chili paste

I've Got a Cold Only Tom Kha Gai Can Cure

03 Feb 2012
Tom Kah Gai

If you are seeing a picture of tom kha gai then it is safe to assume that I feel like crap. 

Sometimes you just don't need a recipe to know what your body craves. This is one of those days, because I have a bad cold. One of those I don't want to do anything at all kind of colds.

I have been battling it for 5 days. It started typically enough with a scratchy throat. By the next day I had a stuffy nose, but no fever. In fact if it weren't for the stuffy nose I would have said I felt just fine. I had just about convinced myself that it was not a cold at all, just a mild allergy flair up.

But, alas sometime in the night these sniffles moved into my chest and sat down with a great heavy thud! My chest is so congested that it actually feels as if a great big bear is sitting on it while sticking a long feather down my throat. Tickling away for his own amusement. The tickle leads to a cough, the cough leads to hack and the hack brings up some of the nastiest stuff you'd ever want to see.

I used to think that the only thing for a cold was hot tea and toast. But I have learned there is another sort of relief and I have come to swear by it. If you live in Los Angeles long enough, you find that you shed your old skin and develop all sorts of new habits. The simple, comforting and spicy Thai soup known as Tom kha gai or Tom kha kai is one of those skins you develop. One of those adopted experiences that become completely your own. So now whenever I have a cold, it's this soup and this soup alone that makes me feel better.

God Bless the thriving Thai community in Los Angeles.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Tom Kha Gai- Thai Chicken Soup in Coconut Milk Broth

Tom Kha Gai
By jgreghenry Published December 12, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 q chicken stock
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white & pale green parts only, cut on the diagonol into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 thai chilies, thinly sliced
  • 2 clv garlic, crushed
  • 3 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 3-inch pieces ginger, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 3 T asian fish sauce
  • 1 t sugar
  • 1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed
  • 5 limes, juice only
  • 2 c boneless, skinless chciken thighs, cut into 1-inch chuncks
  • 3 long beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pn each salt and pepper
  • 1 t thai curry paste
  • 0.25 c thai basil, leaves only optional
  • 0.25 c cilantro, leaves only optional

Directions

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat bring the chicken stock to the boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice, long bean pieces, and chicken pieces. Simmer for 8 minutes to cook the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the thai curry paste and add basil and cilantro leaves if using. Ladle the soup into a large soup bowl or individual serving bowls.

A Creative Take on Duck: Sliders with Fig Ketchup

19 Oct 2011
duck sliders with fig ketchup

Today's journey to Duck Sliders with Fig Ketchup was a group effort. Part of that group includes my brother Grant who paired this recipe with Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2009.

But there is more to the story than that. You see, I have had duck burgers in restaurants. Both times I found fault with the preparation. Let’s face it; duck can be fatty, and rich. I love fatty… and rich too. But a 1/2-pound of fatty and rich on huge buttery brioche bun makes me a little queasy.

The other version of a duck burger I shunned was closer to duck confit on a bun. More like a Sloppy Joe than a proper burger. Had they called it a Dirty Donald or something similar and served it open-faced with poached duck egg I might have dubbed it genius. But alas, they served it with lettuce and tomato. I ended up just feeling sorry for that once proud confit.

So I set off to invent my own. The lessons I learned are two-fold. One: less is more, and Two: burgers have rules, and evidently I can be a fanatic about those rules. One of the rules I fanaticize about is simple. I like burgers to have the proper condiments. Burgers like ketchup. People like burgers with ketchup. My ground duck concoction would have ketchup.

But not just any ole Heinz will do. Duck is a fairly complex flavor, to avoid getting tagged with the "gamey" moniker it's best to augment its assets. I think duck pairs nicely with fruit and spice and sweet. It can stand up to bold acidity too. Ketchup is all those things– fig ketchup is all those things and more.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Duck Sliders with Fig Ketchup

duck slider with fig ketchup
By jgreghenry Published October 18, 2011
Prep time: 180
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb figs, quartered
  • 0.5 lb diced tomatoes, use roma or other 'paste’ variety
  • 1 t coriander seeds
  • 1 t cumin seeds
  • 0.5 c palm sugar
  • 1 c malt vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 3 T pomegranate molasses, or substitute with honey
  • 0.5 t cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 1 t thai style chili paste
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 6 boneless duck breast halves, with skin
  • 0.5 c cilantro leaves, loosely packred
  • 0.5 c panko breadcrumbs, as needed
  • 6 scallions
  • 1 t five-spice powder
  • 1 t sriracha sauce
  • 1 pn salt and pepper, as needed
  • 12 filipino pandesal rolls
  • 1 c napa cabbage, shredded

Directions

Make the fig ketchup: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay figs onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Lay the tomatoes onto a separate parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast them both in the oven until they begin to color, about 15 minutes for figs about 20 minutes for tomatoes.

In a medium sauce pot, toast the coriander and cumin over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the roasted figs and tomatoes, scrapping up as much of the juice and crusty parts as possible, palm sugar, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, cayenne pepper, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Raise the heat to high and cook until the mixture reaches a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until it’s thick and jam-like, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Use a blender or food processor to thoroughly puree the mixture, adding a splash of extra vinegar to achieve the proper consistency if necessary. Taste and adjust acidity with more vinegar to taste. Refrigerate for several hours before using.

Make the duck patties: Remove the skin from the duck breasts, then roughly chop them. Place the duck breasts and 1 of the skins (also chopped) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 6 or 8 times until well combined and the texture resembles slightly wet, coarsely ground beef.

Transfer the duck mixture to a large bowl. Roughly chop about half of the cilantro. Add 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, scallions, the chopped cilantro, five-spice powder, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper to the bowl. Next, handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. You be the judge if you think you need more breadcrumbs, add too many and the burgers will get rubbery, but the meat should hold together when pinched (but just barely). Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and form the portions into patties to fit the pandesal rolls.

Grill and assemble the sliders: Prepare a medium-hot fire for both direct and indirect cooking in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the direct heat area of the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, just until done, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Watch for flare ups. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the pandesal rolls, cut side down, on the indirect edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, place some shredded Napa cabbage, cilantro leaves onto the roll bottoms, place a duck slider on top. Spoon on some of the fig ketchup to taste. Add the roll tops and serve.

Thai Coconut Curry Pairs Well with Hall Napa Valley Merlot

23 Nov 2010
curry ingredients

Today I thought I'd cook something a bit different from my usual fare. It's something light and healthy (in prepartion of the gorging I plan to participate in starting tomorrow).

I also thought I'd cook something my friend Helen might like. Because you see I have a plan! Between FoodBuzz Project Food Blog, the holidays, FoodBuzz Festival and all my regular duties both here and at home, I have been as busy as I have ever been in my entire life. Now I know I tend toward broad, all-encompassing statements. But really. Things have just been madness lately. I need a bit of help around here.

So, by cooking something that Helen might like– I figured she might be just the friend I need to lighten my editorial load just a tad. Because I know Helen, so I know that whatever Helen eats she prefers to pick the wine to go with it too. I have a wine fridge full of wines waiting be tasted and evaluated. See where I am going with this? With Helen on the wine, that's one less thing for me to do.

She rummaged around and chose 2006 Hall Napa Valley Merlot. It's a bottle that's been in my wine fridge for a few months, waiting for its moment to come forward. I was given this wine at an event benefiting Gulf Restoration, called LA Helps LA (Los Angeles Helps Louisiana). Hosted by Gisele Perez of Small Pleasures Catering. I tasted it at the event and was very impressed. So I knew it was a bottle that would appeal to Helen.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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