CHIANG MAI CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG HANGLAY

Another great Thai curry paste, a good paste to start learning with as the ingredient list is not exhaustive.

3 long dried chillies seeds removed and reconstituted in water for 8-12 minutes
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
2 tbsp lemongrass lower 1/3 chopped
2 tbsp purple asian shallots chopped
1 tbsp garlic smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric skinned and chopped or pwdered if unavailable

METHOD;

Using a pestle and mortar pound all of the ingredients, starting with the hardest first until you form a smooth paste. Alternatively make the paste in a blender/liquidizer with a touch of water if too dry.

Makes 3-4 tbsp

YELLOW CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG GAREE

Another great paste from Thailand, less ingredients than the previous two, but just as delicious!

1/2 tsp salt
12 big red dried chillies - seeds removed, soaked in water for 8 - 12 minutes, then finely chopped
1 tbsp galangal- skinned and chopped
4 tbsp lemongrass- lower 1/3 finely chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste

METHOD;

Pound in a pestle and mortar, until smooth. Alternatively for an easier but not so good result place in a blender/liquidizer to form a smooth paste, a touch of water may be needed!

Will make 4-5 tbsp

THAI GREEN CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG KHEO WAN

As in most curry pastes a mix of dried and fresh ingredients are used. This is a good and versatile green paste, that is made in the same way as the previous red paste!

INGREDIENTS;

1 tsp coriander seeds - roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp cumin seeds -roasted until fragrant and coloured
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp galangal
3 tbsp lemongrass-white lower 1/3- finely chopped
1 tsp kaffir lime peel- chopped or 2 finely shredded lime leaves
2 tbsp coriander root- chopped(see note)
2 tbsp asian shallots(purple)- chopped
1 tbsp garlic - smashed
1 tsp shrimp paste
1 tsp turmeric- skinned and chopped or dried if fresh not available
20 small green chillies
1 good handful of sweet basil leaves

METHOD;

As with the red paste start with the hardest ingredients first, which in this case would naturally be the dried spices. Pound to a powder, then add remaining ingredients, starting with the hardest(lemongrass). Pound until paste is smooth - 10 -15 minutes. Alternatively place in a blender/liquidizer, you may need to moisten with a touch of water.

Makes 4-5 tbsp

NOTES;

If coriander root is unavailable, use the stems from a coriander plant, or nearest to where the root was to be found. Unfortunately most shops and suppliers sell coriander rootless! The logic behind using the roots is that the coriander plant draws its nutrients and flavour through the roots therefor these will provide a superior flavour!

THAI RED CURRY PASTE - NAM PRIK GAENG PHED

Who doesn't love Thai curry, this recipe was shown to me by a Thai, so is pretty authentic. The paste is made up of dried and fresh ingredients, and is worth the effort to make, shop bought pastes and sauces will not even come close to this paste. In Thailand cooks learn to judge the balance by smell, but that is best left to Thai's, or David Thompson, that practice is far too advanced for myself or novice paste makers. If you do happen to make this paste, i would not worry first time round about tring to judge the balance as you can correct this at the cooking stage. After a couple of attempts you can taste as you go!

RECIPE;

Dried ingredients;
1 tbsp coriander seeds (roasted until fragrant)
2 cardamon pods (roasted until fragrant)
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon of salt
10 big dried red chillies - seeds removed and pre-soaked in water for 10 minutes, then finely chopped.

5g galangal
5g lemongrass-chopped (white bottom piece)
5g kaffir lime peel - (alternatively use 2 lime leaves center stem removed and finely chopped. Kaffir limes are harder to come by in the west, kaffir lime leaves are easily bought frozen).
10g coriander root - chopped i(f not available use 10g of the stems closest to the roots)
15g shallots -(chopped) small asian shallots with pink skins
15g garlic - crushed
5g shrimp paste
10 small red chillies

METHOD;

Place the dried ingredients into a pestle and mortar,grind to a powder. Add the rest of the ingredients,hardest first and pound to a smooth paste. This can take long time but the result is well worth the effort.
I find that adding an ingredient at a time and pounding is easier to work with, else the mortar is overloaded. Alternatively add all of the ingredients to a blender or spice grinder, and blitz to a smooth paste. You might need to loosen the ingredients with a little water. This method is not as good as the latter but does make a suitable paste.

YIELD;

4-5 TBSP

The paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container and can be frozen, but the flavour will diminish.

THAI SWEET CHILLI BURGER WITH CUCUMBER

My fiance has an aversion to chilli and fish sauce yet eats these two wonderful ingredients unknowingly quite often. "why you putting fish sauce in everything?" she said. So i have to go through the monotony yet again of explaining why for one i do not put fish sauce in everything and for two, the use of chilli does not have to mean HEAT! After yet again explaining that the fish sauce has a purpose, and yet again that "no it won't taste fishy", i eventually with some simple explanations manage to make some inkling of sense. You see when i cook food containing Fish sauce or chilli she is normally busying herself elsewhere, so does not see what goes into the dish only the finished meal. Then i go through my usual response and try to remind her that Worcester sauce is in fact made with Anchovies, and this super ingredient she uses quite liberally, in different dishes, with no ill effect.
Anyhow back to the burgers. For a while now i have been wanting to make beef burgers with sweet chilli sauce, and serve them in buns with sliced cucumber! Nothing special, probably bizarre to your average fast food customer, but the result was pleasing and the Fish sauce fiance enjoyed, for me it was just taking ingredients that i enjoy and bringing them together. If you have had the pleasure of eating cucumber in a fish sauce based Thai dipping sauce, then we will more than likely be on the same wavelength!

MAKES 6-8 - DEPENDING ON SIZE

RECIPE;
500g lean mince beef
2 tbsp of Thai sweet chilli sauce(shop bought condiment)
2 tsp of Thai fish sauce
1 small onion (finely chopped)
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Sliced and peeled cucumber

METHOD;
Place the finely chopped onion and mince into a food processor and pulse till it forms a ball. Remove and place into a mixing bowl make a well in the middle and add the chilli and fish sauce, and black pepper to taste. Mix using your hands and form into patties of your desired size , season with salt and pepper. Best cooked on a griddle or griddle pan. Cook to your liking, about 6-8 minutes does the trick! Of course you can cook these under the grill or shallow fry.

TO SERVE;
Rest the burgers for a couple of minutes, meanwhile wipe the griddle of excess fat, then toast your buns or alternatively grill the buns and serve with a little melted strong chedder if desired and sliced cucumber.

CHICKEN THIGH WITH FRIED RICE AND LIME

Succulent chicken thighs marinaded with lime,soy and ginger then stir fryed with rice. A nod towards the orient but simple and achievable in the home kitchen! Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS;

2 chicken thighs
juice of 1 lime
2" piece of fresh ginger
1 medium green chilli
400g long grain rice
75g peas
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1 bunch of spring onions/scallions
2 tbsp of light soy
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp of veg oil
optional egg x 2

MARINADE;

Bone and dice two chicken thighs into 1cm pieces, place into a bowl with the juice of one lime, 1 tbsp of light soy sauce, half of the ginger and one medium green chilli. Cover and leave to marinade for a minimum of 1 hour.

RICE;

Bring 2 lts of salted water to the boil, add the rice and cook for approx 10 minutes. Reserve.

THE DISH;


PREP;
Finely dice the carrot,garlic and remaining ginger then slice the spring onion diagonally.


TO COOK;
Heat a wok with 1 tbsp of oil. Stir fry the chicken and marinade for 2 minutes then set aside . Wipe the wok clean and return to the heat - add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, add the garlic,carrot,ginger and chopped spring onion, cook for one minute, then add the peas. Stir fry for a further two minutes then add the rice and coat with the oil in the wok. Cook for a further 2 minutes then add the reserved chicken and marinade, season with salt and pepper to taste, cook for a further minute before adding 1 tbsp of soy and 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Toss or stir to combine and you are ready to serve.

If using the eggs, give a quick whisk, then add at the same time as the rice.

BEEF RENDANG- PICTURE SEQENCE

Spices blended with a pestle and mortar. A spice mill or blender attachment can be used in lieu of a decent pestle and mortar. Onion,garlic and ginger passed through a blender. Blended to the consistency of a puree.

Coconut bought to the boil at the first stage.

Coconut milk with the addition of spices and onion puree. This is the first change of colour to be experienced during the cooking of this rendang.

You will notice the slightly darker colour of the dish at this stage. Do not give up at this stage and serve the dish a little patience is all that is required. Believe me the dish will change to the desired colour.

Towards the end of cooking time you will notice that most of the coconut milk has been reduced and absorbed by the beef. This is the stage that requires a little more attention. You will need to keep a close eye on the beef to prevent the beef from burning and drying out. Believe me at this stage it is possible to lose the dish. When most of the sauce has been absorbed and you are left with a dark mass of beef with a thick coating of sauce. You are ready to serve!

The final product. At the beginning of cooking you will wonder whether the dish is too light in colour, will it ever reduce, be patient the dish will happen!

BEEF RENDANG

This dish is great, but is adaptable in the amount of beef you use. I allow 250g of beef per a person up to 1kg for this recipe. Allowing 250g of beef per a person is really not that much if you consider this dish is not bulked out with other ingredients like most curry dishes. You can cook this with 500g or 750g if desired, as the rest of the ingredients remain the same. Beef Rendang originates from Sumatra in Indonesia, with Malaysia having similar versions. During research for this dish, i did come across many versions with different recipes claiming to be authentic. My recipe is not far off the mark, but this aside it is still very tasty and a dish that is cooked many times in our household. The Rendang method was originally created as a way of preserving meat before the times of refrigeration. This dish does require a lot of time to make but the results are worth the wait. The puree of onion,garlic and ginger that is used to help thicken this dish is very adaptable for other curry dishes, and is a wonderful method of thickening and developing flavour.

THE RECIPE;

The puree;

250g onion

3 cloves of garlic

10g ginger

Small pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp of water or c/milk

The spice mix;

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 black peppercorns

The rest;

1 kg Beef steak(cut into decent chunks)

400ml coconut milk

1 bay leaf

1 stick of lemon grass

1 tbsp fresh lemon

4 chilli peppers(de seeded)- Depending on the amount of heat required seeds can be left!

2 -3 tsp of palm sugar

Optional Garnish;

Fresh tomato

Spring onion
Sliced chilli

THE METHOD;

Ground the spices in a pestle and mortar or spice mill to a fine powder, Reserve.

Chop the onion, garlic and ginger and add to a blender to make a puree. You will need to use the water or coconut milk to loosen the mixture and help the puree along. Season with a pinch of sea salt, reserve.

Add the coconut milk to a suitable skillet, and bring to the boil, after a couple of minutes add the spices, cook for 2 minutes before adding the onion puree, cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the chilli,lemongrass and bay leaf. Allow too cook for a further minute then add the Beef. Coat the beef with the coconut then add the lemon and palm sugar.

Over a low to moderate heat allow the dish to cook until all the sauce has been absorbed by the Beef, this will take somewhere between one and one and a half hours. Do not worry during cooking as the sauce will not take on the dark Rendang colour until all of the sauce is absorbed. During the last 10 minutes of cooking more attention is required as the sauce is absorbed to prevent the Rendang from burning.

The finished dish will look like a sticky dark brown mass, lovely and rich. Turn out into bowls and serve with boiled rice.

I like to eat Rendang with a garnish of tomato, spring onion and sliced deseeded chilli.

PANCAKE FU YOUNG

A vegetarian version of a Fu Young dish. This recipe is using a pancake as a base rather than the traditional egg omelette. The beauty of this dish is that you can use any vegetables you have to hand. The Fu young is really a folded omelette with an assortment of Chinese ingredients.

THE RECIPE;

4 pancakes

2 cloves of garlic(finely chopped)

1 chilli- seeds removed and sliced

1" piece of fresh ginger(finely chopped)

8-10 chestnut mushrooms(sliced)

4 spring onions(sliced on the diagonal)

1 medium onion(roughly chopped)

1 red pepper- sliced and seeds removed

4-6 mangetout

4-6 baby corn

A handful of fresh beansprouts

1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce

Juice of half a lime

1 tsp sesame oil

sweet chilli sauce to taste

sea salt and black pepper to taste

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS;

1 tsp of 5 spice

1 tsp of sugar

METHOD;

Stir fry the garlic ,onion,ginger and chilli for 1 minute, add the mangetout and corn and cook for a further minute, then add the bell pepper and mushrooms cook for a further 2-3 minutes then add the soy sauce and lime. Continue to stir fry then check for seasoning, adjust as necessary. Finally add the beansprouts and spring onion and cook for a further minute, then add a tsp of sesame oil before serving.

TO SERVE;

Place a 1/4 of the stir fry on each pancake and roll into a cigar shape, cut in half and plate with a garnish of sweet chilli sauce and a drizzle of the pan juices.

BEEF CHOW MEIN

Fried noodles(chow mein) can be served with most forms of protein, a favourite of mine is beef.

In this recipe i am using rump as the beef is seared in a wok first, then cut across and tossed with the noodles when ready to serve. My version of beef chow mein is rather dry, but by increasing the soy,oyster and rice wine too 2 tbsp each you will achieve a moister chow mein, if that is your preference.

RECIPE;

serves 2

150g egg noodles

175g rump steak(APPROX)

2 tbps groundnut oil or vegetable oil

1 tbsp light soy

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp of rice wine(shaoshing)

1 large clove garlic

1 pak choi(sliced on the diagonal)

6 chestnut mushrooms

pinch of sugar

beansprouts(1 handful)

sesame oil

salt(to taste)

pepper(to taste)

METHOD;

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, meanwhile add a tbsp of oil to a wok or saute pan and cook the beef for 2 minutes a side, then set aside. Reserve the cooking juices in the wok. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the manufacturers instructions. Now reheat the wok and add the other tbsp of oil and stirfry the garlic then add the mushrooms,pak choi and the bean sprouts, cook for 2 minutes. Then add the oyster and soy sauce, stirfry and add the rice wine and a pinch of sugar. Drain the noodles and add to the wok, toss to combine then add the sliced beef,toss again then adjust the seasoning if required and turn out onto a plate with a drizzle of sesame oil to taste.

NOODLES - PRAWN WITH CHILLI AND GINGER

A simple meal for one that can be increased in quantity. Egg noodles cooked with chilli and ginger with a garnish of fresh coriander and spring onion. A lovely combination that is simplicity in itself.

RECIPE;

6 prawn/shrimp(cooked)

2 tbsp groundnut oil or veg oil

1 chilli( deseed, if required)

5 g root ginger

1 clove of garlic

3 spring onions

125g egg noodles

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine(shaohsing)

1 tbsp fresh coriander

Pepper (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

METHOD;

First cook the noodles according to manufacturers instructions. While noodles are boiling, finely chop 5g ginger, 1 chilli, 1 clove of garlic. Reserve the white part of one of spring onions for garnish and cut the rest of the spring onions on the diagonal(green leafy part as well). Heat a wok or saute pan on a high heat add the oil, once hot add the garlic, ginger and chilli cook for one minute add the spring onion and prawns cook for further minute then add the noodles. Toss all of the ingredients to combine now add 1 tbsp of light soy and 1 tbsp of rice wine. Cook for a further 2 minutes while keeping the ingredients moving! Add a turn of black pepper and check for salt. Turn onto a plate and garnish with 1 tbsp of fresh coriander and shredded spring onion.

Note; When checking for salt bear in mind that soy sauce is salty! You might not need as much as you think.

BEER LAO - THE NATIONAL BREW

When a country does not produce much apart from rice,opium and graceful women, it yearns for some sort of identity. Having Earned the accolade of the most heavily bombed place on the face of the earth courtesy of uncle Sam, the country and population have always needed something more stable , a product that identifies the plight of the people and reaches further than the eye will ever see, straight to the heart of the nation . A product that can play with the big boys of the brewing world and rightly so. Without a doubt the boys at beer Lao who first initiated the idea of a national drink probably did not envision the success that this brew would achieve or the pride of place that the nation would hold there national brew. Established in 1971 with production starting in1973.Brasseries et glaci e res du Laos(BGL) was formed as a joint venture between a French investor and locals, following political change in 1975 the Laos government bought back all foreign shares and established a state enterprise which has grown considerably over the ensuing years. Joint ventures were undertaken at later stages of the companies growth, but 1993 saw two investors pull the plug, and a return to Laos government ownership in 2002, immediately Carlsberg Asia and a Thai company TCC a business partner of Carlsberg Asia bought 25% each leaving the Laos government with the remaining 50%.
Beer Laos is made with local jasmine rice that has been polished, with malt being imported from France
and Belgium which are used along side quality German hops and yeast. Luckily Beer Laos take quality control seriously and it shows in the final product, with regular tests from the HACCP(Hazard critical control point), and CILAS(Carlsberg inter laboratory analsysis). Thank god for those tests the finished product is far superior to the competition over the border, with a sensible strength beer coming home at 5%. The drink itself is clean tasting and does not feel syrupy and thick on the palate, a great beer.
Beer Lao original can be bought in 330ml bottles/cans and super size 640ml bottles which are unique to south east Asia these cost $1/70p for a small bottle and $1-40/92p for a large 640ml size, these prices are pretty standard for bars as well. Beer Lao also market a lite version at 2.9% alcohol, plus a Beer Lao dark at 6.5% both these come in a standard 330ml bottle. Draught beer called Bia Sot(fresh beer) can also be purchased in bars, plus there own brand of drinking water tiger head. If in Lao you could always try the local rice wines ,but believe me Beer Lao is easier on the head. If your not in South East Asia beer Lao can be purchased globally -You have no excuse to not try this excellent smooth brew. Beer Lao is available in Plymouth, England from Moor&More Beer down at Frankfort gate- no 11. http://www.moorandmorebeer.co.uk/, retailing around £1.70 a bottle(330ml).

Beer Lao websites;

• http://www.beer-lao.com/
• http://www.beerlao.co.uk/
• http://www.beerlao-usa.com/
• http://www.beerlao.nl/
• http://www.beerlao.co.th/
• http://www.beerlao.com.hk/
• http://www.beerlao.ch/

ENJOY ALCOHOL SENSIBLY - TRY NOT TO SPILL ANY!

QUICK GUIDE TO DINING VIENTIANE

Thinking top dining destinations, I'm sure Vientiane does not even enter the list, well think again as all this could change in the coming future!

Ok, so London,New York,Tokyo and Paris first come to mind, but this charming south east Asian capital has more to offer than first meets the eye! When thinking south east Asian you automatically assume the cuisine of the big culinary destinations in this part of the world and rightly so with the vast array of delights to be had in Singapore, the fragrance of Thailand or the depth of flavours associated with Vietnamese cooking, Laos being a minor cousin, and often overlooked is stating it's claim as fast as the country embraces democracy and peace.

All of these country's have there famous dishes, but Lao's national dish laap pronounced larp is probably little known outside of the country or the Laotian community's that have settled in the USA. With tourism and the high numbers of Aid workers on the increase it could even grow in popularity world wide. Laap is a dish of minced meat normally pork, but can be made with fowl or fish,which is then tossed with lime juice,garlic, roasted sticky rice(that is ground to a powder),scallions,mint and chillies. Authentic laap is made with raw pork that is then minced, but to cater to different tastes you will normally be served the pork at least cooked. Laap can be fiery hot, but most restaurants will tone down the mak phet(chili) to western palates.
Laap is served on a salad of leafs, normally consisting of lettuce with lao sticky rice being the normal side order, Another favourite lao dish is papaya salad. Lao cuisine is very similar to Thai in its use of fresh ingredients that are balanced to achieve healthy and delicious meals that can be a little too hot for the western palate, but still achieve that perfect balance of sweet,sour,salty and hot. Vietnamese and Chinese influences are to be found throughout Lao with the noodle being a firm favourite, but Laotian food is not only confined to eastern influences with the french making an impact during there colonisation of french indo china. Not only are there french restaurants of note in Laos but the humble baguette is big on the agenda often being eaten for breakfast with condensed milk and throughout the day with lao pate( think pork luncheon meat). Baguettes can be found from street vendors throughout the day. For exceptional baguettes along the river front you will find PVO opposite the BCEL bank they have some of the best in town, along with tasty spring rolls. Full size baguettes are cheap and very filling. Bakeries are good and have a loyal following throughout the city with some great eats on offer and tasty pizzas.

A good place to ease your self into the complexities of Lao cuisine is Ban Lao beer garden on Th Francois Nginn, with a menu consisting of Lao staples with the odd western dish, the food is honest fare over seen by villay and her female cooks. With many dining options to choose from on this street, you could eat modern tapas at the Full Moon cafe, then head next door to stickies for a modern take on food that would not be out of place in the trendiest of eateries. Along the street you can dine on a mix of Lao and french fare at Douang Deuane or eat barbecue Lao style at the entrance for 50 cents a piece. For a drink in good company head further along the street to the Hare and Hound pub where john will keep you amused with his good humour and tales of south east asia, and his graceful wife will feed you if your hungry, good for imported steaks and British fare. Tasty Indian can be found around town with the Taj mahal being a popular choice and very reasonable on price, just be careful with the rice, somtimes it moves!

Dining options are endless in Vientiane with good lao food from vendors and the riverfront providing sun set dining from the numerous restaurants along the mighty Mekong. Word on the street being Le Belle Epoque is one of the best options for fine dining with other good french restaurants about town, La Vendome and Le Cote D'Azure being very popular with ex-pats. You can find Japanese, Korean, Italian, Chinese and most cuisines in some shape or form in the capital. A quote from an ex-pat living in lao and written in a top guide book, read as " Dollar for dollar the best dining in the world" He is not far wrong!

PHOTOS FROM MAKPHET TRAINING RESTAURANT -LAOS

Makphet training restaurant,Vientiane Laos.

Front sign with a description of the restaurant.

"Yum mak nee" Banana flower salad with grilled pork

fillet,tamarind and chili.

Coconut lime cake with "mar not" sorbet and Red hibiscus

flower syrup.

"Mar not" Sorbet

MAKPHET TRAINING RESTAURANT -LAOS

Modern Lao food for the uninformed can take many guises, but none more so than at Makphet restaurant in Vientiane Laos. I chanced upon Makphet after leaving the restaurant next door, although not dissapointed with what i had just eaten, deep down i was a little annoyed at not having found Makphet an hour previously. I made a note to have lunch there the following day, as a sign outside informed the public that they were to shut the day after for a ten day break!

Makphet translated as Chili in Lao language is very unique in that it serves as a training restaurant for former street children. The restaurant is overseen by the teachers with the former street kids cooking and tending front of house. Students and teachers alike are adorned in identical green t-shirts with the Makphet motif and respective grade adorned on the front.


Makphet is overseen by a charity Ngo called Friends international, a charity committed to helping former street children and there mothers through training in the hospitality industry and the making of handicrafts. http://www.friends-international.org/laopdr.html

Friends international have a similar set up in Cambodia with training restaurants in the capital Phnom penh. Makphet has a second floor that sells handicrafts made by parents with 70% of the profit being retained by the crafts person, while the other 30% is injected back into the enterprise.

The very modern menu with it's culinary roots ingrained in Lao cooking and culture is a revelation. The menu you are handed by your Laotian waitress is given with a gracefulness that could hail from the former royal courts, only this is a former street child with the determination to make good fortune of one self. If other restaurants could put the thought into the design, that has taken place with the menu you are handed at Makphet i'm sure there clientele would be back for seconds! The menu itself could hail from a Sydney cafe at the height of fashion, only this comes from a training restaurant. You are handed a lime green coloured professionally designed booklet with amazing food photography and delightful writing that describes the dishes on offer. With dishes starting in the range of 40,000 kip and ranging to 55,000 kip for mains, and desserts starting from 30,000kip(exchange rate at time of meal 8,500kip to the $) this is a little bit on the pricey side for Vientiane but offers extraordinary value for money once you have sampled the goods on offer, if you could sample food of this quality in a major western city you would be sure to pay a small fortune!

The food on offer is inventive sounding with good use of local ingredients. I opted for a banana flower salad, grilled pork fillet and chili and tamarind called yum mak nee. The dish it's self was lovingly presented, without the need to be pretentious. A nice background of sweet sour flavour with a gentle kick of chili, this salad is tantalising to the palate with the pork fillet beautifully cooked and moist with a succulent bead of crisped fat still attached. For dessert i found it rather more difficult to choose as they all jumped out to grab your attention and shout EAT ME!!!

Dessert is a big let down in south east asia with many desserts in the asian repertoire, a lot of places offer some abomination not native to the region, when all most people want to eat is authentic cuisine! For my dessert i was faced with a task of mammoth proportions-what to order! The selection starts at 30,000 raising to 35,000 kip, with Red Hibiscus,Passion fruit sorbet with Meringue and Pineapple in Palm Sugar Caramel with Coconut Gelato and chili amongst some of the selection on offer, i opted for Coconut Lime Cake,Hibiscus flower syrup and a sorbet made from a local fruit called Mar not. While not over the top with the presentation, enough effort had been taken to plate the dessert but the taste was Divine, overshadowing the presentation by a long way. The sorbet with a taste i can only describe as being somewhere between Mango and Passion fruit, was technically perfect and would not be out of place in a Michelin starred kitchen, and i would say probably the best i have ever eaten yet, the lime coconut cake was a good texture, moist and full of flavour. A sauce of Hibiscus flower syrup remained in the background ,but was a welcome taste although the dish could stand alone, if needed.

My view might read as biased, but this a genuine review and i am in no way associated with Friends International or Makphet restaurant. The food is really of exceptional quality being served from a rare little gem of a place, with happy smiling faces serving and not a hint snobbery to be found!

One main course, one dessert, a side of Laos sticky rice and two coffees 109,000kip, approx £12.50/$20 us

If you are fortunate to be visiting Vientiane be sure to drop into Makphet, and don't forget to leave a jolly good tip!!!

Makphet is located down a side street off Th Francois Nginn, next door to Ban vilaylac restaurant, directly behind Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan. Open monday to sat for lunch and dinner.

KOBE BEEF @ kABUKI: SIAM PARAGON

The search had started months before the scheduled flight to Krung thep a.k.a the city of angels but better known to you and i as Bangkok for that mythical piece of beef known as kobe. This may seem a long way to go for a sample of the worlds most expensive beef, but their was a method behind the madness. For one i would not be able to afford to sample Kobe beef in London, without a second mortgage. Bangkok seemed to be a good choice to start, seeing as japan would not be on the culinary radar for at least a couple more years, and a large Japanese presence in Bangkok, means good Japanese food. Bangkok must at least, be one of the major culinary destinations in our modern world, with some very good restaurants to boot,fabulous local cuisine, extraordinary street food that turns even the most ardent of food snobs into drooling animals whilst dripping namh prik down the front of there overpriced and over sized designer labelled clothing.


I started my search on that trusted friend google, with results showing a smattering of establishments that serve imported Kobe beef. The first was a joint that specialized in steak of all kinds and at reasonable prices with the Kobe steak coming in at 13 Thai baht a gram, on the other side there was the big hotels with even bigger names that import Kobe but again the problem being the big price! I eventually settled on Kabuki restaurant in the Siam paragon mallhttp://kabukithailand.com/. Kabuki was offering Kobe for 20 Thai baht a gram while not the cheapest, in my mind it would offer the better experience being a Japanese restaurant, and association was to be a key element of this dining experience.


To be classed as Kobe beef the cattle must be born in hyogo prefecture, fed by a farm in hyogo prefecture and be slaughtered in hyogo prefecture. The cattle being Tajima ushi breed of wagyu cattle. WA- meaning Japanese and Gyu meaning cattle, so wagyu translates as Japanese cattle. Tajima cattle originated from ancient stock, called kuroge wagyu translated as black haired Japanese cattle. Wagyu cattle are now bred in Australia,America and Britain but cannot be classed as Kobe due to the strict breeding measures! Kobe cattle and associated products still retains an air of mystery with the strange breeding practices you read about being true. The cattle are fed beer, but not as a luxury. The beer serves a purpose, and is used to help stretch expensive feeds, increase the appetite in the summer months and fatten the cattle. Another practice that is employed is massage with the use of sake! Massaging the cattle may sound extreme, but one purpose of this technique is to make the meat more tender as tajima cattle are prone to inactivity, therefor the massage stimulates the effect of muscles being worked.

Kabuki restaurant is located on the ground floor of Siam paragon an ultra modern top end mall, with the ground floor being dedicated to food.

On entering Kabuki you are greeted immediately then shown to either a private booth or a central seating area. In my case i was shown to a private booth with seating for four, probably on account of my enquires seconds earlier about the availability of the infamous and elusive Kobe beef, which incidentally is hard to find. Kobe was offered in two different cuts sirloin or fillet.

Fillet being 25 Thai baht a gram, i decided on sirloin at 20 baht a gram which was bought out on a platter with the best part of £500 worth of steak on show, the marbling of each piece being an extraordinary off white colour, with a good ratio, almost equal of red meat to white fat. My choosen steak being priced at 3900 baht for a 190 gram steak roughly- £69/$115 us.

I started my meal with an 8 piece sushi roll set that was moist and succulent with the rice clinging to the roll providing a lovely texture. A small piece of toro sushi nigiri that cost 250 baht was next and a new experience for me. The tuna belly melting into the mouth and dissolving on the tongue like a pillow of air, giving me an insight into the Japanese Psyche about quality fresh tuna of superior grade!

The Kobe arrived on a small black plate with three pathetic chips and a garnish of julienned vegetables. When you are paying this much for a steak the garnishes make little difference, a little soy would have been a better gesture, rather than an attempt at haute cuisine arrangement with crap chips that a fast food restaurant would be happy to serve!

My steak was very good but unfortunately did not compare to a wagyu meal i had in Singapore several months previous. Now don't get me wrong this was far superior to what your average person has ever eaten or will probably eat with out taking the plunge and parting with serious money, but something was lacking the steak was a little over done, and a little seasoning would have benefited the meat rather than trio of crap chips! While melt in your mouth tender, i struggled a little bit with the amount of fat content!

If i was to compare wagyu and kobe to 4 and 5 star hotels obviously Kobe is the 5 star, but i prefer to stay 4 star, much more comfortable!

I have eaten in some very top restaurants around the world, but have never managed to spend £92 on a complete meal and be in and out of a restaurant in under 40 minutes. Incidentally on leaving the restaurant prangs of guilt set in with the amount i had payed and the less fortunate i passed on the streets of Bangkok, becoming a top concern. With no access to welfare, i dug deep into my pockets and spent half that amount again in handouts to the needy and not the greedy, as i was feeling the wrath of greed!

Kabuki(Thailand)co.ltd

• Siam Paragon
• G27 ground floor. 991/1
• Rama 1 rd. Pathumwan
• 10330 Bangkok Thailand
• Tel: (66) 0-2129-4423
• Fax (66)0-2129-4424

Open daily from 11.30-2115(last orders)

Sky train stop Siam BTS.

info@kabukithailand.com

http://www.kabukithailand.com/

FRIED RICE WITH EGG

A simple standby fried rice with egg that will satisfy your soul, at any meal time!
This recipe will serve 4 people, or alternatively leftovers are wonderful eaten cold!

Note;
Traditionally rice is fried after being cooked and left for a day or maybe a little longer. This dish calls for rice cooked in the present and makes a wonderful supper dish or standby!



400g American long grain rice

2 large organic eggs

100g peas

1 bunch spring onions/scallions- approx 8

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp sesame oil + more if desired

1 tbsp light soy sauce + more if desired

3 tbsp sunflower oil

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper(preferably white) to taste



Bring 2 litres of lightly salted water to the boil.

Whilst waiting for water to boil;


Lightly whisk 2 eggs with a dash of soy sauce, heat a saute pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil, over a medium heat, cook the eggs as per a plain omelette, once eggs are set fold each side into the middle and slide onto a plate, reserve.

Trim the spring onions reserving the green ends(make sure green ends are cleaned and free of dirt and grit). Finely slice the whites of the onion on the diagonal, and cut the green ends into slightly larger pieces, now finely chop the garlic.


Add rice too boiling water and cook for approx 10 minutes or until cooked but still giving a little.

It is important to keep an eye on the rice whilst cooking. Loosen the rice from time to time, and check to see if rice is cooked.


Once cooked strain the rice into a colander and run under the cold tap for 1 minute to remove excess starch and stop the cooking process. Set aside.


Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok or high sided saute pan, once hot add the garlic and stir fry for 1 minute or until a slight change in colour, add peas and cook for a further 2 minutes then add spring onions and cook for 1 minute before adding cooked rice. Do not dump all of the rice into the wok in one go, add a little at a time until all the rice is coated with oil. Add 1 tbsp 0f sesame oil, toss then add 1 tbsp of soy, again toss. Once happy that all rice is thoroughly coated, taste and adjust with either more soy or sesame oil or both.


Add cooked egg and toss, add a turn or two of pepper and salt if required-Serve.