gastro 1/6

Gastro 1/6 

I know I dont do restaurant review for ages. The reason is not that I didn't get to eat or dine out (I did more than 50 restaurants in the past year and visited each of them more than twice!) but I don't have time and energy to think of what to write about them. There are loads to talk about but I am not very good when it comes to words. At times, I find writing about restaurants is very very difficult. I mean its nothing like writing about my own recipes or my own food and more importantly, I am not born being a food critic by nature.. I like eating out and I know what I like or what I don't like and thats all. Oh well, you know what I mean.

Anyway, this one is worth the wait and its totally worth writing about. If you read my blog for a long while you know by now that I personally, love love love cooking and having Breakie and Brunch. Living in Bangkok, there aren't many choices when it comes to good breakie/ bunch joints (Of course, there are loads of buffets available at those fancy 5-stars hotels but I am talking about a place with a big pinch of personality.) 

Gastro was found by Khun Bo and Khun Dylan - owners/chefs of the impeccable Bo.Lan. I personally admire them to bits. The passion and the effort that they have put into their restaurants are amazing. Their food is very honest and full of favours. Its exactly as its promised to be. The menu is very limited. I think they focus on flavour, freshness and well-selected good quality ingredients. Everything is delicious. (Yep, I have already tried them all.) Service is very slow though, its not recommended if you are on a rush as the place is perfect for a slow morning, having a good breakie or brunch with mates, doing nothing but chatting and laughing. You could hang out there for hours enjoying your flavourful  meal and taking it very slow. (I always feel like I am on holiday eating at this place.)

Love love this yummie little place.

Gastro 1/6
238 Soi Sai Namthip 2,
Sukhumvit 22,
Bangkok 10110
T : 080 603 6421
Facebook.com/Gastro16

buttermilk waffle with banana and strawberry

Buttermilk Waffle with Banana & Strawberry

I know I have been very quiet for months. I have been kept too busy with work... I am extremely worn out but I really do enjoy it. It’s fun and very challenging. I mean I am really grateful and I know that I am so lucky that I am given an opportunity to run a restaurant. This is really a trial run for me to discover myself if I really want this or not... I mean I love cooking to bits but running a restaurant is a total different thing. It’s so tiring and it’s such a big headache! Without passion, I don’t' think anyone would want to do it.

Anyway, I have a few posts, which I shall have them updated on here very shortly. But tonight, I think I should post something here. Last Sunday, I cooked this buttermilk waffle and its very yummie. Find below my recipe. (Which is adapted from a recipe in Saveur)

1 Cup All-purpose Flour

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1⁄2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

3  Free-range Eggs, separated

2 Tablespoons French Butter, melted and cooled

1 Cup Buttermilk 

Preparation

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Beat egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and add buttermilk and butter. Add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Beat egg whites in a medium mixing bowl until stiff and fold into flour mixture. Batter will be airy. Spread batter over three-quarters of the surface of a hot, lightly greased waffle iron, close lid, and cook until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.  

Plating : Drizzle with Maple Syrup. Serve with plenty of French butter and mixed fresh fruits (to taste, I personally like to pair fruits by colour. I mean to me pairing is very important as I like the plate to look very tasteful and colourful. At times, I would go for "Nectarine & Kiwi" or "Mango & Passion Fruit", or "Mango, Dragon Fruit & Kiwi" or "Raspberry, Blackberry & Blueberry", ect,.). Dust lightly with Icing Sugar. Voila!

poached egg with sauteed mushroom & asparagus on toast

Poached Organic Egg with Sautéed Mushroom & Asparagus on Sourdough Toast. 

Nothing is more delightful than waking up (very late on the weekends) with a smell of freshly brewed coffee and knowing that there is a proper brunch & a Sunday newspaper waiting for you... to me this is a real comfort... one of the simplest pleasures in life.

  

I personally adore (cooking and serving) fancy "Breakfast & Brunch". When I get to be home on the weekends or holidays, I love to cook big breakfast or brunch. I love all those fancy dishes like Egg Florentine, Egg Benedict, Pancake, Waffle, ect.,.

There were many long weekends in this month. Last weekend, I got to be home. I opened my fridge and found some fresh organic mushroom and organic asparagus. Then I thought I should cook them for brunch. This dish is delightful, very light and lovely. Its very easy to cook as well.

Find below my recipe

2-4 organic Eggs, very very fresh (You can always have more than 1 egg for one serving plate.)

A handful of organic Mushroom, cleaned (Any kind of small mushroom that you prefer.)

A handful of organic Asparagus, cut off bottom forth of asparagus, and discard, as it is tough and stringy. (This can be done in a bunch at one time to save time. Starting at tip, cut the rest of asparagus into equal lengths.)

1/2 Tablespoon of French Butter

1 Tablespoon of Whipping Cream

Sea Salt

Black Pepper, freshly ground

Flat-leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
Sourdough Bread, sliced, buttered and toasted to your liking 

Preparation 

Take out the eggs from the fridge and leave to room temperature. Set a saucepan over low-heat, wait till water is becoming hot but not boiling or simmering. Add a splash of any kind of vinegar in there. It helps to tighten the egg. Break an egg into a small cup, then slide the egg into the saucepan and leave the egg to cook for a few minutes. Scoop it out with a slotted spoon and keep dried one side.

Set a large saucepan over medium heat. Add butter, wait till the butter is melted (make sure that you don't burn the butter) and later add mushroom and asparagus, cook them very briefly (I like my asparagus sweet and crunchy). Add whipping cream, sea salt and ground black pepper, taste if more seasoning is needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

Arrange the sauteed mushroom and asparagus on top of the toasts, top with the poached egg(s) and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley over the top. (Sprinkle a dash of sea salt and black pepper on the eggs if you prefer) Voila!

Happy Holidays ! 

rice congee with pork balls & chinese cabbage

 

Kao Dtom Moo-Sub Sai Pak-Kard Kao : ข้าวต้มหมูสับใส่ผักกาดขาว 

I was ill for a few months and I felt very tired all the time. I guess it had something to do with not having enough time to rest. My body needed/needs to recover and I didn't allow that to happen at all. 

I felt so exhausted on last Monday. I was staying in bed all day....  and all I had was this "Rice Congee with Pork Balls and Chinese Cabbage". Its very easy to cook and its a perfect dish to boost your body on a sick day. (The only thing that might put you off is the cooking time.)

Find below a recipe

1/2 Cup of Organic Jasmin Rice, cleaned & soaked 

1/2 Cup of Organic Whole-Grain Rice, cleaned & soaked 

300-400 G. of Ground Pork, seasoning & made into balls 

1 of Medium Organic Chinese Cabbage Leaves, cleaned & cut

5-6 Cups of Chicken Stock

Fresh Coriander Leaves 

A dash of Sea Salt Or

2-3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

Preparation

In a large sauce pan, add chicken stock and rice. then set on medium high heat.  Simmer for 30 mins or upto an hour till the rice is cooked and soft. Stir regularly.  When the rice is cooked to your liking. Add pork balls  & salt, leave to cook for 10 mins. Before serving, add Chinese cabbage leaves and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot for breakfast or brunch.

Serve : 2

brunch @ minibar royale

Where to have a wicked “brunch” in Bangkok?

I am a Breakie & Brunch person and recently, I brunched a few times at Minibar Royale in Sukhumvit Soi 23, I like the place so much so that I decide to write about this place.

To me this is my first time that I find a decent "Egg Benedict" , which is my most favourite brunch, in Bangkok. The place offers many interesting & lovely brunch menu which I adore to bits and I personally think that you probably couldn’t find a better brunch menu from anywhere else in Bangkok. Like “Corned Beef served with Home Fries & Poached Eggs”, “Egg Florentine”, “Mini Pancakes with Fresh Fruits”, & “Waffles or French Toast with seasonal fresh fruit”.

The booze list is quite interesting & impossible to resist. A list of bubbly cocktails makes for a good brunch; try the Bumble, a mixture of sparkling wine, gin and honey lime.

The owners are the founders of fashion house “Sretsis” and jewelry brand "Matina Amanita" , along with their classmates and friends from their days at NYU, conjure up the feel of that typical “French café” you’d find on the streets of New York.

Minibar Royale is the perfect place for having lovely chat, brunch & drinks with a group of mates.

...

Minibar Royale

Citadines Bangkok,

37/7 Sukhumvit Soi 23

Tel : 02-261-5533
Website: http://www.minibarroyale.com/

kiem-eii soup with pork-balls & shrimps

Kiem Eii Soup with Pork-balls & Shrimps : เกี้ยมอี่น้ำ

“Kiem Eii” is Chinese Rice-Macaroni that we (Thai) feel familiar with for ages. I am not sure since when it managed to find its place on Thai’s table. I assume, it has slowly been in our kitchen since the time that the Chinese immigrated to Thailand.

I don’t usually cook “Kiem Eii” but a few days ago, I went to Emporium Food Hall to find some snack then I found “Kiem Eii” there. So, I bought ½ Kilo to cook for our Breakie.

Find below my very own recipe (probably, close to the original Chinese one.)

½ Kilo of “Kiem Eii” (Chinese Rice-Macaroni)
2 Cups of minced Pork, roll into small balls
2 Cups of Prawns (big size – 6 pcs), shelled & cleaned
2-3 Cups of Bean Sprouts, cleaned
8 Cups of Chicken Stock (You can do it from scratch, if you like)
2-3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
2-3 Tablespoons of fresh ground white Pepper
A Handful of Coriander & Spring Onion, finely chopped

.
Preparation

Heat the Chicken Stock in a large Saucepan over high-heat, wait till becoming very hot
Add in Pork balls, wait till cooked
Add “Kiem Eii”, bring to the boil, then add soy sauce
Turn off the heat

Set another Saucepan with Water over high-heat, bring to the boil
Add Bean Sprout, leave for a few mins then remove & keep one side
Add Shrimps, leave for a few mins then remove & keep one side

Remove the “Kiem Eii” into a serving bowl, add in cooked Bean Sprout & Shrimps on top of “Kiem Eii”. Sprinkle with chopped spring oinon & coriander and a dash of ground white pepper

...

Serves : 3

egg sarny

Egg Sarny

If you live with Brits for quite sometime, you know that they do love sarny!!
Egg and Bacon sarny seems to be something they have almost every day and they never get bored of it.

We often cook it for breakfast/brunch and I post this recipe this time because I managed to cook it by myself! I didn't add bacon because I didnt feel like having too greasy food this morning.

Find below a very simple & humble recipe.

• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 2-4 fried eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Cheddar/Emmental Cheese, sliced or grated


Preparation

Toast your bread to your liking.(I like mine warm & not too crispy.)
Place grated cheese on 2 slices while they are still hot in order to melt cheese a bit. Spread mayonnaise (Hellmann’s is recommended.) on other 2 slices.
Top with one or two (depends if you like lots of eggs or not) fried eggs, cooked to your liking. Pour ketchup over the eggs.
Place other slice of bread on top and then put the whole plate back in the toaster oven oven (which is still very hot) for 2-3 mins and Voila!

You can make them fancier by also add ham, sausage, bacon, or other meat of your liking.

The fry-up is known as one of the best hangover cures!! Goes well with a Bloody Mary, if you happen to cook this for brunch.

ricotta & marmalade on wholemeal crackers

Ricotta & Orange Marmalade on Whole meal Crackers

Something I have for breakfast lately!! Its also good serving as snack.

Find below a recipe (too easy)

• 6 whole-wheat crackers
• 12 tablespoons (or part-skim) ricotta cheese
• 6 teaspoons orange marmalade or any jams

Spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta over each piece of crackers. Spoon 1 tablespoon of marmalade over the ricotta, and serve.

Serves 2

toast, fried egg & tomato

Whole-grain Toast, fried Egg & Tomato

Watching Thai Telly - a documentary about Princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of the King - My King composed a song for her called "Menu Kai" means "Egg Menu" as she liked Egg when she was young. I am very deeply impressed by the warmest bond between my King & his Sister...... I have been crying almost everyday when watching the telly since the Princess has passed away.

This morning I woke up & felt that I need to cook Egg for Breakfast....

This recipe is very simple but very tasty. Another fast recipe for those who love Egg & Breakfast..

2-4 Fresh Organic Eggs
1-2 of Tomatoes, Horizontally Sliced
2-4 Slices of Whole-grain / 7 Grain Bread
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil / Cooking Oil



Preparation

• heat a pan over high heat
• add oil
• crack the egg and fry (don’t wait till the pan getting hot)
• leave the egg in the pan to be fried for 2-3 mins
• at the same time, fry the sliced tomatoes in the same pan
• check if the egg is cooked as how you like it to be cooked, turn the tomatoes
• turn off the heat, remove the fried egg and the fried tomatoes

• place toast on the serving plate
• place fried tomato on toast
• place fried egg on top of fried tomato
• serve with a small cup of ketchup

Easy Peasy !!

Serve : 1-2 persons

mixed fresh fruit & low-fat yogurt

Mixed Fresh Fruit with Low-fat Yogurt

I always like Breakfast, despite the fact that I hate getting up early.
Oh well, I always like Brunch … it sounds better this way.

I like to serve something different for breakfast so that people wouldn’t get bored of having the same thing on the table every morning.

Find one of my most favourite breakies: Mixed Fresh Fruit with Low-fat Yogurt.

½ Cup of Mango, diced
½ Cup of Green Flesh – Mellon Honeydew, diced
½ Cup of Orange Flesh – Mellon Honeydew, diced
(Any kind of fresh fruit that’s on hand)

1-2 Cups of Low-fat Yogurt
Honey (good quality)

For Garnish
Mint Leaves

scrambled eggs with smoked salmon & toast

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon & Toast

This is our most favourite Sunday's Brunch. It's very simple and easy to cook but it makes a fabulous Breakie or Brunch ever.

I seem to like to cook it on Saturday or Sunday as its too good that you need to share with someone not having alone.

Normally I would have my breakie with a few slices of whole grain / 7 grain toast but for this particular dish I prefer it with toasted French bread (sourdough) or Bagel, or with Brioche.

Find below a recipe of "Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon"



4 Eggs (Chicken)
2 Tablespoons of Single Cream
2 Tablespoons of Whole Milk (Skim Milk is optional)
10 G of unsalted Butter (French butter is recommended)
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper.

130 G of Smoked Salmon, Sliced
4 Slices of French Bread (Sourdough), toasted

To Garnish
Fresh Dill or Chive, chopped
Lemon Wedges (Optional)

Preparation

• Melt the unsalted butter in a pan over a gentle heat.
• When the butter has melted and begins to foam.
• Break the eggs into a pan, season with salt & black pepper
• Increase the heat slightly and, using a wooden spoon to stir continuously
• When the eggs begin to solidify, add milk and cream
• Keep on stirring for 3-4 mins
• Remove the pan from the heat, continue to stir until the eggs become soft
• Place the scrambled eggs on the serving plate with smoked salmon and toast.
• Sprinkle with dill or chive, then serve immediately

Note : serves 2

homemade pancake with fresh fruit

Homemade Pancake with Fresh Strawberry and Banana

Kids love pancake and so do I. Cooking for kids can be fun as we get to please who we love. Kids are adorable… and they can be handful in the kitchen if you are patient enough. The most difficult thing when it comes to cooking for kids is to get them to eat something good & healthy.

Pancake is a good way of getting them to eat Fresh fruit.

Find below my homemade recipe of Pancake.

Flour 150g
Baking Powder 1 Teaspoon
Sugar 2 Tablespoons
Milk (low-fat/ whole depends on your preference) 150ml.
Unsalted Butter 15g
Egg 1
Vanilla Pod 1 (or Vanilla Extract ¼ Teaspoon)
Pinch of Salt
Oil

Fresh Strawberry
Fresh Banana
(Kiwi, Blueberry or Mango - anything on hand)
Icing Sugar



Preparation

• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Make a well in the centre and pour the milk, egg and melted butter, mix till smooth
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat
• Pour the pancake mixture onto the frying pan, using about ¼ cup of each pancake
• Cook for 2-3 mins or till bubbles start to form on the pancake surface.
• Turn and cook for 2-3 mins
• Remove into s serving plate
• Sprinkle with Icing Sugar
• Serve with Fresh Strawberry and Banana and Honey

fresh strawberry and low-fat yogurt

Simple Breakie: Low-fat Yogurt and Fresh Strawberry

How you should start your day?
With a good breakie, of course.

At times, I love mine with a cup of Low-fat Yogurt and Fresh Fruit: Fresh Strawberry, 2 slices of toasts and a cup of "morning breakfast" tea.

I very much value good Breakfast. Maybe, because its the only meal that we always eat/share together at home everyday and everybody gets to be at ease sitting and talking to catch up with everything.

Breakfast is very important meal to start your day and as people trend to get bored easily.(Oh well, we do)
So, what you can do is to try to change your daily menu. It's important that you must have carbohydrate in your breakfast, especially with complex carbohydrate like "7 grains" or "whole wheat".

Complex Carbohydrate is necessary for women: it stimulates our metabolism system and it keeps us full for long hours till Lunch time.

"Complex carbohydrates or starch are simply sugars bonded together to form a chain. Digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines.

For this reason digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored!"


Anyway, I can show you how I arrange my daily breakfast in a week.

Monday

1 Slice of “7 Grain” Toast with Marmalade
1 Cup of Tea
1 Cup of Fresh Fruit with Low-fat Yogurt
1 small Glass of Orange Juice

Tuesday

1 Boiled Egg
2 Slices of “Whole Wheat” Toast
1 Cup of Hot Chocolate / or Coffee
1 small Glass of Orange Juice

Wednesday

1 Cup of Cereal with Fresh Fruit (Strawberry, Blueberry, Kiwi & Banana)with Milk
1 Cup of Tea/Coffee
1 small Glass of Orange Juice

Thursday

1 Cup of Muesli with Fresh Fruit (Strawberry, Blueberry, Kiwi & Banana)with Milk
1 Cup of Tea/Ceffee
1 small Glass of Orange Juice

Friday

1 Slice of "7 Grain" Toast
1 Fried Egg with 1 Fried Canadian Bacon
1 Cup of Coffee/ Tea
1 small Glass of Orange Juice

Saturday

1 Bowl of Pork Congee
1 Cup of Milk
1 Glass of Orange Juice
1 small Plate of fresh Papaya

Sunday

2 of Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon. (my favourite Brunch ever!!)
1 Slice of “whole wheat” Toast
1 Cup of Coffee/Tea
1 small Glass of Orange Juice
½ of Grapefruit

pork congee

Pork Congee

It’s good, from time to time, to wake up late on the weekend and having “Pork Congee” for brunch. Cooking Congee is easy, the only thing that put you off is the time that’s required to cook the rice.
Generally, Thai call it " Joke Moo", although its originally Chinese.

Find below a recipe of “Pork Congee”

6 Cups of Water (or Chicken/Pork Soup)
2-4 cups of Rice (Long Grain White Rice, soaked over a night)
1-2 cups of Minced Pork, marinated and made into meatballs
1-2 Eggs (Duck’s or Chicken’s depends on your preference)
1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon of Vegetable Oil
½ Cup of Spring Onion and Coriander, chopped
½ Cup of Ginger, thinly sliced

Ground black/white pepper to taste
Soy sauce to taste



Preparation

• Rinse and drain the rice, and place in a pot over medium heat.
• Add stock, stir in the sea salt and oil, and let stand for 5-10 mins.
• Add the pork meatballs,bring to the boil
• Simmer for 15 mins, or until the pork meatballs are cooked through.(They will foat)
• Remove the pork from the pot, and set aside.
• Continue to simmer the rice for 30-60 mins.
• After the 30 mins, stir the pork and eggs(can be pre-boiled) into the congee.
• Serve in bowls, and sprinkle with spring onion, coriander and ginger
• Have soy sauce and pepper on the side for seasoning



If you find it too dificult to cook or if you are too lazy to cook it at home then you can always find it easily at almost every streets in Bangkok. Congee is quite popular here. There are a few good places in Sukhumvit Road. One is at Sukhumvit 23 and the other good one where I seem to be a regular is at Sukhumvit 38. Anyone who’s living in Sukhumvit Road knows them well.

Find Below their address details.

Pork Congee Thonglor
Sukhumvit Soi 38
T. 02 381 1614 / 02 934 3833

boiled egg with soldiers

Boiled Egg with Soldiers

A few days ago, while we were having a Breakie at Le Notre in Lang Saun, I was talking with P'Mim about Breakfast.

A Question was asked "why Breakie has to be greezy?"

Although, Its nice to have a full course Breakfast from time to time. Especially, when you are on holidays... with fried eggs, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, toasts, bacon & sausages, fried mushroom and tomatoes and everything else.
But personally, with our everyday breakfast, I prefer to have a cup of hot choc (low fat milk) and whole grain toasts with jam or a cup of tea (English Breakfast) and fresh fruits with a cup of yogurt.

At times, I love having boiled egg with little soldiers as it reminds me of my old time. Its a kind of "comfort food" to me.

Find below "Boiled Egg with Soldiers"



1-2 eggs (chicken's or duck's - depends on your preference)
2-4 slices of whole grain bread, (with butter) toasted & sliced into strips(2 cm. wide)

Preparation

* leave your eggs to room temperature before cooking

* put a small pot on a high heat stove
* simmer the eggs and bring them to the boil
* when the water boils, lower the heat and leave the eggs for..

3 minutes : the white & the yolk are oozy
4 minutes : the white is starting to set and the yolk is wobbly & runny.
5 minutes : the white is perfectly set and the yolk is softly set

* remove the eggs into the cups
* slice off the top immediately (to stop the eggs to continuely cook)
* sprinkle with sea salt

banana pancakes

Banana Pancakes : Riya's Style

: )

time to write this recipe.

thanks for leaving a comment telling me that my banana pancakes look like a jellyfish!

anyway, i believe that anyone who is interested in cooking knows how to cook pancakes.
so, am not going to write how to cook, only giving the recipe which i have got from "jamie oliver"'s cookbook.

serves 6

• 3 large free-range or organic eggs
• 115g plain flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 140ml milk
• salt
• 2 knobs of butter
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 4 bananas
• crème fraîche & honey

Tip : a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream with your banana pancakes can make your day. : P

find below a link to Jamie's recipe

jamie's pancakes

hot choc & 7 grain

Low Fat Hot Chocolate & 7 Grain

Good Breakie if you are on Diet.
I have been eating this recipe for 6 months as Breakfast.
I now managed to lose a stone.

7 Grain
Hearty Blend of organic wheat
- oats
- high beta glucan barley
- soy beans
- buckwheat
- wheat bran
- corn
- millet

I very much like the one from "Custard Nakamara".

"Nakamura Patiserie"
595/12 Sukhumvit soi 33/1
tel. 02 259 9630. 02 259-9355
fax 02 259 9631