Garlic Squid Salad

Ok here goes, cut open mantles and lay flat score mantles with sharp knife diagonal in 2 directions. Cut mantles into 2" squares. Leave tentacles whole. For the marinade... 5 cloves minced garlic. 2 Tbsp white wine. Fresh cracked pepper. 2 Tbsp fish sauce. 1 Tbsp low sodium Soy sauce. 1 Tbsp Sugar. 1 Tbsp corn starch. Heat pan. add 2 Tbsp oil. fry squid quickly. When all the squid has curled up it is done. this happens rather quickly. Make sure not to overcook. It will make it rubbery which is no good. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serve on top of salad made with green or red leaf lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots and Cucumbers.

Spicy Shrimp Soup

Shell 1/2 lb shrimp. rinse shrimp and shells. put 4 cups water in pot with shells and bring to boil. Strain out shells. you now have shrimp stock.

Add Shrimp. 1/2 lb ish

Add Mushrooms 1/2 cup sliced or so

Bring Shrimp and Mushrooms to boil.
Reduce heat to medium.

Add Kefir Lime leaves. about 5

Add 1 stalk lemon grass. bottom 1/3 only cut into 1 inch pieces.

Minced garlic. say 2 cloves

Fish Sauce. 6 Tbsp

Lime Juice. 6 Tbsp

Red Curry paste. 1/4 - 1/2 tsp or so.

Cilantro.

Remove lemon grass and lime leaves. Top with a drizzle of Chili oil. Serve.
Relish the delicious flavour.

Phad Thai

Ok soak your rice noodle in cold water 2-3 hours or in warm water 45minutes to 1 hour.

While noodles are soaking you can prep the other ingredients. Which is a good idea because the cooking goes fast

So, shell about 1/4 lb. Shrimp. Mince 1 clove garlic. Crack and mix 1-2 eggs. Measure 1/4 cup fish sauce. Measure 1 Tbsp Paprika. Measure 1/4 cup sugar. Chop 1/4 cup unsalted roasted Peanuts. Measure 1 cup Mung bean sprouts. Slice 1 green onion in 1 inch peices. Shred some Carrot and slice a Lemon.

Ok heat 3tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or skillet. Add Garlic, Egg and Shrimp. Scramble until done. Reduce heat to medium.
Add well drained Rice noodle and cook until noodle is transluscent.

Add Paprika, Sugar and fish sauce. Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the noodle.

Add Peanuts, Mung bean sprouts and Green onion. Finish cooking Garnish with Carrots and Lemon wedges.

Serve. Enjoy.

Do you know the mushroom man?

I got Matsutake.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Ok this is so simple. Over medium heat, fry about 1 Tbsp Red Curry Paste in 1/2 can of coconut milk. Add 2 oz. Fish sauce, 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar and the protein of your choice. here mine is chicken... Continue cooking until chicken is done. Throw in some Keffir Lime leaves, straw mushrooms and your choice of veg like bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts or those little corn. Whatever you like. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Heat thru. garnish with basil. serve hot with Jasmine rice.

I have to say, This turned out amazing!

Matts homemade Paneer

Paneer, a non melting cheese used in Indian food is easily made at home.

Boiling all equipment to be used for 5 min should kill any unwanted bacteria.

4 oz. fresh lemon juice. we will use its acid to curdle the milk.

1 gallon whole organic milk. Make sure it has not been ultra pasteurized.

Bring milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring to prevent scalding. Once the milk reaches a gentle rolling boil reduce heat to low and add lemon juice while stirring. The milk will seperate forming large curds leaving clear Whey.

Let the curds sit until they sink to the bottom of the pan.

Ladle curds into a colander lined with cheese cloth or butter muslin. Tie corners together and twist to remove excess Whey. Untie corners and wrap neatly. the nicer you wrap the nicer your final cheese will look.

Press curds/cheese under weight 1-2 hours. the longer you press the firmer the cheese.

End result should be a nice fresh mild cheese somewhere between 1-2 lbs.

This one weighs 1 lb. 5 1/2 oz.

Hearty Chicken Soup