I have done more eating than cooking this last week as I have been away for a few days my daughter came over for a visit it was lovely… lots of yummy street food and I discovered a few new fruits and curries to add to my recipes…
One such fruit was the Cempedak fruit in the Thai language called Champada (จำปา [th] ) which is a relative of the Jackfruit and often called the ugly cousin as when it is ripe the skin goes from green to a muddy brown colour. It is not however as big as the jackfruit it is more the size of a rugby ball, cylinder in shape with a slightly squished in the centre.
Photo credit: anwarsiak***sibuk*** on Visualhunt / CC BY
Highly aromatic when ripe with the taste being a mix of banana and pineapple it is lovely eaten fresh or as we discovered very nice lightly battered and deep-fried…I do love the Thai batter as they use mainly rice flour which makes for a lovely crispy batter not at all stogy like flour-based batters can be. Unfortunately, I don’t have an image of that as they were so very nice they were eaten before I could take a picture…Very yummy they was.
It has quite a large seed which can be boiled and eaten like a small potato.
The tree bark is used as a yellow dye to colour the monk’s robes.
The fruit is rich in Vitamin A & C plus heteriflavon C which is used to eliminate the cause of Malaria parasite. With a high water content, it is also rich in enzymes, bioflavonoid, ascorbic acid and rich in minerals and vitamins.
An around healthy fruit which although found predominately in the south of Thailand I am hoping I can find some here in the North.
I came home to a nice Thai Green Curry cooked by my son…
Green Curry is always a family favourite here a flavoursome curry with mushrooms and eggplants.
My Kombucha scoby is growing well so I think by now I can transfer the scoby to my big jar and start production in earnest…I love Kombucha it has lots of health benefits as well as being delicious to drink. I really don’t like drinking anything distasteful for my health unless I really have to…
Crispy Pork and kale…or Kanoo Moo Krob as it is called in Thai…Is a family favourite…Pork Belly is a favourite with the Thais and sold on nearly every street corner, either chopped and eaten with a spicy chilli dip and sticky rice or added to a stir fry ( as below) or other stir-fries with Thai Basil which is also very nice.
Ingredients:
- 2 Belly Pork Strips.
- 8 Large leaves of Kale.
- 3/4 cloves Garlic. squashed with the flat blade of a knife.
- 2/3 birds eye chillies.
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2/3 shakes of Maggi Sauce.
- Half tbsp. Oil.
Let’s Cook!
Cook Belly Pork in the oven until tender and crispy. For about 40 mins depending on your oven.
I normally cook on about 180/200 degrees to start and then reduce heat slightly to160 degrees. When the pork is tender turn up the heat to crisp the pork. When nice and crispy remove the pork from the oven and chop into bite pieces.
Heat the wok or large frypan and add half tablespoon oil.
Add crushed garlic and chillies, add little hot water and cook for 1 min…at this point the chillies may overpower you..ha ha….turn on expel fan and add chopped kale.
Stems first if using as they take longer to cook. I use stems of Kale also if they are quite thick slice into 2-inch pieces.
Cook for 2 mins and add remainder of Kale leaves and turn over a few times ….I use fish slice as I find it easier to just turn kale over.
Add 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce and 1 tbsp Soy along with few shakes of Maggi ( seasoning sauce). Taste and adjust if necessary. Cook for further 2/3 mins.
Add crispy Pork turn or stir a few times to mix.
Check the seasoning again and serve with steamed rice.
Enjoy!
That’s all for this week there will be more recipes next week and don’t forget I am over @Sally’s on Wednesday with lots of yummy recipes see you there…
Just in case you missed the previous post on my Cookery Column @ Sallys it is all on the link…Bread rolls, pickles and much more just right for those summer BBQ’S
Thank you for reading and enjoy the recipes xx
About Carol:
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 have 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!
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( Moi)
Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/
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Thank you once again for reading this post and if you love it please feel free to share or bookmark for later…If you have any queries then drop me an email carolcookstwo@gmail.com …..xx
Retired? No one told me! 