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.

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.

Sauteed Brussel Sprout with Shrimp

My husband’s the least favourite vegetable is the brussel sprout. I felt compelled to challenge myself to come up with something he would eat and enjoy. The words “Brussel Sprouts” itself scared him when I told him that it will be part of our dinner. I made very simple sauteed Asian style with garlic, freshly chopped chilli, oyster sauce and soy sauce. The trick of this sauteed vegetable dish is heat, so the pan and oil MUST BE HOT enough. You want to feel the crunchiness of the vegetables, but also it must cook through. Another important part is that the shrimp needs to be cooked just done (don’t overcook). This brussel sprout dish makes me proud of myself in that I finally killed his lack of faith in brussel sprouts. This kind of sauteed dish makes him taste real vegetables.

Salted Fish Fried Rice

On his last visit, my father brought me salted fish from Thailand. Preserved food is very common in Thailand and people use it to enhance the flavour of the food. Some examples are preserved garlic, plum and seafood products. Salted fish fried rice is the perfect way to balance the saltiness from the fish with rice and vegetables. I prefer using Chinese broccoli. The first thing is infusing oil with salted fish and adding cooked jasmin rice. Don’t rush to add vegetables. Cook rice and salted fish together until you smell the rice, then add soy sauce (the amount depends on how salty your salted fish is) and vegetables.  Sprinkle chilli flakes for the finishing touches and you will have an authentic Thai version of the dish.

Green Curry Pork

People here (in New York) keep asking me which curry is less spicy or which curry is the spiciest. Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between spices because I eat spicy food all the time. According to my grandparents, green curry is spicier than red curry. I like to serve my green curry with rice noodle that Thai people call “Kanom Jean”.  It’s very easy to find green curry paste from any Asian grocer nowadays. The crucial part is the beginning when the curry paste needs to be stirred initially in hot oil and then adding any kind of meat (the most popular is chicken, pork and beef). Stir meat and curry paste until the meat is cooked half way. Add fish sauce and coconut milk to keep the meat soft and a little bit of sugar. You can add any vegetables you like, but can’t forget basil (try to add it at the very end to keep the fresh colour). The most common addition is bamboo shoot. It’s best when it’s hot.

Pad Si Ew

Pad si ew is a close friend of Pad Thai for foreigners because they are put in the same category (noodle) in Thai restaurants. It is essentially stir fried noodle that my husband and I can get enough of. I finally found broad noodle in Asian groceries in my neighbourhood. I have a little secret that I’ve been given by a chef from a Thai restaurant. Start cooking the meat and egg in hot oil and add the noodle when egg is almost cooked through (can’t add the noodle right away because the noodle will become soggy). You have to add when it’s a little wet, so it will attach to the noodle. Stir the noodle with sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and a little bit of vinegar to balance the saltiness and then stir in Chinese broccoli. Try not to overcook the vegetables because they will look like a leftover dish.