Kha-Moo ( slow cook pork leg)

I crave this dish once in a while since living in New York because not every Thai restaurant has it on the menu. So, the inspiration for making this dish came from a conversation that I had with my dad over the phone. He always seems to know how to cook really well. He explained like an expert of how to make Kha-Moo ( slow cook pork leg), but he’s never made one himself. This is a true experiment from my dad’s imagination and my memories. I didn’t even know how it was going to turn out since I started making it. I waited for almost 5 hours to taste it and I think it was close enough and looked good for a first attempt. I know my dad will criticize how badly I chopped this piggy, but all I know is this is worth my time and effort.

Asian Slow Cooked Cabbage

This dish has been my favourite of all time and I am not sure that this is a Chinese or Thai dish. So, let’s call it an Asian dish. It’s very simple to make. I learned how to make this dish from my father because I like it so much and sometimes I feel like having it every week. I start by wedging the cabbage then cleaning and draining all the water out. Let it sit aside. I used a medium to large pot (depending on the size of cabbage). I let the pork ribs lay on the bottom and then I minced garlic ( roughly 2-3 cloves), and added freshly grounded black pepper. Add the cabbage that sits on the side on top of everything. The last part is mushroom soy sauce. Put the lid on with the low heat. Let it cook with the lid on for 60 – 90 minutes (varies by the amount of cabbage and pork ribs). After 45 minutes, the juice will start to come out and the cabbage will reduce down to half size. Don’t leave the heat on too long because the juice will dry out and make everything burn. Serve it over rice and it’s great for any meal.

Sauteed Snap Peas (Thai Style)

Since I hang out in Union Square for my t-shirt business a few days a week. I often have a chance to get fresh vegetables from the Farmer’s Market. One day, I found these really chubby snap peas and couldn’t walk away without them. I like to make simple sauteed vegetables and I actually measured the ingredients for my friends this time. Heat the wok pan, add olive oil and minced garlic. As soon as I smell the garlic, I add sliced pork and cook it halfway. Then add the snap peas. Season it with one tablespoon of oyster sauce and one and a half tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir them together until the vegetable are cooked. Very simple and unexpectedly tasty.

Pork Belly Thai Style

This dish reminds me of when my father taught me how to cook. My father would use the fat layer only, but I found that pork belly has a nice balance of fat and meat. I started by infusing pork belly with galangal (this herb looks similar to ginger and it’s also in the same family. However, they have different fragrances) I mention this because I have seen people think they are the same. Back to the pork belly : brown them together until a crispy texture is created. Then, add a slice of lemongrass. I take them out and rest them in another plate. In the same pan, cook chilli paste (red curry and yellow curry in the same ratio) and add the pork belly back to the cooked curry paste. Add oyster sauce, fish sauce and stir them together. It could be complete right there but I like to add string bean and bell pepper for colour and full nutrition.

Som Tum (papaya salad)

Many times while going to the Asian Supermarkets in Elmhurst (Queens, NY), I get inspired to make Thai food . I grabbed some green papaya and already planned making papaya salad for dinner. That is a super impulsive greedy thought that I usually have with food. I don’t think it’s right to give measurements of the flavour for papaya salad because people have different taste preferences. Where my mother comes from, people don’t put sugar in papaya salad and they prefer to taste saltiness over sour. However, the basic ingredients are green papaya (of course), carrots (optional), string bean, cherry or grape tomatoes, fresh chilli, garlic, coconut sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. The accessories to papaya salad vary to specific areas of Thailand. All I can say is that it should have 4 flavours; spicy, salty, a hint of sour and slightly sweet.

Kao Moo Dang (Roasted Pork with Rice)

I saw roast pork seasoning from the corner of my eyes in a supermarket last weekend and I figured that I should attempt to make it. I mixed the seasoning with water and cracked black pepper and added pork loin and pork ribs. I let it sit overnight even though 2-3 hours is enough. I roasted the pork loin and ribs at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. I boiled the seasoning mixture by adding 1/2 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of light packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce. I only kept the clear part of the sauce after boiling and brought it to boil again. I then added a mixture of tapioca flour and water into the sauce to create a gravy texture. Finish with black or white sesame for a touch in the sauce.

Slice the pork after letting it sit for 5-7 minutes and put it over rice. Pour sauce that I have already made over the pork. Woohoo.. easier than I thought! I have to thank the makers of the seasoning package to satisfy my craving.

Sauteed Chive and Pork

I happen to love chives since childhood. In Thailand, there is a snack (people here might call them dumplings) named “Gui Chai”. It literally translates to chive dumpling, but the size varies. Gui Chai has been in my experimental plans for a while, but I have yet to try it. Sauteed chives are a favourite for the Kriheli’s. Chives generally go well with chicken liver or pork liver, however since my husband and I are not a big fan of organs, we chose pork to go along with it. A quick sautee can raise the attraction to otherwise simple vegetables. This is what I prepared for our lunch today. Garlic, pork, chives, oyster sauce and soy sauce sauteed together. I sprinkle chilli flakes (optional) at the end for a Thai touch.

Rad Na

I used to eat Rad Na once a week in Thailand. There is one place in Saladang, close to my previous job, that had awesome Rad Na. Even though I don’t know their secret, this is exactly how it looks. This is basically my family version. I start by marinating sliced pork with minced garlic, soy bean paste, mushroom soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, tapioca flour and water. Tapioca flour and water will soften the meat (this is a secret from Papa Kitcharoentham). Marinate pork for at least 4-6 hours in the fridge (it could also be as long as a day). The rest of the process starts 20-30 mins before serving. Angel Hair noodle needs to be soaked (in room temperature water or cold) for 20 minutes before use. I begin by stir frying the noodles in hot oil with sweet soy sauce and put it aside. In the same pan, make simple fluffy scrambled eggs for Rad Na’s accessory and set it aside. In a hot wok, stir fry marinated pork with oil (I prefer olive oil or canola oil) and Chinese broccoli until the vegetables are cooked.  Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce and a little bit of sugar mixed together. Add chicken broth (roughly 2- 2 1/2 cups) and wait for it to boil. Dissolve tapioca flour with water and add when the sauce boils, stir it quickly to prevent lumpiness of the sauce. Then it’s time to assemble it all: put noodles in a bowl and pour the sauce on top. Don’t forget to add the scrambled eggs on top. I like to add chilli flakes and lime juice (optional) before eating. In Thailand, you would be offered condiments (chilli flakes, sugar, fish sauce and vinegar), so you can create your own taste for the dish.

Sea Bass with Thai Chilli Sauce (Pla Rad Phrik)

While working in a Thai Restaurant for 3 years, I observed cooks prepare this dish. It seems to be the most popular fish dish for spice lovers. I first mash fresh tamarind in hot water and set aside. I then clean the fish (preferably sea bass or red snapper), pat it dry and gently flour it to get it ready for frying. You can choose to pan fry it or deep fry it. It depends on how you like it. In restaurants, they primarily deep fry it and pour sauce on top. I prefer pan frying the fish even though deep frying will give it a nice crispy texture. While waiting for the fish to cook, I prepare the sauce in another pan. I start from cooking shallots and garlic in olive oil until shallots become translucent. Then I add red pepper (optional; for colour), oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar and tamarind juice that I’ve already prepared on the side. Taste the sauce: it should have 3 flavors (salty, sour and sweet). After tasting, I add chilli sauce (roughly 1-2 tablespoons). Lastly, I add basil into the sauce and save some for the garnish. When the fish is cooked, pour sauce over the fish and granish with the rest of basil.

Thai Spring Rolls

Since I have lived in New York (for a half of a decade now) and have worked for a while in a Thai restaurant, I noticed that spring rolls are a very popular request. I would like to thank the lovely chef (Tukky) who shared her great recipe with me. Cabbage, carrot and bean threads are the basic ingredients of vegetarian spring rolls. First, I shred cabbage and carrots and mix in bean threads that were already soaking in cold water. Then I stir-fried them together with salt, pepper and a little bit of mushroom soy sauce (for fragrance). After that, I spread the filling on a baking sheet and let it cool completely. For the wrapper, I use wonton wrap, but you can use spring roll wrap or rice paper. Finally, I fry them in medium hot oil and keep rotating them for a crispy and golden brown colour.

Spring rolls are usually served with plum sauce, so I try to stay true to tradition, even though my husband likes to add some hot sauce to it. It’s very simple and easy. Simple syrup, one preserved plum (Plum itself is already salty) and a splash of white vinegar boiled together. Break up the plum in the boiling syrup and let it reduce down to half. Let it cool and take the pits and skin out. There you have it!