{ Pad Macaroni }

Another favorite dish of mine, Pad Macaroni. There was a time in my life where my mom would take my sister and I to a public a swimming pool over the weekend, my sister and I were about 11 or 12 years old at the time. My favorite part of our swimming day was the part where we get to order anything we want from the pool cafeteria; Pad Macaroni was the dish that I would order every time, and has never once disappointed me. One part of me believe that it was because I was very picky when I first moved to Thailand from Italy, that brought some attention to my grandmother. So, she tried to comfort me with the food that she was not familiar with (Italian food). She would often made a spaghetti with ketchup for me, and I ate it, in fact I preferred that over any other Thai food at the time. And with Pad Macaroni, the combination of pasta, ketchup and soy sauce was just simply one of the best thing I've ever had when I was a child.

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{ 1-2 servings }

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup of dried macaroni (I normally use rotini instead)
• 1/4 lb of strip sliced chicken breast (tofu, shrimp, or pork would be good combination as well)
• 2 whole white mushrooms
• 1/2 - 1 whole tomato
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp of chopped cilantro
• 1 whole green onion cut up in pieces with 1 inch in length
• 1/4 cup of sliced yellow onion
• 1 tbsp of chopped garlic
• 3-4 tbsp of ketchup
• 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil

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1. Boiled pasta for about 3-4 minutes (make sure that it is not cook thoroughly).

2. In a medium-large saucepan add vegetable oil heat it up over medium-high. Add garlic (mix it well with the oil) then quickly add chicken, stir it for 10-15 seconds.

3. Add onion, green onion, sliced tomato, mushroom, soy sauce and ketchup and stir fry it for about 30-40 seconds.

4. Add an egg and half way cooked pasta and stir fry all the ingredient in the pan until chicken and pasta are cooked, sprinkle with cilantro before serve.

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Voila!

{ Noodle: Chicken Paloh Soup }

Yesterday I was craving for one of the Thai-Chinese dish called Paloh. As I was a (picky) child this was one of my favorite dish. Traditionally you would be eating this with rice (in Thailand.) And it actually contains hard boiled eggs and pork in this soup. Anyway, here's what you can do alternately.

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{ 3-4 servings }

Ingredients:

-set 1-

• 5-6 pieces of chicken drumsticks
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

-set 2-

• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 cups of water

-set 3-

• 2-3 medium size of cinnamon sticks
• 6-7 pieces of star anise
• 5-6 pieces of bay leaves
• 1 tbsp of dried coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup of black soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of shitake mushroom soy sauce
• 2 tbsp of sugar

-set 4-

• 1 lb. of fresh egg noodle
• 2 tbsp fried garlic with its oil
• 2 cups of sprout
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 pack of tofu cutlet

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{ Cinnamon Stick, Bay leaf, Star anise }

1. Marinated chicken drumsticks with garlic powder, cinnamon powder, and regular soy sauce for about 10-15 minutes.

2. In a medium pan add vegetable oil, once the oil gets hot add the marinated chicken drumsticks. Cook the drumsticks until the outside turns golden brown (don't cook all the way through.) Set aside.

3. In a medium-large saucepan add water and chicken (or vegetable) broth and bring it to a boil.

4. Add set 3, and the partially cooked drumsticks into a saucepan. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it cook for about 2 hours.

5. Cook the noodle (approximately 1/4 lb per person) in a separate pot. Once the noodle is cooked, drain, add fried garlic, bean sprout, and chopped cilantro, mix it well.

6. Once the soup is done pour it over the noodle, and top the dish with some sliced tofu cutlet.

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Voilà!

{ Tom Ka Gai: Coconut Chicken Soup }

Hello! I'm pretty sure many of you are already familiar with this dish, Tom Ka Gai. Yes, that spicy coconut milk soup. Well, I have to admit that I was motivated to make this dish by my new banker (secretly, I'd just like to get his lasagna recipe!). Anyway, for those family and friends of mine that are Thai, please read the "Note from the author" on your right hand side before you move on o_o ---->

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***Note: minus the chili paste and green onion if you want it to be a bit more traditional***

{ 2-3 servings }

Ingredients:

• 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cans (about 400 ml. each ) of coconut milk (could use more or less, depends on how creamy you want it to be. Also, some Thai people use milk instead)
• 1/2 of a whole onion
• 2/3 cup of chopped cilantro
• 2/3 cup of chopped green onion
• 2/3 lb of chicken breast
• 1/2-1 cup of sliced mushroom (however much you'd like)
• 5-6 pieces of sliced Galanga (Ka) ///see image below///
• 6-7 pieces of sliced lemon grass ///see image below///
• 3-4 tbsp of tamarin paste
• 3-4 tbsp of (Thai) chili paste
• 3-4 tbsp of fish sauce

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{ Lemongrass }

{ Galanga (Ka) }

{ Sliced Galanga (Ka) }

{ Onion }

{ Green Onion }

{ Cilantro }

1. Slice/cut lemongrass, galanga, onion, cilantro, and green onion as shown from images above.

2. Slice chicken breast into strips.

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3. In a medium-large saucepan add chicken or vegetable broth and bring it to a boil, then add galanga and lemongrass. Bring the temperature down to medium and cook it for about 5 minutes, then add chicken and onion. Cook for about 15 minutes.

4. Add coconut milk and bring it to a boil.

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{ Thai Chili Paste }

{ Tamarin Paste }

{ Fish Sauce }

5. Add chili paste, tamarin paste, and fish sauce, stir it well.

///Adjust the amount of these ingredients to suit your own palate///

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{ Fresh Thai Pepper }

6. Turn the temperature down to medium-low, then add Thai pepper (if you want it to be spicy), green onion and cilantro. Roasted pepper would also give an excellent flavor.

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Voilà!

Oh, and don't forget a bowl of rice!

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