Saturday, June 14, 2014
Taking Breaks and Catching Up ~~ Thai love forever~~
Now it is summer vacation. I decided to wait until Summer to do Thai cooking. Thai food is my favorite. I have a fear of cooking with chilies and hot peppers. I am learning it is ok to let go of that fear, the peppers are not as hot as I think they are, especially when they get cooked. I picked up a Thai recipe book a while ago- it describes recipes rather than just listing them, it describes what the "authentic" ingredients are vs. the usual substitutions. I have made some Thai dishes before. I learned that palm sugar is an important flavor in sweet sticky rice. I also learned that Kaffir lime leaves smell like fruit loops and what Galangal is & how Tamarind paste is made... Thai cooking has a definite philosophy. I love it when a country has a cooking philosophy. They believe in balancing and hitting 5 different taste centers with each dish. Balancing acidity and creating a nice texture are also important. I find their cooking style so connected to the Eastern Medical/Religious ideologies. They talk about elements and balance and it is almost as if preparing food was a spiritually motivated practice- as we say in the west, "Good food comes from the heart." How divine: to cook from the soul, with passion and understanding and respect for ingredients. I honestly feel like I'm a fool in the kitchen- haphazardly putting foods together and hoping for the best. To cook with a real understanding of ingredients, their flavor and acidity and what magic they might infuse into a dish when balanced appropriately... that's my goal. I have found Thai food is the most philosophical food I have met, and therefore, it is also probably the best place for me to find the love and respect for ingredients that I have been seeking. I suppose cooking is like many other hobbies, to really get into it, you have to go in through your favorite door. Anyways, enough love poetry to Thai cuisine. I hope Thai month unlocks my inner cooking genius. Bring on the coconuts, lime, lemongrass, Thai chilies, fish sauce, and jasmine rice!
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