Legitimate Pad Thai

I love Thai food.  I mean, I really really love it.  Though I've been cooking it for as long as I can remember, and the finished product is always tasty (in my humble opinion), the problem was that I was Canadianizing it too much; I was complicating things with too many ingredients (yes, ketchup was involved).

I've since learned that the beauty of Thai food is its simplicity.  But here's the clincher - the signature Thai flavours could not contrast one another more.  Most dishes are actually only based around 4 ingredients/flavours: sour-lime, sweet-sugar, salty-fish sauce, and spicy-chili.  How do I know this?  Well, Dan and I travelled to Thailand and spent a full day with a crazy Thai woman (trust me - she told us she threatens her husband with a cleaver if he stays out past 2am) and learnt the art of Thai cooking.

I guess I should come clean: for those who attempted the Tom Kha Soup I posted recently, I'm told that regular ol' ginger is NOT a substitute for galangal, but I still remain unconvinced...

Anyhow, you can trust me on this one - it's directly from the source.  Pad Thai, though not the most obscure item on the menu, is the most traditional dish and, arguably, one of the easiest to make.  That said, be creative, use other ingredients, garnish like it's your job - but always, ALWAYS stick to the basics and you'll never be let down.

What you'll need:

oil

sugar

fish sauce

oyster sauce

rice noodles

egg

tofu

garlic

carrots

green beans

To garnish:

cilantro and/or green onions

hot sauce or chili powder

chopped peanuts

What to do:

• Place vermicelli noodles in bowl of hot water to soak - Do not boil!
• Heat oil in wok and add chopped garlic
• Immediately add tofu pieces (or chicken if you so please)
• Add scrambled egg (you can scramble in the wok to save time and dishes)
• Immediately add 1 tsp sugar, 2 tsp fish sauce, and 3 tsp oyster sauce.  Don't use measuring spoons - go with your gut
• Add your noodles and a tiny bit of water if they aren't fully cooked
• Last step! - Throw in your chopped carrots and green beans and cook for about 1-2 minutes - be careful not to overcook your veggies
• Add your garnishes and serve!

For a veggie (or kosher option), sub in mushroom sauce for oyster.  Vegans (and kosher sticklers) can leave out the fish sauce or add soy.

Last night I made enough for two grown men and ate every last morsel.  Please let me know if you enjoyed it as much.

Best Coffee - The Tampered Press

I have a few things on my to-do list on this beautiful Sunday morning before I head to my aunt Bink's farm to spend the afternoon with my family.  One item that will not get pushed to the back burner is a trip to my favourite coffee shop in Toronto, The Tampered Press.

I love this place for more than a few reasons: it's close to my house, close to the park, the coffee changes my mood from medium to euphoric, and the owner and space epitomize good vibes (turns out I'm a hippie).

The owner, Caitlin, gets her coffee from Classic Gourmet, one of GTA's best (I can attest) roasters.  She's one of the few indie coffee shops to open before 8 and she doesn't charge for milk substitutes.  What a woman.

I ALWAYS get a single almond milk latte (I'm salivating just thinking about it), my man Dan gets a double Americano, and my little nieces would recommend the hot chocolate to you any day - they even liked it better than that fancy French place near Bellwoods.

So grab a coffee, tea, Awesome (home-made Oreos I've still yet to try) and take a stroll through the park.

Follow them on Twitter for a chance to get a "Tweet Deal".

256 Crawford Street (faces onto Dundas), Toronto

Open Monday -Friday 7:00am - 7:00pm; Saturday and Sunday 8:00am - 7:00pm

*No animals were harmed during this post.*

Pot Luck No Brainer

B-RAW-ccoli Salad

Ever notice at pot lucks that there are always a million bowls of potatoes or pasta salads? Well, if you feel the need to err on the side of healthy or you're unlucky enough to get pigeon-holed into the 'salad' category, this broccoli salad is a no brainer - and good for your brain too.

Broccoli is definitely up there on the 'best possible things to eat' list.  The health benefits are endless - high in fibre, vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, and folic acid; basically there's no one who out there who should not be eating broccoli.  Trust me, your Mom wasn't lying to you.

Warning - the vitamins and nutrients in broccoli start to deteriorate with more heat - so if you hate broccoli but do it for your body, make sure you don't boil the shit out of it!

Not only will this superfood be the main component of the dish, but because this salad is made with raw ingredients, you'll be getting every last bit of folic acid (that's right - time for baby-making!)

Ingredient possibilities are endless so be creative and add your (or your host's) favourites to the mix.  Oh yeah, and it only takes about ten minutes to prepare.

What you'll need:

 2 broccoli heads

sweet red pepper

red onion

dried cranberries

walnuts

mayo

white or balsalmic vinegar

brown sugar 

ground pepper

What to do:

• Cut broccoli, half of a red onion, and a red pepper into bite sized chunks; add to large bowl with craisins and nuts
• In separate bowl, mix together about 1/2 cup of mayo (low fat okay!), 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and about 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Mix all ingredients together and add ground pepper
• Let the mix sit for at least an hour before being served
• If it's not saucy enough - make some more dressing but be careful not to drown it!

Have fun at your party, and don't drink and drive!

Tom Kha minus the Kha

I had a crazy craving for some Tom Kha soup one day so I went out and made sure I had every single ingredient on my list.  SOMEHOW, I managed to forget a key player: the galangal (thai ginger). 

The bad news is that this particular ingredient actually made the title [read: mandatory], but the GOOD news is that I've never before included it in this recipe, and so far, I think I've done pretty alright. 

If you've got it, definitely use it (and let me know if I'm crazy to continue making this soup without it!)

What you'll need:

chicken broth

coconut milk

fish sauce

chicken

mushrooms

carrots

onion

lemongrass

hot thai chilies

sugar

lime

oil

galangal (I guueess)

Start the Tom:

• In small saucepan, heat oil and cook onions (thinly sliced) and mushrooms together
• Start your soup base in a separate pot - combine a can each of chicken broth and coconut milk with your burner on medium heat
• Add very coarsely chopped thai chillies (Hint - start with two or three and add more if you can take the heat.  Make sure you avoid these while you're eating or else you won't be able to taste the soup - these babies are HOT)
• Add 1 chopped lemongrass stem, 3-4 tbsp each of fish sauce and sugar, sliced carrot, and your onion/mushroom combo
• Bring mixture to a boil and add raw chicken pieces a few at a time
• Reduce heat once chicken is cooked and taste your masterpiece
• Play around with the salty sour combination of fish sauce (careful with this stuff - it's got enough sodium to kill a horse) and lime, which you should hold off on adding until the end to preserve its flavour

You can make this a vegetarian dish by swapping the chicken stock for vegetable stock, fish sauce for mushroom and/or soy sauce, and of course the chicken for some of your favourite veggies.

Oh screw the galangal - you don't need it!

Fancy Dinner in a Hurry

Pumpkin Agnoliotti with Grilled Asparagus

Two nights ago for dinner I had KD and weiners, grilled cheese with the whitest bread possible, and tomato soup.  Although it was supremo delicious, I was really craving a meal with a little more in the way of nutritional value - so for last night's dinner, I had to appease my body.

This meal is definitely a win-win-win-(win):  So delicious it hurts, easy to make yet looks like you slaved over it, healthy for your bones, (and sounds super fancy).  Though pasta dishes aren't typically considered to be  "good for you", this pasta's filling is high in iron, Vitamin A, and fibre.  The sauce is also chock full of veggies so you won't feel like you have to force down a salad too.  You can change it up by adding your favourite veggies, but whatever you choose, I guarantee that the sweetness of the pumpkin combined with the savoury sauce will absolutely blow your mind.

You will actually have to go to the grocery store for this one - but it still won't break the bank!

What you will need...

pumpkin agnoliotti (President's Choice baby)

asparagus

onion

garlic

mushrooms

tomato sauce (one day I'll teach ya how to make it from scratch)

red pepper

spinach

grape tomatoes

fresh basil

olive oil

salt/pepper

cayenne pepper

Start with the sauce!

• Heat oil in saucepan and add chopped garlic, basil, onions, and mushrooms - add chopped spinach when onions are cooked
• Add tomato sauce and reduce heat
• Meanwhile, boil water and add pasta (make sure you don't do this too soon as the pasta will only take about 6 minutes)
• Add sliced pepper and last - whole grape tomatoes to the sauce
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
• In a separate pan, heat oil and add freshly washed asparagus with salt and pepper (TIP: break asparagus instead of cutting it to ensure you're getting the best flavours); cook until slightly soft but not mushy
• Drain pasta and you're almost there!
• If you want to impress: carefully place the pasta on a plate and scoop sauce into centre; place asparagus to your liking and get ready for some compliments

This one calls for a glass of wine!

Scrounging Around

Breakfast Burritos (Good for dinner!)

Well I must take after my father (no waste) because I am the queen of scrounging around my fridge.  Breakfast burritos for dinner is the perfect dish to make when (you think) you have nothing in your fridge.  It consists of pretty basic staples that you probably have lying around as well as whatever you're lucky enough to stuff it with.  Whatever concoction you come up with, I promise it will be great.

The essentials (for one!):

tortilla wrap

 two eggs

rice

beans (black or refried work best)

hot sauce and/or salsa

salt and pepper

add-ons:

cheese

tomato

mushrooms

red/green pepper

avocado

green onions

cilantro

What to do:

• Start your rice!  Brown rice is the healthiest option but we won't be too picky here.  Follow the instructions on the package
• Meanwhile, scramble eggs and cook at a medium temperature - don't forget the salt and pepper (and cheese if you've got it!)
• When rice is just about done, add beans to pot along with other veggies you want to be hot.  Season with salt and pepper
• Warm your tortilla shell and begin to add your fillings.  Start with rice, beans, and eggs then add your fresh veggies and condiments
• Wrap it up if you can or eat with a knife and fork if you can't!

I promise you'll feel so good about yourself after this one that you'll want to chuck out your frozen dinners.  The rice and beans combo may make you gassy, but the mix will also provide your body will all the essential amino acids on top of protein, iron, and Vitamin B - and I'm not even including the health benefits of eggs!  Not bad for those who practice grocery store avoidance!

Enjoy!

Daddy Advice

My dad is not easy to describe.  He's a complicated, simple man.  An athlete who hydrates with beer.  Youthful yet won't stay awake through a movie (at any time of day).  A calm man who screams when he gets the daily jumble.  He's one of a kind - and he also has a knack for whipping up a storm in the kitchen (though you might get a produce sticker in a bite or two).

He has his fair share of "Howie Specialties" such as eggplant parmesan, chicken stew,  and of course his famous ribs.  But he also likes the little things in life - which is why I'm sharing this recipe he sent me from one of his father's signature dishes.  According to my dad, "it was the only thing he ever cooked!"

It would be a shame if I edited this, so please enjoy some verbatim words of wisdom from my dad...

The perfect 4 minute egg:

Take a small pot and fill just enough to cover 2 eggs.(no waste)  bring to a boil. Start  the kettle. Get out bread. Also bowl and plate and cutlery.  Water should almost be ready now. Plop in eggs, carefully.  Put bread in toaster. Put teabag in cup.  Add the kettle water. Get out the milk and honey (optional)  after 3 minutes take out the bag. (put it in the green thing!)  add the milk  n honey(opt)  take out the toast, let cool briefly. Take out the eggs. (if you re too fast wait  the remaining minute) butter the toast. Add honey(opt) crack the eggs. Remove all shell (OPT)  salt n pepper eggs to taste. Sit down n enjoy. Courtesy nate katz, of blessed memory, it was the only thing he ever cooked!