msphoebe

Coconut cream can be found inside a can of good coconut milk. It floats to the top and sticks to the sides of the can. See the link below for lots of good information on coconut milk / cream. http://thaifoodandtravel.com/ingredients/cocmilk.html

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk) is easy and delicious. Sticky rice, served either with mango or coconut egg custard, is divine.

Well, yuck! I've never had anything like it, before or since.

I'm having an "aha!" moment. A few months ago, a new steakhouse opened around the corner. Timberline, which I'm sure is a franchise operation. Anyway, stopped by for a quick mid-week dinner. I ordered a steak and to my surprise, the texture was terrible. It was like eating pre-digested meat! I wondered what in the world they had done to the piece of meat. Even sent in my comment card...and they sent me back a coupon for buy-one-get-one free dinner! I think they smushed it or papain-ed it. And for the record, I would NOT consider this a high-end steak house. Here in Kansas City, Plaza III or Ruth's Chris are best. Even Hereford House isn't as good as it used to be, in my opinion. Have had some tough steaks there on the last few visits.

It does sound like tamarind and shrimp are a great combination. Kasma Loha-Unchit has a recipe for Thai shrimp on her website that I'm going to have to try.

torakris -- AWESOME!!! Wow!! Thank you so much for posting the link. Great information and I'm psyched to try new ways of preparing / serving tofu. I just want to thank all of those who contributed their expertise to the eGCI. You all obviously put a lot of time and effort into the articles, and I'm sure many, many of us have gained valuable information that we'd have trouble finding elsewhere in such a concise manner. And the opportunity to ask questions is priceless! Keep up the great work, it is deeply appreciated.

I'm gonna love these Tamarind experiments. I'm embarrased to say I've only eaten Indian food once, at a restaurant, but never cooked it at home. Can't wait to delve into a new cuisine! Thanks, everyone.

Thank you all for the suggestions. A tamarind beverage is on the radar screen... And whippy...fortunately this tamarind concentrate lists only Tamarind and Water on the ingredients list (no salt). It is produced in Thailand for import by Ahning Corp. in Los Angeles. It bears the Caravelle (ship) logo.

Well, you folks came through again! Thanks for the ideas on using the pre-fried tofu (never thought to rinse the old oil off) and especially the tips for frying my own. Of course! There is so much water in fresh tofu, it makes sense to press some out. Spaghetttti -- kecap manis...I have a Thai sweet soy (Dragonfly brand) that I think would work well...not sure what country kecap manis comes from? nwyles -- the cayenne pepper and coconut/panko dredge sounds tasty, too. All staples I keep on hand so will give it a try. torakris -- I spent a fair amount of time this weekend reading some of the egCI posts...wow what a great source for information! However, I did not see one on soy! Are my middle-aged eyeballs giving out on me? I'd love to read your class AND the Q&A which I've discovered are not only informative, but entertaining in many cases! Thanks again, everyone.

I recently discovered Tamarind Concentrate at the Asian Market. I've always been curious about tamarind, but the process of soaking and straining (or squeezing) the tamarind paste seemed like a whole lot of trouble for something I wasn't sure I'd like. I opened the jar of tamarind concentrate and had a taste. Wow! What a neat, bright flavor. Now I'm looking for ways to use this stuff. Any suggestions? TIA

At the Asian market I purchased a couple of small packages of fried tofu. I know I've seen recipes for using this stuff, but can't lay my hands on them right now. I've tried frying tofu myself, and wasn't very successful. The tofu barely browned and seemed to absorb a lot of oil. I served the tofu with stir fried veggies and steamed jasmine rice. Any suggestions for using or preparing fried tofu would be appreciated.

Here's my two cents': If I question the freshness or edibility of raw meat, I toss it. Yes, it's a heartbreak to waste the money (and sometimes the opportunity for a really unique item), but I find I don't enjoy it one bit if the freshness is in question. Most recently, I had a cry-o-vac pork butt that had been in the fridge for a week. I took off the wrapper and was amazed at how slimy and gooey it was. Rinsed it off with a lot of water and roasted it. After it was done, I was annoyed to find myself unable to eat it, always looking for something "wrong" with the taste. My gut feeling was, this has been in the fridge for a week, it was real slimy, it's not good. End of story.

I, too, salivate at the thought of fresh Thai Basil. I often buy it at a local Asian grocery. Was unaware it is available dried. Although I would never use it, I'm wondering where you found it! Thanks for sharing. d

I believe that I have seen pomegranate juice in the bottled juices section at Wild Oats. Now that I know Knudsen makes pomegranate juice, I'm just sure you could find it at Wild Oats, as they carry so many Knudsen juices. The pomegranate vinaigrette sounds intriguing. What other ingredients do you intend to use? Any herbs? Honey or other sweetener?

I wasn't going to bother with a reply, but this comment says it all about you.... "waddling Nebraskans and their ilk." What a nice guy!

I now have a new wallpaper for my computer..... thanks! =^..^=

I have only used leeks in Leek & Potato Soup. However, a quick check of "The Victory Garden Cookbook" yields several suggestions, among them Leek Tart and Baked Scallops and Leeks. Mollie Katzen's "Still Life with Menu Cookbook" includes Leeks with Black-Eyed Peas, and leeks in pilaf. In Mollie's "Moosewood Cookbook" she includes leeks as an ingredient in her Warm Salad. The salad includes greens such as escarole, chard, Napa cabbage, and mustard greens, as well as garlic, leeks, red onion, mushrooms, celery, and cauliflower. It is dressed with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with parmesan and black pepper. Let me know if you have any interest in any of these recipes and I'll look them up for you.

In addition to the fresh tomatoes I purchased at the Farmer's Market, I also bought some fresh corn on the cob ("Peaches & Cream"), cucumbers, a fabulous cantaloupe and some jalapeno peppers, among other items. I'm thinking of making a couple of different salsas to serve as a side for either grilled fish or chicken. Do you have a favorite combination? I've heard of cantaloupe being used in fresh salsas, but never tried it. One of my favorite combinations is mango, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Mmmmm... Please share!

I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions to add, but wanted to thank you for this great idea for pairing tomatoes and ginger. Love both but never thought to combine them. I'll have to give it a try!

I stopped at the Farmer's Market yesterday and bought some more tomatoes, including heirlooms. Made the most wonderful BLTs for lunch. I also picked up a spaghetti squash which I've cooked and let cool. After scraping out the flesh, I will chop some of the fresh Romas and saute in a little olive oil and garlic. At the last second, I'll add some chopped fresh basil and give it a stir. The tomatoes will then be placed atop a plate of spaghetti squash and sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I just adore fresh summer vegetables. So much flavor! A world of difference from winter foods, which are also flavorful in their way (thanks to the availability of dried herbs and spices). Thank God for the wonder of fresh tomatoes! Edited to add -- Steve, do you dress your tomato, onion, and basil salad in any way?

Well I've had some very nice responses here and one that is not so nice. I should have clarified -- I am aware that "ceviche" is uncooked seafood, be it shrimp, scallops, or fish. The intent of my post was to inquire about others' methods for preparing EITHER ceviche or "coctel." To say that the idea of cooked shrimp in "cocktail" (or coctel in espanol) is laughable, I respond you should expand your travels. I have spent many many months in Mexican coastal towns and it is not at all unusual for shrimp to be served cooked. As for precooking the shrimp resulting in a "glass of tough tasting camarones" I will offer that perhaps you haven't had cooked shrimp in one of the better coastal restaurants (or street carts) where the cook knows what he's doing. (And BTW, does "tough" actually have a "taste" or did you mean to say this another way?) Again, "Sam", you should expand your travels and your mind. Veracruz isn't the only place in Mexico where Coctel de Camaron is served, and there are many different regional styles of Mexican cooking. Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions. And bigbear, thank you kindly for the welcome. I look forward to learning and sharing --

Thanks for sharing! Those little "bloody mary balls" are quite an interesting use for cherry tomatoes. The recipe with fennel sounds great, too. Have never cooked fennel at home, but love the taste. Will definitely have to give it a shot.

Well...according to Jeff Smith ("The Frug")... "During tough times in the very early days, the colonists in New England practically lived on salt pork and beans. The beans were brought with them from England and proved to be a wise solution to the problems offered by cold New England winters. There are many variations on this basic dish, and I suggest that you begin with some variations of your own." If anyone is interested in the recipe, I'll be happy to post it.

Sticky rice with mango is a delicious, seasonal treat. Easy to make at home, too. Yummmmm! * Exported from MasterCook * Mango on Sticky Rice (Kow Neuw Mamuang) Recipe By : Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Desserts Thai Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 mango -- peeled Coconut Milk Sticky Rice (Kow Neuw Moon) 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 cup sticky rice 2 pinches salt 1 cup coconut milk Make the coconut milk sticky rice below. Peel and slice ripe mango. Place sticky rice on a small plate and top with mango. Spoon the coconut milk on top of the coconut milk. The Traditional Method Using a Steamer: Soak the sticky rice in enough water to cover the rice for at least an hour and even overnight. Take your steamer, put water in the bottom and cover the steam section with cheese cloth. Pour the sticky rice on the cheesecloth, cover with the lid and put it on the stove on medium to high heat. The sticky rice should take about a 20 minutes of steaming to cook and will become translucent when done. The Microwave Method: I learned this method from my friend who has mastered microwave cooking to such a high level of proficiency that she has earned the title 'the microwave queen'. Soak the sticky rice for 10 minutes in warm water in a bowl. Soaking the rice is very important. I have tried this method without soaking the rice first and it was disastrous. The rice was undercooked and inedible. The water level should be just above the rice, which comes out to be 1 cup of rice and a little over 1 cup of water (about 10% more). I recommend using a non-plastic container because you may melt the plastic in the microwave. Cover the bowl with a dish and cook in microwave for at full power 3 minutes. Stir the rice around to move the rice from the top to the bottom. You will notice that some of the rice is translucent or cooked and some still has white center or the uncooked portion. Heat it up again for another 3 minutes. Check and see if it is done. When cooked, all the rice should be translucent. If it needs more cooking, I recommend heating up and checking every 3 minutes or so. How long it takes to cook really depends on your microwave. Putting it together: Heat the coconut milk in a pot over medium heat. Stir constantly and let the coconut milk simmer. Hard boiled coconut milk will curdle. Add sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Pour 3/4 of the hot coconut milk over the hot sticky rice. Let it sit for 5 minutes. The sticky rice will absorb all the coconut milk. The rice should be a little mushy. Spoon the rest of the coconut milk on top of the rice at serving time. Description: "Mango on sticky rice is a traditional summer dessert because mangoes are in season during the summer months of April and May." Source: "www.thaitable.com"

Oh my...I'm speechless! My mouth is watering, just looking at those photos. Lucky you! I'd almost forgotten this recipe I made several times last summer. It is Martha Stewart's originally, but I made some modifications as noted. It was very good! * Exported from MasterCook * Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe By : Martha Stewart Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Soups & Stews Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion -- finely chopped 3 cloves garlic -- minced 10 cups canned crushed tomatoes 5 1/4 cups Homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth -- skimmed of fat 3 sprigs fresh oregano -- plus more for garnish 1/2 cup half and half salt and freshly ground black pepper Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently until thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove oregano sprigs. Slowly add half-and-half, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with oregano, if desired. Serve hot. Source: "www.MarthaStewart.com" Copyright: "2002" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : I used fresh tomatoes. Would recommend peeling and seeding. Since I didn't have quite enough tomatoes, I added a 6 oz. can of tomato paste. Also added 1 cup of heavy cream in place of the 1/2 cup of half and half. Used immersion blender to puree the tomatoes.