Inspired by the terrific meals I’ve been getting at Albuquerque’s Thai Tip restaurant, I’ve been trying to learn to cook Thai food. (I’d eat at Thai Tip every day, but it’s a 75-mile round trip.)
Thai cuisine is nourishing, flavorful, healthy, and (if you stay away from the coconut milk) low in fat. It has a wide variety of flavors, and (if you cook it right) has a brilliant fresh taste and what the wine snobs call a “long finish,” meaning that after time the taste doesn’t turn sour or unpleasant in your mouth after time. (At least I think that’s what “long finish” means.)
Also, the cooking is dead easy.
My favorite Thai soup (thank you, Terry Boren) is tom yum, which has a wonderful balance of sweet, heat, bright, and sour. Tonight I tried making it using this recipe from Tyler Florence. I was a little worried because my lemon grass was old and dry. I threw in more than the recipe called for. My kaffir lime leaves were getting a little long in the tooth as well, so I chucked in a couple extra.
I needn’t have worried. Walking into the kitchen and inhaling the cooking smells convinced me this one was going to turn out all right.
It was fantastic! Thai Master Walter strikes again!
I would throw in a graphic of the soup, or a graphic of a cartoon animal looking smug, but I’ve just had a great meal and I’m too lazy.
Walter – double thanks. First for putting me onto Thai Tip, which is in my old neighborhood, and second for the link to Duke City Fix,which is a marvelous resource.
I’ve been enjoying your Turkish Travel Journal no end. It sounds like a marvelous trip, even the difficult parts.
I always find that the difficult parts are a lot easier when all you have to do is read about them. ;->
I love Thai food! There is a very good one in Davis, California called Sophia’s Thai kitchen that I miss. Sadly, Sophia no longer works there, but it is taken over by a businessman. Some of the dishes still taste the same, but some of them are like photocopies of photocopies.
I have yet to find a place in Florida that I like as much.
It has been a boon that de-fatted coconut milk has arrived around here!
Love, C.
Alas, I can’t usually eat in Thai restaurants; too much chance of contaminating the other dishes with seafood.
I used to love it before the allergy.
I took a friend to Thai Tip last night for his birthday. We had mixed seafood Thom Kha (my taste buds have died and gone to heaven) and Ginger Beef Stir Fry, both at medium (adventurous gringo) heat which was quite good enough for me. A synergy between the peppers and the ginger? (licks lips). And Thai iced tea, which we agreed was really dessert.
Thanks for letting your readers know aboout it!
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