Padd Thai, Stir Fried Noodles Thai - Style

Padd Thai is easy and quick to make at home. Pretty versatile as you can customize the ingredients according to your liking. The only disadvantage about making it for a large crowd is that you might never get a chance to sit down with your guest, as you must continue making it one batch at a time, or two serving at the most. One last thing,  use this ingredients as a guideline. If you like it sweeter add more palm sugar, if you like it tangier, add more tamarin ... and so on ... Hope you like it!

Padd Thai, Stir Fry Noodle Thai - Style
make 1 generous serving

The sauce:
1/2 cup chopped palm sugar
1/4 cup seedless tamarin pulp, soaked in 1/2 cup hot water for 15 minutes
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 cups water

For the noodle:
3 oz flat wide rice noodle
2 tbs canola, or peanut  oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup sliced baked firm tofu

1 cup sliced fresh shitake mushrooms

1 red jalapeno chili, seeded - sliced, optional
1/4 cup Padd Thai sauce
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1 tbs dry roasted unsalted peanuts
salt as needed

Soak rice noodle in lukewarm water for 10 to 15 minutes until pliable, drain in a colander. Set aside. 

Using your hand, squeeze tamarin pulp to milk it. Strain into sauce pan, add chopped palm sugar, fish sauce, and water. Boil until the sugar is well dissolved. Remove from the heat. let Cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

Heat your wok over medium high heat until very hot, add oil. You will see that the oil will be smoky as soon as it touch the wok, immediately add scallions, tofu, and shitake mushroom. Stir fry for about 30 seconds. Now add the soaked noodle, chili, if using, and the sauce. Stir continuously for about 45 seconds, add bean sprouts continue to stir fry for 10 seconds. Taste to see if need more salt. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle in roasted peanuts. Serve immediately along with fresh bean sprouts, and chili powder on the side if you wish. 

Sambal Goreng Manisah, Indonesian Chayote Squash Sambal

Simply delicious sambal with Chayote squash, which is pretty common everyday meal in Indonesia, especially in the island of Java. Each family would have their own version. Some will add prawns, beef, or chicken, while other will simply add fried tempe and tofu. Very often, and whenever in season, some family will also  add  delicious petai bean (Satow). Unfortunately, I never seen petai bean (Satow) where I live. Perhaps, I should try to check it out at the Chinese grocery next time. 

Sambal Goreng Manisah, Indonesian Chayote Squash Sambal

serve 4 - 6

1 lb beef shoulder, cut into chunks

2 large size Chayote squash, peeled, cut in half and discard the seed - julienne

3 cups coconut milk

2 tbs fish sauce

1/2 cup roughly chopped Chinese chices

2 tbs canola oil

salt as needed

sambal paste

For sambal paste:

3 large shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

5 red jalapeno, seeded - chopped

1 Roma tomato, chopped

6 candlenuts, chopped

1 tsp dry roasted shrimp paste

Put all ingredients for sambal paste in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Heat canola oil in a large pot set over medium heat, add sambal paste. Fry until raw smell disappear, and the spice is a little bit dry. Add beef chunks, stir to coat. Add more or less about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Continue to cook beef is tender.

Meanwhile, place julienne Chayote squash in a colander, sprinkle in about 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes, which help the Chayote squash become pliable.

Rinse Chayote squash under cold running water to get rid the excess salt. Add it to the pot, along with coconut milk, fish sauce, and salt if needed. Stir, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Turn the heat to low, cook for 5 to 8 minutes until Chayote squash are cooked, but still a little bit crunchy. Add Chinese chives, about a minute before turning off the stove. Serve with plain steam Jasmine, or Japanese rice.

Tagine of Cornish Hens With Saffron, Preserved lemon, Olives, and Dried Apricot

Tagine of Cornish Hens With Saffron, preserved lemon, Olives, and Dried Apricot
Serve 6 - 8

2 cornish hens (3 - 3.5 lbs), quartered
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1 preserve lemon, skin only - chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 cups chicken stock
pinch of saffron threads + 2 tbs hot water, let it soak
6 ounces whole dried apricots
3/4 cup green olives
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbs olive oil

Place tagine pot directly on the stove set over medium heat. Add olive oil, and chopped onion. Fry until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and preserved lemon, stir and fry another few seconds until fragrant. Add cinnamon, cumin, coriander, stir to mix. Now add cornish hen pieces, coat on all side with spices. Add chicken stock, saffron water, dried apricot, and olives. Cover with its lid. Cook on low heat  for 40 - 45 minutes, or  until the hens is cooked. Serve with plain couscous, or plain rice.

Simple and Delicious Idea For Mother's Day Lunch, Or Dinner

To all of you who are looking for a simple recipe to celebrate mother's day. This menu is pretty simple and and easy to make. Cornish hen is very tasty enough when you simply roasted in the oven with just a simple seasoning like salt and pepper. But, if you want to make it even more delicious, you can always be more creative by stuffing the hen with some fruit, or vegetable. For this special occasion, why not stuffed the hen with something sweet like dried fig for example. Make it even sweeter with pomegranate molasses, and add more crunch with healthy walnuts. For side dish, is easy. Since this roasted hens is pretty mild, I think it is also delicious serve with Imam Bayildi. For those who never tried this eggplant dish, I can assure you that you will be swooning and perhaps even fainted just like the story behind this moreish eggplant dish. The  Imam (the head of moslem leader) was fainted after tasting it, although no one sure wether the Imam fainted after knew how much olive oil was in the dish, or it was just plain delicious. And you must have carb to go with this meal right? I, personally like rice, but you can always serve Couscous (plain, or pilaf), Manoushi bread will be good too, or any other flat bread of your choice. 

Don't forget to save some room for dessert. Because, having a delicious meal wouldn't be prefect without dessert. You can make it as simple as you like, but I like to be a bit more special, after all, this is a special day for the most wonderful caring person on earth right? Spare a little time of making delicious, sweet and fragrant chocolate layer cake. Riviera is one of this example. It's so pretty to look at, and your mom  will be swooning and full of bliss on how delicious this Riviera is. The lemon cream and chocolate mousse are delicate, velvety sweet and tangy, and not to forget  the ganache is almost always everyone's favorite. I hope you like this menu idea.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there. May your heart fill with joy and happiness!.

Roasted Cornish Hens Stuffed With Dried Figs, Walnuts, and Sumac

Imam Bayildi

Tomato Rice Pilaf

 Riviera