Kang Hed Top (Mushroom Soup)

As the rainy season approaches, numerous local vegetables starts blossoming, especially the puffball mushroom aka hed top which is now an agricultural product exported worldwide. To Chiang Mai people, this mushroom is regarded as a rare and expensive ingredient, used in several dishes. One of them includes hed top soup with mamao leaves (Lyonia Ovalifolia), a type of sour local plant widely purchased in the markets. Here's the recipe of this awesome seasonal dish.

Wash the mushrooms. Crush a pinch of shallots, garlic and dried chili, add 1 tablespoon of Thai shrimp paste, then mix them together. Add the paste and mushrooms into the pot with boiling water. Leave them for approx. 20 minutes and add the mamao leaves. Season with fish sauce or soy sauce and serve.

Spicing up New Year 2008

Happy New Year 2008

May your days in the Year 2008 be filled with...

Lots of Love, Joy, and Happiness. And may all your dreams and wishes come true.

It's never to be late to give your the cocktail recipes. Well, the party always makes me feel good. The first thing to do so is lets get the party ideas flowing with the list of your closed and familiars. Now that the idea about to get the bar together. If you know what your friends like to drink, it's easy to keep the bottles lined up and let everyone help themselves. This can be rather boring, though.

My recommend is to have two or three punch bowls and let guys pitch in while you make them. There are a couple of really brilliantly, and then some more. Try them all. Also keep plenty of ice, disposable glasses, plates and cutlery handy!

Today Punch -- Lets get brooze!

Ascot Day

Glass: Champagne flute

Ingredients:

• 30 ml fresh Strawberry puree or 15 ml Monin Strawberry syrup
• Chilled Champagne or Sparkling wine to top

Garnish: Spring of Mint leaves, Slice of Lime or Fresh Strawberry!

Method: Put Strawberry puree or syrup into glass. Top with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine. Drop in the Mint leaves.

FRENCH CROISSANTS

My friend give this link for baking great croissant

FRENCH CROISSANTS

• 1 pkg. yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. butter
• 1 egg, beaten

Follow the direction:

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Stir in sugar. Combine flour, salt, 1/4 cup butter and yeast mixture in bowl; mix well. Knead until smooth. Cover; let rest for 20 minutes. Roll into large rectangle on floured surface. Place remaining butter in center of dough. Fold dough in thirds from narrow ends. Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll; fold again. Chill for 1 hour. Roll, fold and chill again. Chill for 1 hour. Roll, fold and chill again. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into squares. Cut each square diagonally. Brush with beaten egg. Roll from wide side. Place on baking sheet. Let rise in warm place for 1/2 hour. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown.

Taste of Melt

How are you doing? I'm doing well as I take a holiday back to my hometown (Chiang Mai) -- Huhhhh! Home Sweet Home

Strawberry Mousse Cake



Before I left my lovely place, doing fovorite was strawberry mousse cake I got recipe from my sis-in-law last sunday. So just trying out a new recipe and fortunately it turns out great!!

STRAWBERRY YOGURT MOUSSE:

• 1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 cups whole strawberries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

In a very small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over water; set aside. Rinse, hull and purée berries.
In a small saucepan combine purée, sugar and lemon juice and heat gently just long enough to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.

Warm softened gelatin over low heat until clear and syrupy. Stir into strawberry mixture. Transfer to a large bowl and chill to consistency of raw egg white. Whisk in the yogurt. Whip cream until firm; fold into mousse and return to fridge.

Sponge Cake:

• 3 eggs
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt

Slice 1 inch layer from the top of the cake, lift off in 1 piece and set aside.
Hollow out cake leaving 3/4 inch border on sides and 1 inch border on the bottom. Then spoon strawberry mousse in and over cake

Whip the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream in small deep bowl at high speed or until thickened; beat in sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream.

Sweeten with sugar and spread evenly over top and sides of cake. Put slice fresh strawberries in circle around the top and bottom edges of the cake. Refrigerate until serving time.

Devil's Chocolate

"Closer to a Dessert than a Hot Drink"

Chocolate has also been called the food of the devil. Well! ... How do you like your hot chocolate? Whatever your preference, be it kicked up with a shot of your favorite liqueur or thick and decadent.

Mine is thick hot chocolate, creamy but not too sweet ... Ummm!!

Today I had join my friend birthday party at Sweet Sin Cafe. The notable hot drink (for me) is Devil's Chocolate that the waitress gave me a detail as it'd be my favorite "Thick Chocolate" ahhh! it just (hot) chocolate ... lukewarm, light and too sweet. Also cakes are not taste like others recommended.

Let's look at my real "Thick Chocolate", might be your favorite as well.

... the taste is very creamy and rich with chocolate but that is certainly not an everyday drink. Unlike coffee, chocolate has to be served steaming hot, never lukewarm. I had this hot chocolate when I was in Leeds, UK and it was the thickest, smoothest hot chocolate drink I have had anywhere. This is highly recommended!

• 2 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups milk

Place water and chocolate in heavy medium saucepan; cook on low heat until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Add sugar; mix well. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Boil 3 min., stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with wire whisk until well blended.

Stir this until it is a smooth paste. Heat this mixture continually stirring with a whisk while pouring in milk. Bring to a simmer and hold for 10 minutes (stirring often).
When the mix thickens to the consistency of unset pudding it is ready.

Pour into mugs and enjoy!

Original Ceasar Salad

Ceasar Salad Recipes

Ingredients:
Romain lettucecroutonsparmesan cheese
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive or other salad oil1 clove garlic(crushed)1 egg1/2 can anchovies or anchovie paste to taste(optional)1 tsp worcestershire sauce1 tsp lemon juice1 tsp vinegar(regular or flavored)

Gently wash wash a few leaves of lettuce in a bowl of cold water. Dry the lettuce. Then gently break the leaves into slightly larger than bite-size pieces and put into bowl.

In a mixing bowl add the dressing ingredients and mix with a whisk or electric mixer.

Add parmesan cheese and croutons to the lettuce and gently toss. Add dressing just before serving.

Add dressing sparingly, gently tossing salad until the leaves are barely coated.

There are lots of add-ons you can add to ceasar salad recipes to make them into full meals.
Sliced/cubed chicken or steak is quite popular. Shrimp, prawns, crab, lobster and scallops are also the favorite.

Bon Appitize!

Tom Kha Gai (Chicken and Coconut Soup with Galanga)

Thai Favorite Soups ... Mine Recommend!!

Thailand has two really famous soups: tom yum and tom kha gai. Both are complex and delicious, filled with exotic aromas and flavours. Such is the genius of Thai cuisine that although the two soups contain many of the same ingredients, their characters are completely distinct: tom yum takes on a fiery heat and slight sourness from the addition of chili paste (nam prik phao), while tom kha gai is silky smooth because of the inclusion of sweet and mellow coconut milk. I love them both, but this one is my favourite. The recipe above is pretty good, but not mine is a little different (and more authentic in both ingredients and method.

A note on the name: tom means boil or boiled in Thai, kha is galangal or galanga, and gai is chicken, so this is something like "boiled galangal chicken." More usually on menus in Thai restaurants it's something like chicken in coconut milk. The rest of today cooking word is Yum, means mix. So tom yum is "boiled mixed", hardly a good translation of what is more generally referred to as spicy sour soup.

This Hot Poultry Soups, my favorite, is a hot sweet and sour soup made with coconut milk, lemon grass and chicken. There are other versions made with either seafood (tom kha talay) or mushroom (tom kha het) too. All follow a similar recipe. When I studied in UK, we have an international party in the dorm … Guess what?

Yeah!... I choose Tom Kha Gai as a Thai food representative instead of Tom Yum Goong (Prawn hot and spicy soup). All roommates really like it (nothing left in their bowls of in the pot except the leaves and stalks of herbs), might because it’s only one dish that choose be the appetizer.

Ingredients:

48ml/16fl.oz. Chicken Stock
4 Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely shredded
4 stalks fresh Lemon Grass (cut each crosswise into 1-1 ½ inches)
2.5cm/1 inch length Galanga, sliced
4 tbsp Fish Sauce
2 tbsp Lime Juice
100g/1 whole Fresh Chicken Breast, shredded
150ml/4 ½ cups Coconut Milk
1 cup of mushrooms, halved lengthwise (sliced fresh button mushrooms also good to cook)
4 whole Small Thai Chili Peppers, lightly crushed
Fresh Coriander Leaves to garnish

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken stock in a large saucepan together with the Kaffir leaves, lemon grass, galanga, and chilies.

2. Bring to the gentle boil (medium-hign heat) mixing well combine with the shredded chicken and coconut milk.

3. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

4. Once the chicken is cooked, add the mushrooms and remove from heat. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to taste.

5. To serve - transfer to warmed soup bowls and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Please note that lemongrass, galanga, lime leaves, coriander roots - which impart amazing aroma and flavour, they are not meant to be eaten.

"Kao Chae", a delicious must-eat

Hot Escape with a wonderful and unique Thai dish

Summer comes again so lots of people try to alleviate swelter. Many think of some cooling food like ice-cream, Nam Kang Sai (Thai dessert) … Today, I’d like to recommend you another tasty Thai food with unique character, “Kao Chae.”

Kao Chae is a very popular traditional delicacy unique to Thailand. It is a delicious must-eat during the hot months. Here, I present you with the favourite Thai summer rice dish, the combination of fresh, aromatic, and subtly saccharine tastes, the dish relies upon takes practiced skills and hard-to-find products.

Secret technique, making Kao Chae become a specialty is the way jasmine water is made. The flower water tastes by turns delicate and chalky; the jasmine rice on display in its transparent liquid. The grains permeated with a special incense candle. The scent from the candles and the natural oils from the jasmine should permeate the water.

In the past rain water is used but today mineral water is used instead. Water is kept in clay pot to keep it cool before wasn’t commonly used. Ice was used later on when it was made easier to find.

We will eat Kao Chae with the Fried Stuffed Corn Pepper (Prik Yuak Yud Sai), Fluffy Sweetened Dried Fish (Pla Yee Son Pud Warn), and savoury fish, Stuffed Shallot, Fried Shrimp Paste and Grachai Cat Fish (Kapi Tod). Fried shrimp paste is the heart of Kao Chae. People will decide whose Kao Chae is best by tasting fried shrimp paste.

Moreover there are boiled vegetable such as cucumber, mango, goat pepper etc. to serve with Kao Chae. Kao chae is another wonderful and unique Thai food that has reasonable supports of its origins. It shows the cleverness of adapting to the hot and humid climate.

Thai Iced Tea: Nice creamy drink "cha-yen"

Thai tea (also known as Thai iced tea) or "cha-yen"

In Thailand, my favorite drink is “Cha-yen” (Thai Iced Tea) made from strongly-brewed powdered red tea (a Combination of China Black tea dust, Thailand own grown red tea leaf, natural flavor -- not to be confused with rooibos, known as "red tea" in the West). Other ingredients in the powder vary. This tea is sweetened with sugar and condensed milk and served chilled. Evaporated or whole milk is generally poured over the tea and ice before serving--it is never mixed prior to serving--to add taste and creamy appearance. Locally, it is served in a traditional tall glass and when ordered take-out, it is poured over the crushed ice in a clear (or translucent) plastic bag.

Thai iced tea must look orange and has the aroma of the red tea. Thai tea is reddish orange color that because a kind of tea you use (as mentioned above). If you’ve ever been to Thailand or even Thai restaurant, you know this delicious orange beverage. It is very strong, very sweet, and very good. Here is my recipe (combination from many sources, Thanks!) for this tasty iced tea, which is the perfect complement to a hot day.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Thai tea leave (blend): Lipton tea will not give the true character of Thai tea (aroma, and orange color)
• 1 2/3 cup Water
• ½ cup sugar
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Evaporated Milk

Equipment:

• Big pot for boiling water
• Big, fine strainer or sieve, or a traditional tea sock, if you can find at the asian market
• Heat-resistant pitcher

These are the ingredients for 2 glasses of tea. Scale up if you desire. My Susan, British friend, often make a huge batch of the sweetened tea, save it in the fridge, and then break it out whenever she wants, adding evaporated milk at the time of serving.For the Thai tea leaves, go to your local Asian food store (in the market) and look for “Thai Seasoning Mix” or “Thai Tea Dust”. It usually looks like dark brown shredded tea leaves.

Bring your water to a boil in a pot with some head space (you need space for the tea leaves.) When the water begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat to stop the boiling, and then add the tea leaves to the pot, stirring until the leaves look swollen. Don't boil the tea! It will be bitter! Just let it sit in the hot water approximately 4 minutes, and wait.Then carefully strain the tea into your heat resistant pitcher through a tea sock / sieve. Pour slowly, letting the sieve catch most of the tea leaves.

When the tea is in the pitcher, add your sweetener, and stir to dissolve. You have to add the sweetener when the tea is hot, otherwise you'll never get it to dissolve fully.

Serve with iced in tall glass with long spoon, so guests can swirl the mixture themselves.

All Purpose "Lemon Curd"

Lemon curd is pretty easy to make!!

Lemon curd, (also sometimes known as lemon cheese) is a traditional British dessert topping. Lemon curd can be served as a spread for scones or toast, and goes well with tea at any time of day. It is also wonderful as a filling in trifles, tarts, sponge and cakes.

Lemon Curd is like a lemon filling or custard in that it does not use special ingredients; just eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and unsalted butter. And alike custard, only instead of directly over the heat, cook it over a saucepan of simmering water. I know that doing it this way takes a little longer, but I find it helps prevent the eggs from that dreaded curdling. Just make sure that the water in the bottom saucepan is 'simmering' which is defined as the point just short of a boil, that is, when bubbles start to appear.

Oftentimes if you find the lemon curd is not thickening fast enough, all you need to do is increase the temperature of the simmering water. Well, let’s see the ingredients you need…

Lemon Curd Recipe:

• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
• 1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
• 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
  
  

Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavoured outer rind of the lemon that contains the fruit's flavour and perfume. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick. This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps that may have formed. Then stir in the butter and lemon zest – that’s done.

Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the fined mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for about a week.

If you want a lighter lemon curd whip 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream and fold into the lemon curd.

Main idea by: http://www.joyofbaking.com

Mango Season, Hot Dessert this Summer

A Lovely Sweet Sticky Rice With Fresh Mangoes

Mango with sticky rice is served with sweet coconut cream. This is Thailand's most well known dessert. Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice Dessert (Khao Niaow Ma Muang) is an absolute must try! This recipe is foolproof and even budding chefs with two left hands come off smelling mango sweet. This easy Thai dessert starts with Thai sweet sticky rice which is surrounded / topped by coconut milk, then serve with slices of fresh mango. Mmmmm!

To start with a mango that's nice and ripe, with a slight give to the touch.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup "sticky rice"
• 1 ripe mango, cut into bite-size pieces (look for mangos that should be bright and yellow)
• 1/2 can coconut milk
• 2-3 Tbsp. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Cooking Instructions For the Sweet Rice:

• Rinse the rice. Soak it in water for 30 minutes.
• Drain some of the water, leave 1/4 inch of water remaining on top of rice cook for about 10-14 minutes.
• Mix sugar and 1/2 can coconut milk and stir until sugar dissolves.
• Pour this sauce over the rice and coat completely.
• Cover, and let stand for 20 minutes and serve at room temperature.

Rice Cooking Tip: Don't worry if the rice still seems a little undercooked when the water is gone. Just remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 10-15 minutes. The heat within the rice pot will finish cooking the rice.

Cooking Instructions For the topping Coconut Suace:

Mix sugar and remaining 1/2 can coconut milk and stir until sugar dissolves. Add salt and put all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir well. Cook over low heat and stir constantly until just boiling, then turn off heat.



Slice mangos into bite size pieces...

Note: Peel the mangoes carefully so as not to bruise the fruit. Slice in half as close to the seed as possible, then slice each half into 1/2-in (1-cm) slices.

Put the sticky rice and mangoes on a serving dish. Pour the topping sauce over the sticky rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Blueberry Cream Cheese

Easy Bluberry Cream Cheese Pie

This is my Crushy-Yummy Pie, so do you guys -- I know that!
Here the easy step to help you set a little party with home made sweet "Blueberry cheesecake pie"

Ingredients:
- 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese -- My recommend "Philadelphia"
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- lemon juice -- It depends on your taste -- How much sweet n sour do you like?
- 2 cups blueberry pie filling
- 1 (9 inch) prepared the crust (Biscuit/Cracker)

Beat together cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Add lemon juice and blend well. Pour into crust. Spread blueberry filling over pie and chill for 2 hours before serving.

This is so easy and delicious. And very popular dessert for teens and all age-cooking-lover.

Yummy Classic Oven CheeseCake

Well, the first secret is 'New York Cheesecake'.

I'hv found this recipe from many websites and mixed it up for my favorite. The Classic! True New York style cheesecake made with only the freshest ingredients for a smooth, creamy and unparalleled experience.

Ingredients:-

Crust:

- 2 cups (190 grams) of biscuit/cookies (process whole cookies in a food processor until they are crumbs)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

- 32 ounces (1 kg) (4 - 8 ounces packages) cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, not reduced or fat free cream cheese)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
- 3 tablespoons (40 grams) all purpose flour
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon

- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

"The major ingredients in almost all plain cheesecakes are cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, egg yolks, whole eggs, and either heavy cream or sour cream. My recipe starts with a quick preparation of the crust."

Break the biscuit/cookies into small pieces and place into a food processor. The biscuit/cookies can also be broken by placing them into a large resealable plastic bag and crushed by rolling a pin over the bag. Then, in a medium bowl, mix the sugar and butter with the crackers until all the crackers take on a wet appearance.

Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

Prepare the Filling:-

In bowl of your electric mixer place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition.

Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and place the pieces into work bowl of a standing mixer. Beat the cheese on low until smooth, about two or three minutes. It may be easier to beat half the cream cheese first, followed by the second half. Once the cheese is smooth, add the salt and about a third of the sugar. Beat until integrated and scrape down the sides. Add another third of the sugar and continue to mix until the sugar is mixed in. Then add the final third of sugar and mix in. Optionally, three tablespoons of flour can be added with the sugar to help add a bit of stability to the cake. Adding flour will not affect the taste or texture of the cake, but will reduce the likelihood of a cracked cake. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix.

Scrape the sides down and add the heavy cream. Add the egg yolks and mix until they are blended in. Now add three whole eggs and mix until the eggs have been completely mixed into the filling. Scrape down the sides and beat in the final three eggs.

Now, pour the filling into the springform pan onto the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and continue to bake until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wet and wobbly ... about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Remember to keep baking at 500°F for the full ten minutes. Notice that the edges of the cake had begun to brown, but the whole surface of the cake is still a light shade. This cake resulted in the texture of a New York style cheesecake.

After a about ten minutes, run a paring knife along the rim of the cake to release it from the walls of the pan. After about two to three hours of cooling, wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and place the cake into the refrigerator to chill for at least five hours.

This cheesecake tastes best after being refrigerated for at least a day. Serve with fresh fruit or fruit sauces.

Welcome Little Chef

Hi Everyone

I've finally started up my first Cooking blog.
I've dream to do this kind of webpage for ages ... So, at this moment I just hope that I'll be able to keep this page updated as often as I can.

Any Recipes to share please leave your comment.

Cheers!