Category Archives: Authentic Thai Recipes

Tropical Friday…The Mango!

Mangoes known as Mo Muang in the Thai language are in season again and are eaten here both green or ripe.

They are one of my favourite fruits and my new addition to my garden is the purple mango which I am willing it to grow and fruit I am so looking forward to sampling this beautiful fruit…

Whether the mango is eaten green or ripe, they are sliced and a dip made from sugar, salt, and chilli used to dip your slices of fruit in…

 

There are many stalls here selling ready prepared fruit in bags and it is always accompanied by this little bag of chilli mix…It comes as standard here…haha…it is also Lily’s favourite dip the more chilli in it the better for her…

Sticky rice with Mango is probably one of the most iconic Thai desserts and on most restaurant menus from the little cafe to the poshest restaurant.

 

To make this at home is very easy… First, steam some glutinous rice.

To prepare the milk:

 Heat 1 cup of coconut milk in a pot over medium heat. Stir constantly and let the coconut milk simmer. DO NOT let it boil hard as coconut milk will curdle. Also, make sure that the coconut milk you buy is 100% pure as I have been informed by my son that where he lives in the UK all coconut milk sold is not 100% and that definitely separates on heating to high.

Then add  2 tbsp of sugar and 2 pinches of salt. Remove from heat. Pour 3/4 of the hot coconut milk over  1 cup of the hot sticky rice. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The hot sticky rice will absorb all the coconut milk. The rice should be a little mushy.

 Spoon the rest of the coconut milk on top of the rice at the serving time.

Enjoy!

Smoothies here are made from just mango or the mango is mixed with other fruits all very nice and fresh… I have also been experimenting with making my own protein drinks…

 

Doesn’t that fruit look lovely and fresh?? I am watching it ripen from my bedroom window to pick the fruit methinks might be a problem unless I can get someone to shin up the tree although we do have a hook on a long pole to retrieve the fruit of our palm tree I just don’t want it to land on the floor with a bang and get bruised…

Mango is such a versatile fruit I make my own mango chutney it is lovely in a mango salsa or as a mango and mustard dip. What do you make from your mangoes???

Mango and Mustard Dip is lovely with chicken or fish Goujons or a nice piece of grilled white fish.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of fresh mango puree
  • 1/4 cup of mayo
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1-2 tsp Chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • Salt to taste

Just put everything in your blender or a bowl and whisk it together and there you have it … with the chilli, I would add 1 tsp and taste before you add the second.

Mango used as a sauce or in a savoury dish is also lovely and this is my Mango Chicken which I featured on the Recipe Hunter a while ago it is a firm favourite in this house.

https://carolcooks2.com/2018/06/24/thai-mango-chicken/

Lastly, if you are not sure how to prepare a mango…Easy when you know how x

 

I hope you have enjoyed this culinary journey with the marvellous Mango …

I hope you all have a lovely weekend wherever you are… I am now off to make choc chip cookies with Lily xxx

Thank you for reading have a lovely day xxx

 

 

 

 

Saturday Morning Market…Not for a few weeks…

Saturday Morning Market…Not this Saturday morning or until further notice although as it is a food market it is still open…

Saturday Morning Market 4th April

I am torn between supporting the local community and the small farmers however my survival instinct has kicked in and I do not want to take a chance, not just with my health but my families health.

I have also been very, very lucky as my Thai family arrived at the crack of dawn the other morning masked up and left us sacks of rice, boxes and bags of fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs plus meat and fresh honey all fresh from the farm…How wonderful was that… it made me cry they are so loving, caring and thoughtful …Beautiful souls…

Much more than we could possibly eat/freeze which meant  I  could share with my neighbours… the remainder I am madly cooking and searching for recipes for lemongrass and eggplants…

Today is also National Carrot Day…

Carrots…The national carrot day was founded fairly recently in 2003 to be exact…Its aim to encourage people to eat carrots and promote the health benefits of eating carrots.

I love carrots but my new favourite carrot is the purple carrot…it looks vibrant on the plate and makes sure I eat my purples…

My Pineapple and Carrot Cake...tried and tested.

This is a really lovely moist cake and we all liked the addition of the pineapple and for Easter. You could also add some of those little carrot icing shapes you can buy but it is so hot here that the icing melts within minutes as you can see………

pineapple and carrot-cake

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp EACH ground cloves, ground ginger, + ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of coconut oil
• 1 and 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
•  4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups icing sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Let’s Cook!

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch pan. I always use my glass dish.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and other spices together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

Fold in the grated carrots, pineapple, and walnuts.

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours.

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. If you find the top or edges of the cake is/are browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminium foil.

Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up it’s so hot here nothing cools down properly unless you put it in the fridge.

Make the frosting:

In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Add the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.

If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of icing sugar (I added it).

Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.

Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days although that was immaterial here it just disappears…lol

Eggplants something I have kilos of...I have shared as many as I can so we are eating eggplants raw and cooked with everything it was with spicy liver the other night and also with the stirfried pork I cook with grapow instead of beans I have been using eggplants…

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smart
  • 100 gm Pork loin thinly sliced
  • 6-8 Thai eggplants quartered.
  • 2-4 cloves of garlic
  • 1-5 Thai chillies
  • Krapow …A big bunch of Thai sweet basil  Leaves picked and as you can see from the photo I use quite a lot.
  • 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp black soy.
  • A splash of cooking oil…I use Coconut oil.
  • A good shake of seasoning..not sure if you would get the one I use here but if not just a little pork/chicken seasoning salt.

Peel garlic and cut chillies finely at this point I put in a pestle and mortar as it brings out the flavour. If you don’t eat your food very hot like us then just cut chillies and garlic finely.

Add a splash of oil to a hot wok and add chillies and garlic cook stirring for 1 minute being careful the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add the eggplants and cook for 1-2 mins then add pork and stirfry until pork cook about 3-4 mins.

Add all sauces and stir cooking for 1 minute. Add a little hot water if the sauce is too strong.

Lastly, stir in your herbs and allow to wilt slightly serve with rice and a fried egg if liked.

I have tried this with the herb grapow and Thai basil but any basil would suffice.

Enjoy!

You can also make a very nice, spicy dip called Jeow Mak Kheua which is eaten with sticky rice and or fresh vegetables a very popular eggplant dip here in Issan(Northern ) Thailand.

The Thai Eggplant…

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Eaten both cooked and raw here …Eggplant is a high-fibre, low-calorie food that is rich in nutrients and comes with many potential health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to helping with blood sugar control and weight loss, eggplants are a simple and delicious addition to any healthy diet.

The Thai eggplant is about 1.5 inches in diameter and looks pretty similar to a golf ball with a stem. The colour can be medium green, pale green, or white with green stripes. What makes it unique is the crunchy texture and mild flavour. That’s why it can be enjoyed raw without removing the skin.

Surprisingly while the eggplant is eaten as a vegetable here it is, in fact, a fruit it also belongs to the Nightshade family.

That’s all for today…

Thank you for reading this post I hope you have enjoyed it and the recipes xxx

About Carol Taylor:

 Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you again for reading enjoy your weekend and stay safe and healthy xxx

 

 

CarolCooks2…This week in my kitchen…Cornbeef Hash, Thai Crispy Pork and Kale and Chocolate and blueberry Cookies…

Welcome to my kitchen...I have been baking more than I ever have for a long, long time…Come and join me…

This week in my Kitchen 21st Feb 2020

I have so many bananas in my freezer I need to use up before the next ones come along as looking at the tree they will be ripe very soon…I have updated my original version of banana cake…Why? I get bored and think of how I can change something it doesn’t always work but sometimes it is for the better… I prefer using oil for one dish cakes by that I mean cakes, where everything is mixed together and cooking fat is just not the same here and neither are the cakes…Many Thai cakes are fatless and rice flour is used so they are very, very light…Quite nice but I like a cake with a bit of substance to it…

What has been cooking in my kitchen then?

Corn Beef hash for one…I haven’t made corn beef hash for a few years…Earlier in the week, I visited a new shop on the hunt for some cheese…Proper cheddar can be difficult to find here and as is the case once again after Christmas and the New Year stocks of some goods take a few months to start coming in again…I wasn’t lucky on this occasion but the guy had come across some Brazillian corn beef and at a good price…Hence corn beef hash…

I do know that corned beef to the English is not the same as corned beef to my American cousins…What my American cousins call corned beef we call Salt Beef…It gets confusing at times, doesn’t it…sigh…but interesting as well…

Salt Beef …a sigh of pleasure as I remember how my mum served it with pease pudding and a lovely clear gravy…also known as pease porridge, is a savoury pudding dish made of boiled legumes, typically split yellow peas, with water, salt, and spices, and often cooked with a bacon or ham joint or Salt Beef…

Asa child it wasn’t my favourite although I got to like it as I grew older ..Does anyone remember the song Pease Pudding, hot, Pease Pudding, cold. Pease pudding in the pot 9 days old?

Back to Corn Beef Hash…

smart

  • I large onion chopped
  • 3/6 cloves of garlic we like lots of garlic
  • About a kilo of potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 1/2 tins Corned Beef.
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • Worchester Sauce (optional)

Parboil your potatoes until nearly cooked. In the meantime cook your onions and garlic until soft but not browned.

Heat your oil in a pan with a couple sprigs of rosemary(optional) Then drain and add your potatoes lightly crush then with a potato masher and cook as like roast potatoes turn halfway through cooking and about 15 mins before the end add your broken up corned beef and stir in gently…

If you are using eggs at this point you can make a small well in the mixture and crack your eggs in one per person into the wells made.

I didn’t add eggs this time as the family wanted cauliflower and broccoli in a cheese sauce.

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Once cooked add a shake or two of Worchester sauce over the top and serve either with crusty bread or a side of vegetables or salad.

Enjoy!

It seems everyone has a hankering for homemade cookies…These ones have blueberries and Chocolate in them…Oh and some oats…that’s the healthy bit or so I keep telling myself…lol

Carol’s Chocolate and Blueberry Cookies…

  • 1 cup of oats…I used rolled oats but quick oats are fine.
  • 3/4 cup of wholewheat flour…I did 1/2 cup wholewheat and 1/4 cup all-purpose
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts…the recipe said hemp seeds which I didn’t have…
  • 1 med banana mashed…I need to use these bananas
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil…mine is always liquid but if solid melt and cool
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Let’s Bake!

Makes 8 cookies.

Mix your dry ingredients together and then in a separate bowl mash the banana. Add the coconut oil, vanilla and honey to the banana and mix well to combine.

Add the banana mix to the dry ingredients I did mine in two batches stirring well to combine in between.

Gently add the blueberries, nuts and chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for about 15 minutes.

In the meantime heat your oven to 180C /365F or gas mark 4.

Then spoon or roll the mix into balls place on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly with your hand. Leave about a 2′ space between the biscuits they didn’t spread that much.

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Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are slightly brown remove from the oven and cool down…my oven tends to run hot so 12 minutes was ample next time it will be 11 minutes. Biscuits always harden as they cool…

I prefered these to the chocolate ones I made last week they were not as dry…

The banana bread is still being tested you tell how hard I am trying to use all the bananas up…The first one I used nuts and the one I made a couple of days ago I added sultanas …This next one I am going to add lime zest and walnuts…Hopefully, I will get a picture before they dive in and eat it…I am also planning gingerbread which I love and haven’t had for ages.

Pancakes are also being tested as it is Pancake Day soon…To be precise it is Tuesday 25th…Lily is coming today for the weekend so I will make pancakes early… I am also planning to make some banana ones I am going to mash the bananas into the batter and see how they turn out…

Tonight we are having one of our family favourites crispy pork and Kale…

Kanaa Moo Krob ผักคะน้าหมูกรอบพิเศษ

This really is a lovely dish if you like crispy pork belly…

That’s all from me for this week I hope you have a fabulous weekend and if you are making pancakes and have some great recipes please share…xx

Thank you for reading I invite your comments as always xx

About Carol Taylor: Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous weekend xxx

Thailand… Travel and Traditions…8 popular Issan dishes…from Northern Thailand with recipes

Most late afternoons I venture down to my local market…I leave it so late one because it is cooling down a little and two because all the street food vendors are setting up and selling their wares…It is busy and high on the agenda for most Thais who are either sitting and eating or collecting their food to take home…

 

sausages - fish balls

It is bustling and the smells …Anyone who experiences this for the first is just overawed we took my daughters partner out one night and he was just awestruck he didn’t know where to look or what to try first…

Found almost everywhere and a dish which anyone who visits for the first time goes away wanting to eat this often…

Khao Krapow Moo Kai Dao (rice with pork in basil leaves and fried egg) would indeed top the list. This dish encapsulates everything that is Thailand and Issan( Northern Thailand)

The grittiness, the heat, the speed, and most importantly, the potpourri of smells and flavours that make up the dish will blow your mind. Add to that the mouthwatering fragrance of garlic, chilli and basil stir-fried with chicken (or any meat) in a burning hot wok and you have a dish most Thais would swear by. Served over a plate of steaming hot rice topped with a crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside fried egg, it’s the perfect meal.

Khao Krapow Moo Kai Dao

 

Khao Kha Moo (braised pork knuckle and rice) is a weight watcher’s guilty pleasure which hours of pilates cannot make up for, it’s definitely worth breaking your diet for just one day. You’ll swoon over the succulent pork knuckle, braised for several hours in a thick, five-spices gravy, it comes out off-the-bone tender. Sometimes though the leg of pork will be used but slow-cooked just the same. Enjoy this with a boiled egg, some kale and top it off with some preserved cabbages and a sweet and sour dipping sauce and officially declare that day National Pig-Out Day and that you are in culinary heaven…

THAI SLOW PORK

Walking through the market stalls more often than not you are greeted with that familiar smell of star anise and cinnamon which is synonymous with Thai slowed Braised Pork it is to be found in huge pots and there will generally be a queue and it just epitomises the essence of street food….One which holds almost iconic status.

It will either be served in a bowl-like above or on a plate with rice, pickled cabbage and miso soup like this one…Both equally delicious…

Thai slow cooked pork and miso soup

Most everyone knows Som Tam but any Thai ( and me) would swear by the marriage of Gai yang(grilled chicken) or BBQ fish(pla pao) with the world-famous Thai papaya salad. Be prepared for a sensory overload as your taste buds do a dance and go wild.

Som tam with green beans
som tam with crab

While som tam pla ra is an acquired taste, som tam Thai is much more accessible and has become more popular, especially in central Thailand. In contrast to the salty, spicy and pungent som tam pla ra, som tum Thai has a more sweet and sour taste, with the use of palm sugar and lime, balanced with the saltiness from the fish sauce and dried shrimps. Instead of the green seeds from white popinac, you’ll get to enjoy the crunch from roasted peanuts. This is the one I prefer as although I have eaten Payaya salad with Pla( fermented fish) or crab I prefer my Papaya salad without.

Other variations of som tam include tum sua (mixed with rice noodles), tum Kao pode (with corn instead of green papaya), tum tang (with cucumber instead of green papaya), tum ponlamai (with fruits), and many more. Som tum is usually enjoyed with steamed sticky rice or rice noodles on the side. I have also eaten one made with shredded green banana which was quite nice…

How to eat: Take a small helping of sticky rice with clean fingers, tear off a piece of grilled chicken and roll it onto the sticky rice as if making sushi, then add a spoonful of some spicy Som Tam on top of your food. Now open wide and prepare to be amazed by every bite.

Another typical Isaan dish, larb is made with minced meat, cooked or uncooked, mixed with ground toasted rice, shallots, spring onions, mint leaves and seasoned with chilli, lime juice and either fish sauce or pla ra. The preferred meat used in the dish usually includes pork, duck, beef or chicken.

larb Moo

In some areas, you can also find larb luead, where fresh blood is mixed in and other variation of meats depending on local finds. Like most Isaan dishes, larb is usually eaten with steamed sticky rice. Some places also offer a contemporary version of larb tord with similar ingredients as larb but shaped into meatballs and deep-fried which are very nice…

Sausages Tessaban

Another tasty dish is sausage…Isaan people make their sausages with a short fermentation period that’s enough to give them a slight tang. Locally known as sai Krog Isaan, the sausage is made from pork meat and pork fat. Cooked rice is added to the mixture to kickstart the fermentation process which normally only lasts two to three days. Isaan sausages are already seasoned with garlic and salt, making it a handy snack to be enjoyed with fresh chilli, ginger and cabbages. Some of the sausages also have noodles added to the filling…

Here in Issan Noodle Soups are very popular and they come in many different ways some using parts of the animal that I personally would prefer not to eat as nose to tail eating is observed very much here…

 

Another popular Issan dish called Mok pla siw which means various small fish. they are cooked on a BBQ wrapped in a banana leaf with chilli, Thai basil and spring onion…Then eaten with sticky rice either on its own or as an accompaniment to other dishes…

fish-chilli-pla-basil-banana-leaf

Street markets are always bustling and busy here …One-stop shopping..food, clothes, household items, bedding, electrical goods, a puppy or a kitten… Fresh fish, dried fish, still alive and wriggling fish, frogs which here in the North are a staple, rats…yes, rats…tasty I am told by the stallholders and they feed on rice they say, so clean not like the sewer rats …But they have them here in the city where I live..where do they come from I wonder…I will not be enquiring or be eating…This I draw the line at…A big black line..nada, No, I am not even going there…

Another Issan favourite is Ant eggs...Which I have to admit do make a nice salad..they have a lemony taste which is quite pleasant…

ant egg salad

Since living here in Issan I have been surprised and pleased at the variety of foods…Coconut milk is not used as much here in Issan…But the curries and stir-fries are tasty without it …very many different herbs and mushrooms are used alongside foraged and hunted insects and other meats that I never imaged I  would ever see cooked and eaten…Life is full of surprises…

Please note I have included the recipes so you can enjoy them at home for the dishes I have made in my own home…Enjoy!

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

More and more of my blogging friends have joined me on MeWe…A social media site which is fairly new and which promises much without the restrictions some other social media sites are choosing to impose on many of us…Join me if you will on  mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3 

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead and enjoy the recipes xx

This week in my kitchen…Sea Caviar, Steak & Kidney Pie, Batu and more…

It’s Friday…Let the weekend begin and why not the sun is shining and all is quiet..I had a lovely head massage this morning and then my monthly trim…A lovely massage booked I think I am going to try the rice milk oil one when I come back from my jolly to sunny Phuket…I am so excited I will be seeing my daughter who is popping over from Australia it has been a couple of years so I am sure there will be a few tears…Happy tears…x

What has been cooking this week? Fahija filled tortilla wrap…Which got me thinking … Similar to a sandwich or burrito, a wrap uses a pliable flatbread or tortilla to roll ingredients into a portable, handheld meal.

wraps...the thai way

If I am making a sandwich for hubby then butter is the first thing on the bread and then the filling…Tortilla wraps are slightly fewer calories about 30 calories, lower just a smidgen on the fibre, half the protein and fewer carbs than bread plus we have the butter which ups the anti…Which means a tortilla wrap eases slightly ahead and it does seem that we put more salad and veggies in our wraps than in a sandwich…I always tuck my ends in and the daughter in law ties a strip of the banana leaf around hers…

Fillings:

  • Chicken Caesar Wrap: One half cup cold cooked chicken breast meat, lots of Romaine lettuce, a tablespoon or two of Caesar salad dressing, and a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.
  • Garden Veggie Wrap: Your favourite garden salad blend, like sliced tomato, onions, shredded carrots, and cucumbers, mixed with raw spinach and a little Italian dressing.
  • Scrambled Eggs and Feta Wrap: Two eggs, scrambled with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and a light sprinkle of feta cheese. ( mine)

I couldn’t believe how popular beetroot is...Which is good and it is one of my favourites …Today I had a beetroot and orange juice…I don’t have it every day but probably 4 out of 7 days…I also picked up a lovely big bag of passionfruit which is my big favourite and some fried bananas as I was waiting for the bus…The lady was frying them and I just couldn’t resist however I did only have two very small pieces and handed them over to the menfolk…

Speaking of which however hot it gets and it is currently 44C…Hubby will still eat meat pie…I make individual ones and then he can have pie and I have my Thai food…

two meat pies

For fillings, I either make mince and onions, Steak and Mushroom or hubby’s favourite steak and kidney…

For the pastry

  • 250g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
  • 140g cold unsalted butter, roughly cubed
  • 1 large egg  yolk
  • 1 small egg  whisked with 1 tbsp milk, for the egg wash

For the filling…Steak & Kidney

  • 1 ox kidney, about 400g/14oz, get it fresh from your butcher. Pig’s and lamb’s kidneys only need short cooking time so if used add 15 mins before the end of cooking.
  • 1 kg trimmed braising or stewing beef
  • 250g flat mushrooms, unpeeled but wiped with a damp cloth
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion,  peeled and thickly chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic crushed
  • 50-85g plain flour, depending on how thick you like your gravy
  • 600ml fresh stock or  water and 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Let’s Cook!

It’s important to cook the meat a day ahead so that you can discard any fat that has risen to the top, and so that the pastry doesn’t slump in the face of a too-warm filling, so up to 48 hours ahead -make the pastry. Whizz the flour and a pinch of fine sea salt together for a few seconds in a food processor, then add the butter and whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk together the egg yolk and 3 tbsp water and whizz with the pastry until it collects in a ball. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour…

TO COOK THE MEAT.

Cut out the white central core of the kidney and  (discard). Cut the kidney into bite-sized pieces. Cut the beef into bite-sized cubes and cut the mushrooms into chunks.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Throw in the kidney and fry until lightly coloured. Tip into a colander to drain.

Wipe out the frying pan and return it to low-medium heat, adding 25g/1oz of the butter and 1 tbsp oil. Tip in the onion and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly golden add the garlic for the final 2/3 minutes.

Transfer to a large casserole, using a slotted spoon.

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Tip the 85g/3oz flour into a large plastic bag, and season it generously. Throw in the beef and shake until lightly floured. Return the frying pan to medium high heat, adding a little more oil and butter if needed. Shake off any excess flour (reserving it) then fry the beef in batches until golden-brown. As each batch is done, transfer it to the casserole.

Adding more oil and butter to the frying pan if necessary, fry the mushrooms for about 2 minutes until starting to wilt, then add them to the casserole with the drained kidneys, stock or hot water, bouillon powder and bay leaf, plus the excess flour in the bag if you like a thick gravy.

Stir well, cover and cook in the oven for 75-90 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Cool thoroughly, then put in the fridge (preferably overnight) so any fat will solidify – it can then be skimmed off and discarded.

In the morning – return the pastry to cool room temperature, then roll it out thinly on a well-floured surface. Invert a 28-30x23cm, 6.5cm deep pie dish on to the pastry. Mentally add an extra 1cm all round, then use the dish as a guide to cut out the pastry lid. From the remnants, cut out enough 6cm-wide strips of pastry to go round the dish – they should cover the flat rim and about halfway down the insides.

Lightly butter the rim of the dish and line it with the strip(s) of pastry, sealing any joins with a little dab of water. Butter the shoulders of a pie raiser or an upturned egg cup and stand it in the middle. Spoon in the meat mixture to come level with the top of the dish.

Don’t overfill: reserve any excess gravy to serve hot with the pie.

Brush the pastry rim with a little water, then drape the pastry lid over it, pinching the edges to seal. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge if not baking immediately.

Finally, an hour before serving – preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Make four slashes in the lid of the pie, then brush with the egg wash. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown, turning the heat down 10-20º after about 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and leave it to rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into it.

These instructions are if you are making one large pie…If I am making individual pies I just cut a strip of pastry to go around the top of the dish fill the dish with the meat mixture and add a pastry top…This cuts the calories…But if like a large pie and want to cut nice slices then a pie bottom can be added.

Of course, the cooking time will also need to be adjusted…For an individual pie depending on your oven, it takes approx 25 mins.

Enjoy!

One of our favourite Thai meals is some grilled or BBQ fish ( Batu)…Lily loves this..With a spicy dip and fresh raw and/or steamed vegetables with sticky rice…As you can see we eat a lot of vegetables …This dip is made with roasted eggplant and pounded in the pestle and mortar with garlic and chillies…

Batu and vegetables

Kombucha Update…

My scoby is growing nicely I reckon maybe a week to 10 days and I can start my Kombucha….I will then give you the recipe…

I need another fridge all these pickles I need a pickle fridge…All of my family love pickles they only walk paste the fridge and in they go and grab some pickles…The jalapenos are lovely a really nice bite to them…But I needed to pickle garlic again…

Pickled Garlic…

  • 8-10 garlic bulbs
  • 500 ml white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 90 gm sugar
  • 1 tsp salt…I always use salt mined here locally or Himalayan salt.
  • 1 tsp per jar of either mustard seed or fennel seeds (optional)

2 x 250-300 ml jars with good lids

Let’s get pickled!

Separate the bulbs of garlic into cloves and peel.

In a saucepan bring the vinegar, salt and sugar to the boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the salt and sugar are dissolved. Add the garlic cloves to the pickling liquid. Bring it back to the boil and simmer for five minutes.

Transfer the garlic cloves to sterilised jars. Add the mustard or fennel seeds if using. We actually couldn’t decide Fennel or mustard seeds so I normally do some of both they are equal in taste to us. Carefully fill the jars with the hot pickling liquid. Seal.

two jars of pickled garlic

The garlic will be ready to use in about a week but improves over time. If you like pickled cucumber or jalapenos I add added the link here

New for me…Seaweed Caviar or as it is called here grape bunch seaweed…

sea caviar with chilli dip

Also, known as sea caviar it is quite rare and harvested by hand diving …It gives a lovely pop in your mouth and with the chilli sauce, it is nice…I actually only got 1 small piece as Lily and Aston both love it and disappeared with the pot of chilli and the dish and it was soon gone xxx Has anyone else tried this…I know my friend Thelma has she eats it with salt, vinegar, ginger root and chilli which sounds rather nice…Have you tried it???

I hope you have enjoyed this week in my kitchen if you have any recipe requests please let me know and I will be happy to find them and try them…x

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

More and more of my blogging friends have joined me on MeWe…A social media site which is fairly new and which promises much without the restrictions some other social media sites are choosing to impose on many of us…Join me if you will on  mewe.com/i/caroltaylor3 

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://carolcooks2.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroltaylor56/pins/

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have had a creative week and enjoy the weekend xx

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Food Column with Carol Taylor – Favourite dishes of 2018

First post of 2019 on my Cookery Column over at Smorgasbord Magazine and some of my favourite dishes from 2018…I hope you enjoy 😉 xxx