This post is to continue from Pita bread with Shish Tawook and Garlic sauce, I am still having fun making pita bread, Today I would like to share my experience of making extra smooth hummus with dry chickpeas and serve simple with oven baked home-made pita bread. I prefer to make extra smooth hummus. Do this by discarding the chickpeas skin before blending with food processor. I decided not to use baking soda because I wanted the taste to be natural. I also like the way of using a pressure cooker ,it takes only about half an hour.
This week we started to get sunshine. I feel the heatwaves inside the kitchen while shaping this flowers for appetizer. This post I present about how to make ‘Chor Muang’ (Steamed flower shape stuffed crabmeat) This is one of the traditional Thai appetizer – Dessert that create since The Thai king Rama II. The natural colour of blue-purple tone is natural from the butterfly pea flowers extract. Dough flour made from the mixture of rice flour and arrow root flour plus tapioca flour when knead.
The appearance of this petit bite size in specific flower named ‘Chor Muang’ or Violet Panicle stuffed with seasoned crabmeat . (This recipe I have learned from my cooking school) There are different stuffing can be use but crabmeat has delicacy texture with soft steamed dough.
Homemade Pita bread served with Lebanese Shish tawook & Garlic sauce, Photographs by Luksana
As spring arrives I see more green leaves in the wild forest here and fall in love with the beauty of the wild forest all over again. The post for today is my first time sharing experience to make pita bread. My eagerness to make this pita bread started from the Mama’s gotta bake‘s blog post‘When you need a pita…Bake it yourself.It also reminds me of my friend and Lebanese chef I worked with and I used to taste his food almost everyday while I was work in the kitchen. By the way, the great recipe I made today is from food lover blog (After I have checked about the recipe before just to make sure it works)
Lebanese food flavors of garlic and lime (Lemon) and olive oil… I marinated the Lebanese chicken over night in advance and make pita dough the night before and bake the next day. (so it is possible for lunch time)
The problem is about I don’t have a baking stone for bake pita bread. so I went to the river and got a rock in the round flat shape to replace. A second problem is making the garlic sauce with food processor while I was pouring olive oil then the machine just run out and not work again and a bigger size I accidentally throw the blade away. Poor me! I changed to use a mortar as the ancient style but I am unsure so I stopped it and not complete the recipe and garlic sauce is not volume yet. but the garlic sauce is taste delicious besides it is a bit too spicy for not adding enough oil.
Indeed, Thank you for the blog and owner of these recipes. They are great recipes!!
‘Kleeb Lamduan’ Petal cookies, Thai style cookies ขนมกลีบลำดวน
Our presentation for today is baking Tradition Thai style cookies. This style of cookies made in the shape of flower, in Thailand we called ‘Lamduan flower‘ ดอกลำดวน หรือ ดอกหอมนวล with the feature of the cookies to made to look like ‘Lamduan flower’ The main ingredients for this cookies included with 3 ingredients areflour, sugar and oil. This cookie is often used on auspicious occasions such as Thai weddings. The special of this dessert is each bite you can taste scented candle and also the cookies itself is light as you can feel melt in your mouth as old saying . (melt in your mouth or not melt but hard to bite is up to how we gentle to combine the three ingredients)If you like shortbread you may like to try this Thai style cookies. Today I made ‘Kleeb Lamduan’ in original style and this recipe is from my cooking school. This cookies are great for afternoon tea or pack for gift.
April 2013, Gitwinksihlkw, Northern British Columbia
Greetings from wilderness river,
Our post for today is about exploring and playing in the icy water of the Nass River. Finally spring have arrived in Northern British Columbia, someday we have sun but mostly cloudy and cold. ‘Maisie, an 8 year old golden retriever is our guest. Most Golden enjoy the nature outdoor here with walking, new smell and swimming, all the Golden Retriever’s have so much fun with swimming here in the pure water. We walk from home about ten minutes to the river that surround with big forest and in early spring the river is still shallow, imagine that this whole area is your garden because no one else around.
The icy water flows slower than in summer. In the summer this river will fill with different types of salmon and water will be higher It will be not a good idea to do this play time in late spring or summer because of bears want to catch fish.
Maisie keep swim as if the water is warm. So I record many of pictures.
This recipe is a moist cake which uses less flour. I used regular cake flour (for plain flour), caster sugar I like to use extra refined granulated sugar, Almond nuts ground make fresh and Marmalade uses extra than one tablespoon in the original menu. The problem is the slices almonds I use a food processor to slices but mostly broken so that I only can decorate in center.
Note: The high of finish this Almond and orange cake is about 4 centimeters. This almond and orange cake is absolutely delicious.
Prince Rupert is one of the most beautiful places on Gods Earth. When the sun shines. It was nice for a change to feel the warmth of the sun after the cold nd snow of recent weeks.
Mast steps are a great invention, but a pain in the arse… arms…legs… stomach …back …etc to install
What can I say Luksana found another dog!!
Marty a long time friend and now fellow sailor helped with the install
After Marty threw one of my drills over board I devised a new system. String Theory that atually works!
Ladder worked a bit but it was easier hanging by a bosuns chair
Almost to the spreaders. We have to get this for anchorages within the coral atolls .
Propane tanks. New aluminium 10lb tanks and 1 new 20lb tank will allow us to cruise for many weeks.
very light tanks. Thanks Frances and Richard.
Pads for the propane tanks. We do not have locker space for the propane. So we have to hang them of the narrow stern. Great sea keeping qualities of the narrow stern, but not much room for all the gear that cruising boats need to carry.
Onto the windows. We had a leak so we decided to take the windows off and reseal. Unfortunately they cracked around the screw holds.
So out with the perspex and in with the Lexan!
I eventually got the store to sell me buyle tape rather than the caulking compounds..
measure , measure and then measure
Then have a back up plan when you get it wrong
strips laid down.
Always good to get good serious help from the Thai part of the crew
The funny part was that the Butyle tape has a very keen tackiness. and someone had to go shopping with a black mustage. Said she was very pleased at all the smiles people gave her.
No idea why these have been posted
I am not allowed to ask certain questions!
The month keep changing while we still on working on our plan. This month Crab Bait!
As usual the weekend has passed by quickly and the difference in climate for each day is extreme. Anyway we have installed a new window and not 100% complete yet.
The mast had been done three steps more.
Special thanks for two propane tanks are sponsored by The Argosy (Studio and Gallery) 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert BC
Continuing from our previous post on installing our ‘new to us’ mast steps we continue our drama on refitting the good ship Beautiful Swimmer. So see what else we have been doing? This post is a summary for March 2013. Some work is in the middle of completion while some other work needs a weather forecast that does not include snow so we can make an appointment to have the boat lifted out of the water. Prince Rupert is not a big city and choice to get items is narrow if not impossible. We did buy many things online where the price is often very much cheaper.
Cabin stowage net. Clothing area that will keep our clothes fresh.
Head Sail Ultra Violet protection cover being resown – Thank you for May and Marty for bringing their sewing machine, but unfortunately just as we where going to plan a vital piece flew into the ocean! New one in the mail
Galley sink. French boat, french parts and fittings. After years of trying to fix and buy sink drains(the old ones leaked badly) Stephen eventually made new sink drains from a combination of resources from around the globe.
Fresh water maker. We tried several places and eventually had to place in the cockpit locker! We need the boat out of the water to finish the plumbing.
Windows leaking
So we removed and took it around to the class shop at 1:15pm. Yes the store closes at !pm @#$%!!!!!
DIY pillow for sailboat with left over anchor away fabric continuing from our previous post of DIY sailboat curtain I do love the feather pillow.
hand made anchor pillow
Sailboat dodger
Should we keep and fix it? the feature of long time used made this dodger torn in many parts.
The problem is the cost for new sailboat canvas water resistant is pretty high. Sponsor for new sailboat dodger are welcome
The mast steps we collected 20 pieces from the mast collapse sailboat for $50. The decision was not to buy folding mast steps that will cost more about $25 per piece. The different of the price we can manage to get other things to enhance the boat.
This little Sailboat had its rigging entangle with a fishing boat’ while rafted up during a violent winter storm. It’s mast unfortunately weekend by rot lost the dual.s
2 years later I noticed that it had mast steps.
A phone call to the owner (lighthouse keeper) a deal was struck and then an hour on a very greasy coach roof saw us with 20 mast steps
100 stainless screws later!
So now we have mast steps!
Old but still with lots of service left in them.
This second hand mast steps allow quick access to the cross trees when entering lagoons to see the coral heads that invest most anchorages.
Salt, aluminium and stainless cause problems
My spinnaker boom pistons had frozen
Still goop, coke, wd 40 and plenty of scraping saw the end of them eventually loosen and work like new again.
So sometimes you try to fix something and bugger the whole show up.
Son in Law to the rescue
soon had the mast tangle sorted
So onward and upward! 2 hours later and back to the starting point.
Mean while I now managed to fix the furler that was jamming on a regular basis.
Then the first screw hole into the mast.
Pop rivet guns are made for men with hands the size of gorillas!
Still bit by bit pop rivet by pop rivet!
I maybe smiling ,but these harnesses are not that comfortable
Nine steps later with the sun starting to get low in the spring sky I thankfully ran out of rivets.
Yip a smile. Darn the pain would now cease.
3 more to the cross trees. I do not have enough to go to the top yet but the cross trees are our primary goal.
Today our guest post is by Samantha Lambright and her two helpers from our Nass Valley, who will share the family’s favorite recipe in our guest post. The stories is that everyone who tastes her Chocolate Chunk Pecan cookies will keep saying that these are very delicious cookies. Homemade ‘Legendary’ Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies have a perfect crispy texture on the outside and a chewy inside. With the chocolate and toasted pecans they have became a loved cookie. Thank you Sam and beloved helpers to share your favorite recipe here. Have a fun hour to make this cookies!
When we leave Rupert the most direct route is appox. 4000nm.
Had all these plans for SPRING BREAK.
So this is what we awoke too. God it is cold on a fibre glass boat in this weather..
DId not get much better.as the week slipped away. All our major projects are weather dependant now.
Someone still thinks it is lovely when it snows.
Yes Hail as well.
Come out it is fun!!!!!!!
So my new 48lb anchor. New generation guareenteed to be better than anything else. Called a Mantus. (got a deal for plugging it)
New generation design. Wide surface area that dives rather than plows.
This one is bolted together, 1 bolt is rated for the strength of the anchor so 4 should be a fine
locked together
Role bar keeps the anchor from turning upside down on the bottom and its good for retrieval itf the anchor becomes stuck
It is big
My birth is in 180 ft of water! So dam right i tied it on.
trying to get it to fit on the roller.
Had to make a modification but now we are good to go.
This bungey will do until I fit a chain snubber.
Dam it is big! But it will mean life or the other.
Yip still sunny
20 mins after I got it on!
Same place same day
Then it turns nice
Same 30 mins!!!!!
Greetings from Prince Rupert,
This spring break week in Prince Rupert climate has changed several times in one day. Spring always arrive later. If you are planing to do outdoor work like we plan to paint the bottom of Beautiful Swimmer you must postphone for 5 days for a good weather. Painting in freeze rain was not a good as we experienced from last time. The wind and rain that mess our painting colour. so the plan must be suspend until the rain, hail and snows stop for one day.
With our plan of Pacific crossing 4,000 nautical miles we just change to new anchor today. The weight is 23 kg. We are busy getting all the pieces ready for the boat. In a year or two we should have everything completed. So we have done a big organization of the cabins only 2 more to go and then we are finished.
Today I made a presentation of Thai snacks ‘Crunchy Caramelized Thai cookies’ .
This is a traditional Thai Dry snack. Deep fried until crunchy, the unique taste comes from the ingredients of coconut cream as part of the dough. Coconut palm sugar and fish sauce used in the recipe for caramel sauce. The flavours of this fried cookies is special taste. We think it is special because of a hint of the spiciness of black peppers and the balance of sweet and salt.
Before our long journey begins, it is time to start to create our new home from “the boat”. So it’s time to change the curtains. The first curtains came with the boat for 25 years When Beautiful Swimmer was built.
It cost less than $50 to make 4 windows that wide 35″ x 3 windows and 20″ x 1 windows.
Besides the rest of this anchor print fabric can be made for pillow case or square cushion cover.
Do it yourself simple curtain for sailboat and without the machine and take a few days to finish.
Equipments: Fabric, needle, extra strong nylon thread, sewing skill
The Nisga’a chief wear tradition clothing called ‘regalia’. The regalia is designed to make the movements of the chief more noticeable and shows how important their actions are.
Greetings from Northern British Columbia,
This past weekend our home in The Nass Valley held a special event , Nisga’a Hobiyee is the celebration that marks the start of the Harvest season or New Year 2013. Our Swiss friends Rolf & Silvia came to visit and be part of this celebration. There where many different visitors enjoying the feasting, music and dance. Many came from other communities bring their own dance groups and music. The thing that attracted my eyes is the colourful costoms with the wild animal’s fur and skin. The history show of the volcanic eruption on the Nass 300 years ago. The rhythm of the Nisga’a instrument made me feel that I want to dance with them. This is definitely one of the most colorful and historic traditional events left in Canada.
Vietnamese Crepe presented in Thai version with extra thin crepe and coconut+shrimps filling
Today our presentation is a dish from Vietnam. Thailand and Vietnam being Neighbors and share much culture and history. ‘Vietnam crepe’ arrived in Siam (Thailand) with Vietnamese prisoners captured during the Siam – Vietnam War. The crepe pastry is made from rice flour, water and eggs to thicken. Spoon batter into the pan, spread and fold.
‘Vietnamese Crepe’ has been introduced into Thailand where it is known as ‘khanom beuang yuan, where ‘yuan’ is the Thai word for “Vietnamese” The recipe is included grated coconut meat in the filling inside the thin crispy crepe and always accompany with cucumber relish.
I was in love with this Norwegian Torte from Randi Johansen, She is Norwegian and she taught me how to prepare for this delicious dessert. Randi settled down in Prince Rupert for many years and enjoy the life style of the rain forest city. After I taste her special dessert she made for a special holiday meal she made me feel like I was sitting in Oslo. The recipe is simple and mostly people love it. The best treat for a special day. Randi wrote this special recipe for me and I am pleased to post it for Valentines. Continue reading →
Today our presentation is a tradition Thai pomelo salad (also this can be an appetizer) or ‘Yum Som O’ called in Thai. The pomelo (is now in season) we get them imported from the USA. Their weight is about 900 – 1,000 grams The taste of pomelo flesh when its combine with the dressing that we made today is creamy sweet follow up closely with sour from lime juice along with the citrus sour from pomelo then salt.
To make this appetizer, ‘Toasted coconut’ done until crispy and light golden brown in colour is an essential ingredient. ’Yum Som O’ can be prepared in advance to create a different presentation as an appetizer for a party.
What we have done since Christmas 2012 to end of January 2013.
The shape end of the beast. Four winds did not survive the recesion but they made simple and robust products
Putting the tail on the beasty. After all these months looking at the thing in bits it was quite exciting to find that all the bits fitted.
Angles, are everything. I had sruggled on several weekends to get this too fit. Getting a welder to fix tabs and then discovering that screw taps work like a hot dam and a cheap angle grinder can save you hours of effort and frustration.
More hands do work. Paul gave up his Saturday afternoon and things went along real smoothly.
The blades tail are on. Yes I did put the blades on backwards. Luckily their are 2 other boats with the four winds on the dock
One of the fun parts of doing this work is figuring out all the little tweaks that to be done so so other wise the whole show will not work. Here the lower bearing (plastic collar) has to be attached but too tightly otherwise the beasty will not swing in the wind
Paul fixing the trap collar. This stops the rig taking off!
I wrapped the generator in Tuck Tape as I could not paint due to temp being below 0c
What we have done in January? Well apart from the beasty being mounted we have wired it into the DC charging system. This includes very sophisticated monitors and controllers. Changing the 12volt battery system to a 6volt battery system. Mounting the very large SSB Radio and running the cables for the antenna.
Yip we need a collar!
Got to get the angles right!
Well it looks good. Hope the bloody thing works!
One thing you quickly come to understand with a boat is that everything is created just small enough to inflict pain and suffering but doable so you have to do it.
Almost. But then again something is sure to go wrong.
the solar panels and the wind gen. should give us around between 120 and 240 amp hours per day.
These little claps that attach the panels to the rail are not cheap and took weeks of hunting down on the internet.
I hate drilling holes in the boat to mount wires. Sort of final and will they trip me up sort of quandary.
well she is up. Done to specks and it should be great. The crew keeps looking at a friends boat that has his Four Winds mounted with stainless.
Looks agricultural but it is in the book, so here we go.
About time someone got here hands dirty lol.
Never had to do this in the Oriental kitchen in Bangkok.
The new heart of our boat. DC 440 amps for the House Battery! Not only high amps but very heavy duty 6 volt batteries (golf cart) combined in series, something I knew I had to do for years but could never justify the cost. Now no option.
Since we plan to live completely “off the grid” we need an effective method of monitoring what goes into the batteries and what goes out. This $200 piece of plastic is reckoned to be the best out there at the moment so!
Four things eat the amps. Our SSB will burn 30amps on transmit keep it short and sweet!
My presentation for today is a Thai-Muslim dish which is mostly known in the West as “Thai yellow curry” or ‘Kaeng Karee’ as it is called in Thailand. It is believed to be of Indian origin and often features chicken, potatoes and onion. It can also be made with other meats or seafood.
Today is our great pleasure to have Kendra Thornton for our first guest post. The dessert she will present is ‘Key Lime Pie’ with her favorite recipe from Hawaii. Thank you Kendra!
I have mixed my excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to my own home with some of my unique recipes. This recipe below is from my travels to the Hawaiian Islands where I stayed at one of the top hotels in Maui and had this fabulous dessert!
Egg noodles with chicken curry and condiments or ‘Khao Soi Gai’ called in Thai ข้าวซอย
A Thai proverbs says “If you are arrived in Chiangmai and did not taste ‘Khao Soi’ or go up to ‘Doi Suthep you have not arrived yet.
Our presentation for this week is ‘Khao Soi’, A popular dish of Northern Thailand. There is more things to learn about ‘Khao Soi’ history and how to cook it so that it tastes like eating in Chiangmai.
Fresh egg noodles became a main part of this dish from it’s name, good quality of fresh egg noodles be part of delicious in ‘Khao Soi’. The Pasta machine created great noodles. For the curry I used 2 whole coconuts to make fresh coconut cream and milk.
Our three parts of home-made ‘Khao Soi’ included with home-made fresh egg noodles, coconut milk and curry paste.
Thai sour curry or “Kaeng som” as it is called in Thailand is presented with shrimps and vegetables แกงส้มกุ้ง
Our second presentation for this year is often home cooked and found in most parts of Thailand. This curry almost looks like soup and is included as one of a Thai spa meal, with herbs and a variety of local vegetables can be added. The ‘Kaeng som’ I choose to cook today is with shrimps and vegetables that available all year round. Krachai (aromatic rhizome) will be an important part for this curry I use the frozen one from an Asian store in town. We do home made sour curry paste because fresh is best and this curry paste is not in big market like green curry and red curry paste.
Hot bananas fritters with sesame seeds and Vanilla bean Ice cream กล้วยหอมทอดเสริ์ฟกับไอศครีมวานิลลา
I must say better delayed than never. Today our presentation is a dessert. This dessert is one of my favorites. Banana fritters, with sesame seeds served with vanilla ice cream. This goes along perfectly with Thai cuisine. There are many banana fritters recipes from all over the world; this classic recipe is one I like and is one of chef Gordon Ramsay’s. (Hot..Crispy..delicious to eat and a great indulgence). I have adapted his recipe a little by replacing from five spice powder to vanilla extract. Tradition Thai banana fritters would prepare with more ingredients such as added grated coconut meat, and or clear lime stone water solution…)
This recipe use rice flour with corn flour for batter , it is not heavy, but thin coated and crunchy and be a good companion when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or coconut ice cream) it is lovely.
Original of Spicy clear soup with shrimps or “tom yum” goong, called in Thai – ต้มยำกุ้งแบบดั้งเดิม
Our presentation for today is a vibrant Thai soup, “Tom Yum”. So today I present “tom yum” soup which in its original form excluded any cream with exciting flavours and aromas with fragrant lemon grass, great galangal root, kaffir limes and chili pepper that make this soup always on any list of popular Thai spa cuisine.
My presentation included two parts; Base stock and cooking “tom yum goong”.
In the original recipe, the ingredients – each of which are considered by Thai doctors to possess properties for treating respiratory ailments – are boiled together into a medicinal brew. Those suffering from symptoms related to colds, including stuffy noses, chest congestion and hacking coughts, would swear by the curative powers of tom yum. Whether by sheer coincidence, or a deliberate decision by tom yum’s creator, these ingredients are also staple found in a typical Thai kitchen. – Bangkok Post/Food
Pad Thai served with condiments, Egg wrapped – ผัดไทย
Regarding my previous post on Pad Thai, I feel I did not present enough details and photos. So this presentation is to give more information on Pad Thai to continue from the previous one. Today I made half recipe. Recipes included with 3 parts of preparation;Pad Thai chili paste, sauce and cooking. A presentation of Egg wrapped and open face Pad Thai. The recipe bring out a nice flavors from the sauce and chili paste together.
Crispy rice vermicelli with tamarind sauce and condiments, “Mee Krob” called in Thai – หมี่กรอบ
I have watched a comedy series, ”Big Bang Theory” They often mention “Mee Krob” in their conversation of their favourite Thai order. Mee Krob, one of popular Thai appetizer and the meaning of “Mee Krob” is crisp noodles. Pad Thai and Mee Krob has some similar ingredients, With more extra ingredients that this dish takes a longer time for preparation than Pad Thai. The appeal of Mee Krob is its blend of sweetness, sourness and saltines all in one.
Mee Krob use some more special from The sour/citrus flavor prominent in this dish often comes from the peel of a Thai citrus fruit called “Som Saa”. Pickle garlic also one ingredients to not missing for this traditional dish. Pardon me “somsaa” is not available for our presentation today.
This recipe I had adapted from my school and ML.Puang. There are three 3 parts for preparation. This dish is definitely loved in a party.
Classic Thai green curry or “Gaeng Khiao Wan” called in Thai – แกงเขียวหวาน photograph by Luksana
Our presentation today is classic Thai Green curry, one of my favorite curry’s. It took me for a long time to get these Thai crispy eggplants. The presentation today is a green curry with chicken and a bowl for vegetarian featuring tofu. Cooking green curry is simple with the same basic as other Thai curries. Good selection of Green curry paste are available commercially. Whether home-made or store-bought, fresh coconut cream and milk are the important factors to made this curry delicious.
Thai Green papaya salad served with steamed sticky rice and fried chicken, signature dishes from Northeastern Thailand
Today our presentation is a familiar Thai salad, Thai green papaya salad or Spicy fresh papaya salad (Som Tam Ma-la-kor, called in Thai) Also make for a perfect match with steamed sticky rice and fried chicken. Original from Northeast of Thailand. It takes me a long time to get fresh green papaya. Serve plain or make a perfect match with steamed sticky rice and fried chicken.
Prawns salad with lemon grass and mint or ”Plah-Goong”, called in Thai – พล่ากุ้ง
Our second presentation this week is another flavorful Thai salad “Plah Goong” on cucumber. This traditional Thai salad use chili jam to be part of dressing and add more fragrant aroma with herbs used in Thai cuisine are kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass and mint. Simple preparation, a key is fresh herb ingredients and I hope you will like these unique flavors. Continue reading →
Tradition Thai Appetizer, Sakoo Sai Moo สาคูไส้หมู called in Thai or Steamed Tapioca filled with seasoned ground pork and middle line is Ma Hor ม้าฮ่อ, another name of appetizer use similar filling
Our presentation for this week is one of traditional Thai appetizer that is nice for cocktail party. Steamed tapioca pearls filled with seasoned ground pork, a tasty chewy appetizer tradition served with leafy green lettuce, cilantro and fiery prik kee nu, fresh Thai chili peppers, giving it a bright flavor blast to the savory filling.
A traditional Thai dessert, Steamed coconut custard in Pumpkin – สังขยาฟักทอง
Our presentation today is a traditional Thai dessert, Steamed coconut custard in Pumpkin. We use Kabocha or Japanese pumpkin, In Thailand, it is called “Fak Thong” or golden squash. This fine smooth custard made from fresh coconut cream, palm sugar, eggs and flavor aroma with pandanus leaves.
Sometimes, when life is busy it is nice to spend time to do something we enjoy and makes us feel good. We love to spend the time with the dogs, we are lucky to have friends who allow us to have the dogs come North for their holidays. Many people loves golden retrievers because the nature of their personality, for a good company and their never ending energy and sense of fun. We knew them a few years and we can call ourself step parents and have fallen in love with their fun and energetic personality. They are great company, brave swimmers, passionate and full of fun. They have a very smiley face that will make you want to have a busy day with them again.
Curried fried patties or Deep – fried fish patties called “Tod man pla” in Thai {ทอดมันปลา}
There are different recipes for fish cake or fish patties around the world. Thai fish patties can be both appetizer or as a main dish with rice. The batter is different from western fish patties with more flavors from the fish, herbs and without use of starch. Thai fish patties are always served accompanied with cucumber relish.
The original classic Tod Man Pla in Thailand was made using the feather-back fish called Pla Krai in Thailand. This kind of fish considered very special, tender, clean and fine textured, ideal for making Tod Man. Pla Krai meat is tender and delicate , it becomes sticky when pounded and mixes well with the curry paste, in the past wing beans were used, not green beans or long beans. …read more – Bangkok Post
Fried rice vermicelli with kale, prawns and eggs - Sen Mee Pad See Ew {เส้นหมี่ผัดซีอิ๊วกุ้ง}
A quick and convenient Thai dish {a Chinese influenced}. It has only a few ingredients and takes only a few minutes to cook. General use wide noodles or Rice vermicelli also popular to use in Thailand.
Fried Ling Cod with sweet-salty chilli sauce – ปลาทอดราดพริกสามรส
Tom Kha soup with chicken and mushrooms - ต้มข่าไก่ใส่เห็ดแชมปิญอง
Last weekend I had two fish and chip dinners for my birthday treat, at popular fish and chip market shop in Prince Rupert. I have never posted about fish before, so I brought a bag of lingcod home to present this weeks: “Fried Ling Cod with Sweet-salty chilli sauce”, This dish is one of a tasty Thai with the three flavors sauce {sweet-sour-salty} serve with jasmine rice and with a hint of chili will certain make your dinner appetizing.
Larb beef {spicy minced beef salad with herbs}presented in sweet tomatoes. ลาบเนื้อในมะเชือเทศ
Continued from my previous post Larb – A Taste of Northeastern Thailand. The style for today is for a presentation for a party, with colorful tomatoes and beef stuffing is a good match. The ingredients are similar to Isan Larb but we added the paste which including toasted garlic, shallot, great galangal and dry big chili, shrimp paste toasted in banana leaf) The last one I did not add because it is not available here.
Larb Isan – Spicy minced meat salad with herbs {ลาบอีสาน}
This week I present the use of dry chili to make Larb, a spicy Northeastern (Isan) Thai food. Roughly ground toasted rice (khao khua) is also a very important component of the dish. Usually with a serving of sticky rice and raw vegetables at room temperature. Hope you will like Isan taste and enjoy this dish.
Spicy sardines in tomato sauce salad ยำปลาซาร์ดีนในซอสมะเขือเทศ
The presentation today is a simple, tasty Thai dish made with a can of sardines in tomato sauce with selected herbs. Hope you like and enjoy the dish of the day
The Thai Taste today will comfort your body with delicious Thai Curry. “Massaman” is one of my favourite curry’s to make. From history of Thailand, Thai King Rama II had written a verse of foods which included Massaman curry in the beginning of the verse. This curry may sounds like a romance that translate in brief as english below.
เห่ชมเครื่องคาว {The Verse of Foods by Thai King Rama II}
๏ แกงไก่มัสมั่นเนื้อ __________ นพคุณ พี่เอย
หอมยี่หร่ารสฉุน __________ เฉียบร้อน
ชายใดบริโภคภุญช์ __________ พิศวาส หวังนา
แรงอยากยอหัตถ์ข้อน __________ อกให้หวนแสวง ๚
๏ มัสมั่นแกงแก้วตา __________ หอมยี่หร่ารสร้อนแรง
ชายใดได้กลืนแกง __________ แรงอยากให้ใฝ่ฝันหา
{Any man who just tastes this Massaman curry will dream to see the woman who cooks.}
View from inside Log Mould of Lava bed Location: Nass Valley, British Columbia
The story is connected to our previous post “Swim in the turquoise pool of the forest” There is something special about our valley. Here we live in this place that belong to the Nisga’a First Nation . The population is small and our village is squeezed between the mountain, river and the lava beds.
Wild salmon Leaving as fry they travel across the North Pacific Ocean on a 5 year odyssey that now ends as they return to the same river they left to spawn and then die….
The biosphere is closely linked as land carnivores harvest the salmon and in doing so spread nutrients that enable the forest to grow and in turn support a rich natural environment
Super Natural BC is full of unspoiled nature, no crowds, no noise, no pollution, natural is the norm.
Greetings from Nass Valley,
Today I would like to present how to make Deep – Fried spring rolls for an appetizer.
This time I produce my home grown sprouts in advance and enjoy to pick it out from a growing container. I think home-grown sprout can bring a bit more freshness to spring rolls that serve with sweet Thai chill sauce.
A Kermode Bear is known by the Aboriginal People of the Pacific North West as ‘The Spirit Bear ‘or ‘Ghost Bear’. this sub-species of the Black Bear lives only on and near Canada’s Pacific Northwest Coast. This rare animal is found on some of the larger remote islands of the North Coast and along the Skeena River which flows through the city of Terrace before entering the Pacific Ocean 140km to the west near Prince Rupert. Now a days the sighting of a Kermode bear is something that is very special and is an event that many wish for themselves. Black Bear and Grizzly show up more often in this and other areas. Kermode bear has a white thick fur. It is no an albino it is a true white bear.
In the middle in August as we drove along the Skeena River Valley area we saw something white moving faraway. We stopped the car to check it out. By now we are pretty much sure this is a rarely seen bear. (estimates vary between 400 and 1000) The large white body in middle of the big green grass seemed to enjoy eating plants and moved slowly. This Kermode that we saw it could be a male bear since it is without any cub and big body. Females are much smaller. We can guess for the weight this one should be more than 200 kg. as from the information that a male bear weight can reach up to 290 kg. Some people never have a chance to see the real one but it is often depicted in picture and statues around the city.
Would you love living in the area of wilderness? Here is some of the special scenery of our special environment where we live now, Nass Valley located in North West of British Columbia Canada which is 100 km from the closet town call Terrace about 1.30 hours for drive. We do not mind this because we love the green forest and turquoise pools which freshen our hearts every time we drive home. It is not just the forest but the wild animals often seen such Black Bear, Coyote, Wolf, Moose Fox Cougar Bald Eagle , the list is almost endless. There is no fish in this turquoise pool that the ground is lava rock (It is not easy to walk barefoot because the sharp rock can cut your and the water will be dry out soon during the cold of winter. The Nass is well known of the spectacular lava bed which cover many waterfall, pools, river, lake and iconic Volcanic cone.
The Eastern part of British Columbia has the spectacular Rocky Mountains which lived up to the slogan of ”super natural”. The Canadian Rocky Mountains line the British Columia and Alberta border and are one of several mountain ranges between the flat Prairie country and the Pacific Ocean. The Rockies stretch from Central America up to the Arctic Ocean in the North. We entered the range from the US Border with Canada. For the Car and 2 passengers there is a transit fee of $19 for a one day pass to get through the National Park of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks and Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber provincial parks. Before we head to the Northwest further.
What we have seen in the one day road trip are icefields, remnants of valley glaciers, canyons and exceptional examples of erosion and deposition — are found throughout the area. The Burgess Shale Cambrian and nearby Precambrian sites contain important information about the earth’s evolution.
This week we started to get sunshine. I feel the heatwaves inside the kitchen while shaping this flowers for appetizer. 
Our presentation for today is baking for dessert ‘Almond and orange cake’ 
