Tomato Tum Yum Soup

Tom Yum is a soup that I frequently order at one of my local Thai restaurants. But I decided to make it myself since I had several Lemongrass stalks laying in the bottom of my vegetable drawer that needed to be used. This is actually a pretty simple soup and it's fast to make as long as you have Lemongrass on hand along with a little bottle of Thai Red Chili Paste (I use the Thai Kitchen brand) and some fresh Galangal or Ginger and a Lime.  I like to add in some sliced Shallots or Red Onion, some sliced Chicken Breast and some Tomato. It's supposed to be a thin, somewhat clear broth with just a hint of red color, but I added the Tomatoes in early with the Lemongrass so that they melted into the soup and I liked it even better!  I served it with some Jasmine Rice and it was the perfect dinner!

Tomato Tom Yum Soup

8 cups Chicken Broth (I used Swanson's Natural Goodness)

3 Lemongrass Stalks

2 - 3 large slices of peeled Ginger or Galangal 

1 Roma Tomato

1/3 cup sliced Shallots or Red Onion

1 - 2 Tablespoons Thai Red Chili Paste

1 Chicken Breast half, cut into thin slices

8 Button Mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup fresh squeezed Lime Juice

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Cut the bottom 1/2 inch off the Lemon Grass and then peel off the outer layer. Cut off the top, leaving about 3 inches. Cut that into 1/2 pieces and smash them lightly with the bottom of a mug. 

Pour the Chicken Broth into a pot and add the Lemon Grass, Shallots and Ginger. Bring to a  boil and then turn down to a simmer. Place the Tomato onto a ladle and drop into the hot broth for 30 seconds. Remove, trim the stem end, peel and chop. Add the chopped Tomato back to the broth along with the Thai Red Chili Paste. Simmer the broth for 15 minutes. Then add in the Chicken slices and Mushrooms and cook until the Chicken is opaque. Add in the Lime Juice and Sugar and stir throughly. Serve with Jasmine Rice.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken and Chicken Broth belong to the Wood Element and the Lemongrass and Lime add even more.  The Tomato and the Red Chili paste contribute the Fire Element.  The  Mushrooms, Ginger and Sugar bring in the Earth Element and the Shallots make sure that the Metal Element is present too and the Rice is Metallic too. And, because this is a broth based soup, the Water Element is also represented. This then becomes a pretty balanced soup!

Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Wing Drumettes

I found a package of Chicken Wings Drumettes in the freezer that needed to be cooked and there was a Seahawks playoff game to watch. I didn't have much time, so I quickly unthawed them and used the technique of broiling the Chicken Wings from my cookbook (coming very soon!) that involved saucing them with a wonderful Apricot Chili Sauce. But I didn't have any Apricot Jam and I remembered that my son had mentioned that the Apricot Chili Sauce tasted a bit like Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and decided to use that as the sauce. I sprinkled the Chicken Wing Drumettes with some Salt and Pepper and broiled them quickly and tossed them with the Thai Chili Sauce. The Seahawks unfortunately did not win but the Chicken Wing Drumettes were delicious!

Thai Sweet Chili Chicken Wing Drumettes

1 pound of Chicken Wing Drumettes

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Pepper

3/4 - 1 cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (I used the Mae Ploy brand)

Heat the oven to broil. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a sheet pan. Place the Drumettes on the foil and space evenly. Sprinkle with the Salt and Pepper.

Broil for 10 - 12 minutes on one side or until golden and then turn and broil on the other side. Remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl.  Pour the sauce over and toss thoroughly. 

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element. The Chilis in the Sweet Chili Sauce add the Fire Element and the Sugar in the sauce contributes the Earth Element. The Metal and the Water Element need to be added and we did that by serving an Asian inspired Eggplant Dip with Rice Crackers to create some Five Element balance. 

Creamy Tomato Soup with Thai Flavors

I was craving a bowl of creamy Tomato Soup but I didn't want to use any dairy. So I decided to create a Tomato Soup using Coconut Milk and adding some Thai flavors  I might add that I keep Lemongrass in the freezer, so if you don't have any, you can use a bit Lime or Lemon Zest. I pureed it with a stick blender and served it with a squeeze of Lime. It was so good that I couldn't stop eating it!  

Creamy Tomato Soup with Thai Flavors

2 14.5 oz cans of diced Tomatoes

1 can of full fat Coconut Milk, 13.66 oz

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 Shallot, minced

2 teaspoons minced Lemongrass or 1/2 teaspoon Lime or Lemon Zest

1 teaspoon Salt 

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 Lime, cut into quarters

Put the Oil into a medium saucepan and heat. Add the Shallots and cook until they soften.  Then add the Tomatoes, Coconut Milk, Lemongrass, Salt and Sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Then use a stick blender or a blender  to puree the soup. Serve with a squeeze of Lime.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always part of the Water Element so that Element is covered. The Tomatoes bring in the Fire Element. The Coconut Milk represents both the the Metal Element and the Earth Element since it is naturally sweet. The Lime and Lemongrass, which is Woody herb, contribute the Wood Element. This soup is more balanced than I expected!

Thai Beef with Basil

I've been buying  a lot of Thai takeout later and decided that it would b much better if I made it myself at home. So today I decided to make Thai Beef with Basil. I've discovered that Thai food is fairly easy and quick to make, as long as you have some basic seasoning ingredients in your pantry - in this case Tamari (Soy Sauce) and Fish Sauce. Other than that, this dish requires some Thai Basil, Brown Sugar, Garlic, Shallots and a Chili - all things I had. A quick note: Thai Basil keeps best at room temperature. I added Red Pepper for Color and Green Beans too. Another trick, is to slice the Beef when it is partly frozen, so place it in the freezer for a while first or unthaw it just until sliceable. This dish was done in less time than it took to cook the Jasmine Rice and it was wonderful!  An easy weeknight meal and in my opinion, better than takeout!

Thai Beef with Basil

3/4 pound of Flank Steak or other Beef steak, sliced into thin strips

1 large or 2 small Shallots, peeled, trimmed and sliced thin

3 Garlic Cloves, minced.  

1 Red Pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut into thin strips

a handful of Green Beans, ends trimmed and snapped in half

1 small Red Chili (Thai Bird Chili or Red Jalapeño) sliced into rings

1 1/2 Tablespoons Tamari (Soy Sauce)

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

1 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (divided)
a handful of Thai Basil Leaves

Blanch the Green Beans in a small pot of boiling water, cooking for about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Set aside

In a small bowl, mix together the Tamari, Fish Sauce and Brown Sugar. Place Beef in another bowl and add 1 Tablespoon of the sauce mixture, mixing well with your hands.

Then heat a wok on high heat and add 2 Tablespoon of OIl. Add in the Beef and smooth into one layer with the spatula , cooking until one side is browned and turn to brown the other side. Remove to a serving bowl. Then add in the additional 2 Tablespoon of OIl. Put in the Shallots and Garlic, stirring quickly. Then add in the Red Pepper and Green Beans. Cook until the Red Peppers soften.  Then add the Beef back in, then toss in the Basil and Sauce, stirring to wilt the Basil. Serve immediately with Jasmine Rice. 

Five Element Analysis

With such a colorful dish, it is likely that many Elements are involved. The Beef contributes the Earth Element, as does the Brown Sugar. The Red Pepper and the Red Chili bring in the Fire Element. The Green Beans make sure that the Wood Element is present and the Fish Sauce and Tamari add the Water Element. The Metal Element is represented by the Shallots, Garlic and Thai Basil. So, this ends up being a very balanced dish!  

Chopped Larb Salad

I love Chopped Salads as you get so much more of everything in each forkful. I make them frequently. But yesterday, I was in the mood for some Thai Flavors and so I combined the traditional ingredients of Lamb with the accompanying vegetable pieces all together. Larb is ground Chicken or Pork sautéed with Shallots and then mixed with a Thai Vinaigrette of Lime Juice, Brown Sugar and Fish Sauce. It usually comes with a hunk of Green Cabbage, a few slices of Cucumber and some wedges of Tomato. So I put them all together in little bits! I used both Green and Red Cabbage since it is so much more colorful along with some Green Onion tops, chopped Tomatoes, chopped Cucumber, Mint and Cilantro.  I think this might work really well with cooked Quinoa too. I loved this Chopped Larb Salad so much that I will probably never make Larb again the traditional way!

Chopped Larb Salad 

3 1/2 cup Green Cabbage, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup Red Cabbage, cut into small pieces

1 small Cucumber or 1/2 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 large Tomato, seeds removed, cut into a dice

2 slender Green Onions, green part only cut into small pieces

1/2 cup loosely packed Mint Leaves

1/2 cup loosely packed Cilantro Leaves

1 Shallot, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 pound of ground Chicken 

1/2 teaspoon Salt

For Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh squeezed Lime Juice (the juice of about 1 1/2 - 2 Limes)

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 - 2 1/2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

pinch of Chili Flakes

Mix tougher the Cabbages, Cucumber, Tomato, Green Onion pieces along with the Mint and Cilantro Leaves in a large salad bowl.

In a small bowl, mix tougher the Lime Juice Fish Sauce, Brown Sugar and Chili Flakes.  

Heat the Oil in a frying pan and add the Shallots. Cook until they just become translucent and then add in the Ground Chicken and sprinkle with the Salt. Cook until the Chicken is no longer pink.  Add in the Dressing and stir quickly.  Then pour her the Salad ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

This is a colorful salad so you can be sure that it covers most of the Elements. The Cabbage, Cucumber  and Brown Sugar all bring in the Earth Element, whereas the Chicken contributes the Wood Element along with the Lime Juice. The Fire Element is present in the Tomatoes and the Chili Pepper Flakes. The Green Onions, Shallot, Mint and Cilantro contribute the Metal Element and the Fish Sauce makes sure the Water Element is there too. This then is quite a balanced Five Element meal all by itself!

Thai Pork and Tomato Dip - Nam Prik Ong

I am a snacker and I like my snacks to be savory and often, I like them to include some protein. And the other day, I was in the mood for something new and different. I decided to make something I once tried in Thailand and loved - Nam Prik Ong or Thai Pork and Tomato Dip. I had it at a little restaurant in Bangkok and it was served with Cabbage and fried Pork Skins, usually called Chicarrones in the US or Pork Rinds You can buy them in most grocery stores and is the authentic accompaniment to this dish. In Thailand, this dip is very hot and so I had to eat it with Cabbage leaves to cool down the heat!  Making it myself, I could make it milder and it turned out so well that I am sharing it with you. It's so good - wonderfully exotic and delicious!  So, I am going to serve it at a dinner party soon.

Thai Pork and Tomato Dip - Nam Prik Ong

2 - 4 dried Thai Bird’s Eye Chiles (or 2 fresh Red Jalapeños, trimmed and deseeded)

3 large Garlic Cloves, chopped

3 medium Shallots, chopped

1 teaspoon Fish Sauce

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil

4 ounces minced or ground Pork

3/4 cup chopped Cherry Tomatoes
Juice of 1/2 of a Lime 

Optional: Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons Cilantro leaves

Soak Chiles in a small amount of boiling water for 20 minutes.  Remove from water, cut off stem end and cut open, scraping out the seeds. Put into a mortar and add in the Garlic, Shallots, Fish Sauce and Salt.  Pound the mixture with the Pestle until a paste forms or place in a food processor and make into a paste, scraping down the sides frequently.

Heat the Oil in a frying pan and add the Chili Paste. Cook for a few minutes or until you can smell the fragrance.  Add in the Pork and cook until it is no longer pink.  Add in the Tomatoes and cook until the Tomato has broken down to become part of the sauce. 

Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle with Cilantro to serve with Cabbage Slices, Chiccarones and/or Rice Crackers.

Five Element Analysis

Pork belongs to the Water Element and the Fish Sauce adds a bit more. The Lime Juice contributes the Wood Elmenent and the Thai Chiles and Cherry Tomatoes make sure that the Fire Element is present and the Metal Element is represented but the Garlic and Shallot. The Cabbage brings in the much needed Earth Element to create a balanced Snack!

Chicken Larb 2.0

I've always loved salads in the summertime, especially if they contain a meat of some kind. That's why I'm so fond of Thai Salads - Crying Tiger and Larb to be specific. I learned recently from a Thai friend that Larb is not a stir-fry dish. It is actually Chicken or Pork cooked in Broth with the addition of Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Green Onions and Shallots, Garlic and Chili flakes that together create a salty, sweet, spicy and savory melange of a sauce that is served over Lettuce.  It's a light meal and oh so delicious! I posted a Larb dish before, but I made it as a stir-fry and while it was good, this method of cooking the ground Chicken in Broth makes it much more tender. And, like all Thai dishes, there is a lot of fresh herbs - in this case Cilantro(Coriander) and Mint. It is traditionally served with Toasted Rice Powder and some steamed Sticky Rice, but I had it just by itself and enjoyed it so much!

Chicken Larb 2.0

1 pound of Ground Chicken

1/4 cup Chicken Broth

2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil

1 heaping teaspoon Sugar

Juice of 3 Limes - about 6 Tablespoons
1 Red Jalapeño or Red Thai Chili, sliced into rings

6 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

3 Garlic Cloves minced

2 Green Onions, trimmed and cut into small pieces

1 large Shallot, peeled and sliced into thin rings

3/4 cup packed Mint Leaves

3/4 cup packed Cilantro Leaves

1 small head (or 1/2 of a large head) Iceberg Lettuce torn into large bite-size pieces

Optional:  Toast 2 Tablespoons of Glutinous (Sticky or Sweet) Rice in frying pan until brown. Then grind in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle on top of the Larb.

Pour the Chicken Broth into a large frying pan and add the Oil and Sugar. Bring to a boil and add in the Ground Chicken, stirring to cook until almost all becomes opaque and has broken up into small pieces. Stir in Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, Red Chili and Chili Flakes.  Then add in the Garlic, Green Onions and Shallots and cook for a few seconds and take off the heat. Then add in the Mint and Cilantro leaves.  

Place the Lettuce in a large serving bowl or a plate with sides and spoon the Larb on top to serve.  

Five Element Analysis

Salads are a Fire Food because they involve Lettuce and the Red Chili , both fresh and dried adds just a bit more. The Chicken and Chicken Broth along with the Lime Juice contributes plenty of the Wood Element. The Garlic, Onions, Shallots as well as the Mint and Cilantro leaves make sure that the Metal Element is present. And finally, the Fish sauces brings in the Water Element making this a balanced Five Element dish!

Pad Kra Pao Gai with Thai Fried Eggs

This dish is classic Thai street food at it's best. I've posted a variation of this recipe before, but after speaking to a Thai friend, I learned a new way to make it. And, more importantly, I learned how to make Thai Fried Eggs, which are absolutely delicious! What's different about them? Well, for one thing, they are poached in hot oil which makes them crispy and the yolks come out perfectly runny. Drizzled with a little Kecap Manis or in my case, Tamari and Sesame Oil, they are just delightful - so different than the usual American versions of fried or poached eggs. They would be great for breakfast anytime and the lacy, browned bits on the edges taste so good!

The difference between this version of Chicken with Holy Basil and the one I posted before is in the use of Oyster Sauce to flavor the Chicken. And, you can make this dish Gluten Free if you use the Lee Kum Kee's Gluten Free version.  I have to admit that I like the regular Oyster Sauce better, so if you are using the Gluten Free kind, add a bit of Fish Sauce to round out the flavor. This dish tastes best if you use Thai Holy Basil leaves, but in a pinch you can also use regular Basil leaves and it will still be good.  Serve this with some steamed Rice and you will have a wonderful Thai meal!

Pad Kra Pao Gai with Thai Fried Eggs

4 Eggs

1/3 cup neutral tasting Vegetable Oil

1 pound ground Chicken or finely chopped Chicken Breast or Thigh meat

2 Shallots, chopped

3 large cloves of Garlic, minced

Optional: 1 - 4 Thai Chilis sliced into rounds or 1 red Jalapeño sliced into thin rounds

2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce (if using Gluten Free, add 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce)

4 Tablespoons Tamari

2 teaspoons Sugar

2 cups loosely packed Thai Holy Basil leaves

To Serve: 1 Tablespoon Kecap Manis (sweet Soy Sauce) or Tamari and 1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil

Break each egg in a small bowl, being careful not to break the yolk.  Heat a wok on high and then add in the oil and heat until the oil starts to shimmer and move.  Add in one egg in the center of the oil (be careful, it splashes) and cook until a metal spatula pushed underneath releases it from the bottom of the pan easily. Then using the spatula, quickly splash some of the hot oil over the top of the egg and cook until the egg looks cooked (this happens quickly).  Take out the egg and repeat with the remaining three eggs. Remove the wok from the heat. 

In a small bowl, mix together the Oyster Sauce, Tamari and Sugar.  

Then pour out all but 2 Tablespoons of the oil. Place the wok back on the heat.  Then add in the Shallots and Garlic and Chilis (if you are using them).  Cook until the Shallots wilt. Then add the ground Chicken and cook, stirring often unit it is no longer pink.  Then add in the Sauce and stir to combine.  Then add in the Basil and toss until the Basil wilts.

Plate the Pad Kra Pao Gai with Steamed Rice and an Egg, drizzling each Egg with 1/4 of either Kecap Manis or Tamari and Sesame Oil.

Five Element Analysis

Eggs belong to the Water Element and the Oyster Sauce and Tamari and Fish Sauce if you are using it add even more Water. The Chicken contributes the Wood Element and the Chilis bring in the Fire Element. The Metal Element is well represented by the Holy Basil and the Earth Element has only the tiny bit of Sugar to add. So, in order to have a balanced meal, it would be good to add another Earthy dish or even a dessert to make this a balanced meal. I served it with Coconut Ice Cream!

Steamed Clams with Thai Basil

Steamed Clams are a great treat here in the Northwest and they make an appearance on my dinner table whenever I go to my favorite market, Uwajimaya's or Pike Place Market.  I usually steam them with white wine and garlic, but this time I decided to go Asian as I also bought a big bunch of Thai Basil too. Clams are incredibly easy to make and take a total of about 5 minutes to steam and they are really good for you too.  The Chinese believe that clams cleanse the liver and who doesn't need that?  Of course, you want to get a good source of clams and I personally am a big fan of cold water shellfish so I rarely order them or cook them except when I am home in Seattle. 

This version of steamed clams absolutely delighted me - partially because love the aroma and taste of Thai Basil and also because it is good to change things up and try something you love in a new way. I'm sure that you could use regular Basil too if you can't find the Thai variety. A more traditional version uses a Thai Chili paste, but that contains dried shrimp, which I definitely can't do that, so I used Chili Oil instead and it gave just the right amount of heat.  Of course, you could also cut up some little red Thai Chiles if you want even more heat. This recipe is definitely a keeper and you know it is good when everyone drinks the broth out of the shells!

Steamed Clams with Thai Basil

2 pound Manilla clams
1 Tablespoon Safflower Oil
1 shallot chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Thai Fish Sauce
1 teaspoon Chili Oil
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 big handful of Thai Basil Leaves
Black Pepper to taste

In a large frying pan with a lid, put in the oil and heat. Then add in the shallot, green onions and garlic. Cook, stirring until the shallots become translucent. Add in the clams, the Fish Sauce, the Chili Oil, Black Pepper, Thai Basil and the Chicken Broth. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Discard any unopened shells and serve immediately.

Five Element Analysis

Clams belong to the Water Element and steaming is a Watery way of cooking so that element is fully covered.  The Thai Basil is both the Wood Element because it is green and leafy leaves, but it is also Metallic because it is so pungent and aromatic. The Chicken Broth adds more Wood and the garlic, onions and shallots contribute the Metal Element. The Fire Element is represented by the Chili Oil and Black Pepper. Only the Earth Element is missing so be sure to serve it with something Earthy like a Thai salad using cabbage or something sweet like a dish made with Coconut Milk.

Chicken Larb

One of my favorite things to order in a Thai restaurant is Larb. It's a delightful salad with ground meat, usually pork, although I like to use chicken. It has the delightful combination of cilantro and mint with that wonderful Thai combination of flavors - salty, sour, hot and sweet in a  dressing made with lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Then it is tossed with shallots, green onions and roasted rice, which I think adds the most wonderful crunch. I order Larb a lot so I decided to start making it at home whenever I crave it. I almost always have the basic ingredients in my kitchen and there is cilantro and mint on my windowsill. I hand cut the chicken breast into very small pieces because I think it is fun and I like the texture better, but you can certainly buy ground chicken or pork if you prefer.  I like to add a bit of chicken broth while cooking the chicken to keep it moist, otherwise it can get quite dry. I also cook the shallots with the chicken for just a moment as I think it takes the edge off them, but if you like, you can keep them uncooked. I do leave the green onions uncooked and toss them on as part of the garnish. The only tricky part is making the roasted rice. I use a cast iron skillet and you have to watch carefully so it won't burn. The rice needs to roast to a nice medium brown color or it won't taste done, but it is easy to go to far - so stay with it and keep stirring!  Then you grind it in a mortar and pestle. Like many Thai dishes, it is really quite simple to make and the results are spectacular. I think it makes the perfect lunch. It was a big hit around here and I think it will be in your home too!

Chicken Larb

3/4 pound chicken breast, chopped into small pieces (or can use ground chicken or pork)

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce or Tamari

2 Tablespoons of Jasmine Rice

1 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 shallot, trimmed and chopped

1 Tablespoons Chicken Broth

3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

2 Heaping Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 Thai Chili (green or red), sliced into thin rings (can also substitute a Serrano Chili)

Juice of 2 - 3  limes - equal to about 1/4 cup

2 green onions, washed, trimmed and cut into small diagonal pieces

1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

1/4 cup Mint leaves

4 lettuce leaves, washed to line plate and 2 or 3 more torn into bite sized pieces

Combine the chicken breast pieces with the Soy Sauce and mix together.  Heat the Jasmine Rice in a large frying pan and stir continuously over medium high heat until the rice becomes brown.  Take off the heat immediately and put the rice into a mortar and pestle and grind it until it resembles fine crumbs. In another bowl, mix together the Fish Sauce, Brown Sugar, Thai Chili and Lime Juice. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.

In the same frying pan, put in the Vegetable Oil and heat.  Add the Chicken and stir until it is just barely pink.  Add in the Chicken Broth and stir until the broth is nearly gone and then add in the Shallots and toss.  Remove to a bowl and add in the dressing, toss to coat the chicken thoroughly.  Place lettuce leaves onto a plate and place the bite sized pieces on top.  Put the chicken mixture on top and sprinkle the rice powder over it along with the cilantro and mint.  

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and so that element is covered.  The lettuce and chiles contribute the Fire Element. The sugar contributes the Earth Element and the shallots, green onions, cilantro and mint bring in the Metal Element. Finally, the fish sauce adds the Water Element so all the elements are present and this is a completely balanced dish!  

Thai Duck Noodle Soup

Duck soup, Thai style is wonderful! It has a lovely special exotic flavor and it is full of rice noodles, Shitake mushrooms, baby Bok Choy and green onions. I first had this at a Thai restaurant years ago and it became one of my son Stephen's favorite soup when he found a good little Thai restaurant near his university where we would go there whenever I would visit him. That great little Thai place closed down, unfortunately so we had to start making it ourselves. How to start? Well, the first time we made it ourselves, we used the duck bones from the roasted duck we bought at the 99 Ranch Market. Nowadays, we roast our own duck and then make soup the next day.

I was shopping at Uwajimaya's the other day - my favorite grocery store and duck was on sale. We roasted the duck and saved the leftover meat, but there wasn't much left as duck is not the meatiest of birds.  In order to get the rest of the bits off, you need to cook the bones for a while, remove the meat and then return the bones to simmer some more.  The broth is cooked with a stick of cinnamon, some star anise and an onion, garlic, ginger, some carrots and some chunks of daikon radish. Then when the broth is done, you strain it and briefly cook the baby Bok Choy, mushrooms and  rice noodles int he broth. Season it with  some fish sauce, some sweet soy sauce, some salty soy sauce and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with green onions and cilantro and you have an amazing meal!

Thai Duck Noodle Soup

Carcass from one duck, in pieces with the meat picked off and reserved

8 cups of water

2 Star Anise

1 stick of Cinnamon

1 onion, cut into big chunks

2 garlic cloves

2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 small Daikon Radish, peeled and cut into chunks

2 slices of ginger

6 baby Bok Choy bunches, washed, root end cut off and cut into about 2" pieces

8 dried Shitake Mushrooms, rehydrate in a bowl of boiling water

8 oz Rice Noodles - cooked in boiling water for 4 minutes, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or Tamari

2 Tablespoons Sweet Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

Juice of one Lime mixed with 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Black Pepper to taste

To Serve:

Green Onions, root end removed and ends trimmed, cut into small pieces

Handful of Cilantro Leaves, washed

Sriracha Chili Sauce

Place duck bones in a soup pot and add water, Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick, Onion, Garlic, Carrots, Daikon Radish and Ginger.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Cook for one hour.  Remove bones and cool slightly, removing the remaining meat on them and reserve.  Return bones to the broth and cook for an additional 1/2 hour.  Strain.  (Broth can be cooled and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to use it.)

Bring broth back to a boil. Shitake Mushrooms and the baby Bok Choy.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add in the Soy Sauces, Fish Sauce and Lime Juice mixture.  Divide rice noodles between 4 bowls and put reserved duck meat on top.  Pour broth over the noodles, making sure to give each bowl enough baby Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms.  Sprinkle Green Onion pieces and Cilantro on top and serve with chopsticks and Asian spoons and Sriracha Hot Sauce added to taste.

Five Element Analysis

Duck is a Watery food and soy sauce is a Water seasoning and this is a soup, which is a Water food so that element is completely covered. The baby Bok Choy, cilantro and lime juice contribute plenty of the Wood Element.  The Sriracha and Black Pepper bring in the Fire Element, whereas the carrot. sweet soy sauce and brown sugar bring in the Earth Element.  The green onions, onions, radish and spices add the Metal Element so this ends up being a completely balanced meal!  No wonder it feels so good when I eat it....

Gai Pad Gapow - Thai Ground Chicken with Holy Basil

My youngest son has returned from his internship in Singapore and one of the things he brought back is a taste for the kind of amazingly good Asian food he was able to buy at the Hawker stalls near his apartment in the Geylang district. His favorite was a little Thai kitchen that made excellent Gai Pai Gapow or Ground Chicken and Holy Basil. It is a common street food in Thailand and usually pretty hot from the Bird Chilis that they use.  I visited him last year and watched them make it and had a pretty good idea of what to do.  So, we experimented and got the flavors right the very first time!

It's a really simple dish and cooks in just a few minutes making it a delicious and nutritious fast food.  I bought chicken already ground and made sure it had dark meat in it as ground chicken breast is a bit dry. If you can't find ground chicken, you can buy chicken thighs and chop them up. Or, you can substitute ground pork or ground turkey instead.  Remember to buy a lot of holy basil. It may seem like too much, but you need it for the flavor and like all greens, shrinks down to very small pieces.  You can also use regular basil, but I don't think it is as good.  I used a Serrano Chili as it is my favorite as I can handle the heat level.  But feel free to buy the traditional Bird Chilis that are a little too hot for me. It is traditionally served with steamed white jasmine rice. It was so good that it is certainly going to become one of our staple dishes from now on!

Gai Pad Gapow – Thai Ground Chicken with Basil

¾ lb ground chicken or chicken things, minced fine (can also use ground pork or turkey)

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

1 Tablespoon Kecap Manis (or you can substitute Tamari and a bit of sugar to make it gluten free)

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, chopped

1 Serrano Chili, stem removed, deseeded and minced (or use 6 Thai Bird Chilis, cut up into tiny pieces)

A big handful of Thai Basil, leaves stripped from the stem

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Mix together the Fish Sauce, the Kecap Manis and White Pepper.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add in the shallot, garlic and Serrano Chili.  Cook until it just begins to brown.  Add in ground chicken and cook, separating the meat into little chunks.  Cook until the chicken is no longer pink.  Add in the sauce mixture and the Thai Basil and toss until basil is wilted.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element so that element is covered.  The fish sauce and soy sauce contribute the Water Element. The basil, garlic and shallot bring in the Metal Element and the pepper and Serrano Chili represent the Fire Element.  Only the Earth Element is missing so be sure to serve it with another earthy dish, perhaps something with coconut to make a balanced five element meal.

Thai Coconut Pudding in Kabocha Squash

I'm visiting my friend and she just harvested her first Kabocha squash.  We were gathering vegetables from her amazing garden and there were a lot of people coming over for dinner so I made a special Thai dessert that involves steaming the squash after being filled with a coconut pudding. It's really simple and quite spectacular looking when served.  Like most Asian desserts, it is not too sweet and really nourishing.  It's also surprisingly simple to make - the only trick is using enough eggs to make it a firm pudding so you can slice it.  I used Sucanat for the sweetener as I think it tastes more like traditional palm sugar so the pudding was a lovely caramel color, but if you want to make the pudding white, use regular sugar.  It's a fitting end to a Thai meal and delicious!

Thai Coconut Pudding in Kabocha Squash

1 Kabocha Squash

1 cup Coconut Milk (use the creamiest part from the top of the can if possible

3/4 cup sugar (I used Sucanat)

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Wash the outside of the Kabocha Squash thoroughly.  Using a sharp knife, cut one inch around the stem to cut a hole. Remove top and using a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and scrape out the strings so that the walls of the squash are smooth.  Pour water up to at least 2 inches in the bottom of a steamer and bring it to a boil.  In a small saucepan, cook Coconut Milk and Sucanat (or sugar) until just boiling and turn off hear.

Whisk eggs in a ceramic or glass bowl that will fit into the steamer and add in a few Tablespoons of the Coconut mixture, beat in and then add in a few more.  Then add all the rest of the Coconut mixture.  Put the bowl into the steamer and steam for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then take it out and stir again and pour into the Kabocha Squash that is on a plate that will fit into the steamer. Add more water if necessary. Place the plate with the Squash into the steamer.  Cover and steam for 45 minutes and be sure to check the water periodically and add more boiling water if necessary.  Check the pudding by inserting a toothpick or small knife into the center.  It is done if nothing sticks and the squash is tender.  Take out of the steamer and let cool until you serve. Cut into 8 sections to serve.

Five Element Analysis

Squash, being orange and sweet is representative of the Earth Element and the Sucanat sugar and Coconut Milk adds even more. The eggs bring in the Water Element and the vanilla brings just a hint of the Metal Element so this dessert is a perfect accompaniment to a meal that contains Wood and Fire Foods and something that adds a bit more Metal too.