Cooking with "Hot Sour Salty Sweet"

[Twyst]

So....... Im about 15 years late to this party but I got HSSS as a stocking stuffer this year. Have some khao soi going now as its one of my favorite asian dishes. Any standout must try recipes I should attempt first in this book? My experience with asian cuisine is rather limited, but I have a huge asian supermarket a few blocks away!

[Okanagancook]

Luang Prabang fusion salad on page 78. Fantastic!

Shrimp and Rice Soup on page 95.

Our Favorite Noodles with Greens and Gravy on page 116.

[mkayahara]

Made the "Our Favorite Noodles with Greens and Gravy" for dinner tonight, and was pretty disappointed. It wasn't bad, exactly, just not that interesting, and the "gravy" in question was on the thin side. If I make it again, I'll cut way back on the water. But I think the only reason I would make it again would be to see if I didn't make it right the first time.

[Twyst]

I made the Khao soi a couple of months ago and it was really really good. Highly recommended!

[huiray]

I made the Khao soi a couple of months ago and it was really really good. Highly recommended!

Just some trivia and just FYI...in some cultures crossing one's chopsticks "on the table" is a no-no as it symbolizes death, although many people don't follow this taboo anymore (and maybe in some dim-sum restaurants). Maybe your doing it on the bowl rather than "on the table" negates this... :-) Hmm, it looks like the chopsticks you used were of different lengths, though - was this why you crossed them to make it less obvious? ;-) Well, traditionally *that* was another taboo and was deemed "unlucky". :-) OK, carry on with the cookbook...

Edited May 18, 2013 by huiray (log)

[Twyst]

Just some trivia and just FYI...in some cultures crossing one's chopsticks "on the table" is a no-no as it symbolizes death, although many people don't follow this taboo anymore (and maybe in some dim-sum restaurants). Maybe your doing it on the bowl rather than "on the table" negates this... :-) Hmm, it looks like the chopsticks you used were of different lengths, though - was this why you crossed them to make it less obvious? ;-) Well, traditionally *that* was another taboo and was deemed "unlucky". :-) OK, carry on with the cookbook...

Haha, well the shot was actually taken by my neighbor who I sometimes feed when I cook at home, hence the annoying instagram filter as well. I usually can't be bothered to photograph food at home, get enough of that at work

Edited May 19, 2013 by Twyst (log)

[BadRabbit]

Dredging up this old thread since I use this book so often. 

 

Thanks for the hint about roasting the shrimp paste. It made all the difference. 

 

My family loves the Chiang Mai Noodles. We eat them about twice a month. It's nothing difficult or incredibly interesting but I can put in on the table in about 30 minutes and it pleases the crowd. 

 

The Lao Hot and Sour soup with fish is also simple and spectacular. 

 

I keep the Fish Sauce and Hot Chiles in my refrigerator at all times (though there is nothing original about their "recipe").