~Grilled Bok Choy Recipe~

Grilled Bok Choy for Minimalist Cooking I want to share with you my tips and techniques for making quick and easy grilled bok choy, something I did last weekend to celebrate the first warm sunny day when I spent a lot of time outdoors gardening. Cooking in the summer is about minimalism, and I like [...]

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~Fried Egg Thai Style Recipe~

Home Sweet Home Cooking I am happy to be home again. I have been away for two weeks, first to New York City to attend the International Association of Culinary Professionals 34th annual conference. The theme this year was The Fashion of Foods. After the conference, I took a train ride down to Washington DC. [...]

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~Lavender-Turmeric Scented Jasmine Rice Recipe for 30 people~

Without a Rice Cooker You can cook rice for 30 people, anytime, without a rice cooker! Since last November, my son and I have been preparing one meal a month for 60 homeless youth at Seattle’s [James W. Ray] Orion Center. The organization helps homeless youth get off the street and provides them with meals, [...]

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~Pickled Sweet Radish Omelet Recipe~

Do Nothing Day I got bit by a winter bug and have been resting for the past two days. What do I eat on such a do nothing day?  I prepared Honey-Lime Tea to sooth my coughing and sore throat. For dinner I prepared myself a rice porridge. While the rice porridge was on the [...]

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~Rice Porridge Recipe~

The Hungry Planet I attended the Hungry Planet: What the World Eats grand opening at the Burke Museum. I was totally awestruck by the large photographic exhibit and printed information from Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio who show us how the rest of the world eats and feeds their families with one week of purchased [...]

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~Thai Yellow Curry Rice Pilaf Recipe~

A Gift from My Thai Kitchen Creating a homemade gift is a wonderful way to express your heartfelt thanks and appreciation for your friends, families or associates. Every year I like to come up with something from my kitchen that will interest the recipients and be easy for them to love, such as curry paste, [...]

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~Acacia Omelet Recipe, Khai Jeow Cha-Om~

Stinky Leaf Omelet Last week I found fresh acacia leaf, or cha-om, for the first time in Seattle at the Makong Raineir Market. Without hesitation, I grabbed this rare opportunity to purchase some. Two days later the cha-om was still fresh in my refrigerator. There are many ways to prepare cha-om in rustic Thai cooking (see pictures [...]

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~Winter Squash Leaves in Salted Coconut Milk Recipe~

Are Winter Squash Leaves Edible? I enjoyed the Seattle sun last Wednesday at the Columbia City Farmers Market along with the delicious food from the stalls. I purchased a few fresh vegetables from various farmers and, like always, a bunch of winter squash leaves from a Hmong farmer’s stall. This time the squash leaves prompted me [...]

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~Stir-fried Choy Sum Recipe~

My Everyday  Asian Vegetable Choy Sum (also known as flowering cabbage) is a most popular vegetable in Southeast Asia. It belongs to the Brassica family along with Bok Choy and Gai Lan (Chinese kale or broccoli). The most common uses are in stir-fries and soups. My favorite way of preparing this is to stir-fry it [...]

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~Stewed Pork Belly with Vietnamese Cinnamon and Star Anise Recipe, Moo Palo~

Let It Stew I love having a stew cooking on my stove top while I am catching up with a pile of work. I have had a frozen pork belly in my freezer for a month now, waiting for the time when it will become Moo Palo, or Stewed Pork Belly with Cinnamon and Star [...]

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~Stir-fried Mung Bean Sprouts and Tofu with Garlic Chives Recipe, Phuket Cuisine~

A Stir-Fry from the Palm of My Hand When I was growing up, in the mornings my grandma would often drop a few coins in the palm of my hand and tell me to go purchase Tao Gua (Tofu), Tao Nge (Mung Bean Sprout), and Guiy Chai (garlic chives) from a mobile market—a pick up [...]

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~Stir-fried Fresh Grated Coconut with Phuket Curry Paste Recipe~

The Mystery Dish of Southern Thailand I uncovered a mystery about my grandmother’s cooking during my last trip to Phuket. I asked around about Phad Maprow Khub Kruang Gaeng, a stir-fried, fresh grated coconut with Phuket curry paste. During my childhood and adult life, I had never seen it cooked or eaten or even mentioned by [...]

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~Grilled Spicy Phuket Mushroom Recipe, Hed Mok Phuket~

My Love for Mushrooms My love for mushrooms was born when I was in my teen years in my Thai village. The village is surrounded by mountains on one side and rice fields on the other. It was a perfect place for wild foods. I learned to gather wild vegetables such as bamboo shoots and [...]

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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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~Inle Lake Green Tomato Salad Recipe~

Inle Lake Green Tomato Salad, a Recipe from Shan State Myanmar Today, on my way back from the University District Farmers Market, I visited a friend and saw her tomatoes in various shades of colors on her windowsill. Then I remembered that I wanted to share this recipe with you. When I see green tomatoes, I think of my family’s visit [...]

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~Tomato-Pork Chili Dip Recipe, Nam Prik Ong~

Northern Thai Cuisine with the Kantok Diner When planning a trip to Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand, one must see all of the cultural aspects that Northern Thai culture or Lanna culture has to offer. That is why I took my tour members to the Old Chiangmai Cultural Center. It is my favorite place for eating Northern Thai cuisine, listening to [...]

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~Northwest Salad with Thai Chili-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe~

Amazing Thai & Vietnamese Flavors with Local Organic Farm Produce from Orting Last Saturday, October 1st, was my first visit to the town of Orting, which is only one hour from Seattle. It was a beautiful fall day and I had a beautiful drive. I love the town. I was doing a cooking demo for PCC [...]

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~Steamed Mediterranean Mussels with Thai Chili Sauce Recipe~

  Thai Cooking with Mussels I love mussels, and Thai cuisine has so many great mussel recipes. Unfortunately, cooking classes with mussels don’t sell well in Seattle. But you can enjoy my recipe without being in my class. This delightful, easy recipe uses fresh Mediterranean mussels that are at their peak season right now. The Taylor Shellfish Farm stall at many Seattle Farmers [...]

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~Grilled Corn with Scallion Oil Recipe~

Corn and Scallion, a perfect pair The most memorable time for me in Hoi An was getting up to see the sunrise over the Bon River while drinking Vietnamese coffee shortly before heading for the market.  Then I walked along the street, and the scenery was very beautiful. The aromas and sounds were so enlivening and the taste of the food was phenomenal. I tasted many street [...]

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~Hanoi Confetti Corn Recipe~

February 2010, Old Quarter in Hanoi Hanoi Confetti Corn from the street of Hanoi Old Quarter I love writing recipes from my culinary trip in my kitchen because it is like traveling through time.  And I love to travel, so when the journey ended then I was in pain with nostalgia. I missed the places I have [...]

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