Thai Dinner For Two

Do you have an anniversary, birthday, or other special day with your significant other coming up? Try a romantic Thai dinner, either dining out or cooking and dining in. There are many delicious and interesting meals to enjoy! Sometimes it is quite a challenge to come up with great menu selections. One might spend lots of time looking up or researching all the Thai dishes. There are really more than enough to choose from, and many great combinations, so don't beat yourself up trying to plan. This article outlines some choices for each part of the dinner.

Appetizers


Choosing a start up dish sometimes can be challenging. Try to choose a dish that is not too heavy. Choose a light dish but yet one that teases you to want more. My first choice would be "Kra Thong Thong", golden pastry cups with minced chicken and chopped vegetables. This appetizer is a cute little cup that will definitely impress him or her. The next choice is "Miang Kam", leaf-wrapped tidbits. This can be a fun thing to do and create nice start up conversations. It involves wrapping several kinds of little tiny items in a leaf, along with a sweet-and-salty sauce. The items include shredded roasted coconut, peanuts, diced lime, diced ginger, diced shallots and chilies. Third choice is "Po Pia Tod", deep-fried spring rolls.

Main course

Whether you are vegetarian or a seafood or chicken lover, don't worry, there is always plenty to choose from. Let's start with how many dishes to order or make. For 2 people, I would say 2-4 dishes. If you are dining out, two dishes are enough for two but might not have variety. Three to four dishes will definitely leave some leftovers for later days. However, if you are planning to cook them yourself, you can make a smaller amount of each dish. This way you can have more dishes for variety. Here are some different combinations of dishes.

* Combination 1: for those who like things just a little bit spicy

- Khao Ob Subparod: fried rice with meat, pineapple, onions and cashew nuts, baked in a pineapple
- Kaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry with meat and vegetables
- Gai Pad Med Ma Muang Him Ma Paan: stir-fried chicken and cashew nuts
- Chu Chi: stir-fried fish (or shrimp) with kaffir lime leaves, Thai sweet basil (Bai Ho Ra Pha) and chu chi chili paste

* Combination 2: for those who like medium spicy food

- Khao Pad Poo: fried rice with crab meat, eggs, tomatoes, onion and cilantro
- Phanaeng: Thai southern style dry curry with meat, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk
- Gai Ho Bai Toey: fried chicken wrapped in pandanus leaf
- Ho Mok Ta Le: steamed seafood custard

* Combination 3: for those who love spicy food

- Tom Yum Moo Pa: hot and sour soup with wild boar, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chilies
- Kaeng Leung: a hot yellow curry, most common meat used is fish. Other ingredients are winter melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass, shallots and shrimp paste
- Poo Jaa: steamed crab with pork
- Pad Ped Tua Fak Yao Moo: stir-fried long beans and pork with red curry paste

* Combination 4: for seafood lovers

- Goong Pad Yod Ma Proaw: stir-fried prawns with heart of palm
- Poo Kan Chiang Nueng: steamed crab sculls
- Hoi Lai Pad Ped: stir-fried clams with Thai sweet basil (Bai Ho Ra Pha) and roasted chili paste
- Hoi Nang Rom Sod: fresh oysters with chilies and garlic dipping sauce

Desserts

To end your meal, it is great to aim for the right dessert that will perfect the dinner. After a non-spicy or spicy main course, something light is always a good choice. Some may already have an idea for dessert, Khao Niaw Ma Muang (mango with sticky rice). For a romantic dinner, I personally would choose something else. This is because sticky rice can be a bit too heavy as a dessert choice. You can be too full to eat but feel you should eat. So I would go with something nice and cold like Thai coconut Ice cream with ground peanuts sprinkled on top. Just a scoop or two would be enough. My second choice would be "Nam Kang Sai." This dessert is a combination of 2-3 items of assorted fruits, beans or sticky rice with shaved ice on top.

As you choose your dishes, consider how the taste, color and presentation go together. In doing so, you might find ways to improve the combinations. For example, to get you started, it is generally better not to choose food all of one color, or all chicken dishes or all spicy dishes. Try to balance one dish with another and create a harmony of dishes. This can help give you different tastes of sweet, salty, sour, bitter or spicy, and make the experience all the more enjoyable. Take these recommendations and run with them! The best part comes from your familiarity with what you and your significant other like, so have fun customizing. Bon appetit and have a nice dinner!

By: Napatr Lindsley

Thai Food

Thailand have many famous food that being known all around the world such as Tomyumgoong, Pad Tai and etc. Thai Foods have its own characteristic. They are hot, spicy and delicious.

Thai Herb are often used in Thai food such as Chili (Prik), Mint (Saranae), Shallot (Hom Daeng), Galanga (Kha), Lemon Grass (Ta Krai), Lime (Ma Now), Garlic (KraTieam), Ginger (Khing), Basil (Kraprao and Horapa) and etc. Thai food is also the food that control six balance fundamental flavors in every dishes. The six fundamental flavors in Thai food are salty, sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and oily

Salty – Salty in thai food mostly used fish sauce (Nam Pla in Thai). Fish sauce in one of important ingredient in Thai food. Moreover in every meal of Thai people. There is a small bowl of fish sauce included. Anyway Thai food use the other souce for salty, too such as salt or soy sauce.

Sweet – In cooking the sweet in thai food. Mostly sweet in thai food come from sugar (Namtal in thai). There are also many kind of sugar in Thai food, such as brown sugar, coconut palm sugar, jaggery and palm sugar in the form of cakes.

Sour – In Thai food, Sour are from vinegar, lime juice. There are also the ingredient that are not in any foods like tamarine vinegar, citrus hystrix juice, sour orange juice and the sour flavor from tamarine leaf, garcina, garcina leaf and acacia leaf. All these sour flavors are in thai food only.

Hot (spicy) – The spicy flavor in Thai food is very hot, Mostly come from Capsicum frutescents.

Oily – Most curry thai food used coconut cream for oily flavor. Oily in thai foods also come from other vegetable oil or fat.

Bitter – Come from animal entrails and some leaf. Thai people believe that the bitter flavor food have the effect of medicine.

By: Kazama T.

Labor Day "Pasta" Salad with Sausage and Halloumi

I dropped off my boyfriend Brian at the airport for a business trip and prepped for a small family barbecue celebrating Labor Day. My assignments were easy - some type of hors d'oeuvres and a side. The starter is easy - a triple creme brie, hard salami, crackers and roasted and marcona almonds.
For the side, I did a take on a "pasta" salad with a mix of seeds/grains from Trader Joe's called Harvest Grains Blend with Israeli couscous, red and green orzo, split dried garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. I tossed that with some chopped sweet red peppers, sliced chicken sausage and a tangy vinaigrette - plus the salty and fantastic Halloumi cheese. Delicious and it made TONS so plenty for lunch tomorrow and to send home with my little brother John who is often broke, in college and perpetually starving.

Happy Labor Day all - hope it was a relaxing weekend!

Harvest Grains "Pasta" Salad: (serves 8-10 as a side dish)

1 bag Trader Joe's Harvest Grains (or use orzo or other pasta)

3.5 c chicken or beef broth
4 large links chicken or turkey sausage
1-2 sweet red peppers, chopped
1 block Halloumi cheese, cubed (approx 4-6 oz)
5 c chives, snipped
1 tbs Djion mustard
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or as needed)

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil. Add grain mix and bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and let stand 10 minutes (or less if using pasta). Meanwhile, saute sausage in a bit of olive oil until golden brown and cooked through. Let cool, then slice into half moon pieces.

Meanwhile, chop peppers, Halloumi and chives.

Mix chives, mustard, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar in a deep bowl. Whisk in oil until desired consistency or amount of oil. I used just 1/4 cup.

Once grain mix is done, toss and cool in a large bowl. Once room temperature, toss with dressing, then peppers and sausage. Top with cheese and a bit of reserved chives for garnish. Chill if not serving immediately. Serve at room temperature. Toss well just before serving

Superfood Recipes: 2 Healthy and Delicious Recipes

Many types of food available at grocery and health food stores today can be called "superfoods." Typical superfoods include certain types of greens (e.g., spirulina, algae, and chlorella), herbs, anti-oxidants, sea vegetables, essential fatty acids, probiotics, energy enhancements and enzymes can be correctly called superfoods. Some common superfoods that you have probably heard of include blue-green algae, spirulina, blueberries, fish oils, and probiotics (i.e., beneficial bacteria for your digestive system).

It is important to recognize that superfoods are indeed among the richest sources of nutrients for your body. Still, it is also important to constantly come up with new and delicious ways to prepare your superfoods so that they continue to delight not your body, but also your taste buds.

That is why I am always on the lookout to come up with new superfood recipes that can be made using the simplest, healthiest superfood ingredients. All of the ingredients in the following two recipes can be easily found in most grocery stores, health food stores, or online health stores.

Below are two great recipes made with spirulina-based powder. The first recipe is one that you can enjoy anytime of the day or night, either as a snack or as an accent for a healthy meal. The second recipe is a sumptuous-yet-healthy dessert that would serve as a delicious side for any dinner.

Recipe #1: Billy's Nuggets

Ingredients: Raw chocolate nibs, hemp seeds, cold-pressed coconut oil, agave nectar, spirulina-based superfood powder, herb-pharm peppermint extract. Equipment needed: mixing bowl, mixing spoon.

Mix these dry ingredients:
- 2 cups chocolate nibs
- 2 cups hemp seeds
- 2 tablespoons spirulina-based superfood powder

Add:
- 3/4 cup agave nectar
- Add 3/4 cup coconut oil
- Add 20 drops herb-pharm peppermint extract

Mix well and refrigerate for at least one hour. Then, scoop mixture with spoon and shape with fingers into one-inch balls. Roll in bowl of hemp seeds (hint: add coconut oil to fingers to reduce sticking). Refrigerate nuggets for at least one hour more. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe #2: Billy's Raw Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients: Raw chocolate nibs, hemp seeds, agave nectar, spirulina-based superfood powder, water. Equipment Needed: Vita-prep (or equivalent) blender

Blend 8 ounces of raw cacao nibs in blender until the mixture turns to a powder and starts to become gummy in texture, then add 2 cups warm water and blend for one minute.

Then add:
- 3/4 cup agave nectar
- 2 cups hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon spirulina-based superfood powder to catalyze the effects of chocolate

Add more water as needed to maintain blending and blend again for one minute more. Pour into a glass bowl and place in refrigerator to set for two hours. Serve and enjoy!!!

note: if you are using a conventional blender, use approximately half the amount of ingredients indicated above and blend at least twice as long

Incorporating superfoods into your meals and snacks is a great way to feel better and more energized throughout the entire day. Try both of these delicious recipes to prepare for yourself, or plan a special dinner for a friend or loved one. You will be giving everybody present the gift of wonderful nutrition that tastes great.

By: Billy Merritt

Testing Holiday Recipes - Maple Brûlée Pie

Well, it's officially a month to Christmas and boy, is it ever starting to feel like winter! No snow yet, but the days are getting cooler. Hats, mittens and scarves are becoming a must and so is testing holiday recipes! What better excuse to bake a pie than having to test it out?

Let me tell you, this was one successful test. The original recipe didn't call for caramelizing the top but after seeing the baked pie, it just screamed "brûlée"! And what a great dessert to serve for a special occasion. Something like, oh, I don't know, Christmas maybe? Or New Years? Or maybe, just because you wanted to bake something sweet for your sweetie!

Maple Brûlée Pie

adapted from the top of a can of maple syrup, really!
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Sugar to caramelize the top

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the syrup, eggs, milk and brown sugar. Mix well and pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the custard is set.

This can be eaten at room temperature, as is. Another option is to put it in the refrigerator to cool completely, cut out portions, sprinkle some sugar onto the slices (the sugar you choose is up to you, works just as well with granulated sugar or coarse sugar) and fire up your brûlée torch! Caramelize the sugar until you get a nice crunchy layer on top of the creamy custard. Serve with fruit, ice cream or slightly sweetened whipped cream. Make sure you have some company, this is a sweet, sweet pie to be shared among friends. :)

Note: For the pie crust, I used a recipe from Karen Barker I found on Serious Eats. The dough came together beautifully and the crust turned out flaky and golden. I think this'll be my go to pie crust, for a little while anyways. Click here for the recipe!

Another Note: I'm thinking this could be spiced up with a grating of nutmeg or tonka bean. Mmmm, I'll let you know when I try.

Chao Wang Food And Thai Food Of Each Festival

Chao Wang Food: (Food Prepared for Royal or High-Class Families)

The food which is prepared for Royal family members or of the high-class people is different from that of the ordinary people. The Chao Wang food has its own delicate cooking; for example, Khieo Wan Kai must have only chicken meat without any bones, whereas the ordinary people’s Khieo Wan Kai contains with chicken both of meat and bones. The Chao Wang Namprig has beautifully carved vegeytables, side by side, to take with.

Some Bits about Thai Food:

Thai food is a Thai national symbol. It reveals the characteristics of the Thai people: their delicate taste, discipline, rules of conduct, artistic taste and human relationship. Thai food has its unique name with précis meaning of feature, flavor or the methods of cooking, Tong Yip and Foi Thong are examples of Thai sweets in this case. To understand causes and effects of Thai food cooking is to achieve.

To preserve the Thai nationality, the learners of how to cook Thai food should both keep Thai national values of the past and also accept any new ones.
Thai Food of Each Festival:

Thai food is cooked in agreement with Thai festivals organized according to Thai religious customs.

The fifth Month (April):

The old Thai New Year is celebrated in this month of April (between April 13 and April 15). To relieve the hot weather in the summer month, the dainty Khao Chae, (-a luncheon dish which includes rice served in scented water with jasmine and rose petals, and with seven or eight side dishes-), is used to serve monks, relatives and friends in the merit-making occasion. Kaaraamae (a Thai caramel) is made as well as Khao Niew Dang (Sweetened red glutinous rice) to give among friends and relatives.

The Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Months:

The Eighth Month (July) is in the rainy season and the Buddhist Lent. Fruits are in abundance so they are preserved in many techniques of cooking: stirring, or cooking as well as soaking in thick syrup. Durian Guan, Kluai Guan, Kluai Taak, Sabparod Guan are examples. Fully ripe chillies are sundried for the needed time. Fully ripe and sour tamarind is pitted, sprinkled with salt, pasted and preserved for the coming days. Fishes which are also plentiful, are sundried or grilled, for the next days.

In these months, Thai people do their merit-making at the temple. They offer foods to the monks in the form called “Salaag Puut”, that is, the monks are offered foods by drawing slots. The baskets offered to the monks, contain with both fresh and dried foods. The people, offering foods to the monks, are very exited to see who is going to get their basket by drawing lots

The Eighth Month is also the time for young Thai males to enter the monkhood. Folks helps bringing foods and sweets to join the occasion. The foods are of various kinds with ingredients of vegetables, fishes, coconut or sugar. One example of these is Yam Kamoei cooked with any food stuff found at hand but delicious with its sauce made with crunched, red chillies, garlic, vinegar, fish soy, lime and sugar.

Main dishes are often many kinds of curries and lon (a kind of sauce served with raw vegetables). For the funeral, Plara Lon(a sauce made with fishes which are fermented by salted and roasted rice) and foods with noodle-ingredients are avoided because of Thai superstition of death prolongation.

The Ninth Month (August):

The Ninth Month is the most favorable month for wedding ceremony, new house merit making, and age meritorious performing. Favorite Thai sweets, symbolized fortunes and honors, Khanom Chaan (sweetened, light color pudding with many layers) and Khaaw Niew Kaew (sweetened, glassy glutinous rice) are favorably cooked.
The Tenth Month (September):

The Tenth Month (September) is the month for Sart Thai Festival.
Krajaa Sart (sweetened, forested, and popped rice mixed with peanuts and sesames ) and Khaaw Yaa Koo(a cake made of sugar boiled with water received from crunched young rice grains) are popular sweets.
The Eleventh, Twelfth Monts:

The Eleventh Month (October) and the Twelfth Month (November) are months of Krathin Ceremony (the offering of Krathin Cloths to the monks) and Oogpaansaa (the outing of the Buddihist Lent ). Khaaw Tom Paad (glutinous rice wrapped by banana or bamboo leaves cooked by steaming ) are offered to the monks in this festival. Other favorite foods are rice cooked and wrapped in lotus or banana leaves accompanied by fried food such as Paad Prig Khing, dried curries, Namprig Makaam Paad, Namprig Makaam Piak and Namprig Taa Dang including salted food as salted meat and salted eggs, along with vegetables plucked along the way.

By: Manora

Ka moo pa-lo (ต้มขาหมูพะโล้)

Thai Recipe Ingredients

* 1 pork leg (if possible choose front leg), 600 grams
* 100 grams shitake mushroom (or other fresh vegetable)
* 4 eggs
* 3 coriander roots
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon black soy sauce
* 4 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon five spices powder
* 3 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 teaspoon peppercorn, crushed
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 3 cups water
* 3 coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Sauce


* 2 yellow chiles, finely sliced
* 1 teaspoon coriander roots, chopped
* 3 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons white vinegar

 Thai Food Preparations

1. Heat water in a pot. Add eggs and wait until cooked. Remove from heat and peel out the egg shells.

2. Heat water in a big pot. Then add pork leg, garlic, coriander roots, five spices powder, black peppercorns, light soy sauce.

3. Wait until the water boils again, then add dark soy sauce and shitake mushroom. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Prepare the sauce by pounding all sauce ingredients using mortar and pestle or food processer until all ingredients mixed well. Then add vinegar and stir again, set aside.
5. After 30 minutes, remove from heat, then cut the pork leg into a well pieces and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with coriander leaves on top and serve immediately with sauce and steamed rice.

Thank You : http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_recipes.htm

Food Is Innocent

Any organism needs to be fed in order to grow and survive. Just like any animal, humans need food in order to receive the necessary energy with which they will grow and continue to function properly. But food has lately been blamed as the cause of obesity, and has been accused to be linked to a number of diseases and eating abnormalities. Fortunately for human beings, these accusations are far away from the truth. In fact, what mistakenly people consider to be the enemy is not. Food is not to be blamed because none of the food substances have a negative outcome if people do not oversize their food portions or eat without any control. Thus it is important to understand what food is and what can we do to balance our eating habits, without loosing in taste or variety.

Food is any substance, usually comprised primarily of carbohydrates, fats and proteins that are consumed by all animals-including humans-for nutrition or pleasure. It is also widely known that almost all foods come from plants or animals-except water, salt, baking soda, fungi, and processes foods-and humans as omnivorous animals are able to consume everything. After developing agriculture and becoming hunters, humans managed to add to their dietary habits different tastes that came from mixing and matching a variety of ingredients to improve the final culinary result. But recently, the once healthy portions of food people used to eat have dramatically increased and due to lack of time and focus people are now battling with their dietary habits against diseases and various types of illnesses.

In particular, concerns about foodborne illnesses have long influenced the human diet. Dietary habits play a significant role in the health and mortality of all humans, and one needs only to consider that eating disorders interfere with normal food consumption leading to excess weight or a skinny human silhouette. But food is not to be blamed for these dramatic results. The changes in nutrient content of diets in industrialized countries have come to produce foods that contain more animal fat, sugar, alcohol and less dietary fiber, carbohydrates and antioxidants. Today's working habits and family stress, alongside with reduced exercise patterns, have caused considerable concerns to health practitioners who examine the traditional eating habits and reveal negative results for humans.

Thus, it is imperative for contemporary people to be informed and educated from an early age in relation to the effects of adopting a healthy diet plan and maintaining their weight constant and within a logical range when they have reached adulthood. Food is not the enemy in this issue; people's dietary habits are the cause of the health problems related to food.

By: Kadence Buchanan

Thai vermicelli Salad with Prawns [Yum Woon Sen]

This dish of prawns and glass noodles can be served as a complete meal on its own or with additional side dishes. Add more chillis and shallots for more spicy.




Thai vermicelli Salad with Prawns Ingredients

1. 10 medium size shrimps
2. 100 grams ground pork
3. 40 grams mushroom
4. 20 grams chinese celery, cut into 1" long
5. 1 onion, sliced
6. 2 tomatoes, sliced
7. 20 grams shallot, sliced
8. 6 chilies, coarsely chopped
9. 40 g glass noodle
10. 4 tablespoons fish sauce
11. 1 tablespoon sugar
12. 5 tablespoons lime juice

Thai vermicelli Salad with Prawns Preparations

1. blanch pork and shrimp in boiling water, drain
2. blanch mushroom and glass noodle until soft, set aside
3. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl, then season with fish sauce, sugar and lime juice . Transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately with fresh vegetable such as cabbage, cucumber, string bean, etc.

Thank : http://www.thaifooddb.com/

Hot And Spicy - Is That What Thai Food All About?

Of course not. But, for better or worse, Thai cuisine cannot losen its association with that hot and spicy taste of chilies. People tend to overlook the many other herbs and spices that combine to give Thai food its range of delicacy. It is the very delicate interplay of herbs and spices that makes Thai food so well-loved among all peoples of the world.
The single most outstanding charater of Thai culinary may be the harmonious blend of the three S's of flavor - spicy, salty and sour. This is achieved fundamentally by the three key ingredients.

Chili - Spicy

Despite the paramount importance of chili or "prik" in Thai cooking, it is believed that Thai people only acquired the love for the spicy taste of chili in the 16th century. It is not clear whether the Portuguese or the Spanish merchants were responsible for introducing this chili pepper to the old Siam. In any case, Thai people have since mastered the use of this spice in their cooking blending it with other herbs and flavorings.

The green or red "prik kee noo", literally "mouse dropping chili" is the tiniest but packs a memorable wallop. Don't ever eat it one whole or you can burn your tongue instantly.

Fish Sauce - Salty

"Nam pla" in Thai, the second most important ingredient of Thai food. It is derived from brewing fish or shrimp mixed with salt and decanting the fermented result into bottles. Don't mistake this with Chinese or Japanese soy sauce. Its aroma of fermented fish can be annoying but when blended into other ingredients it becomes more subtle and unbelievably tasty.

Lime - Sour

"Manao" (lime) and sometimes "magrood" (kaffir lime) are used at every opportunity in a variety of Thai dishes. Its main role is to suppress the salty taste and strong aroma of fish sauce.

One very simple use of the 3 main ingredients of Thai cooking is a "prik nampla" sauce where chili is added to fish sauce with some lime and garlic. Add a few drops of this to any Thai dish like "gai yang" (grilled chicken), "khai jeow" (fried egg) or even plain white rice and you can enjoy the punch of spicy, salty and sour Thai flavor. This is what most Thai people cannot do without. And a Thaiphile cannot go about talking Thai food without ever trying "prik nampla" himself!

By: Witit Sujjapong

Coconut Juice (น้ำมะพร้าว)

 Coconut Juice (น้ำมะพร้าว)

Cold coconut juice on a hot summer day is so refreshing. The young coconut is green outside and have soft white coconut inside. After you drink the juice, the bonus is the young coconut meat inside.
In Thailand, pregnant moms are encouraged to drink young coconut juice to make their baby's skin be soft and beautiful.

1 Servings

1 young coconut
Use a big cleaver (use a meat cleaver, not a vegetable cleaver) to make a 'v' mark on the top. Pull it open and stick a straw in opening.

After you enjoy the juice, split the whole coconut open and scoop out the white coconut. Use a spoon to scoop out the coconut.

If you are having difficutly scoopying it out with just a spoon, your coconut is probably too old. A good one should have a consistency of a mazzarella.
 
Thank You : http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_recipes.htm

Top Tips For Low GI Diet Recipes

While the Low GI Diet is one of the most effective diets around and the easiest for many people to stick with over the long term, some people have found it difficult to come up with low GI Diet recipes they can fit into their diet plans. Below are two low GI Diet recipes that can be easily fit into your plan and prepared right at home.

For a great main entrée consider this recipe below for grilled salmon served with elegant baby spinach leaves.
Grilled Salmon

Ingredients


Baby spinach leaves, lightly rinsed
2 oz watercress
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 salmon fillets, trimmed and boned
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, halved
balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cannellini Bean Sauce


14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

First, start by preparing the cannelloni bean sauce. Place the beans, lemon juice, thyme, oil, garlic and 2 tbsp of water in the blender. May add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture has formed a smooth sauce. You may need to add a bit more water. Move the mixture to a saucepan and heat it on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir frequently until the mixture is very hot.

While the mixture is heating, cook the salmon. Start by placing the garlic in a non-stick frying pan and heating it for about 1-2 minutes. Next, add the salmon and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Be sure to turn the salmon halfway through the cooking process.
Next, drizzle the spinach leaves with some balsamic vinegar and toss them well. Place the cannellinni sauce on each plate along with a few additional spinach leaves. Top everything with the salmon. You may wish to add some olive oil for additional seasoning. Serve alongside the salad immediately.
Don’t forget to top your meal off with this luscious and creamy low GI diet recipe for yummy ice cream. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and is ready to eat after another 2 hours in the freezer.

Mango Orange Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients
4 large oranges, halved
2 large mangoes, peeled and stoned
2 tablespoons finely grated
unwaxed orange zest
3 tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt
3 tablespoons low-fat
crème fraîche
2 squares plain chocolate, grated

Directions

Begin by scooping out the fleshy part of the fruit from the oranges, but making sure you have left the skins of the oranges intact. Place the flesh of the mangos and the oranges in the blender along with the orange zest, crème fraiche and yogurt. Blend the mixture until smooth; may take a few minutes. Next, spoon the blended mixture into a freezer safe container. You may need to stir the mixture from time to time to break up any ice crystals that have formed. This dessert can be served in a bowl or you may choose to spoon it back into the orange halves for an elegant presentation. If you choose to serve it in the orange halves, you may need to return it back to the freezer for another 30 minutes or so. Garnish with grated chocolate for an even more decadent dessert.

With a little creativity and imagination it doesn’t have to be hard to follow the low GI diet. These low GI diet recipes are just two examples of how easy it can be to dine well and still lose weight on the diet plan.

If you need to better manage diabetes or lose weight consider the Low GI Diet Plan. It provides numerous advantages such as reducing the risk of life threatening illnesses along with the ability to lose weight and maintain weight loss.

By: Wesley Atkins

Dried Fish Maw Spicy Salad (ยำกระเพาะปลา)

Slice the grapaow pla in approximately 1 inch pieces and fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Steam chicken meat until cooked. Tear into small pieces. Mix grapaow pla with nam prik pao, lime juice, nam pla, and add chicken meat, pomelo and chile powder. Season to taste and sprinkle with lime and cashew nuts.

3 ½ ounces (100 grams) grapaow pla

1 ½ ounces (50 grams) chicken meat

2 tablespoons cashew nuts, fried

1 pomelo or grapefruit

½ teaspoon prik ki nu chile powder

1 teaspoon nam prik pao

½ cup oil to fry the grapaow pla

½ teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon good nam pla

Thank You : http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_recipes.htm

Tips For Cooking Authentic Thai Food

Like Thai Food? Love to cook? Perhaps your first attempt did not turn out like in the picture or taste like at the restaurant. Well, do not give up on cooking Thai food. Some Thai dishes may seem difficult because of a long list of ingredients and instructions. Thai cooking is all about ingredients and preparation. In Thailand, frozen or canned food is not very common. Thais love fresh ingredients. Thailand is one of the lucky countries in the world that has abundant vegetables, exotic fruit, seafood, etc. There is a well-known verse in Thailand describing abundant food resources: "Nai Nam Mee Pla Nai Na Mee Khao" which means "In river, there is fish, in the field, there is rice." This article will start with some general tips and then move in to specific tips for each food category.

Ingredients

Ingredients are the most important part of authentic Thai cooking. If you live in Thailand or in Southeast Asia, finding fresh Thai ingredients is easy. But if you live somewhere else, finding fresh ingredients can be difficult or troublesome especially for those who do not live in a city. If you decide to make Thai dishes, first invest a little of your time getting to know the ingredients. Then find the nearest Asian grocery store. If you like, call to see if they carry ingredients you are looking for. For instance, if you are looking for "Winter Melon", not all Asian grocery stores carry it. If you prefer, buying online can safe you driving time. If you cannot find fresh ingredients, try frozen and canned foods. In my opinion, most frozen products are the next best thing to fresh food. For instance, stir-fried shredded ginger with pork has two main ingredients: shredded ginger and pork. Shredded ginger? Sounds like lots of work to use fresh ginger. One might try a jar or can, but the taste and aroma of the ginger are not the same as the fresh version. It is not difficult to make shredded ginger if you have the right peeler. Try your best to find fresh produce, as it will be a good start to cooking authentic Thai dishes.

Equipment


Thais use a wok and pot in most dishes with the exception of desserts. For desserts, it is not required but it is recommended to use a bronze wok (Ka Ta Thong Lueng). Other common equipment includes a mortar and pestle. In Thailand, gas stoves are the most commonly used. Electric stoves are uncommon and not very popular because heat may not be distributed evenly. Regarding the mortar and pestle, it depends on one's desire. If you are going to cook Thai dishes very often, a mortar and pestle can become handy in your kitchen. Otherwise, using typical kitchen tools like a knife and cutting board can accomplish the same goal. Food processors or blenders are another option when it comes to making pastes.

Preparation

Preparation is also one of the keys to authentic Thai cooking. As mentioned above, Thai food focuses largely on ingredients and preparation. Preparation in particular is essential to authentic Thai food. You may spend more time preparing ingredients than you actually spend cooking. For instance, it may take about 30 minutes to prepare all ingredients for Tom Kha Gai but you only spend about 15 minutes cooking. A typical Thai dinner consists of 4-5 communal dishes. It may take up to 2 hours to prepare all ingredients, but only 1 hour to make. A few reasons follow regarding why Thais spend more time on preparation. Thais like their meat in bite size pieces. Fresh vegetables require time to wash, cut and maybe pad dry. Pounding spices and fresh herbs is also common for many dishes. Some desserts like Ta Go (sweet on the bottom layer with salty coconut topping in a pandanus basket) require lots of time in preparation starting from cleaning and cutting leaves and then making baskets. Depending on the amount of Ta Go you are making, it can take up to hours just to make those tiny baskets. Don't be discouraged by this because after preparation, the wonderful dishes are right around the corner!

Cooking to Your Taste


The art of Thai cooking has placed emphasis on the harmonious blending of various ingredients, particularly as the individual ingredients can vary by freshness and so on. Without harmony the taste and the dish fall short. The five elements of taste in Thai food are: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and bitter. When cooking Thai dishes, one may follow a recipe, but use it as a guideline when it comes to taste. Taste varies for each individual, sometimes in response to variables such as ingredient quality or occasion, and thus the tastes of the recipe author may or may not reflect one's own taste. Following a recipe is a good idea, but when it comes to taste follow your own preference. Know your ingredients and start adding flavorful items in small amounts. For instance, when it comes to curry pastes and fish sauce, some brands are saltier than others. Most Thai dishes can be fixed to some extent. If it is too sweet, adding a little bit of fish sauce will fix the problem and vice versa. If it is too sour, add a little bit of water; sugar or fish sauce will help.

Coconut Milk
Thai food and coconut milk almost always go together. Many dishes require Hua Ka Ti (first pressed coconut milk or creamy coconut milk) and/or Hang Ka Ti (second or third pressed milk or water-like coconut milk). To make fresh coconut milk, finely grated coconut meat is still steeped in warm water, not hot water. It is then squeezed until dry. The white fluid from the first press is called "Hua Ka Ti". Warm water is then added again to make the second and third pressed coconut milk, which is called "Hang Ka Ti." Finely grated coconut meat is generally used about 3 times and then discarded. Freshly pressed coconut milk has a better taste and aroma than commercial coconut milk in a can.

If you use canned coconut milk, you will need to have a can at a cold temperature because cold temperatures help separate the creamy coconut part and the water-like part. The creamy coconut milk will float to the top of the can. During hot weather, you may want to leave a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Fried Rice

Good fried rice is not difficult to make. The most important part is the steamed rice. The rice should be cooked but firm, not mushy and soft. If steamed rice is soft and mushy, when it is stir-fried it will all stick together. Good rice in fried rice should be easy to break up and the grains should stay intact. So to make the steamed rice, make sure you use a little less water than normal so that the rice is dryer than normal. Keeping rice in a refrigerator for 2-3 days is another alternative, but if your rice is mushy and soft after those 2-3 days, the fried rice will also still clump together. Other keys to making good fried rice are using a wok and high heat. Heat must be evenly distributed and consistently hot all thel time. A wok is recommended for making fried rice but not required

Curry

There are two main types of Thai curries: coconut-based and non-coconut based. Those which use coconut milk mostly have similar initial steps which include separating the coconut oil and mixing curry paste into coconut milk. These first 2 steps are keys to perfecting your curry dishes. For instance, if you are making green curry, red curry, matsaman, or kaeng kari, the very first step is bringing Hua Ka Ti (first pressed milk or creamy coconut milk) to a boil until the oil starts to separate. You do not want to boil too long because you will break Hua Ka Ti and it will look like little white balls. After adding curry paste into the coconut milk, stir until the green or red oil separates and floats to the top. Frequently stirring curry paste is required because you do not want to burn the paste. Curry paste may stick to a cooking spoon, so make sure to remove it from the spoon. During this process, if Hua Ka Ti is getting dry, add 3-4 tablespoons of Hua Ka Ti at a time to keep the curry paste from burning. After adding vegetables, do not overcook them.

Stir-fried

Most stir-fried dishes take a short time to cook, especially stir-fried vegetables. The main key to most stir-fired dishes is heat. Heat must be evenly distributed throughout the wok or pan. Most recipes will suggest to heat up vegetable oil. In this step, one must make sure that the oil is hot and spread all over the wok (up to the side) or pan. In some dishes, after adding meat and/or vegetables, the pan or wok starts to get drier, so one may add a little bit of water so that the food won't get burned. For vegetables, make sure they are not overcooked.

Desserts

Thai desserts are not too difficult to make. Some may be easier than others. Some require more patience and time than others. Many Thai desserts require one to use the same ingredients, and substitutes are not recommended. For instance, if Khanom Ta Go asks for mung bean flour, other flour substitutes usually won't work well. Khanom Bua Loy requires sticky rice flour, and one may not use multipurpose flour or tapioca flour or some other types of flour. In some desserts like potato in ginger syrup, one can use mixed types of potatoes. Khanom Kaeng Buat can consist of taro, potato and/or pumpkin. When making Thai desserts, read instructions carefully.

Ingredients and preparation are the keys to cooking authentic Thai food. Some of the first few dishes in particular may require patience. However, once you have gotten to know Thai ingredients more and more, you will find how easy it is to cook authentic Thai food. As for Thai desserts, some are very simple and easy to make and you can perfect them the first time you try. Some desserts may take practice and time to develop certain skills. Do not be discouraged by recipe directions or how beautiful a picture of a dish might be. When you decide to cook authentic Thai food, gather up some friends and enjoy your cooking. Have fun!

By: Napatr Lindsley

Stir-Fried Chicken with Holy basil leaves [Pad Krapao Gai]

This Chicken Basil Recipe is one of the classics Thai menu. It made using holy basil which has a slightly hot taste to it but you can use any sort of basil you like.

Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves Ingredients

1. 450 grams chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2. 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3. 1/2 cup onion, sliced
4. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5. 2 teaspoons black soy sauce
6. 2 tablespoons fish sauce
7. 1 cup fresh holy basil
8. 7 chillies, chopped and pounded coarsely
9. Dash of ground white pepper

Stir-Fried Chicken with holy basil leaves Preparations

1. Heat a wok until the oil is hot, then stir in the garlic, and then add onions. Stir another few seconds before adding the chicken. Continue Stir-frying until chicken is cooked throughly.
2. Add chillies and sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry another 15-20 seconds.
3.Then add fresh basil leaves and fish sauce to taste. Stir and mix well. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish. Normally, Thai people love to eat this dish with steamed rice and fried egg.
http://www.thaifooddb.com/recipes/Stir-Fried_Chicken_with_basil_leaves.html

Top Tips For Low GI Diet Recipes Thai food

While the Low GI Diet is one of the most effective diets around and the easiest for many people to stick with over the long term, some people have found it difficult to come up with low GI Diet recipes they can fit into their diet plans. Below are two low GI Diet recipes that can be easily fit into your plan and prepared right at home.

For a great main entrée consider this recipe below for grilled salmon served with elegant baby spinach leaves.

Grilled Salmon

Ingredients
Baby spinach leaves, lightly rinsed
2 oz watercress
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 salmon fillets, trimmed and boned
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, halved
balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cannellini Bean Sauce

14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
First, start by preparing the cannelloni bean sauce. Place the beans, lemon juice, thyme, oil, garlic and 2 tbsp of water in the blender. May add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture has formed a smooth sauce. You may need to add a bit more water. Move the mixture to a saucepan and heat it on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir frequently until the mixture is very hot.
While the mixture is heating, cook the salmon. Start by placing the garlic in a non-stick frying pan and heating it for about 1-2 minutes. Next, add the salmon and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. Be sure to turn the salmon halfway through the cooking process.

Next, drizzle the spinach leaves with some balsamic vinegar and toss them well. Place the cannellinni sauce on each plate along with a few additional spinach leaves. Top everything with the salmon. You may wish to add some olive oil for additional seasoning. Serve alongside the salad immediately.
Don’t forget to top your meal off with this luscious and creamy low GI diet recipe for yummy ice cream. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and is ready to eat after another 2 hours in the freezer.

Mango Orange Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients
4 large oranges, halved
2 large mangoes, peeled and stoned
2 tablespoons finely grated
unwaxed orange zest
3 tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt
3 tablespoons low-fat
crème fraîche
2 squares plain chocolate, grated

Directions

Begin by scooping out the fleshy part of the fruit from the oranges, but making sure you have left the skins of the oranges intact. Place the flesh of the mangos and the oranges in the blender along with the orange zest, crème fraiche and yogurt. Blend the mixture until smooth; may take a few minutes. Next, spoon the blended mixture into a freezer safe container. You may need to stir the mixture from time to time to break up any ice crystals that have formed. This dessert can be served in a bowl or you may choose to spoon it back into the orange halves for an elegant presentation. If you choose to serve it in the orange halves, you may need to return it back to the freezer for another 30 minutes or so. Garnish with grated chocolate for an even more decadent dessert.
With a little creativity and imagination it doesn’t have to be hard to follow the low GI diet. These low GI diet recipes are just two examples of how easy it can be to dine well and still lose weight on the diet plan.
If you need to better manage diabetes or lose weight consider the Low GI Diet Plan. It provides numerous advantages such as reducing the risk of life threatening illnesses along with the ability to lose weight and maintain weight loss.

By: Wesley Atkins

Thai food Miang Tuna

Miang Tuna (Seared Herb-crusted Tuna in Pandanus Leaves)

1 ½ teaspoon nam pla

1 ½ teaspoon lime juice

1 ½ teaspoon rice vinegar

¼ pound tuna steak, cut into 6 by 1 ½ inch pieces

1 tablespoon uncooked rice, roasted and ground (See khao khua)

¼ cup jasmine rice, cooked

3 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 slices lime

1 teaspoon pandanus leaves, shredded
6 pandanus leaves, cut into 1 by 3 inch pieces
6 small wooden skewers

vegetable oil for deep-frying

Combine nam pla, lime juice and vinegar in a bowl and add the tuna pieces. Add ground rice, jasmine rice, scallions, garlic and pepper. Squeeze the juice from two lime slices onto the tuna and add the shredded pandanus leaves. Leave the mixture to marinade for one hour.

Wrap each piece of tuna in a piece of pandanus leaf. Thread onto a wooden skewer. Deep-fry the tuna skewers in plenty of vegetable oil for about 10 seconds.

For the Sauce:

2 cups tamarind water
1 cup nam pla
½ cup palm sugar

Mix all the ingredients together and simmer over low heat until it thickens. Allow to cool.
For the Condiments:

1 teaspoon lime, sliced
1 teaspoon shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon ginger, sliced
10 peanuts, roasted
10 dried shrimp, fried
6 pork rinds, fried
6 fresh betel nut leaves

 Unwrap the tuna pieces. Place each on a betel nut leaf. Put a little bit of each condiment on the tuna. Pour on a teaspoon of sauce. Eat in one mouthful.

Thank You : http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_recipes.htm

Cooking And Recipes

The 21st Century has seen an explosion in the popularity of cooking and creative catering on both sides of the Atlantic. Although cooking and preparing food is an age old skill that has been passed down through generations of people, the recent fashion for celebrity chefs has led to an increase in the amount of people who cook and prepare food. Traditionally, cooking and preparing recipes has been the domain of the housewife or matriarch in a household but due to the emergence of celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsay and Aldo Zilli more and more people have developed a flair and passion for creating culinary masterpieces.

As well as many cook books and recipe books being published and available in retail outlets and television programmes and dvds being shown, the internet is a very valuable resources for chefs of any standard and also the casual and occasional cook. Many celebrity chefs have put their names and signatures to recipes and too products used in cooking.

Recipes for almost any type of food, from Indian to Mexican through to traditional English meals can be found online. For example, typing in the phrase “recipes” into Google provides 122,000,000 results.

As well as the recipes published on websites, it is also possible to purchase the cook books and recipe books mentioned in the previous paragraph from online retailers such as Amazon. Purchasing using this method allows the consumer to read reviews of the books and compare them online very easily. These sites also allow people to buy new books and also second hand books for cheaper than the new version. These books can be ordered, dispatched and received within 24 hours from some sites and this has helped see a huge surge in online book sales. E-Bay is another very useful resource for picking up recipe books, cookery books and items needed for cookery. Often very good condition, second hand and new items can be found on EBay for very good and affordable prices.

As well as these online book stores and recipe websites which can help chefs at all levels and culinary standards to achieve great results there is another aspect to the internet which can help greatly. There are many forums online which are used by people who have great knowledge and experience in cookery and food preparation. They can provide answers to specific questions if necessary or even just help with general cooking tips and ideas. These forums allow people to compare and discuss results they have achieved when cooking as well as giving tips and advice. Forum users must be wary however when taking advice and help from other users because it is very difficult to ascertain the validity of someone’s ability or expertise in the cookery world. Sometimes an element of trial and error is needed when using forums and the advice received from members of them.

By: Carolyn Clayton

Tthai food : Tom yum koong

Thai Food Preparations

1. Remove the shrimp shell but leave the tails (for good appearance). Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins. Also clean the mushrooms with water and dry them well before wedging each into quarters.

2. Bring water to boil, then add lemon grass, lime leaves, and shrimps. When the shrimps turn pink, add mushrooms and salts.

3. Remove the pot from heat after boiling. Then season with fish sauce, lime juice, and hot peppers. Serve the soup while still hot and garnish on top with pieces of coriander leaves.

Thai Recipe Ingredients

* 12 medium-size shrimps, deveined

* 10 mushrooms

* 1 stalk of lemon grass (lightly pounded and cut into 2" long)

* 3 lime leaves

* 1 teaspoon of salt

* 2 tablespoons of fishsauce

* 3 tablespoons of lime juice

* 6 hot peppers (pounded lightly)

* 4 cups of water

* 1/2 cup of roughly cut coriander leaves

http://www.ezythaicooking.com/free_recipes.htm

Top 10 Must-Not-Miss Thai Food

Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health.

The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.

Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.

The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.

10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)

Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.

9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)

Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)

Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.

7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)

Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.

6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)

This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d'oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.

5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)

Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!

4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)

Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.

3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)

Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Kai”, you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom Jeen” likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.

2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)

This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors. The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.

1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.

Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.

No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald’s burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food - tasty and healthy!
By: Siwawut Chaiya

Red Curry with Roasted Duck [Kang Phed Ped Yang]

Kang Phed Ped Yang is a unique dish of roast duck in a spicy red curry. It combines kaffir lime leaves and many ingredients. Serve hot as part of a main meal.


Red Curry with Roasted Duck Ingredients

1. 1 roasted duck, deboned and cut into well sized pieces

2. 5 pieces of pineapple, cut into bite sized pieces

3. 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, chopped

4. 1 teaspoon sugar

5. 2 1/2 cups coconut milk

6. 8 cherry tomatoes

7. 1 cup eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces

8. 1/2 teaspoon salt

9. 2 tablespoons fish sauce

10. 1/2 cup water (or chicken stock)

11. 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable cooking oil

12. 3 tablespoons red curry paste

Red Curry with Roasted Duck Preparations

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and add the red curry paste, stir well. Then add 3/4 cups coconut milk and stir until mixed thoroughly.

2. Add the roasted duck and stir often. Then pour the mixture into a pot, add the remaining coconut milk, water, tomatoes, pineapples, eggplants, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, salt, and fish sauce.

3. Continue stirring until boiling and remove from heat. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Quick And Easy To Prepare Homemade Dog Food Recipes

When it comes to preparing homemade dog food, it seems so difficult and unachievable, especially with the type of busy lifestyle we live in this modern age. As a matter of fact, preparing homemade dog food can be easy and provide good nutrient for your dog as well provide you know what you are doing.

If given a choice, I’m sure your dog would prefer natural dog food prepare by you rather than funny size, unrecognizable commercial kibble that are not as healthy. The main problem with most commercial kibble food is that they contain too much low quality protein that contains a high quantity of ammonia producing agents.

A good healthy replacement would be foods that contain eggs, real meats with a low fat content such as white chicken meat, and low fat dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese. Such foods are high in moisture and provide high quality protein that dogs need for good health.

One high quality and quick homemade meal that you can provide for your dog would be:

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese
Egg
Chicken (Baked, steam fish, or canned fish)
Cooked Oatmeal
Canned Pumpkin (plain, no spice type)

The cottage cheese, egg and chicken should make up to about fifty percent of the meal, oatmeal thirty percent, and twenty percent pumpkin. Barley and whole wheat bread can be used as substitute for the carbohydrates. This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and your dog will love it! On the surface, this meal might appear to have high protein content, nevertheless, the protein are of high quality and your dog would have no problem digesting them.

Vegetable based biscuits are another easy to prepare dog food that can be stored for later in the refrigerator or freezer:

Ingredients:

An Egg
1/3 cup of applesauce
Tablespoon of brewer’s yeast
A Cup each of cooked brown rice, mashed or grated vegetables

Mix well and drop small dollops of the mixture on a greased cookie tray and bake for about 10 to 13 minutes in a 350 degrees heated baking oven. These biscuits can be served as a treat or as part of your dog’s daily meal.

Preparing your dog food at home is not really difficult and time consuming. A search on dog food recipes online can give you many good dog food recipes also. If you are good at it, you can even provide better nutrition for your dog and save some money along the way.
Submitted By: Moses Wright

THAI FOOD RECIPES Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass [Tom Yum Goong]

Tom Yum Goong soup combines all the exotic flavours of Thai Food bringing together herbs ingredients such as lemongrass, chillies, ginza and coriander.


Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass Ingredients

1. 12 medium-size shrimps, deveined

2. 10 mushrooms

3. 1 stalk of lemon grass (lightly pounded and cut into 2" long)

4. 3 lime leaves

5. 1 teaspoon of salt

6. 2 tablespoons of fishsauce

7. 3 tablespoons of lime juice

8. 6 hot peppers (pounded lightly)

9. 4 cups of water

10. 1/2 cup of roughly cut coriander leaves

Spicy Soup with Prawn and Lemon Grass Preparations

1. Remove the shrimp shell but leave the tails (for good appearance). Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins. Also clean the mushrooms with water and dry them well before wedging each into quarters.

2. Bring water to boil, then add lemon grass, lime leaves, and shrimps. When the shrimps turn pink, add mushrooms and salts.

3. Remove the pot from heat after boiling. Then season with fish sauce, lime juice, and hot peppers. Serve the soup while still hot and garnish on top with pieces of coriander leaves.

Finding The Most Scrumptious Mexican Food Recipes

If you are like me, the thought of delicious foods range from fresh strawberries to the best in rich, healthy meals. While strawberries are definitely a favorite of mine, I have to admit, I have a fondness for many of those scrumptious Mexican food recipes you can find on the internet these days. Of course, not every recipe is designed in a fashion that would be appealing to everyone, but that is the great thing about any good recipe – with only a couple changes any recipe can be tailored to your own perfection.

Mexican food recipes are extremely popular online. The fact is that more and more individuals are discovering the wonderful benefits of having the best in Tex-Mex cuisine in their life. This is a delicacy that has been around for quite some time, and this is a time-honored tradition that has spread across the globe.

So what you are looking for the best recipe for your own family, what is it you should be considering?

The number one consideration will have to be immediate health concerns. If you have a spouse that is allergic to nuts, chances are good you will want to either avoid or alter any recipe you find that contains nuts or nut byproducts. If you happen to have a child that has diabetes, you may want to consider avoiding undo blood sugar elevating ingredients. Yes, you can cook healthily, but you will have to be aware of the health risks involved and how to avoid those risks.

Mexican food recipes happen to be filled with healthy ingredients including vegetables, fruit, lean meat, and even the spices are healthy. With a mixture of cumin, cayenne, and/or olive oil, the average person will never realize how healthy that delicious food actually is.

Many people are under the assumption that good food tastes icky. This is actually far from the truth. Any healthy diet will have favorite foods, but the portion size is what generally gets to people. Eating an enchilada is not bad; eating a dozen enchiladas is not a good habit to have. However, you will discover that you can work off some of those enchiladas with a brisk walk in the evening!

Finding a recipe these days is easier than ever. Simply type what you are looking for in your favorite search engine, click the search button or tap the enter key, and you have instant access to thousands of possibilities.

Are all those possibilities right for you and your family?

Definitely not! What you will find is that you get to pick and choose through the varieties offered. Generally, you will have an idea of what it is your family will eat and if the recipe will fit within your budget. Once you find a recipe you would like to try, you can easily print the recipe out and prepare your gourmet meal.

Few things taste as good as fresh, homemade Mexican food. Recipes today are easy to find which means you can easily obtain that perfect family tradition in the making. Tantalize the senses while enjoying a healthy lifestyle has never been this aromatic or delicious.
By:Annie Dubois

THAI FOOD RECIPES Papaya Salad [Som Tum]

Papaya salad is very popular with both Thais and foreigners. It combines many vegetables such as papaya, tomato, chilies, galics, etc. Thais like to eat with sticky rice and barbecued chicken.



Papaya Salad Ingredients

1. 2 cups shredded green papaya

2. 1/2 cup shredded carrot

3. 1/2 cup sting bean (cut into 1" long)

4. 2 tablespoons fish sauce

5. 1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar

6. 3 tablespoons lime juice

7. 1/2 cup tomato (wedged)

8. 1/3 cup dried shrimps

9. 1/4 cup peanuts

10. 10 green chilies

11. 5 cloves fresh garlic

Papaya Salad Preparations

1. Use motar and prestle to crush the chilli and garlic, add shrimps, continue crushing.

2. Add sugar, continue beating with the prestle, then add the papaya, carrot, sting bean, fish sauce, lime juice, tomato, and peanuts. Continue beating until all ingredients mixed well.

3. Finally, season with sugar, fish sauce, or lime. The original taste this dish should be the balance taste between sweet, (pepper) hot, salty, and sour.

4. Serve with vegetables (e.g. cabbage, string bean, napa, etc.). Thai people love to eat Sticky Rice with Papaya Salad. In this case, sticky rice can be served together with finished Papaya Salad.

www.thaifooddb.com

Healthy Food Snack Recipes To Make Guests' Mouths Water

The natural healthy food organic recipes that I use are often made up as I wander around my organic garden.

Mind you, a lot of it is eaten before it ever reaches the kitchen. For instance I usually eat about a dozen figs each day straight from the tree, when they are in season.

But there are often more figs ripening than a dozen, so some of them make it to the 'fridge to be dried when there are enough of them.

Weeds and snails don't tempt me when they are raw, so I take my sow-thistles, and nettles and snails in to the kitchen for cooking. Similarly I've never sunk my teeth into a raw sweet potato that I've just pulled out of the ground, but I've often eaten a carrot or sugar-beet right out of the ground.

Whatever makes it as far as the kitchen is included in my menu.

I've spent many happy hours gathering mulberries from the roadside trees, and blackberries, and carob beans, and raspberries, and strawberries, and English gooseberries. Some of these delicious fruit even reached the container because I couldn't eat them as fast as I picked them.

Of course your healthy food breakfast should have a bit more than just fruit. Vegetables are also great. I used to wander my organic garden and gather whatever struck my fancy. Some of it was suitable for breakfast such as Daikon radish, Florence fennel, purslane, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, nasturtium flowers, pansy flowers, day lily flowers, parsley, garlic greens and so on.

Of course your healthy food breakfast should have a bit more than just fruit. Vegetables are also great. I used to wander my organic garden and gather whatever struck my fancy. Some of it was suitable for breakfast such as Daikon radish, Florence fennel, purslane, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, nasturtium flowers, pansy flowers, day lily flowers, parsley, garlic greens and so on.

Now I have hardly any teeth left I prepare this healthy food breakfast. It doesn't take me very long at all. I start by drinking 1.2 litres of water.

Into my 1.5litre blender I put three driied shiitake mushrooms, half an orange with the skin still on it, a tomato, a carrot, three florets of broccoli, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons powdered ginger root, 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast, one apple, handful of raisins, 50ml coconut oil, 600 ml (1pint) water. While it is blending I crack 2 jumbo-size eggs into a glass ready to pour into the blender.

When everything is blended to my satisfaction I add the two eggs and blend for another ten seconds, then drink everything from the blender, to save on washing up.

I finish my breakfast with a good handful of dried bananas. Not only are these cheaper than fresh bananas, but recent research indicates that they are more healthy than fresh bananas.

In the middle of the morning I snack on a tablespoon of apricot kernels, because even if they don't protect me from cancer, I like their flavor.

For lunch I have 200 gm red cabbage and some fruit. In the middle of the afternoon I drink 400 ml of water, and a mug full of cocoa with dried stevia powder as a sweetener. The cocoa makes me feel good and suppresses any pangs of hunger, just as chocolate does, but the stevia is a better sweetener than sugar.

For the evening meal I have a stew made of kangaroo mince, and seaweed, and garlic, and onions, and 1.5 litres of coconut oil. In the evening I munch of almond nuts and three Brazil nuts, and perhaps some raisins.

Are you thinking that my natural healthy food organic recipes are ridiculously simple? You are right - I just make them up as I go along. This week tomatoes are too expensive, so I put in some Florence fennel instead. Next week I may use watermelon instead.

Don't I get bored with the same food all the time? Don't you get bored with cornflakes tasting like cardboard? How often do you see two apples exactly the same size? Or tomatoes, or oranges. The balance of flavor is different every day because everything keeps changing size on me. Because I make up my own recipes there could also be persimmons, mandarins, kiwi-fruit, pineapple, star fruit, longans, lichees, mangoes. I must stop. This is making my mouth water too much.
Submitted By: Ian McAllister