~Lemongrass Paste and Lemongrass Tartar Sauce Recipes~

From a Thai Village to the Big City I grew up in a world full of lemongrass and could tell you thousands of stories that evolve around this fragrant herb, from planting and cooking it, to all things related. But I will keep this short and sweet so that you can go straight to my [...]

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~Durian: What is it? How do you open it?~

Conditional Love Durian ทุเรียน, Durio Zibethinus Merr., is a native plant to Brunei, Sarawak, Malaysia and Indonesia. Southern Thailand is a part of the Malay Peninsula and it has a tropical climate pattern similar to Malaysia. One of my memories of growing up in a village on a hilly isle of Phuket, Southern Thailand, is of the beginning of durian season. It [...]

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~Stir-fried Blue Crab with Black Pepper Recipe~

Eat Like a Local Papa Seafood Restaurant, Laem Sing, Phuket, Thailand It was less than a month ago that I was at Laem Sing, Phuket, soaking up the warm sunshine before leaving for Seattle. Laem Sing is my favorite beach for getting away for a half day—or all day—to just hang out on the beach [...]

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~Thai Cooking with Coconut, What Is a Coconut?~

Chasing the Monkey Tails I have been home again on Phuket Island for a few days now but still haven’t gotten used to the weather yet. Not that I want to complain about 94°F weather that feels like 104° F because of the humidity. I always love my visits with family and the foods here [...]

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~Best Phad Thai in Bangkok is on Mahachai Road, Bangkok~

Best Phad Thai on Mahachai Road, Bangkok  I just returned home from three weeks of savoring Thailand. I still have a little jet lag and a lingering sense of all the flavors from Thailand. My first day in Bangkok was spent with my nieces and nephew who knew the best places to eat in Bangkok. [...]

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~Pomalo Salad with Crab Recipe, Yum Som Oh Phu~

You say Pummelo, I say Pomelo, and Thais say ”Som Oh” One of my goals for the New Year is for my blog readers to learn light and easy Thai cooking and some new exotic ingredients. Thai cuisine has been famous for many centuries and I want people to have a more in-depth knowledge of it. One way [...]

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~Dark Soy Sauce Recipe, Glueten Free Recipe~

Dark Soy Sauce, an Essential in Thai Cooking   Two years ago my friend Pom arranged for me to visit the Junsaeng soy sauce factory in Thalang, Phuket. I was fortunate to learn firsthand about their establishment and how soy sauce is made. Out of four soy sauce factories in Phuket, it is the only one still in [...]

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~Thai Crab Salad with Mango Recipe~

Eating in Southeast Asia Traveling through Vietnam in 2009 as a culinary tour leader was an interesting and heartwarming experience. The local people are so eager to share their country’s wonderful cuisine and culture and spend time with you. You’re treated more like a welcome guest than a tourist. Back home in Phuket with my [...]

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~Phuket Hokkien Mee Recipe, Phuket Cuisine~

PHUKET HOKKIEN MEE RECIPE Stir-fried egg noodles Phuket style Serving: 1 Prep Time: 15    Cook Time: 5 minutes On Chinese New Year Day, I always enjoy Phuket Hokkien Mee – an egg noodle dish similar to stir-fried chow mien. In America, I use Miki noodle or yakisoba. For this recipe you may use any fresh [...]

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~Stir-fried Kabocha Pumpkin with Pork Recipe & Video~

When I visited my mom in Phuket in March 2009, I  dropped by to see her everyday for her home cooked meal. I didn’t plan to tape this video with Kabocha and pork, but at that moment, I wanted to record her cooking and share it with my students. My mom loves to surprise me with my favorite childhood [...]

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~Thai Stir-fried Cat Fish with Red Curry Paste, phad phed pla dook Recipe & Vedio~

PHAD PHED PLA DOOK Thai stir-fried catfish with red curry paste Recipe & Video Servings: 1 Prep Time: 15   Cook Time: 5 minutes Thai stir-fried catfish with red curry paste is a typical fast food wok-frying dish served over steamed rice. My sister’s recipe is a southern-rustic version that is very pungent. But at home [...]

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~Thai Omelette Recipe, Kai Jeow~

  I spent a good week with my mom and sister in March 2009. We would like to share with you our rustic style cooking. My mom was a chef of the village. Today my sister owns a fast-food wok restaurant in Thalang, Phuket. I only have one sister and her name is Rudee. Her nick name is Kleuy which means [...]

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~Go Wild with Lemongrass, how to prepare and cook with~

          Takrai, lemongrass Thais use herbs in the cooking for three great reasons: flavor, aroma and medicinal value. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) has a lemon-citrus flavor and is used widely in Malaysia, Indonesia, Lao, Burma and very intensely in Thailand. In Thai cuisine, lemongrass is the queen of Thai herbs. Thais use [...]

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