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X-mas...pinoy-style

By Karla Gae Pascua As early as when the months of the year begin to end with "-ber", Filipinos are bursting with anticipation for that special magic the Christmas season never fails to yield. Anywhere else in the world, Christmas is a December "thing". Here in the Philippines, however, it lasts all the way into the Feast of the Three Kings, sometimes even onto the Chinese New Year. Indeed, with all the holiday hoopla, Christmastime in the Philippines is anything but boring. Christmas the Filipino way would not be the same without the "people traffic" inside and outside department stores and tiangges as shoppers clamor to get the best buys of the season. Pinoys at home meanwhile, spiffy up the house with decorations and strategically placed speakers, from which the sounds of Christmas will be heard. You also have fidgety children and over-anxious parents and yayas who bribe the children into "being good", else Santa Clause doesn't come fo...

Top 10 Must-Not-Miss Thai Food

By Siwawut Chaiya Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health. The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand. Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes. The ...

Tips For Cooking Authentic Thai Food

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

Tofu Is A Wonder Food

By Michelle Bery People become more and more health conscious with each passing year. Fad diets, home gyms, and quick weight loss pills constantly flood the market. However, there has always been one tried and true road to good healthy; healthy eating. Finding ways to eat healthy can be difficult, especially with the high fat and cholesterol content that is found in red and white meats. But there is an alternative that has been long embraced by both eastern culture and vegetarians alike, and that alternative is tofu. Tofu is made from soybean curd that is pressed into blocks that can be used in various recipes and methods of cooking. Different varieties of tofu are suited for different kinds of recipes. Soft tofu is a form of fresh tofu – produced directly from soy milk- and contains the highest moisture content of all varieties. Its custard-like texture makes it conducive to use as a dessert. Firm tofu is a form of fresh tofu that has slightly less moisture content than soft tofu. Whi...

Thai Chicken Curry in Coconut Milk

This is one of my all time favorite dishes. I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do. If you never had the pleasure of trying Thai curry chicken then I almost can guarantee that you will fall in love with Thai food after trying this chicken recipe. Thai curry has an absolutely amazing combination of flavors in it, and you can make it as spicy or as mild as you would like by adding less or more of the curry. You can buy Thai curry paste in most supermarkets, or you can look in Asian markets if you can't find it anywhere else. Thai curry is great served with jasmine rice as this type of rice cools and compliments the flavors found in the curry. Also serve with a green vegetable, such as broccoli or green beans. Vegetable oil 1tbsp Red curry paste 4tsp Boneless chicken breasts (skinned) 4 Onion, chopped 1 Sweet red pepper, cut into stips 1 Grated rind of 1 lemon Coconut milk 1 cup Fish sauce (if unavailable, use soy sauce) 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp In a large pan or ski...

Spices Thai Food Galangal, Nutmeg Tree And Krachai

By Manora Galangal Scientific name:Alpinia galangal (L.) Willd. Family:ZINGIBERACEAE Vernacular name:Kha Galangal is one of the members of the ginger family. It is the rhizome of a plant Alpinia galangal(L.)Willd. The plant is about 1-2 metres high and has long arrow leaves and small white, red-streaked flowers. The rhizomes arc knobbly and ginger-like which are deep orange-brown in colour, aromatic, pungent and bitter. Dried rhzome pieces are tougher and woodier than dried ginger. It is used in soups and stews, but remove before serving as they are unpleasant and woody to chew on. Its piquant taste is akin to cardamon and ginger. Galangals are used fresh in curries and stews. It is an essential component of Thai curry pastes and other Thai cooking. The rhizomes and its essential oil are used to treat catarrh and respiratory problems. It is also carminative and stomachic. Both the fresh and dried rhizomes are used in Thai-style soups and curries. Nutmeg Tree Scientific name:Myristica f...

Fried mix-Vegetable

Ingredients 2 Lettuces 1/2 can Bamboo Shoots 1 tablespoon Thick soy sauce 2 cups Chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon Salt 2 cups Vegetable oil 2 Chinese Broccoli 1 teaspoon Sasame oil 1 tablespoon Cornstarch 10 Dried black mushroom Method   Heat the oil in the pan. Fry broccoli until cooked and remove from heat. Leave 4 tablespoons of oil in the pan, pour chicken broth and add lettuce. Cover the pan for 3 minutes. Then put bamboo shoots, black mushroom, thick soy sauce, sesame, salt and fried chinese broccoli. Add the cornstarch mixed with water. Stir until cooked and serve hot. Note: Available vegetables can be used, for example; young corn,red or green bell pepper, riped tomato, mushroom etc.