This is my submission for Hive Top Chef competition My "favorite dinner" : created by @qurator
Hello from Thailand everyone 🙏
There are many types of vegetables sprouting up here that I didn't plant, especially in the soil in my backyard. My mom said it might be because there were vegetable seeds mixed in with the bird droppings from birds that come to feed around here. Hmm... that's certainly possible.😊
Thai spinach (Thai called Phak Khom).
Lately, there's been quite a lot of Thai spinach. It's probably because of the moisture from the rain, allowing the seeds from previous plants that fell on the ground to sprout. I remember that area often had Thai spinach plants growing.
Thai spinach is a local leafy green in the amaranth family. It's an herbaceous plant. I think it sprouts as easily as grass. It has green leaves and is easy to eat, even for children, because it has a slightly sweet taste. The young leaves can be cooked in many dishes, like the one I made today: Gaeng Liang.🌿
Gaeng Liang (Thai Slightly Spicy Vegetable Soup)
Gaeng Liang is a traditional Thai dish. It's a relatively clear broth soup (unlike other Thai curries that often use coconut milk). The main flavors are a mild spiciness from pepper and a savory depth from shrimp paste. It emphasizes a variety of vegetables and can include proteins like shrimp or tofu.
RECIPE : Gaeng Liang 🌿
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables (choose your favorites, preferably sweet ones):
· Thai spinach - 1/2 cup
· Pumpkin - 1/2 cup, cut into bite-sized pieces
· Enoki mushrooms - 1/2 cup
· Sweet potato - 1/2 cup, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Shallots
1 Tbsp Shrimp paste (Kapi)
2 Tsp Fish sauce
1 Tsp Sugar
A pinch of Salt
A pinch of Ground white pepper
1 Liter Water
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare the vegetables:
Thai spinach: Pick only the young leaves. Wash and set aside to drain.
Enoki mushrooms: Cut off the ends. Wash and separate into small clusters. Set aside to drain.
Pumpkin and Sweet potato: Peel and cut into bite-sized pieces. Wash and set aside to drain.
Shallots: Peel, wash, and lightly crush them.
STEP 2
Start the broth:
Pour the water into a pot and place it over medium heat.
Once the water is warm, add the shrimp paste and the prepared shallots. (You can also mash these two together first in a mortar and pestle if convenient. If not, it's fine to add them separately as I did).
STEP 3
Cook the vegetables:
Wait for the broth to come to a boil.
Add the vegetables that take longer to cook first. I add the sweet potato and pumpkin.
Wait for them to become almost tender (this took me about 10 minutes).
Then, add the Enoki mushrooms, pushing them down into the broth.
Once the broth comes back to a boil, add the Thai spinach last (as it cooks very quickly). Push the leaves down so they are submerged.
STEP 4
Season the soup:
Once the broth returns to a boil, taste it first. The broth will already have saltiness from the shrimp paste and natural sweetness from the vegetables.
Season lightly with the remaining ingredients: fish sauce, sugar, salt, and ground white pepper.
Gently stir to combine. When the flavor is to your liking, turn off the heat.
And that's it! You now have a perfect rainy-da soup. It's most delicious served hot with steamed rice.
The secret tip for a great Gaeng Liang is: The vegetables must be fresh.The freshness of the vegetables gives the broth a naturally sweet and well rounded flavor. It's not only delicious but also full of nutrients from the variety of vegetables.
How was the menu made from vegetables that I cooked today? It's great for a light dinner. I just used all my favorite veggies. It's tasty!!.. I hope you liked it. Thank you to everyone who stopped by this post. Thank you for all the support. See you again next time!🤗
@qurator
