Kirk Petersen

I made Tom Kha Gai last Friday night using this recipe:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_kha_gai

(strange that the wiki page contains an actual recipe, but it is a good one so I’m not complaining)

It was well received. I love the combination of flavors and spices and the creamy-ness of the coconut milk. And, of course, the hint of fermented anchovies. Mmm. Everything was just about perfect except I cut the chicken into chunks that were too thick so they were a bit difficult to eat.

It would be nice to limit how much lemon grass get dished into bowls, because that also makes it difficult to eat. One website suggests straining the soup through a colander before putting in the chicken and mushrooms. That is a good idea, as all solids previous to that are inedible, but I’d be afraid that the lemon grass flavor wouldn’t be as strong that way. It would also cut down on the galangal flavor. Perhaps simmering the soup a little longer before that step would compensate.

Here is the beef stew recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34459,00.html

Shanti and I made beef stew last night using a recipe off a cooking show. I’ll definitely be writing down the recipe (with any modifications) for later use and will post it here, too. And when I say “later use”, I’m thinking about possibly making this weekly. It was that good. Very flavorful but not too rich.