Zucchini "Fish" Cakes with Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce (ทอดมันซูกินี)

In terms of texture, these zucchini "fish" cakes aren't that much different from any zucchini cakes (or fritters or latkes) which you may have had before. What sets these little pancakes apart from the others is the flavors that are associated with traditional Thai fish cakes (Tod Man Pla).

Naturally, these zucchini cakes would go well with the same sweet and sour cucumber relish that is served with Tod Man Pla. But since we already have zucchini in the cakes, I opt instead for just Thai sweet chilli sauce with some chopped roasted peanuts mixed into it.

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Strawberries in Spiced Red Wine Syrup

Apple season is about to begin in North America. And you know what that means: we've officially entered a period in which strawberries become mediocre. I wouldn't recommend that you do anything to strawberries when they're at their peak, but at a time like this, I think this kind of intervention is appropriate.

This makes a great topping for ice cream, pancakes and waffles, cake, plain panna cotta, etc.

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Thai Food for Low-Carbers

Disclaimer: The intention of this post is not to offer advice on what diet is optimal for your health. I am not a medical or nutrition professional. And though this post focuses on a certain way of eating, it does not in any way imply endorsement of it; the post simply acknowledges that there are those who need or wish to adopt a low-carbohydrate way of eating for whatever reason and that they could benefit from the information contained herein.

I feel that I need to gather in one place all the suggestions I have made to many of you who have written to me regarding the subject of how to avoid starches, grains, and sugars in Thai food. According to the records, I have written something very similar to this post to at least 30 different individuals in the past two and a half years.

And as much as I want to be helpful to each person who has written, I’m too short on time to write individual replies to all the emails asking for the same thing every few days. Therefore, I think this post, a curious blend of altruism and selfishness, is warranted.

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Fermented Beef Short Ribs (แหนมซี่โครงเนื้อ)

This dish could have been relegated to one of the posts in the remix category. But that seems unfair to these tender, crispy, fatty, sour, garlicky short ribs. Something this good deserves its own post.

Preparing beef short ribs this way isn't common in Thai cooking, and I kind of surprised myself as I picked up some beautiful beef short ribs from the butcher when the first thought that came to me was that I should ferment them. But with the experiment ending up so well, this has officially been filed under 'Things to Make Every Month.'

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Thai Spicy Mixed Vegetable Soup - Kaeng Liang (แกงเลียง)

1940 was unkind to many around the globe. It was the year Italy declared war on France, Germany invaded the Low Countries, and the Battle of Britain began. Things weren’t entirely calm and normal in their neck of the woods either. But having heard of what happened to Jews across Europe and how much of the world was starting to live under food rationing, the young newlyweds were thankful for what they had.

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Lemon Basil - Bai Maeng-lak (ใบแมงลัก)

I know I just complained to you in a recent post on Thai spicy basil stir-fry about the scarcity of holy basil (Bai Ka-prao ใบกะเพรา) outside Asia (which has led to all the faux Pad Ka-Praos on the menus of several Thai restaurants in Europe and North America). But may I please have your permission to whine a little more?

It's so hard to find lemon basil. And nothing can be used in its place. Nothing.

To make matters worse, lemon basil has ridiculously short shelf life. By the time, you discover that some fresh lemon basil has made a rare appearance at your favorite Asian store, it's already half dead.

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Spicy Salad of Boiled Pork Sausage (ยำหมูยอ)

One of my guilty pleasures is a plate of warm jasmine rice topped with slices of Vietnamese-style boiled pork sausage, seared to a crisp on the outside, and a generous drizzling of homemade Thai Sriracha sauce. Not much nutrient; lots of satisfaction, especially when I can get high quality pork sausages.

Not all brands are great; some are truly awful (and it's not like my standard is that high ...). This one you see here, for example, has great texture but absolutely no flavor. The only thing to do is to yam it, i.e. turn it into a spicy Thai salad. You can't coax any flavor into the sausage itself; it's a lost cause. You can, however, make the most of the uncooperative sausage by tossing it with fresh summer on-the-vine tomatoes at their peak, sweet Vidalia onions, some crunchy celery, and the Thai refreshing lime-fish sauce-chilli dressing.

Have this as an appetizer with a cold pale ale, or serve it as an entrée with rice.

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Watermelon with Sweet Dried Fish-Crispy Shallot Dip (Pla Haeng Taeng-Mo ปลาแห้งแตงโม)

The image of fresh watermelon chunks thoroughly speckled with a sugary dip of dried fish flakes and crispy shallots probably won't make many people salivate. That's completely understandable. But for the readers who grew up eating this -- one of the most sublime Thai snacks ever invented, in my opinion -- I hope they're at once both salivating and filled with sweet nostalgia like I am.

Dried fish and watermelon? Sweet nostalgia? I know, I know. I wasn't quite sure myself how to convince the skeptics how well the two go together. But I'm going to try my very best. I may fail miserably. But that won't hurt me; not trying, on the other hand, definitely will.

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Coconut Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting (เค้กมะพร้าวหน้าครีมกะทิ)

Please don't tell this cake, but the best part of it is the frosting. It is also the frosting which is the reason why I've decided to break the Thai recipe streak with this cake. I'll tell you more very soon why. For now, let's enjoy this cake which is as coconut-y as it gets.

I like my cake eggy and moist, so I use my favorite génoise recipe here with added unsweetened coconut flakes, but you can use any white or yellow cake recipe you want.

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