rice soup with seabass

Rice Soup with Seabass : Kao Dtom Pla ข้าวต้มปลากะพง 

When I was young I didn't like rice soup at all. I just learnt to like/appreciate it in my late 20s. Now, I find "Kao Dtom" very comforting... I guess it has something to do with me not living with my parent any more (aka "homesick"). Rice soup always reminds me of my mum... she always cooked it for me when I was ill. Anyway, "Kao Dtom" is delicious.. its warm (as warm and as warm-hearted) and light yet filling. Its not only good for breakfast (Thai people usually have rice soup for breakfast.) but its aslo very good for light dinner. At times, you feel so stuffed and you dont want any heavy dinner but if you dont eat then you will probably get very hungry later at late night. Rice soup with seabass seems to be the perfect choice. 

Find below my recipe

1/2 Cup Rice (whole grain rice is preferred)

250 G. Seabass, cut or sliced (This could be any kind of white fish that you like. I prefer Seabass.)

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed 

2 Coriander Roots, crushed 

1 Teaspoon Galangal, grated 

Chinese Celery, cut

Coriander and Spring Onion, chopped  

Ginger, julienned

Garlic Oil (to taste)

3 Cups Chicken Stock/Fish Stock 

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (to taste)

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (to taste)

White Pepper, ground 

Sea Salt 

Soy Bean Paste Sauce

3 Tablespoons Soy Bean Paste

2 Garlic, finely chopped

5 Chilies, finely chopped

Ginger, grated 

Coriander Root, grated 

3 Tablespoons Lime Juice

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

A dash of unrefined Brown Sugar  

Preparation 

Set a large pot over medium heat, add stock and later add rice. Cook the rice till almost cooked through,  keep stirring. Season with sea salt, crushed ginger, crushed coriander roots, and crushed garlic. Bring the soup back the the boil. Add seabass and grated galangal, leave till the seabass is cooked through (at this stage - DO NOT STIR, otherwise the soup will be very fishy and you will break the seabass into small bits. You don't need small bits of fish in the soup as it doesn't look nice in term of presentation. Believe me, everyone wants the seabass in nice chunks in their rice soup!). Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn of the heat.

Sauce : Put everything into a mixing bowl, add all ingredients, mix everything till combined well. Taste if more seasoning is needed. It should taste tangy (with lime juice) and salty, with very little of sweetness and with a touch of spiciness.

Plating : In serving bowls, spoon the rice soup and some seabass chunks in. Sprinkle with julienned ginger, chopped Chinese celery and garlic oil (to taste - I don't normally drizzle the garlic oil on my rice soup as I like it simple and clean. I always serve the garlic oil separately.). Sprinkle lightly (or heavily) with ground white pepper. Serve hot with a small  cup of soy bean paste sauce. Delightful! 

hot and spicy pork noodle soup

Hot & Spicy Pork Noodle Soup : Guay Tiew Moo Dtom Yum ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหมูต้มยำ

I love eating noodles to bits especially "Dtom Yum Noodle". It doesn't matter its noodle soup or dry. I always enjoy it. I think its my most favourite street food ever! (I am kind of addicted to it. If I hear that there are some delicious noodle joints somewhere... I will always find my way to try them.) Oh well, I just love noodles! 

As much as I love "Dtom Yum" noodle but I never once cooked it at home as it requires many ingredients and its time consuming. I love spending hours in the kitchen but lately, I have been kept too busy with work. (I work 6 days a week and 10 hours everyday.) On my day-offs, I just want to sit.. doing nothing but being relaxing with books and music... I think I work too hard. I can hardly find time to do anything I enjoy doing. Let alone spending hours in in the kitchen. Luckily, last week, I had a 3-day-off. Hence, this yummie noodle recipe! 

Find below my recipe 

Soup

3-4 Cups Water

1/2 Kilo Pork Cartilage or Pork Ribs  

1 Medium Daikon, Cut

Coriander roots, crushed

Black pepper, crushed

Garlic crushed

Noodle (egg noodle, thin rice noodle, vermicelli or any kind of noodle that matches with your personal taste)

Minced Pork, boiled (made into balls and then pressed to make them flat) 

Pork Liver, boiled briefly (do not over-cook otherwise it will be tough and bitter)

Hard or Soft Boiled Egg, halved 

Bean Sprout

Fresh Organic String Bean, sliced 

Fresh Organic Red Chilies, sliced 

Fresh Organic Thai Parsley, thinly sliced 

Fresh Organic Spring Onion, roughly chopped 

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped  

Peanut, roughly ground

Dried Chillies, Ground

Palm Sugar

Lime Juice 

Preparation 

Set a large pot our medium heat, add water, crushed coriander roots, garlic and black pepper. Bring to the boil, add pork ribs. Leave to simmer for 30 mins or till cooked (spoon-tender). 

Set another large and deep pot our medium high heat, add water and bring to the boil. Cook the noodle as instructed on the package. Remove into the serving bowls. Later, cook bean sprouts and string bean in boiling water briefly (do not over cook otherwise you will loose the crunchiness of the veggies) and then remove into the serving bowls. Drizzle garlic oil on cooked noodles and vegetables and toss to mix well everything well. Set one side.

Serving : In a bowl, mix palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, dried chilies, ground peanut and chopped parsley, then add the soup and mix everything well. Taste if more seasoning is needed (to taste). Pour the seasoned broth into the serving blows on top of mixed noodle & vegetables. Lay some minced pork balls, cooked pork liver pieces, pork cartilage, daikon (a little of this and a little of that) and a piece of boiled egg on top. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and spring onion. Serve hot with some crispy wantons. Absolutely delicious!

minced pork simmered in coconut cream

Minced Pork Simmered in Coconut Cream & Soy Bean Paste : Lon Tao Jiew หลนเต้าเจี้ยว

I dont' normally like eating coconut cream or milk but some dishes are way too delicious to skip. I remember that my grandmother cooked this "lon" very often when I was very young. I didn't like it then as there were to many greens accompanied it. People change over time and so do I. As I grow older, I now learn to like/appreciate eating fresh vegetables. I dont know why.. I guess it has something to do with the thought that eating vegetables helps me to be healthier. 

Find below my recipe 

1 Cup Coconut Cream

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock 

1 Cup Minced Pork 

2-3 Tablespoons Fermented Soy Bean Paste

1-2 Tablespoon Palm Sugar

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (find the best quality that you possibly could.)

1-2 Tamarind Paste 

2-3 Medium Shallots, sliced 

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

Garnish 

Red & Green Chilies, sliced into rings

Fresh Organic Coriander Leaves 

Fresh Organic Cucumber

Fresh Organic String or Winged Beans

Fresh White Turmeric  peeled and sliced  

You can simply add any raw fresh vegetables (to taste)

Preparation

Set a saucepan over medium high heat, bring the coconut cream to the boil, then add minced pork. Wait till pork is cooked through, add soy bean paste. Season with palm sugar, tamarind paste and fish sauce. Taste if more seasoning is needed. (The relish should creamy, salty (from the bean paste) with very little sweetness) Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with red & green chillie slices and some fresh chopped coriander leaves. Serve in a small serving cup with lots of mixed fresh vegetables and steamed wholegrain rice. 

happy new year!

Happy New Year! 

I know (again) I have been very quiet. I have been kept too busy with work in the past months. If you like to know whats happening in my kitchen on a daily basis. Please, feel free to follow me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/RiyaKitchen

My personal facebook page is also open to public.

www.facebook.com/riya.sawamiwas

Have a very yummie 2013, everyone!

Love

Riya

stir-fried pork and string bean in red curry paste

Stir-fried Pork & Organic String Bean in Red Curry Paste : หมูผัดพริกแกงใส่ถั่วผักยาว

Lately, I have been working very hard. I work 6 days a week and I spend/t more than 10 hours at work and I was/am entirely worn out. When I got back home I were extremely exhausted. I cooked a lot of quick-fix meals for dinner. I always love good quality home-cooked food and I love to cook my own food mainly because I know whats in it. This dish is perfect (Protein, Veggie & Carb) for a mid-week dinner. Its simple and easy to prep and very fast to cook. 

Find below a recipe

Red Curry Paste : you can cook the paste on the weekend and have it kept in the fridge. 

4 Whole Red Shallots, peeled

4-6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled

1-2 Lemongrass, thinly sliced

1 Kaffer Lime, grated (only the green bits)

1 Galangal, thinly sliced

4-6 Dried Red Chillies, soaked and cut into small pieces 

2 Teaspoons Shrimp Paste (find the best quality)

1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt (coarse sea salt will make it easier when you pound the paste)

1-2 Coriander Roots, cut

2 Teaspoons Coriander Seeds

1 Teaspoon Caraway

Smash all ingredients together by using a mortar and pestle until well-mashed. If you don't have them on hand, then a blender will do but the paste will not be as good. Put the paste in an airtight container and it can be kept in the fridge for a month. 

1 Cup Pork Shoulder, sliced (You can always change to pork tenderloin.)

1 Cup Organic String Beans, cut 

3 Kaffir Lime Leaves, Shredded 

2 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste (You can find some good quality red curry paste in Supermarket if you are too lazy to cook your own paste)

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

A dash of un-refined Brown Sugar 

2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil 

Preparation

Heat a wok over medium-high heat, add cooking oil. Add curry paste, stir-fry till aromatic. Add pork and stir fry to mix well. Add a little of water or stock and keep stir-frying till pork is almost cooked through. Turn the heat up a little, then add string bean, stir-fry for a few minutes. (Don't leave string bean in the heat too long. You need to be quick at this stage. Make sure that string bean is not over-cooked. I personally  like it crunchy and green.) Add kaffir lime leave, fish sauce and a pinch of brown sugar. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Turn of the heat. Serve immediately with steamed rice or steamed whole grain rice. (You can always add one or two fried eggs on top as we "Thai" like to have it served with.) Absolutely satisfying.