Author Archive
Perfect Polenta
November 15, 2016 Lee
2 Comments

Perfect Polenta

This sounds good as a side or to have some sausage or meaty stew put over the top. I look forward to making this. In the United states, polenta would be the cooked corn meal, in Australia (where the corn meal I get is from), polenta is the name of the dish as well as the name for corn meal. So in a store, look for polenta not corn meal.
Print Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine Mixed
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • 4 cups chicken stock, fresh or from powder, OR you can use just water
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, bring the stock or water to just boiling, using a whisk, start whisking and slowly but steadily, add the corn meal while whisking until you are sure there is no lumps, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue whisking until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
  • Once it starts to thicken, you can cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5-6 minutes. The texture at 30 minutes should be creamy and the corn grains tender, so do a taste test, if not tender enough, just keep on a low simmer, covered and stir every 5-6 minutes.
  • Once creamy and tender, turn off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and mix in until it is about half melted then mix in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and mix until melted. Take off the burner, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir again and taste for salt adding salt as needed. Pour into a serving bowl, top with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Serve as a side or a base for a stew or sausage based dish.

Notes

Very low cost, I buy yellow corn meal for 100 Baht/500 grams.
You can use white corn meal to make Grits.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
From a good friend, make as listed then pour into a baking dish and bake until the polenta is set firm. Once firm, it can be cut into slabs and fried then ladle stew over for a great meal. Glenn Unflat.
Thailand.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,SIDES
Tamales
November 15, 2016 Lee
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Tamales

Adapted from an internet recipe.
These sound really good but it may be a bit of a stretch to find some of the ingredients here. This does take a bit of time to make this. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Tex-Mex
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Filling

  • 600 grams pork loin, (20 oz)
  • 1 large onion, cut in half
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4 dried California chili pods
  • 1½ teaspoons salt

For the Dough

  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1¼ cups broth, from cooking the meat
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup lard, very important to use real lard, Shortcut
  • 1 package dried corn husks, (about 225 g / 8 oz)

Instructions
 

  • Using a large, big enough to hold the pork loin, add about 3 inches of water and add the chili pods, onion, garlic, salt. Boil this for about 30 minutes, then remove the chilies and 2 cups of the liquid from the pot and put in a bowl to cool.
  • Place the pork loin in the same pot and add water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 2-3 hours, until it can easily be shredded with two forks or with your hands. Remove the pot from the burner and leave the meat in the pot and let cool to room temperature.
  • When the chilies and 2 cups of water is cooled, add both to a blender and blend until smooth, pour into bowl and stir in a pinch of salt. When the meat has cooled, remove that from the broth and drain for a few minutes, retain the broth in the pot, then place the meat in a large bowl and shred with two forks or your hands, then pour in half of the half of the chili mixture and mix that into the shredded meat, set aside.
  • In another pot, bring some water to a boil and add the corn husks, reduce to a simmer for about an hour, this is to make the husks very soft.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth from the pot until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder, and salt, then stir that into the lard mixture, adding more broth as needed to form a spongy dough.
  • Take one of the husks and pull some strands from it, making each strand about an ⅛ inch wide, these will be used to tie each tamale.
  • Place husk on your work surface, at the large end of the husk, spread some dough about ¼ to ½ inch thick, keeping away from the edges and away from the tapered end, place one tablespoon of meat mixture on the dough in the center, then fold the sides of the husks towards the center to cover the filling, then fold the tapered end up and tie one of the strands around the tamale, then stand this up in your steamer, open end up, repeat to fill the steamer. Steam for an hour or until the husk easily pulls away from the tamale. Remove the husks from what you are going to serve and drizzle the remaining chili sauce over and top with sour cream.

Notes

I cannot price this other than the pork, some of the ingredients I have yet to see here although I was never looking for those items. For now I will say fair cost.
Shortcut: Rendering Lard.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,TEX-MEX, sort of
Spicy Papaya Salad (Som Tam)
November 15, 2016 Lee
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Spicy Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

There is as many ways to make Som Tam as there is shades of white paint. This is a base recipe only but should get you in the ballpark of what Som Tam is and how it is made. My mother in law makes Som Tam her way, my wife makes it her way, and my daughter can make it her way, all three will be slightly different, and none of them share their secrets.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Thai
Servings 1 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups green papaya, shredded
  • 1 plum tomato, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, use real lime juice from a lime
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 15 Bird's Eye Chilis, this is really up to you, go with 2-3 for less spicy
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
  • 3 tablespoons dried shrimp
  • 2-3 small freshwater crabs, optional

Instructions
 

  • Peel the papaya, cut in half, remove seeds, and shred. Set aside.
  • Chop the garlic, and chilies, add to a mortar and pound well. Then add the dried shrimp and pound until soft, then add the roasted peanuts and gently pound. Add chopped tomatoes and gently crush those then use a spoon to mix everything together. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, fish sauce and palm sugar. Add this to a large mixing bowl, then add the shredded papaya and the mixture from the mortar, and mix together. Spoon onto a plate and serve with sliced cucumber and sticky rice.

Notes

This is low cost and for rural areas, rarely bought prepared as nearly everyone grows papayas and chilies.
For the freshwater crabs, these are the small purple ones that are normally preserved in soy sauce or fish sauce, add these to the mortar and simple pound them to break the main shell slightly.
Basic recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI
Smoked Sausage Corn Dogs
November 13, 2016 Lee
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Smoked Sausage Corn Dogs

I really like the sound of this, I cannot find any good hotdogs here, but I have located smoked sausage, which are excellent. My next run to Makro I will be getting extra smoked sausage to try this out. The smoked sausage scraps would be ideal as well. This can be an appetizer or a main dish. I foresee myself doubling this recipe. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams smoked sausage
  • long wood skewers, as needed
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups corn meal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk, OR make from a shortcut
  • 1/4 cup dill pickle juice

Instructions
 

  • My experience with smoked sausage (spicy smoked sausage as it is labeled but not spicy) at Makro is 4 to 5 links which is 500 grams. I would simple cut each link in half, so you would have 8 pieces for 4 links or 10 pieces for 5 links. Once you have the sausage cut into pieces, cook on the stove top in a hot pan to warm them through, remove from the pan and insert the skewers or chopsticks in each one.
  • Spread 1/4 cup of the flour in a dish and roll each sausage in the flour to lightly coat, then set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, mix the remaining flour (1/2 cup), corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, ground red pepper, eggs, buttermilk, and dill pickle juice until the batter is smooth.
  • Heat the oil in a deep heavy skillet or a deep fryer to 190 C. Using a pan, you want the oil 1-3 inches deep. Deeper the oil you can cook each sausage at one time, shallow oil you just turn to keep cooking until the sausage is golden brown.
  • Dip each skewered sausage into the batter and carefully insert into the hot oil and cook 1-2 minutes until golden brown, if the oil is shallow, just turn the sausage part way through to cook the whole thing to golden brown. Cool on a paper towel to drain excess oil, and serve with your favorite dip, like mustard, spicy mustard, or ketchup.

Notes

The sausage is about 100 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings this is about 74 cents per serving. When I go to Makro again I will get more accurate up to date pricing as well.
Shortcut: Buttermilk.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,APPETIZERS / SNACKS,Pork - Sausage
Whitefish Cakes
November 13, 2016 Lee
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Whitefish Cakes

Sounds really good, Pangasius or any whitefish can be used for this. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams Pangasius fillets
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon mayo
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, OR make from a shortcut
  • 2 1/2 cups buttery crackers, think Ritz or Magic crackers
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup oil, for frying, type of oil is up to you
  • tartar sauce, for dipping, optional, OR make from a shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Boil or steam the fillets until the fish easily flakes with a fork, drain and mash up the fish. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix until well blended.
  • Heat the oil in a large heavy pan on medium high heat. Form the fish mixture into patties and fry in the hot oil until golden brown on each side, drain on paper towels, serve. This can be an appetizer with tartar sauce for dipping or even a light main dish if served with a salad.

Notes

Pangasius will cost about 65 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 48 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Old Bay Seasoning, Tartar Sauce.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
APPETIZERS / SNACKS,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish
Whitefish in Tomato Sauce
November 13, 2016 Lee
1 Comment

Whitefish in Tomato Sauce

This is excellent, served over pasta it is basically fish pasta, excellent flavor. I made this on 27 Nov 2016 and even my Thai wife gave this two thumbs up. The original recipe called for baking this, this is easily done in a skillet on the stove top and is how this is written now. Pangasius or any whitefish can be used. Recipe modified by my findings. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Pangasius fillets, cut into large pieces, about 750 grams of fillets
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce, OR make from a shortcut
  • olive oil, as needed
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • paprika, to taste
  • white pepper, to taste
  • ground nutmeg, to taste
  • all purpose flour, as needed
  • fresh basil, chopped, for the sauce and for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add the fillet pieces to a large bowl, season to your liking with the salt, black pepper, white pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  • In a small pot, heat a splash of olive oil and add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce and some fresh basil. Cook until the sauce to soften the tomatoes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Take the fish pieces and roll them in some flour to coat them all, add these to a large skillet heated to medium low with a splash of olive oil and brown both sides until the fish is just cooked through. Fish was cooked in 3 batches.
  • When the fish is done, reduce heat to a low simmer and pour in the tomato sauce and mix the fish pieces gently into the sauce, simmer to heat through. This is after all the fish had been returned to the pan and the sauce just pour over them.
  • Garnish fresh chopped basil if desired and serve over pasta of your choice or with potatoes and butter on the side.

Notes

Pangasius fillets will cost about 112 Baht/kilo. For 4 servings, this is about 82 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish
Whitefish Fillets with Garlic
November 13, 2016 Lee
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Whitefish Fillets with Garlic

Pangasius or any whitefish fillets can be used. Sounds really good. This is a starter recipe and the fillets are seasoned to your taste. On my to cook list.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • Pangasius fillets, amount is up to you
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed and minced, if a lot of fillets, use more garlic
  • cayenne pepper, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • olive oil, as needed
  • butter, as needed
  • fresh parsley, chopped, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Cut each fillet in half, then rub the fillets with salt, cayenne pepper, and the garlic, place in a bowl and coat well with olive oil, place in the fridge for an hour.
  • Heat a large pan on medium low heat with the oil from the fillets, when hot, add the fillets and pour in the remaining oil from the bowl. Cook for 3-5 minutes then flip the fillets and continue cooking until the fish is no longer translucent and cooked through, checked by easily flaking with a fork.
  • Serve with a pat of butter on each piece and sprinkled with fresh parsley. A salad would make this a good meal.

Notes

I bought 3 Pangasius fillets a week ago at Tesco for 65 Baht, 4 fillets may cost 100 Baht, max. Feel free to use Giant Sea Perch as well but you will have to fillet yourself unless bought from a market, and the price is higher as well. For 4 fillets, figuring 4 servings, the cost is about 74 cents per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish
Fish Patties
November 12, 2016 Lee
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Fish Patties

This involves grinding fish, sounds odd I am sure, but this is a way to use fish with a lot of Y bones, fish that may otherwise be discarded. As long as the fish is filleted with skin off, there is no need to remove Y bones, just run through the medium grind plate on your grinder two times. I would NEVER recommend doing this Pangasius or Barramundi, but this does sound reasonable for Tilapia, Featherbacks (maybe), and some ocean fish.
Print Recipe
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo white fish fillets, ground with medium plate

For each kilo of fish, mix this in by hand

  • 1 cup saltine crackers, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 small onion, finely diced

Instructions
 

  • Grind the fish fillets using the medium plate on your hand or electric grinder, for every 1 kilo of ground fish, add the ingredients listed and mix in by hand. Form into patties and pan fry in a large skillet, cast iron would be a good choice, with a combination of olive oil and butter. Serve with sides of your choice.
  • Or you can pack this into a loaf pan or two, spread some ketchup on the top and bake at 180 C until the cooked through then serve slices as you would the patties.
  • You can also make a large batch of this, form into patties and freeze for later use.

Notes

Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving
Fabulous Fish II
November 12, 2016 Lee
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Fabulous Fish II

Now I cannot vouch for the 'fabulous' part of the recipe name until I make this but it does sound very good. This is a separate recipe due to the major change in spice used. Pangasius is listed here, which are boneless and skinless fillets but any white fish will work.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Pangasius fillets
  • butter, as needed
  • soy sauce, as needed
  • garlic powder, to taste
  • dried rosemary, to taste
  • 3-4 plum tomatoes, chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large pan, cast iron would be ideal, heat a generous amount of butter on low heat. Season the fillets on both sides with garlic powder and rosemary to your taste, then add to the pan, cook for a few minutes, then flip and add the soy sauce (about 3-4 tablespoons) and the tomatoes, cover and simmer for a few minutes until the fish flakes easily. Serve with a mixed vegetable on the side or even some easy mac & cheese.

Notes

I bought 3 Pangasius fillets a week ago at Tesco for 65 Baht, 4 fillets may cost 100 Baht, max. Feel free to use Giant Sea Perch as well but you will have to fillet yourself unless bought from a market, and the price is higher as well. For 4 fillets, figuring 4 servings, the cost is about 74 cents per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish
Fabulous Fish I
November 12, 2016 Lee
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Fabulous Fish I

Now I cannot vouch for the 'fabulous' part of the recipe name until I make this but it does sound very good. Pangasius is listed here, which are boneless and skinless fillets but any white fish will work.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Pangasius fillets
  • olive oil, as needed
  • butter, as needed
  • soy sauce, as needed
  • black pepper, to taste
  • cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 3-4 plum tomatoes, chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a large pan, cast iron would be ideal, heat a generous amount of butter and olive oil on low heat. Season the fillets on both sides with pepper and cayenne pepper to your taste, then add to the pan, cook for a few minutes, then flip and add the soy sauce (about 3-4 tablespoons) and the tomatoes, cover and simmer for a few minutes until the fish flakes easily. Serve with a mixed vegetable on the side or even some easy mac & cheese.

Notes

I bought 3 Pangasius fillets a week ago at Tesco for 65 Baht, 4 fillets may cost 100 Baht, max. Feel free to use Giant Sea Perch as well but you will have to fillet yourself unless bought from a market, and the price is higher as well. For 4 fillets, figuring 4 servings, the cost is about 74 cents per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish