tomato relish

Tomato Relish : น้ำพริกแจ๋วมะเขือเทศ (ทานกับข้าวกล้อง ผักต้ม และปลาทอด)

Mid of August, I started a new job (yep, I know "again"). The new job looks everything that I ever want. When I started working 10 days ago, the reality hit me hard... I mean I have found out that I am not as good as I think I am. The new job is very challenging but.. for some reason I can't bring out the best in me... I guess I feel intimidated by my new bosses who are younger than me and I think they are "smarter" than me. I can't be myself there... I feel smothered and feel like I have to please everyone (which I hate) and I have to keep up all the time (This I like). Despite the fact that I am totally crap at my new job, I have learnt loads in the past 10 days. Its not bad but its the most exhausting job I have ever had... Oh well enough of babbling.

Today is my day-off. I need to cook something to put myself at ease. I went to the supermarket and found these tiny cute little organic tomatoes. Hence the recipe 

3 organic medium tomatoes ( 10 for small tomatoes), roasted
6 medium red chilies, roasted
3 dried red chillies, roasted
3 medium shallots , roasted
2 cloves garlic, roasted
Fish Sauce
Lime Juice
Tamarind Paste

Garnish
Steamed or fried fillet of fish (to your liking)
Hard boiled eggs, halved
Fresh organic vegetables (to your liking)
Boiled organic vegetables (to your liking)

Preparation

Roughly chop tomatoes, red chilies, shallots and garlic and transfer to a mortar and pestle. Pound to a rough paste. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste. Taste if more seasoning is needed. Remove into a small serving bowl. Serve with steamed wholegrain rice, boiled egg, fried fish and mixed vegetable. Delicious! 

arunwan eatery

Arunwan Eatery : อรุณวรรณ (I am absolutely addicted to this old school eatery! )

Speaking about "Nose to Tail" eating which is becoming a big trend in Bangkok right now. "Aruwan"  has been serving something almost as similar as "nose to tail" concept in Bangkok for more than 50 years!  For some reason, this small & humble eatery, which is hidden in mid of Ekamai Road - Sukhumvit 63, has been underrated - I mean that I am surprised that its only well known among the locals in Ekamai and Thonglor.  

I do love "Arunwan" for the quality and consistency that this place has to offer. Everything here is really delicious. My most favourite dishes are "Dtom Luerd Moo - เกาเหลา/ต้มเลือดหมู" and "Tue Huan - ตือหวน". The place is very busy at lunch time. To avoid the crowd, I prefer visiting this place on weekend. (Preferably on Sunday, so I can take time to enjoy my late lunch peacefully.) 

Recently, the 2nd generation renovated the place. I think they try to modernise it and at the same time try to keep the charm of the old place. I think they have done quite well. The service is now faster and more organised which is very nice. Though the new decoration really reminds me of those cha chaan teng eateries in Hong Kong.

Anyway, if you have never been to "Arunwan". I highly recommend that you go now. Order anything out of the menu. You won't be disappointed. Its a place that you can really enjoy unpretentious food thats not only very delicious but you can also feel/see that the owners really care for their customers. Everything (ground red chillies, fish sauce, condiments, ect.,) that put on the table are well-selected, good quality and very clean. Oh well, I don't know what else to say only I just love this place! 

Arunwan (อรุณวรรณ ตือหวน)
Ekamai 15, Sukhumvit 63,
Bangkok 10110
T. 02 3925301

spicy boiled eggs salad

Spicy Boiled Eggs Salad : Yum Kai Dtom ยำไข่ต้ม (กินกับข้าวต้มร้อนๆ)

This is a quick-fix dish which take zero effort to cook. Its one of my favourite dishes (to me anything with lime juice is delicious.) Its so simple and very easy to cook. I often cooked it at night when I got home very late feeling exhausted.. no energy left... was starving... and in need of something quick. 

4 Soft Boiled Organic Eggs, halved (Cook the eggs to your liking. I liked them cooked not too hard.)

4-5 Chillies, finely chopped 

2 Medium Shallot, sliced

2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce 

A dash of (un-refined) Brown Sugar 

Fresh Coriander Leaves 

Preparation

In a bowl, add fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chillies and a dash of brown sugar. Whisk briefly to mix well. Pour the dressing over the halved boiled eggs. Sprinkle with sliced shallots and chopped coriander leaves. Served with a cup of rice congee/porridge. Yummie!

rustic esaan style chicken with mixed veggies and herbs soup

Rustic Esaan Style Chicken with Mixed Veggies & Herbs Soup : แกงอ่อมไก่แบบอีสาน

I was introduced to this "Kaeng Om Gai" by one of my friends who was originally from e-saan. Its a love at first bite! Its so aromatic, very light and delicious. This rustic soup is very healthy. I just love it! Everytime, I was invited to dine at this friend's place, I begged her to cook this rustic soup for me. Later, I asked for a recipe and created my very own version which is absolutely addictive.

Please, note that my recipe is not the same as the typical e-saan style recipe as I adjusted the flavour to suites my personal taste. 

3-4 cups Chicken Stock

2 cups Chicken thigh or breast (to taste), sliced (I prefer boneless chicken but Thai will go with bone.)

Mixed Organic Vegetables (Whatever you like), cut into bite-sized

- Pumpkin

- Thai Choy Sum

- Napa Cabbage

- Thai Apple Eggplant

- Fresh Bamboo Shoot

- Mushroom 

Mixed Organic Herbs

- Dill

- Thai Lemon Basil

- Spring Onion

Paste

-Galangal, sliced

-Kaffir Lime Leaves, shredded 

-Shallot, halved

-Garlic, halved

-Lemon Grass, sliced

-Fresh Chillies, crushed

-Dried Chillies, cut 

Ground Roasted Rice 

Fish Sauce

Tamarind Paste (I add this to suite my personal taste. Its not what Esaan people usually add.)

Preparation

There are 2 different ways to cook the paste. 

1) Using pestle and mortar, add galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic, lemon grass and fresh chillies. Pound into a rough paste, remove the paste into a large sauce pan. OR

2) Set a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add sliced galangal, shredded kaffir lime leaves, shallot, garlic, sliced lemon grass and crushed fresh chillies in, add 2-3 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir fry till aromatic. Add chicken pieces, keep stir-frying till the chicken is almost cooked through. Add fish sauce and the rest of chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add vegetables (add vegetables that take longer time to cook first and the ones that are easily cooked later). Taste if more seasoning is needed. (I add the tamarind paste at the very last minute before serving.) Sprinkled with dill, lemon basil & spring onion. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with a cup of steamed wholegrain rice or sticky rice. Absolutely delicious!

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!