Chicken Soup for the Thai Soul

Although most of the wedding details still need to be worked out, the honeymoon is booked - which we all know is the most important thing! We will be spending what promises to be an amazing week on the edge of Yellowstone National Park in Montana. We have a little cabin by a stream reserved on a nearby all-inclusive ranch, with a week full of horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, whitewater rafting and spa treatments. I absolutely cannot wait! This is the trip I've been wishing for my whole life!

Back here in Baltimore, summer seems ages away. This chicken soup will warm your soul and cut through any stuffy nose. I make some version of this soup every couple of weeks, often for a quick lunch. Sometimes I make it with shrimp instead of chicken, or noodles instead of rice. You can add greens or other veggies, or even some tofu, or substitute vegetable broth as you like. It is quick, simple and incredibly delicious each time.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup


1 quart chicken stock
2 cups beef stock (you can use all chicken, but I like the depth of flavor this adds)
1 6-inch piece of thick lemongrass, cut into 4 pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp seracha
1 Tbsp tom yum paste (optional, but strengthens the flavor)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2/3 cup rice
1 chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
1 Tbsp pre-made basil pesto, preferably without the oil
1 large Hass avocado , diced
2 large or 4 small scallions, sliced on the bias

Combine stocks, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, seracha, tom yum paste, sugar and seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add rice and simmer until rice is cooked to al dente. Add chicken and simmer until it's cooked through and rice is tender. Remove from heat, remove lemongrass and lime leaves. Add coconut milk, pesto, avocado and scallions. Best when served immediately, although the lime juice in the soup does prevent the avocado from browning quickly.

"Hot Dogs" with a Thai Twist

I've been really awful. You see, Sweet Paul gave me my first blog awards about a month ago and I have yet to announce it or pass them on! It just keeps slipping my mind! Plus, I knew it needed a great recipe to do it justice! So, Paul, I do apologize and they do mean so much to me! I am passing each on to a blog that is well-deserving of the honor!

The I love your blog award goes to Gwendolyn of Patent and the Pantry! I love your beautiful food photos and retro style!


The Brilliante Weblog 2008 gets passed to Gattina of Kitchen Unplugged! This international woman of mystery is truely brilliant, and her vibrant colors and great compositions never fail to inspire!


I love both of these blogs, so do check them out! And now for the recipe...

Hot dogs are great off the grill, snug in a soft bun with a little coleslaw or sauerkraut. But they're just not that special. This takes your normal dog to another level. It starts with a fragrant Thai Sub Roll, topped with a layer of warm, spicy, sweet and nutty slaw and topped off with charred gourmet Thai chicken sausages. Serve alongside grilled zucchini and summer squash that's been marinated in Thai dressing and you've got all new inspiration for your Sunday cookout!

Thai Sausage Rolls Dressed with Warm Peanut Slaw


1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 large head Napa cabbage, finely shredded
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

4 Thai chicken sausages
4 Thai Sub Rolls

Combine vinegar, peanut butter, sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, sriracha and sugar in a large nonstick skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat until peanut butter has "melted" into sauce. Add cabbage and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, or until cabbage has softened. Toss with peanuts before serving.

Grill chicken sausages over high heat until well charred. Slice buns down the middle. Pile in the Kraut (slaw?) and top with a sausage. Serve immediately.

Thai Sub Rolls


3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 packet instant yeast (also labeled Rapid Rise)
1 cup thai stock (Wegmans makes a great one - alternatively blend 1 cup chicken stock with 1 tsp Tom Yum paste)
1 Tbsp grated lemongrass
2 tsp sriracha

1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp black sesame seeds


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend together dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, slowly add in stock, sriracha and lemongrass. Kneed the dough for 5 minutes on low speed. The dough should be soft and smooth. Form into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl. Wrap loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Let rise one hour.

Separate into 4 to 6 pieces, depending on the size you like your rolls. I like to match their length to the length of the sausages I'm using. Sprinkle part of your counter (or parchment paper if you prefer) with cornmeal. Form the dough into an oblong roll and transfer to prepared surface. Let rise another hour. With 1/2 an hour to go, preheat oven to 450 F with a pizza stone in the middle.

Brush the rolls with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds and place on the preheated pizza stone. Mist the oven walls with water. Bake for 5 minutes, reduce heat to 400, and mist again. Let bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Dreaming of Thailand

I imagine the air is perfumed with lemongrass, chiles, jasmine and ginger. I'd love to be invited into a little hut where something tasty cooks over a wood fire. Thailand is definitely on my list of places to see before I die. I hope I will one day walk among the street vendors. Until then, I'll have to recreate those fresh, balanced flavors in my own kitchen.

Tom Kha Gai is a coconut chicken soup often served in Thailand. Here, I play with a thick creamy sauce with the same flavors, which dresses cellophane noodles, topped with wafer-thin slices of leftover lamb and hugged with butter lettuce.

Tom Kha Noodle Wraps



1 1/2 cans (about 3 cups) coconut milk - you'll need the full fat kind for this
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 Tbsp Tom Yum paste (I like Tiger Tiger brand)
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp lime juice
2 kaffir lime leaves

1/2 lb. thin cellophane (rice) noodles

1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions (I forgot to get these last time I shopped - hence you won't see them in the picture)

1/2 lb. leftover leg of lamb, cooked to medium rare and chilled

1 head boston or butter lettuce, washed, dried and leaves separated



Combine coconut milk, tomato paste, Tom Yum paste, garlic, ginger, sriracha, lime juice and leaves in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half and very creamy (about 10 minutes).

Bring a large stockpot full of water to a boil. Add noodles and turn off the heat. Let noodles sit in the hot water, stirring occasionally, until they've softened and become tender. Use tongs or a spaghetti spoon to transfer noodles into the saucepan with the sauce. Toss with peanuts and cilantro.

Serve lettuce, noodles and lamb separately. Let people assemble their own wraps.

A Taste of Bangkok

After a long hot day of weeding the garden and cleaning up the chaos that is currently our yard, we needed something deeply satisfying and yet light enough for the weather. Whenever I want delicate fresh flavor that still packs a punch I turn to Thai food. This was a particularly tasty meal, and a rewarding end to a long day.


Traditionally pad thai contains tamarind paste, which even I don't have in my pantry. I think pomegranate molasses is a good substitute for the sweet tart flavor, and it's easier to find or you can make your own by reducing pomegranate juice. For an easy vegetarian version, replace the fish sauce with soy sauce and omit the shrimp.

The vegetarian version:



Pad Thai (my version)
2/3 cup chopped peanuts
1 tsp. seracha chile sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 tsp. pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce
2 scallions, sliced thin on an angle

1/2 tsp chile oil
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten

8 oz. cellophane noodles
1 can baby corn nuggets
1 can sliced water chestnuts

8 oz. grilled shrimp

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix.

In a small pan, heat oils over medium heat. scramble eggs in oil. Add to sauce mixture.

Bring one gallon of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add cellophane noodles. Let sit until softened, then drain. Toss with baby corn, water chestnuts and sauce. Top with shrimp.




Lamb Lettuce Wraps


3 small lamb tenderloins (no more than one pound altogether)

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I like Trader Joes' Soyaki or Soy Vay Island Style)

1 head butter lettuce, leaves removed whole

Grill the lamb over high heat until cooked through. Meanwhile, combine peanut butter and teriyaki in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until combined.

After letting it rest so the juices can distribute, slice to about 1/2 inch rounds.

Serve with lettuce leaves and sauce. Top lettuce leaf with 2 slices of lamb and a spoonful of sauce.

Nim Chow (Vietnamese Summer Rolls/Spring Rolls)

These are my FAVORITE!!! We always got these at my favorite Asian restaurant in Providence, RI, but since we moved I’ve missed them immensely. Luckily, they proved to be remarkably simple to recreate. They are a delicious and fresh appetizer or even a meal in themselves. These would be great in the summer when you don’t want to cook.

1/4 lb. Cellophane noodles – boiled for 4 minutes, drained & rinsed in cold water
12-14 small-medium sized shrimp
dash chili powder
dash garlic powder
1 tsp. olive oil
6 Spring Roll Wrappers (NOT egg roll wrappers. These are dried and are NOT
sold refrigerated – see picture below)



1 c fresh bean sprouts
6 tsp. crushed roasted peanuts
18 small spearmint leaves
18 large sweet basil leaves


Dipping Sauce
1/2 c crushed roasted peanuts
1/2 c sweet chili sauce (find in ethnic foods aisle: Thai)
1/4 c rice vinegar

Prepare rice noodles. Make sure they are rinsed well so they don’t stick.
Mix shrimp with chili & garlic powders. Saute with olive oil in a nonstick pan until just cooked through. Chop into 1/2 inch cubes.
Rehydrate one spring roll wrapper in a bowl of hot tap water until soft and pliable. Add 1/6 of the noodles and bean sprouts in the middle. Place 3 mint leaves across, then lay down 1/6 of the shrimp, sprinkle with some peanuts and top with 3 basil leaves. Roll up tightly like you would a sandwich wrap, egg roll, or burrito. Keep on a plate covered with a damp paper towel until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining 5 wrappers.
Combine ingredients for the dipping sauce. Serve alongside chilled Nim Chow.

Roast Duck

1 Pekin duckling (Long Island), about 5 pounds
6 1 by 3-inch strips tangerine zest
1 small onion, halved
3 whole garlic cloves (peeled)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbs. pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 Tbs. honey
1 1/2 Tbs. Chinese 5-spice powder
8 whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 small dried bay leaves
2 Tbs. fresh tangerine juice
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

Remove and discard giblets, etc from the cavity. If necessary pluck any stray pinfeathers off the duck with tweezers. Trim the neck flap and excess fat from around the cavity. Rinse and dry the bird well. Set the duck on a rack on a baking sheet, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pierce the duck's skin all over (including the back), every 1/2-inch. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with 3 strips of the orange zest, the ginger slices and the onion. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan, over a cup of water. Roast the bird for 3 hours, pricking the skin every hour.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the remaining orange zest, molasses, honey, coriander, pepper, orange juice, vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring, over medium-high heat until warm. Remove glaze from the heat and set it aside at room temperature while the duck cooks.
Remove the duck from the oven and carefully, pour off the excess fat from the pan. Save the fat!!! It gives anything you sauté a phenomenal flavor! Raise the oven temperature to 450 degree F. Return the duck to the oven and roast until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes more.
Let the duck rest for 10 minutes before carving. Brush the duck's skin with glaze 4 to 5 five times during the resting period. Carve the duck and transfer pieces to warm serving platter. Let your guests drizzle the duck with remaining glaze.

Time: 4 hours
Yield: 3 to 4 servings