtfT6ZY5ZZqk1C3ivTk/s1600/IMG_0273.jpg">,<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586103411239090034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV2vBfDMjGs2Mu560itQWGl00HJ-37FFo1f0UbYgNxeGEBI8vEIBmWyGrdVRs1Xj5aWYJ3q6b6kvC0H0FK9CCh4Ue3J6upXGMxhranLkF7HPkJy3K9lvJmG3QBtfT6ZY5ZZqk1C3ivTk/s400/IMG_0273.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Just come back to Saigon after a few days in the Mekong Delta. Above's a snap of small noodle factory I poked my snout into down there....<br /><br />Looks like they're making rice papers at first glance but it's actually noodles. Not the fresh no-need-to-cook type you eat so often in Vietnam (which are made from cooked rice), this method uses raw broken rice grains and produces a large rice paper sort o thing.<br /><br />These they dry in the sun for few hours, before running them through a big pasta cutter type machine.<br /><br />Out come fine dry-<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">ish </span>noodles, which are bagged up and driven to market on the back of a motorbike (this being the only option, as there's just a dust track leading out from the place).<br /><br />The whole operation was v.rustic - mud floor, chickens clucking around etc, but all pretty skillful and efficient too. Just like so many things in Asia.<br /><br /><br /></span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-25581192032471026112011-03-19T23:03:00.000-07:002011-03-21T05:40:11.129-07:00Seafood bonanza (errr...somewhere near Bangkok)<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Ok so, despite posting something every other day (more or less), I'm already getting bit behind in terms of writing up the interesting stuff I've eaten / want to blog about.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Hence I'm currently in the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) but am posting a meal I ate back in Thailand. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Will get back toi Vietnam after this entry but first wanted to stick up few pics of a really good Thai meal I had a few days ago with Bo an Dylan (of <a href="http://www.bolan.co.th/wordpress/">Bo.Lan</a> restaurant, Bangkok).</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The restaurant was a fairly posh Thai for fairly well-off Thais place about an hour outside Bangkok. I can't claim to have sniffed it out mysleft, Bo had been there before and it was a favourite of her parents<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> who, like most Thais, are pretty into Their food.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Here's what we ate, in no particular order...</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><ul><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Thai oysters served with crispy shallots, chilli jam and some fern-like vegetable i've forgotten the name of.</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">A lon (which is a sort of coconut cream based relish, almost a curry at times) of lobster and minced pork</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Crisp soft shell crab stir fried with curry powder, chilli and spring onion.</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Raw mantis shrimps marinated ceviche stlye in lime, chilli & garlic </span></li><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">A sour curry ('gaang som') of seafood, mainly lobster as far as i could tell!</span></li><br /><li><span style="font-size:85%;">A type of red curry called 'gaang krua' with snails (freshwater, I think) and bamboo shoots.</span></li></ul><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">And, yep, the food was all really good. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The rich and delicious lon, crispy & spicy crab and the oysters were the highlights.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">It all got the thumbs up from Bo and Dylan, which is high praise as far as I'm concerned. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">All that food <em>was</em> arguably a little excessive for three people....but wtf...twas just the job to put some meat back on my skinny chef bones!</span></p><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO5dqWDjPdwr8pTK7NpspcLX165mwLtLaiUDShxjYK6Nw_jQrOWrapuFcO00C0cmt_ocA96px5vHtKuOCwQAgS7fP__D6ix0cY-f3048AGkWUcYES4U4lPcek5G9htlcb7wnOAjCFiTc/s1600/IMG_0189.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584187281163910930" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px; height: 320px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO5dqWDjPdwr8pTK7NpspcLX165mwLtLaiUDShxjYK6Nw_jQrOWrapuFcO00C0cmt_ocA96px5vHtKuOCwQAgS7fP__D6ix0cY-f3048AGkWUcYES4U4lPcek5G9htlcb7wnOAjCFiTc/s320/IMG_0189.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDXadLqTrVKTbcWqqFsOWnyz7W0EOuKWqG7_mW9apUHtiPsYgC2R0Gbo4oErjz7nMFvd7_3Mhqt-SM42ALb271ZUjecJbDECzRazfYXoH6u72I1-1tl6BOHB2OaQxTpae19MnM3HHoJw/s1600/IMG_0197.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584188015496617490" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px; height: 320px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDXadLqTrVKTbcWqqFsOWnyz7W0EOuKWqG7_mW9apUHtiPsYgC2R0Gbo4oErjz7nMFvd7_3Mhqt-SM42ALb271ZUjecJbDECzRazfYXoH6u72I1-1tl6BOHB2OaQxTpae19MnM3HHoJw/s320/IMG_0197.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEW5Mk6bDNsXJQxNz7CdqoXiXXkRdHDYJ_E6bpaemm9P_jLF9qSTWrKBVltSbyfPElVVm4GFjrjTvO5GNu1Og6ieUchPrs-ll7jGCbvO8KWCUhO_d_ZxJCq-aWdu2yu9oHL-W_V1ZTsA/s1600/IMG_0190.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584188009184936578" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px; height: 320px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEW5Mk6bDNsXJQxNz7CdqoXiXXkRdHDYJ_E6bpaemm9P_jLF9qSTWrKBVltSbyfPElVVm4GFjrjTvO5GNu1Og6ieUchPrs-ll7jGCbvO8KWCUhO_d_ZxJCq-aWdu2yu9oHL-W_V1ZTsA/s320/IMG_0190.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEink8j9NGp8YRVewPC2jN_C1_rCP6ENimiwccmmTmfIStfAJn5tTGQJ0AgK7YTIGil_pDjGwxG-VolSCkPfmCGOr0C781Wf2ko6EN8O1LbKpltectjfEOjTQSrrEWdFH0hi1eR7VGs0yNQ/s1600/IMG_0188.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586116927063287010" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px; height: 320px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEink8j9NGp8YRVewPC2jN_C1_rCP6ENimiwccmmTmfIStfAJn5tTGQJ0AgK7YTIGil_pDjGwxG-VolSCkPfmCGOr0C781Wf2ko6EN8O1LbKpltectjfEOjTQSrrEWdFH0hi1eR7VGs0yNQ/s320/IMG_0188.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-7535143748909971612011-03-17T02:14:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:40:07.660-07:00Breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFfP5EUh5hK3vJokASJ1rqiovTb9_BCizqZYpYbrDIWDReEqVbl_86A99C1INEvCa5fAfpGNLwmXFpjWjSVuoC9Y5EGgkgMZpGJbU78CYvhI0j0huyCh5lMHtmDfJ3mqRdmPeLaiG9Z0/s1600/IMG_0208.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584978996027949858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFfP5EUh5hK3vJokASJ1rqiovTb9_BCizqZYpYbrDIWDReEqVbl_86A99C1INEvCa5fAfpGNLwmXFpjWjSVuoC9Y5EGgkgMZpGJbU78CYvhI0j0huyCh5lMHtmDfJ3mqRdmPeLaiG9Z0/s400/IMG_0208.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Breakfast in HCM City: the first of many bowls of Pho Bo (beef noodle soup) i will be eating on my whistle-stop trip from South to North.</span><br /><div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-38492220298014423282011-03-14T10:43:00.000-07:002011-03-14T22:56:12.359-07:00Palm Sugar<div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >So, as mentioned, I've been working at the top Bangkok restaurant <a href="http://www.bolan.co.th/wordpress/?page_id=12">Bo.<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Lan</span></span></a> the last few days.<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br />But! On Monday's the place is closed and the owners Bo and Dylan (hence the name of the place) kindly invited me to come with them to visit their palm sugar supplier in the countryside outside Bangkok.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was fascinating. The suppliers Bo & Dylan have tracked down make top quality stuff - totally unadulterated (unlike much of the stuff produced nowadays, which often has other sugars or chemicals added), soft, buttery and delicious.<br /><br />The family who produce it live on the plantation and make the stuff by hand, the same way it's been done for generations...cue pic of wise old palm sugar dude: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa7qlHn6GCHi9lfZq1zCsUSEw5b-XgJeqANTcOQCP02LPeJxJRQL88Dox9IDJme2TLIgcUCB56CejGVzlsl8-ssq-NKQ2pyblku7yguSmBqNo44PddAmPuqExmZ_S8cIWKBkxcakR9Ow/s1600/IMG_0141.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584009735211537826" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa7qlHn6GCHi9lfZq1zCsUSEw5b-XgJeqANTcOQCP02LPeJxJRQL88Dox9IDJme2TLIgcUCB56CejGVzlsl8-ssq-NKQ2pyblku7yguSmBqNo44PddAmPuqExmZ_S8cIWKBkxcakR9Ow/s320/IMG_0141.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm no expert on the process, but from what I could gather, and what Dylan told me, I believe it goes like this....</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The trees (coconut palms) are tapped for sap by chopping the where the coconuts would grow, and twice a day the farmers shimmy up the trees and collect the containers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpbugINr5yIYVxgXxAOFxErM3YFKR8QBi1xqdR1SOufRB9zc_WtSQuSvAyGkvGvtS3LUSe0m05NmtJNoOpaF4Vtmbos71PNuDsr0v-onSkgHg4ubeBYCSq8E17YmIGaTWaKUGvKWtsH4/s1600/IMG_0170.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584009337417725138" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpbugINr5yIYVxgXxAOFxErM3YFKR8QBi1xqdR1SOufRB9zc_WtSQuSvAyGkvGvtS3LUSe0m05NmtJNoOpaF4Vtmbos71PNuDsr0v-onSkgHg4ubeBYCSq8E17YmIGaTWaKUGvKWtsH4/s320/IMG_0170.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Check out the rustic ladders they use:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHh3URkBMulC94LiHjZPTYfmmyMGyD-MXMSCXCAz4CUv64vsg34sdUZ6C2eR-PAkSprRl6zIf8qlbyn47xyv1c2BjL8bmCywk5tIkE6NXTk01FUk0cSBthk62kzbxLsFewnrbUcFSLdU4/s1600/IMG_0151.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584010172014928850" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHh3URkBMulC94LiHjZPTYfmmyMGyD-MXMSCXCAz4CUv64vsg34sdUZ6C2eR-PAkSprRl6zIf8qlbyn47xyv1c2BjL8bmCywk5tIkE6NXTk01FUk0cSBthk62kzbxLsFewnrbUcFSLdU4/s320/IMG_0151.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then the palm nectar is boiled down....<br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYTSPP0hX4MdxMzebn0pQuPLzdWrpybnxuFsOWwb3lS6nymPkbN1xBYlBsyRjRUO9jNRGI0EMlWFT9C5N8qzJ6viuOaaheE-APkFM25uG6uCHCtaqF0Ebzyporuy65vqsZxZtcO2-eOs/s1600/IMG_0146.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYTSPP0hX4MdxMzebn0pQuPLzdWrpybnxuFsOWwb3lS6nymPkbN1xBYlBsyRjRUO9jNRGI0EMlWFT9C5N8qzJ6viuOaaheE-APkFM25uG6uCHCtaqF0Ebzyporuy65vqsZxZtcO2-eOs/s320/IMG_0146.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584164707571735714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Until thick....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7OoXunmX3fJrB506D0g-jG8FCSv4eMPG3pSL7p4HsiK1Lf1Xaf-8SIQXRKwBe3NJrG3Pi5_2P4AHVX2izX_V-_UEJye7Ptl0Lx07_jaFZk4lgmLMdJ8KGfDkD9xG5tS7-FN4SKBWmW0/s1600/IMG_0162.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7OoXunmX3fJrB506D0g-jG8FCSv4eMPG3pSL7p4HsiK1Lf1Xaf-8SIQXRKwBe3NJrG3Pi5_2P4AHVX2izX_V-_UEJye7Ptl0Lx07_jaFZk4lgmLMdJ8KGfDkD9xG5tS7-FN4SKBWmW0/s320/IMG_0162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584162830245007826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Then passed through muslin....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIFnbfklI8vJrGhH9qld7Ge9JF4yvZ0_QWXrWzTMpodVC5Yunm8s3ztpaj5HnJ8eV22bh04XMApsTTWX7OnPl2kPw-vU_V2c_KsqDDaS3Sc7PIERtLAWjx0dta9urHFmnmGS9PeC3ZR8/s1600/IMG_0164.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIFnbfklI8vJrGhH9qld7Ge9JF4yvZ0_QWXrWzTMpodVC5Yunm8s3ztpaj5HnJ8eV22bh04XMApsTTWX7OnPl2kPw-vU_V2c_KsqDDaS3Sc7PIERtLAWjx0dta9urHFmnmGS9PeC3ZR8/s320/IMG_0164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584162834412825090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />And now it's stirred & worked with this special palm sugar wand thing</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">o.<br /></span><div style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Here's the old dude again, giving us a masterclass:</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE6FBWpcIchkGPjnZXMeSR_V1kRnRnKJobTDo3-To-dVSgS8Q0l5E3mYeFyPQPsOQ5hyphenhyphenYy7ricvT-xhOy_8WS3zAPVrMThURtuabEYRYPaBv7q1_kVnQZE1kg-mcQFjxjWs7HMEzoAj4/s1600/IMG_0138.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584008678357650882" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE6FBWpcIchkGPjnZXMeSR_V1kRnRnKJobTDo3-To-dVSgS8Q0l5E3mYeFyPQPsOQ5hyphenhyphenYy7ricvT-xhOy_8WS3zAPVrMThURtuabEYRYPaBv7q1_kVnQZE1kg-mcQFjxjWs7HMEzoAj4/s320/IMG_0138.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span face="arial">When it firms up, and the right consistency is achieved,</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> it's ready. The warm sugar is then either poured into 40kg containers </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">or set in molds into 1kg blocks.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br />This finished product, ready for market....or, in our case, for Bo & Dylan, who left with a good 100kg of the stuff in the back of their car.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlktgTDBDnUeP0Iq1_Zhp1LeWmgbgFfQ9EAYYeFdaYZc4MYVEuU2PUq9_APYgArV6rYGLIRNA-Ip5Q88x4SmkMlk4u73c8FojlJCHQxsyz-E0yef7Bx25dsVwHa5I31TWttjiwl9jVyc4/s1600/IMG_0160.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584010929641370226" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlktgTDBDnUeP0Iq1_Zhp1LeWmgbgFfQ9EAYYeFdaYZc4MYVEuU2PUq9_APYgArV6rYGLIRNA-Ip5Q88x4SmkMlk4u73c8FojlJCHQxsyz-E0yef7Bx25dsVwHa5I31TWttjiwl9jVyc4/s320/IMG_0160.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The whole thing was a privilege to watch. The family were also ridiculously nice people - feeding us fruit and chopping down various things they grow on the farm & trying to persuade us to take them.<br /><br />So nice to see how Bo & Dylan's passion for great produce, and willingness to pay a bit extra for it, helps to allow their suppliers to keep doing things in the time honored fashion instead of caving in to the pressure to produce something cheaper and quicker, but not as good.<br /><br />Next post from Ho Chi Minh City!<br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-385143706027043400.post-65615223069702487802011-03-12T07:55:00.000-08:002011-03-11T21:49:19.193-08:00Thai Wafers, Chinatown<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 389px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 209px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581569288329086146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLYGxxsP9vNMXBoch6wMrbVMTcZwul0JdRZaZqZMTTxMwITFVEUOFk-sGtZyWXeFzVLzaio_EAJl2Vunxp7DloZ0oVpiHQENn2rVSr8P3D2Pom0Gw8C1Z1jtNRDlN2UTSyExj1ysah2M/s400/IMG_0081.jpg" />These are a sweet street snack common all over Thailand. a crisp wafer made from various flours: rice flour, ground toasted lentils and mung beans - at least that's how we made them at Nahm London, where we had a version of them on as a dessert. </span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The fillings are pretty varied but usually include meringue, often golden sweetened egg strands and sometimes even sweetened shredded dried shrimp. Tasty crisp little morsels, Thais go mad for them. </span></p></span><span style="font-size:85%;">p.s working at <a href="http://www.bolan.co.th/wordpress/?page_id=12">Bo.Lan</a> at the moment, stunning food, will write about it soon.<br /><br /></span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139203623942482844noreply@blogger.com2