Oil Slick

For the sake of this blog entry, I decided to subject myself to serious investigative journalism this morning. I kissed the kids and headed out for a morning of pampering at one of the local spas. Now, I must confess, I'm not a first-timer to the spas here. But, again, for the sake of really making sure I had the facts straight, I thought I should check it all out again before I posted an entry.

After a quick car ride under very gray skies, I arrived for my ten a.m. appointment. Kicking off my shoes upon stepping onto the salon's glossy white floors, I was greeted by a spa guide who escorted me to a raised massage chair. I sunk my feet into the bubbly water bath, ordered a complimentary roselle tea from their beverage menu, dipped my hands into the awaiting salt water dishes on either side of me, leaned my head deep into the cushioned chair and closed my eyes.

After almost two hours of intense arm and leg massages, a couple coats of beautiful metallic silver lacquer, at least several buckets of salt scrub and almond oil, my pedicure and manicure ended. I continued to bliss out as I paid about a fourth of what the experience would have cost me in the US.

Feeling treated myself, I stopped at the local grocery to pick up an item that's been heavily requested by the kids and not responded to (yes, they wanted the "macaroni in the blue box, plllllllease"). Then, I headed home. Finally, the thunder cracked overhead and knowing what that meant I picked up the pace. Already committed to walking home, rather than taking a taxi (which were now in short supply as I entered the smaller side roads that led home), I felt a twinge of anxiety and discomfort. The thunder grew to an intense rumble (boy, that happened fast today) and my feet began to slide around on my flip flops as the humidity further liquefied the salon's pedicure oil. Helpful Note: When in Thailand, don't wear already slippery flip flops to a pedicure... especially during monsoon season!

And, then it happened. Still several blocks away from home, the first pellet of rain struck. And, just as it had done on days previous, the sky opened up, sheets poured and my oily feet began to create a slick. Pushing panic to the side, I threw my flip flops off, grabbed my grocery bag closer (to protect the precious blue cardboard box inside) and moved a little further into the street. Watching my sparkly toes hit the now very wet pavement and feeling my stringy soaked hair stick to my neck, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I wanted to throw my arms up in the air and say to the heavens, "I'm in Thailand, walking to my home in the middle of a monsoon... and I'm having the time of my life!"

Cooking in Thailand: entry no. 15:
Thai "BBQ" Chicken

A really easy and delicious take on one of our favorite street vendor's "gai" (chicken). A great dinner when served with rice and fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into parts

1/2 cup of soy sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup

1/4 cup terriyaki sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, minced

2 bird's eye chili peppers, diced (use only one if you like a little less spice)

Method:

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large shallow pan, to be used for marinating. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and set in fridge overnight. Line a baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. (Ideally, use a pan that is only large enough to put all of the chicken in so that the pieces touch and form a tight layer. You don't want the chicken to be spread out.) Place in a preheated 350 degree over, uncovered, for about 35 minutes or until the chicken is opaque in the center (depending on the size of chicken you use, the baking time may vary a bit). Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Also good cold.

Aging gracefully

My daughter is exactly 4 years, 6 months and 7 days old and she knows how to hail a taxi. I'm not sure about you, but I never saw that developmental milestone coming so early!

We've had a bit of conflicting advice on how to pronounce the name of our street (in Thai). So, for the past several days, I've been using our taxi ride home from the Skytrain to try out all of the different variations. 

Each day, after we descended from the Skytrain stairs, I held my arm out and produced a downward waving gesture (a local gesture I've been instructed to use to hail a cab). And, day after day, the kids and I were greeted by a friendly driver. "Sahwahdee-kah!" I started. "Soi.... (insert variations on the pronunciation here)- kah." 

After each and every try I was met by a confused expression and I resorted to dropping my bags and holding up the appropriate number of fingers to communicate our street name. From there, understanding was reached and I was able to happily "trong-pai" my way home ("go straight"). And, every day, we got home, but apparently none of the pronunciations worked coming out of my mouth.

So, yesterday, my daughter looked at me as we departed Skytrain and said "Mama, let me take care of the cab today." Hmmmm, let's see what happens.

Her little feet hit the pavement and, without missing a beat, she identified the car that would be hers. A miniature version of the wave I'd done on days previous was thrown into the world for bait and, much to my surprise, she caught her taxi. Looking at me with an odd combination of hysterics and fiery accomplishment in her eyes, she said "Mama, this is mine... I got it, I got it!" Far be it for me to get in her way. 

I opened the door, she leaned in and, in perfectly understood Thai, she greeted the driver and politely directed him to our street. He spoke back a signal of exact understanding and we were home about three minutes later.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 15:

Egg Fu Yung

For anyone who picked up on the pun, linking my blog entry's title to this recipe, I'm sorry... I couldn't resist! Plus, this has quickly become one of my, and my kids, favorite breakfasts! 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons veggie oil

3 eggs, well beaten

1/2 carrot

8 mushrooms

1/2 cup bean sprouts

4 green onions

salt and pepper to taste

oyster sauce, about 1 teaspoon per person

a set of chopsticks

Method:

Shred the carrots and mushrooms (using a food processor makes the job really fast) and add, with 1 tablespoon of the oil, to a large saute pan. Cook, adding water if the pan becomes dry, until the carrots are tender. Add the green onions and bean sprouts, cook for about 2 minutes more so that they are hot to the touch. Move veggie mixture to outskirts of the pan and add the remaining oil to the center of the pan. Heat. All at once, add the eggs, using your chopsticks move the mixture quickly in a figure 8 pattern, adding the veggies into the eggs. The eggs should be firming up and the veggies should be well distributed. Use the chopsticks to push the sides of the egg down from the edges of the pan. Once the mixture becomes firm, use a large spatula and flip it. Cook for about a minute more. The Egg Fu Yung will look like a large pancake. Transfer it to a cutting board and let rest. In the meantime, heat the oyster sauce in the same pan you cooked the Egg Fu Yung in. Slice the Egg Fu Yung into wedges, serve with rice and a small dollop of oyster sauce (the sauce is strong so use lightly).

Thinking of my sister

To make my homecoming easier after the birth of my daughter, my sister stocked my refrigerator with small containers of beautifully prepared fresh fruits. She assumed, correctly, that fresh fruit would make a perfect grab and go snack for a new, tired, nursing mom.

Today, as I prepared fresh fruit for my family, I was reminded of that wonderful gesture of love. So, thoughts of my sister, prompted me to share a few of Thailand's many exotic fruits that we're enjoying on a regular basis. 

The wildly brilliantly colored dragon fruit, native to South America, is grown with great commercial success in Thailand. And, they are at their plumpest and freshest, of course, before they are shipped around the world. So much so, in fact, that the few dragon fruit I've seen in the US don't even look like the same fruit. As you can see from the picture, it is a small football-like thing with "scales." Bright magenta with lime green tipping, the fruit's exotic skin is only the beginning. Peel back the skin like a tangerine and you're greeted with, depending on the variety, either a bright white flesh studded with tiny black edible seeds or a flesh the same color as the magenta skin. (Note: Unless you want people to question what you've been up to, don't cut a purple-fleshed dragon fruit and schedule a manicure, like I did, for the same day!) The taste of a fresh dragon fruit is earthy-- like a great aged red wine is earthy. And, the seeds pop like tiny little pieces of caviar as the white (or purple!) flesh gives way.

Another fruit that you may not have seen yet in the States is the mangosteen. Little purple globes, about the size of a golf ball, hold just a few white fruit segments inside. They take some work to pull apart, but inside you are rewarded with a taste that is unparalleled. Think about the cross between a mango, a sweet grape, a tiny burst of lime and, if you can imagine what warm sunshine might taste like, add a dash of that too. They make a nice one bite treat when you're up for a little bit of work in the shelling/peeling process.

Other fruits we have been loving, but aren't quite as exotic, are:

* Pineapples (Did you ever realize that there are lots of varieties? We have easy access to Phuket pineapple which is really golden and sweet, similar to the Hawaiian variety, and the Siriachan pineapple which is mellower with a bit of a honey flavor and a firmer texture.)

* Mangoes (Delicious! And, again, a ton of varietal choice here.)

* Papaya (These are the biggest I have ever seen, full of flavor, and the Red Lady variety with some rice on the side make for one of our family's favorite breakfasts.)

* Pomellos (Similar to a grapefruit, this has become my absolute favorite afternoon snack. Peel, remove the membrane on the sections and snack away!)

* Chiang Mai bananas (Small and a bit starchier than your typical variety, these are sold in small bunches for about 50 cents per bunch. The kids love them and they make for a great banana bread!)

So, here I am, in my Thai kitchen, missing and thinking of my sister. Four years after she prepared containers of fresh fruit to fill my refrigerator, my daughter is opening the fridge's door and removing a freshly prepared container for her snack this afternoon.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 14:

Fruit Salad

A spin on the classic, use whatever fruits you enjoy and have access to.

Ingredients:

A selection of your favorite fruits, sliced in thin rounds or as uniformly as the shape of the fruit dictates (I like oranges, papaya and mango)

Juice of one large lime

1/8 cup Mint, chopped

1/8 cup Basil, chopped

black pepper

Method:

On a large plate, place your fruit in a flat layer, slightly overlapping the slices. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the fruit. Sprinkle with mint and basil and a grind of black pepper. Enjoy!

Sorry Starbucks! Wow Wawee!

We found a new neighborhood hot spot (no pun intended!). Wawee Coffee (pronounced wah-wee) is such a welcoming oasis in the middle of busy Bangkok that we might very well have to say good-bye to our frequent Starbucks' stops. With a fairly large garden tucked behind the busy streets, Wawee has created a series of decks and bridges that seemingly float over Koi ponds and weave through lush tropical foliage. The ever-present incense floats through the air and hidden benches, a gazebo and market umbrellas are tucked throughout the setting to provide respite from the heat. Inside, chandeliers hang in cozy elegant rooms where patrons enjoy creamy, whipped cream topped creations and one of Bangkok's many ever present dessert cases continues to be refilled regularly.

T and I enjoyed a morning out on Saturday and discovered the joy of Wawee's relaxed atmosphere. Today, I shared it with the kids.

On our walk to the shop, we wove our way through a series of sky bridges (used to access the Skytrain or to cross major streets that you wouldn't dare cross at ground level) and side streets and alleys. In Bangkok, you do anything you can to avoid the traffic! And, during our walk we enjoyed the sites that have become 'normal'... the crazy motorcycle taxis where women sit side saddle, while wearing high heels!, the lines of food carts selling everything from BBQ meats to steaming bowls of ramen to beautifully sliced fresh fruit, and the golden wats perched in corners and adorned with incense, flowers and assorted tiny offerings. 

I snapped the picture at the left as we walked to Wawee Coffee this morning. The image provides a glimpse of a well established neighborhood walkway. This is a rare alleyway in which traffic is blocked from entering allowing the perfect location for a few stores, a fresh market on some days and a collection of spontaneously created restaurants every day starting at lunch time (created from the tables leaning against the wall). There is a wat in the background and, just through the gate, you can see a motorcycle taxi.

Upon arrival at our destination, F ordered what has become his regular drink here (100 per cent kiwi juice, with ice, thank you very much!). C didn't let the morning's climbing Celsius slow her down and ordered a steaming cocoa. She was thrilled with Wawee's buffet of sugar straws that accompanied her creamy concoction, no doubt. And, I ordered an iced tea with milk (known simply as 'Thai Iced Tea' in the States) and it was yummy. I asked how they made their version because it was markedly less sweet and less thick than the ones I've had before. When eating at Thai restaurants prior to arriving in Thailand, I had occasionally ordered a Thai Iced Tea and had always, no matter where I was, considered it a delicious treat. Funny how something authentic provides you with a new level of deliciousness! Wawee's authentic version consists of a simple ratio consisting of less sweetened condensed milk than other recipes that I've previously followed.

We left Wawee Coffee with a relaxed vibe that carried us throughout the rest of our morning's outings. And, we're already looking forward to our next visit.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 10:

Iced Tea with Milk

Burn a little incense, crank the heat up high, kick your feet up, throw in some noisy engine sounds masked by water features, don't move too quickly and you'll (almost) feel like you're in Bangkok with us.

Ingredients:

2 tea bags of Thai tea*

1 cup of boiling water

3 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, plus extra if desired

about 1/4 cup milk**

crushed ice

Method:

Pour boiling water over the tea bags and allow to steep for five minutes. Remove tea bags and place in refrigerator until cool (or use three tea bags and add a bit of ice to cool more rapidly). Once cool, fill a tall glass with crushed ice, pour tea to 3/4 of the glass and add the sweetened condensed milk (a little extra if you like it sweeter) and regular milk. You want to achieve about 1/4 of your cup full of the milk combination. It should be sweet, but just slightly, and the tea should provide a nice nutty, fragrant background to the sweetened milk. Stir well and serve with a straw. Sip slowly and enjoy.

*Can be found in the Asian foods section of most gourmet grocery stores or import stores. If you are unable to find Thai tea, look for an unflavored black tea instead.

**Use your choice of milk. Whole will create a creamier drink than non-fat, but both will create an enjoyable iced drink.

A brightly colored ball pit

What a day! Half way across the city, the protests continue and a few Skytrain stops away from our home, my son was wrestled and choked, in a brightly colored ball pit, by a non-English speaking three year old.

The day started off a bit rocky. I've been using a taxi service in the last couple of days so that we can avoid the walk to the Skytrain when desired. The walk itself is a great way to get to know the neighborhood and a fun way to interact with people, but with two little ones in tow, sometimes I grow a bit tired of hearing how the walk is giving them blisters (only a few!), or how much sweat is pouring off their head (mine too!), or "why can't we stop and ask that person's name?" (we've already done that to the same person for three days in a row!). If you've ever had a young child, you probably get it.... sometimes you're just too tired! 

Which brings me back to calling the taxi service. I thought we were all set for a 9:30 a.m. departure. Our security guard called a little early, saying the cab company would arrive at 9 instead. So, I rushed through morning preparations (Who needs breakfast? We'll just stop at Starbucks.) and took everyone to our security station downstairs to wait. The kids and I perched ourselves on a step and enjoyed a few moments with our house dog, "Carrot". Then, I started to smell diesel, heard a clank clank clank along with really aggressive clucking sounds. A huge cloud of smoke rolls by slowly and just a door away an oversize pick-up truck carrying cages full of squawking chickens is stuck in a perpendicular fashion to the road.

With the utmost patience, neighbors were helping the driver to slowly inch his way in the right direction. All the while, a loudspeaker perched on the top of the truck was blaring a repetitive recording which I have to assume told us that the chickens were for sale. Our security guard enjoyed sharing the commotion with the kids.

While the great chicken catastrophe is still in progress, our very nice neighbor approached me to say that the cab company called and they won't be sending a taxi. Apparently, all call-in driving services are being paid to join the protest and are shut down until further notice. So, we all piled into her car, waited for the chicken truck to move on (and it finally did) and she took us to the Skytrain station. (My emotional state at 9:30 a.m.: hey, no problem, we got to the Skytrain sweat- and complaint-free. And, the kids got some free entertainment... the chickens were enough to talk about for the entire train ride.)

After going to Starbucks (aka breakfast today), we wandered a mega shopping complex in search a play area for the kids. I had read that one existed and today seemed like an easy day to try to find it. After a bit of exploration, tucked in the back corner of one of the mega shopping complex's mega department stores, we found a mega surprise: Jamboreeland! Think Chuck-e-Cheese meets Disneyland's It's a Small World ride tucked into a corner of an otherwise calm and serene shopping experience. Pint-sized techno music blared (over and over and over again), tiny baht-operated spaceships blinked and flashed hoping to entice a mini pilot, four foot tall air hockey tables awaited their next game and a painting studio of sorts sat quiet and empty as little kids raced from automated adventure to automated adventure. 

But, it was the massive soft playground, filled with plastic balls that caught our eyes today. For 50 baht per child (a little over a dollar), the kids could enter into the area contained by nets and staffed by a friendly attendant to play on the slides and bridges and jump in the balls for a half hour. Everyone entering had to wear socks, which they provided for kids who didn't have any, but not for parents. Which, in my sandal clad feet, left me standing on the outside of the nets. All went well for the first ten minutes. (My emotional state at 10:45 a.m.: Bravo!!! You did it... you found a super cool new activity for the kids!)

Then came psycho kid, a true terror that I have never seen the likes of before (and hope to never again.  Now, I know that kids have bad days too and I also understand that no matter where you live there's the opportunity for a kid to take his bad day out on yours. But, this little pint-sized bully had it out for anyone who crossed his path and he took a "liking" to my son. Upon first approach, F thought the bigger kid was just playing. F's face said, "Ha, he's throwing balls at me." Then, it escalated. Without going into too great of detail, the balls flew, a choke hold was placed, I started hysterics that parents everywhere recognize, my daughter raced through the balls to help her brother and the play attendant peeled the other kid off my son. 

The "other kid" stayed as his caretaker quietly read a magazine. We left, immediately. (My emotional state at 11 a.m.: unfit for the audience that may read this blog.)

We finished the morning, limbs intact, by going to a wonderful Japanese restaurant for lunch, both kids falling asleep on the Skytrain (and me having to wake them up), catching a non-protesting cab home, tucking everyone in for naps and experiencing one of this season's gargantuan rain storms. Thunder cracked for the second day in a row and woke the kids up after 15 minutes of sleeping in their beds at home. (My emotional state at 4 p.m.: you can probably guess.)

With T working late and the rest of the family exhausted, I'll be reaching for my tried and true recipe: the one that fed my family during our very early weeks in Thailand and the one that I've looked to throughout the years previous when I needed a fast breakfast, lunch or dinner that everyone would eat. As a gift to anyone who may have had a day like mine, please enjoy my mom's fried rice.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 9:

Mom's Fried Rice

This is the one recipe, in addition to plain rice, that kept us going during the first two weeks of life in Bangkok. Thank goodness for the cooking school of mom that began early and has continued on. How funny to be halfway around the globe, have a culturally relevant recipe, and something that reminds me of my childhood!

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked rice, white or brown

1 tablespoon veggie oil

1/2 onion, finely diced

optional: assorted veggies, cut into small pieces (carrots, celery, broccoli and/or your other local favorites)

2 eggs, beaten

4 tablespoons (or so) of soy sauce

green onions and bean sprouts, chopped

pepper, to taste

Method:

Place veggie oil and onion in a saute pan over medium heat. If using additional veggies of choice, add those too, and cook until tender. Move to the side of the pan and carefully pour the beaten egg into empty side. Scramble until hard and then mix with the veggies. Then, add the rice stirring over medium heat until well combined. Slowly add soy sauce until rice is light brown. Add a few grinds of pepper. Taste to make sure it is seasoned in a way pleasing to your palette. Add more soy sauce and/or pepper as needed. Continue to cook until rice becomes dry (about 3-5 minutes). Serve hot. (Also good reheated for breakfast the next morning!)

The kettle that could have killed me (sort of)

Our kettle. Upon return to the States, it will be dipped in gold and forever remembered as the most problematic acquisition of our early days in Thailand. We had already purchased a paring knife (never mind that it was a folding thing that snapped closed almost every time I went to use it), a really great sharp chef's knife, a frying pan and some reusable plastic plates. 

Which, if I'm being honest, were never really intended to be reused. Instead, they were intended to be taken on a picnic and thrown out. But, becoming increasingly upset by the amount of paper plates we were going through, I switched to what I will refer to as 'reusable plastic plates.' They lasted a good two weeks before warping into almost unrecognizable disks.

Quickly, it became apparent that if we wanted to extend our cooking repertoire, we would need a large kettle. And, we weren't picky... any good size pot would do. We just needed something that would allow us to simmer some curry, heat some soup, cook some noodles, boil some water. The search was on. We hit every grocery store, convenience store and would-be housewares store we had access to. We even visited stores that new friends referred us to. But, after three days of searching we were empty handed and really, really wanting a kettle (any kettle!).

With T and the kids sharing a Starbucks moment, I made my way into yet another grocery store. Using a clever combination of charades, the few Thai words that I knew and a dash of English, I was led to a corner around a corner of a section just outside the grocery store. Aha.... four kettles sat before me. Cha ching! I returned to my family clutching my heavy bag, with what I'm sure looked like a smile appropriate for someone who had just received an Olympic Gold Medal.

All was going quite well until the next day. While simmering a curry, I lifted the lid to check on it and ka-pow. I closed my eyes in horror as the sound of what I thought was a gunshot going off in our kitchen. When I opened my eyes and stopped shaking a bit, I was standing in a giant spray of "safety" (how ironic) glass. If I hadn't had my wrist tilted in the manner that it was, I guarantee that the outcome would have been different. 

One defective lid later, I still had my kettle and, very luckily, didn't suffer any injuries. The same can't be said for my curry.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 8:

Easy Chicken Stock

Once a fun activity to do, this has now become a necessary task in our Bangkok kitchen. Spend a little extra time making your own stock and you'll have a freezer full the next time you need it in a recipe. Yes, it takes some time, but if you can boil water, I guarantee you can make your own stock: it's really and truly easy. And, it's surprisingly satisfying knowing you added a homemade stock to your recipes.

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken*

water

2 onions, sliced in half, skins still on

3-5 peppercorns

salt

optional: assorted veggies like celery, carrots, herbs or other favorites, scrubbed and roughly chopped with stems and peels intact**

Method: 

Place the chicken, onions, veggies, the peppercorns and a good palm full of salt into a large kettle. Add water just until ingredients are covered. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low. Cover and simmer gently for at least 2 hours. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Then, place a strainer over a large bowl and dump the stock into strainer. Discard the veggies and bones, reserving the shredded meat, to freeze, for use in a future recipe. Set liquid aside and allow to cool completely. Once cool, either skim the top layer off (this will be an opaque film that just covers the top of the stock) or pour into a gravy separator and use to remove the fat. Pour into small containers, add to your freezer and congratulations: you've got a stockpile of homemade stock!

*You can use this same method to make a shrimp stock or a veggie stock. Just replace the chicken with shrimp peels or a good amount of veggies. When making veggie stock, my gramps used to serve the very well cooked veggies (that contributed to the stock's flavor) with a side of buttered noodles instead of throwing them out. As a kid, I remember them being delicious!

**I keep an enclosed container in my freezer where I can place food scraps, suitable for stock, throughout the week. That way, when its time to make stock, I just add the carrots, onions, ginger, herbs, etc. that would have otherwise gone into the garbage. It's a great way to reduce food waste and add more flavor to your stock.

La Vie Boheme

Since our arrival in Thailand, we've been missing our routine visit to a weekend farmer's market and decided to fill the void by heading to Bangkok's famous Chatuchak Market. Covering 35 acres, Chatuchak is one of the world's largest weekend markets and a little slice of bohemian life with artists, alongside the requisite t-shirt stall and faux MAC cosmetics vendor, selling their handicrafts. 

We rose early last Sunday and prepared for a morning of exploration, crowds and heat. With our son in the backpack and our daughter at hand we walked to the Skytrain and after a short ride (and a one-stop journey on Bangkok's subway system), we arrived smack dab in the middle of a cornucopia of color, sound, scent and activity. 

Like markets we've visited in different parts of the world before and ones that we've grown to love in the many places we've called home, Chatuchak did not disappoint. This will be a place that we visit often and happily refer to as our local market.

It's easy to see why the market receives over 200,000 visitors per day. With more than 15,000 shops, everything you could imagine wanting to buy (and probably not wanting to buy, as well) existed there. We barely skimmed the surface of what the market had to offer, lasting only about 2 hours, but we were all enchanted by different aspects. T loved the overall thrill of being in a foreign market, comparing aspects of it to other markets he's visited in Asia. I loved the overwhelming amount of items that I haven't yet seen elsewhere in Bangkok (and the possibilities they brought for continued home decor!). C found bright globe lights strung together that I have a feeling will be coming home with us on a future trip to the market. And, F enjoyed taking in the musicians and all the cuddles that the vendors offered as he sat perched on mama's back.

In our short visit we saw clothing, custom made sandals, housewares, silks, exotic plants, food from every corner of Thailand, fabric, lanterns, sculpture, incense and the list goes on. Wide open air "roads" were only the start. Once you went inside the non air-conditioned buildings, narrow row after row after row featured vendors proudly displaying their goods from ceiling to floor. 

If it weren't for T's attention to direction, we may have spent another day and night inside the market. I had NO idea how to get out or where I was in relation to transportation that would ultimately take us home, but in some ways that perfectly describes the excitement that a market like Chatuchak brings. The ability to wander for hours, to negotiate prices, to become enchanted by the things that people make or the way they choose to display their goods, to wonder why someone would buy that!, and to let your mind wander a little further into an exotic land.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 7:

Green Chicken Curry

A perfect dish to build in the morning and let simmer in a crock pot (or on the stove) until you're ready for dinner. It's also a dish that tastes even better the second day, so don't worry if you have leftovers!

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, on the bone

1 cup of water

salt and pepper

1 can of coconut milk

1 cup of chicken stock

approximately 1 tablespoon of fish sauce

approximately 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

red chili flakes, to taste

green curry paste, amount will differ depending on the brand you use and your taste (begin with 1 tablespoon and add more as desired)

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 cup of bamboo shoots

3 green onions, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 cup bean sprouts

1 carrot, sliced into rounds

1 cup of fresh or frozen peas

1 cup of roughly chopped broccoli

2 cups of greens (we use the local chrysanthemum greens, but any good wilting green, such as chard or spinach, will work)

1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves

Method:

In a shallow pan, place 1/2 of the onion, the chicken, a generous grind of black pepper, several pinches of salt and 1 cup of water. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Then remove the chicken, allow to cool to the touch and shred the meat. (Discard the liquid or save it in the freezer for future stock making.)

Meanwhile, in a large pot, saute the remaining onion in 1/2 tablespoon of oil until golden. Add stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar and curry paste. Stir until well combined and warmed through. Taste. You are trying to strike a balance on your taste buds of sweet, salty and spicy. Determine if you would like to add more curry and/or the red pepper flakes (for more spiciness), more fish sauce (for more saltiness) or more brown sugar (for more sweetness). Once you are satisfied with your curry base add the bamboo shoots and the chicken. From here, you can keep the mixture it in a crock pot on low, let is simmer lightly on the stove or place in the fridge until you are ready for dinner. 

About 15 minutes before serving, add all the remaining ingredients and cook over medium until veggies are tender. Serve hot over rice.

The scent of Bangkok

After years of buying the occasional incense stick or two and always being overwhelmed by its intense smoky grab on my lungs, I now finally understand its use. Over 5,000 years old, incense plays an important role in Thai culture as a ceremonial tool. I have found it to be a rare day when I don't pass a roadside Wat (temple) cloaked in a mask of wafting incense.

But, today, when I say that I finally understand incense I'm referring to a much simpler observation. Spend a full day in Bangkok and you'll be treated to a cacophony of scents unlike any you've experienced before. While the individual components of Bangkok's nose easily conjure up a label of bad or good (Are you ready to play? Try it out: sewer = bad, curry = good, musty water = bad, tropical flora = good), Bangkok's scent is neither good nor bad. Instead, as I have learned, it is one of the ingredients that makes Bangkok unlike any other place. 

Throw the doors open wide in the early morning and you'll smell what I did this morning... the smell of a variety of curry dishes being started and left to simmer throughout the day. Then, an hour later, a drift of sewer and dampness permeates the vents, mixed with the faint smell of burning plastic from our under the sink, on demand hot water heaters. Wander the city at almost any time of the day and you'll catch diesel and deep fry oil and chilies so hot they'll make you cough from a good solid block away. The daily thunder and lightening storms, that we're experiencing in this monsoon season, bring a whole different scent to the late afternoon: a hot scorching scent of heat hitting both pavement and green trees, mixed with a dewy damp humidity. And, as the day winds down, the smell of both chlorine and some soon to be identified tropical flower clings to us as we exit the pool and prepare for our evening meal. 

Living in a city that provides such a beautiful assault on your senses, brings me to better understanding of incense. Sometimes you just want a scent that unifies all the good and seeps deep into the cracks to eliminate all of the not so good. A couple sticks of night jasmine incense and the smell of curry in the morning, heat in the afternoon and tropical foliage of the evening appear and everything else moves to the background.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 5:

Bangkok Watermelon Salad

A deliciously fragrant salad that combines the freshness, spiciness and sweetness of Thai cooking. We enjoyed this last night as an accompaniment to our fish and rice.

Ingredients: 

2 cups of watermelon, diced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated finely

1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped*

1 teaspoon of honey

1 teaspoon of water

black pepper to taste

Method:

Add watermelon, ginger and basil to a serving bowl. Heat the honey and the water until warm and pour into serving bowl. Toss thoroughly and add black pepper to taste (just a couple turns of a pepper mill will do). Toss again and chill until ready to serve.

* I like using Thai basil because its local and delicious, but any in-season basil will taste great.

The containers are coming!

Word is that our shipment is arriving in just a couple of hours. I've started the day optimistically, but with a dose of caution applied. After all, I've heard that before and similar to a fat lady singing, the shipment isn't here until the boxes have cleared our home's security guard, ascended to the top floor and are escorted across our threshold.

We decided to minimize the dishes (we're the dishwasher). T made fried eggs to top of rice that had been left to warm overnight in our cooker. While I prepped a special treat of a breakfast, that my mom recently reminded me of, for the kids. Basically a fast rice pudding, it has been a great way to use up leftovers and make the kids welcome yet another bowl of rice. C made place cards for our table, customizing them with each of our names. F attempted to scale one of the kitchen counters, with what I think was an original plan to summit at our drinking water container (a 15 liter sanitary water bottle with a battery operated pump).

After breakfast, I placed a few local calls to check references that will hopefully result in the hiring of some domestic staff. And, then....

.... the boxes began to cross our threshold and the parade of belongings began. In a completely neat and tidy manner, seven shoeless Thai men efficiently dispatched our packages to the appropriate rooms, opened them and created nice tidy stacks on every conceivable surface. There are books stacked on the family room coffee table, perfect rows of baby dolls covering every inch of C's bed, bikes lining our formal entry, picture frames in perfect corner to corner alignment on our living room couches, little matchbox cars parked end to end on the built in shelves, candles in orderly rows across the breakfast bar, serving platters and dinner dishes and multiple pots and pans and my great cooking knives (oh my!).......

Ahhhh. Exhale. Our shipment is here. The move is officially over and we will happily be spending several days establishing our new home. Now you'll have to excuse me, I am catching a whiff of that amazing gardenia candle I packed a month back.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 4:

Instant breakfast rice pudding 

I used to eat this occasionally as a kid. Thanks to a reminder from my mom, my own kids are now enjoying this as the occasional special breakfast treat. (And, I now have another recipe in my repertoire to use up any rice that I cooked in overabundance the night before!)

Ingredients:

cooked rice (white or brown), about 1/2 cup per person, heated

cinnamon

brown sugar

your choice of milk or cream

Method:

Dish the rice into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with desired amounts of cinnamon and brown sugar. Top with milk or cream. Stir and enjoy!!!

Serenity is here

Serenity is here: lush tropical foliage, golden wats (Thai temples), inviting swimming pools, deliciously scented wafts from street side food stalls, and peaceful looking, fabric swathed monks are all common place. But, that being said, Bangkok is also anything but serene. Bangkok is hip and trendy and fast and colorful and LOUD: a complete sensory overload. 

Bangkok is truly a city of unbelievable contrasts. Prior to departure, I read similar phrases in travel journal after travel journal. But, never did I grasp exactly what that phrase meant. I am now beginning to comprehend and understanding that the contrasts exist makes everyday life a bit easier to navigate.

Bangkok is both dirty and dusty, while also sparkling and pristine. It is deliciously scented, at times, and horribly stinky at others. It is full of traditional open air markets and sleek, modern, glassed-in mega centers. And, birds chirp, foliage waves in the morning heat, all the while giant construction sites are full of pounding and sawing. And, while pickups full of produce and meats display their goods in a movable feast of sorts, the Skytrain zooms overhead and cars stacked sometimes six or seven rows deep (on streets built for three or four lanes!) honk and idle in the sun. 

It is an amazing experience for your brain to take in all at once. Today was a perfect example of the city's contrast and how it affects us. 

T started breakfast at the other end of the house, while the kids and I stretched slowly out of bed this morning, waking up to 'mama's bird'. Yes, I now have a bird named after me. It's the little bird that sings 'Woo-Hoo!' when the sun rises and when the sun sets. And, like every other day so far in Bangkok, the kids opened their eyes and said 'Mama, it's your bird!' I am convinced that this little bird was created to shout 'woo hoo' purely for my enjoyment because I can't help but smile when I hear it calling out. I love that little bird. 

After stretching a moment more, we made it to the dining room and were treated to a flavorful concoction of fresh, local ingredients. If I didn't already know it, I do now... T is a genius. His spin on French toast was absolutely delectable and one that you should treat your family to this weekend (see below).

After what was a completely peaceful weekend morning, we loaded up our day pack (which mainly consisted of water and our son!) and were off to Skytrain. The quiet, fresh tropical morning of our neighborhood sub sois (side streets) was gone and we entered the dusty, humid, noisy intersection where we ascended high above the traffic to catch the sky train. Just as our cheeks start to grow red in the heat, ahhh... the train arrived, we entered and were greeted by blasts of air conditioning. Zoom... we are off to Siam Paragon, a mega, mega, mega shopping complex that is all glass and glitz and manufactured water falls (a relatively short distance in miles, but a long ways away from the look of our neighborly sub sois!). And, much to the kids excitement, home to Siam Oceanworld. This is our second visit to what is the best aquarium I have ever visited.

After rendezvousing with the gargantuan sea turtles, staying far away from the Python (that our daughter enjoyed petting!), seeing a giant fish that can actually survive a draught (by crawling into a hole and breathing air), and wondering why nutria (the giant rats... i mean rodents... really they look like giant rats... and people were all gathered around for their feeding time... hmmm... I'm obviously missing something because I don't get it) exhibit even exists, we went in search of lunch. 

Bangkok's sensory overload was completely apparent over lunch. Sitting in a food court type environment where at least 5o different restaurants sit side by side, music pounds, light shows flare across the walls, giant fish tanks and media screens compete for your attention while a loud speaker announcement requests your attention please (to something that I'm sure was important, but I couldn't hear it!). While trying to have a good (scream) conversation, I started to laugh and realized that this was what Bangkok is currently all about... preserving the serenity of past cultures, while attempting to also develop into a modern, competitive world. Sometimes it's hard to feel at home in both environments, but when I can learn to transition between the two, I think serenity will be mine.

p.s. The picture above is of the view from our home towards the our neighborhood Skytrain station. The station is towards the back of the picture. The foliage covers our sub sois that lead us to the station.

Cooking in Thailand, entry no 3:

Thai Toast

Today, T woke up early and concocted this dish for our family. It is delicious and is sure to be repeated again and again and again.

Ingredients:

1/2 inch thick slices of fresh french bread, at least two per person

1/4 cup coconut milk

the juice of one orange*

4 eggs, well beaten

salt, to taste

butter, for the skillet

mango or papaya, finely diced, and shredded coconut for garnish, optional

Method:

Mix the milk, orange juice, eggs and salt in a large shallow dish until frothy. Place the sliced bread into the mixture and flip to coat completely. Melt a couple of pats of butter in a skillet and heat until hot. Add the bread slices and cook over medium heat until lightly golden on both sides. Serve hot with desired garnishes.

* T used Thai oranges, which are slightly bitter. You could use regular oranges and add a few drops of Angostura bitters if you want to achieve a similar flavor.

A birthday party and a pirate ship

After one day in his new job, T returned home for a day of rest (tough life!). Although, let it be said that he loved his first working Monday in Thailand and he was a tad disappointed to not return to the office early the next morning. Yesterday was Queen Sirikit's birthday, partnered with Mother's Day. And, what a birthday it seemed to be. The Queen was honored with a celebration that included a candlelight ceremony, in which it looked like thousands gathered after dark to sing and be together as they honored their Queen. The ceremony was followed by fireworks that exploded over BKK's high rises. Point to Bangkok. The kids are hard pressed to find something that they don't like about this place! The city seems to deliver at every new moment, even after dark. 

And, while our shipment has supposedly arrived at port, we're still awaiting its arrival at home. So, whenever there's a natural opportunity to provide entertainment for the kids, we jump on it! Which leads me to yesterday's torrential rainfall. As soon as it began, I smiled in eager anticipation of an afternoon on the decks. In case you're not following my reason for excitement, let me explain further. Our home has several great balconies, but I've been a bit squeamish to set foot on them as they are covered in unrecognizable filth. So, rain, a dash of detergent, some mops and a quick tapping into the psyche of two young children with a new found fascination for pirates makes for a surprisingly entertaining (and productive) afternoon. We now have sparkling clean decks, filth-free.

And, in honor of yesterday's birthday, here's a gift for you:

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. 2:

Pad Thai, made in traditional Thai-style*

After a day of running around town (or swabbing the decks!) this makes for a comforting, filling main dish. We, unfortunately, omit the peanuts because of family food allergies.

Ingredients:

1 package dried rice noodles (thickly cut, about 4 oz)

2 tablespoons veggie oil

Your choice of protein (about two chicken breasts, cubed, two hand fulls of prawns, half block of tofu, cubed, or a combination) seasoned with garlic powder

3 eggs, blended with salt and pepper to your desired taste

2 cups bean sprouts

2 cups green onions, cut into approximately one-inch pieces

1/8 cup fish sauce

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

5 teaspoons brown sugar

red pepper flakes, to taste

lime wedges, chopped cilantro sprigs, sliced white radishes and crushed peanuts, for garnish

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add rice noodles. Cook until al dente (do not overcook... they'll get mushy and ruin the dish) and drain under cold running water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon veggie oil in a large saute pan and add choice of protein. Saute, on low heat until chicken is cooked through, prawns are opaque and/or tofu is golden (cook each item separately if doing more than one). Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon veggie oil over low heat and pour eggs into pan. Swirl around the pan and allow to set into a flat omelet. Flip, cook for 20 seconds more and remove from pan. Place onto a cutting board. When cool to the touch, slice into thin strips and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat fish sauce vinegar, brown sugar and pepper flakes to create desired heat. Bring to a rolling boil and remove from heat. In your saute pan, add noodles, sprouts, green onions and pour hot sauce over top. Stir until well combined and heat until sauce is absorbed by the noodles (should only take a few minutes). Add meat/tofu and egg, stir and pour onto serving platter. Garnish with lime, white radish, peanuts and cilantro sprigs. Serve hot.

*Thai style does not involve the use of ketchup, as most American recipes do. In addition, the egg is pre-cooked as an omelet, rather than scrambled as you'll more typically find in the States.

Thirteen Days in Bangkok

As I start this entry, the sun is making its final descent over Bangkok's skyline and the air is still heavy and humid from today's rainstorm that threatened but never materialized. The kids are just winding down as we prep for bed and my husband is in the kitchen, happily finishing up tonight's dinner dishes. We've now been in Bangkok for 13 days and the big news is that we're still anxiously awaiting our shipment. Let me be the first one to say it... yes, life is adventurous and exhilarating as you learn how to adapt in a new environment (lots of tales to tell in future, more rested days). But, after converting the cardboard corner covers that came with our mattress delivery into pirate hats, car ramps, musical instruments, pirate hat version 2.2 (and dodging the request for mommy to please make them into a new stuffed animal), lack of belongings with two young children in tow gets old verrrry quickly. So, with each passing day we hope that our shipment arrives on our doorstep soon.

The flights went well and we are already loving our new home, feeling in a lot of ways that we belong. We're exploring the city each morning, attempting to pick up a newly needed item on our outings and then returning to relax and swim. With just a few suitcases full of odds and ends to our name, we're learning to live with our beloved rice cooker, a set of sheets, a few of the Fisher Price Little People and some paper plates! This, though, has given us plenty of opportunity to figure out public transportation, investigate our local market (they deliver!!!), and try out the few words of Thai that we know. 

We're all just exiting the jet lag that accompanied us and the week ahead will be one in which I attempt to restore the kid's pre-move routine while T begins work. The enormity of the adventure (the prep of the last several months, the good-byes and the arrival in a foreign city) is sinking in and our bodies and minds are fatigued.

Since I love to entertain and I have found myself far and away from loved ones, this blog will be my way to not only document my journey as an expat in Thailand, but also as a way to play virtual hostess. My first gift to you...

Cooking in Thailand, entry no. one: 

Snapper in Coconut Mango Cream

After living on a diet primarily consisting of steamed rice, this was one of the first new dishes I've tried using fresh, local Thai ingredients. The recipe is adapted from a leaflet at our local grocery. And to make it fun, you can attempt to cook it in the method that I like to call 'sans-shipment' and use two plastic forks to flip the fish in the lava-like poaching liquid (paper plates make for a beautiful serving platter)!

Ingredients:

2 mangos
2 green scallions
1 cup of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of red chili paste*
2 small fillets of red snapper
Rice

Method:

Place two mangos, roughly diced, and two green scallions, chopped, into a dry saute pan. Cook over medium heat until mango starts to turn golden (the consistency will grow soft as well). Turn the heat down and add one cup of coconut milk and one teaspoon of red chili paste. Simmer over low for about two minutes, stirring to combine flavors. Add two small fillets of red snapper, cover in liquid completely and slow poach until fish is opaque (you may wish to flip the fish to encourage quicker cooking, but it is not entirely necessary). Serve hot with rice.**

* The chili paste I found at my local store included ground chilies, fermented shrimp paste, ground ginger and crushed garlic. If you can't find something similar, I recommend using a bit of red pepper flakes, a touch of ground ginger, a dash of garlic powder and a tiny splash of fish sauce to recreate the flavor.

** We enjoyed Thai Black Forbidden Palace Rice with this dish, which is traditionally used to make black sticky rice pudding. Serve with your favorite steamed rice (a wild rice blend would be tasty).