Thai Fried Bee Hoon (Vermicelli)

    
      Makes 3 servings

• Half pack of bee hoon (vermicelli) (the picture above shows 1 serving only)
• 200g minced pork
• Fish cakes / Vegetarian mushroom cakes, sliced
• Half a cabbage, julienne
• 2 tbsp tom yum paste

      Spice Paste (Pounded with a pestle & mortar)

• 4 red chillies, finely chopped (without the seeds, as it cannot be digested)
• 5 shallot pieces, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 stalks of lemon grass, with outer layers removed and sliced thinly
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn from the spine and chopped finely
• 1 torch bud, with outer layers removed and sliced thinly (if you can't get this, omit it. it will taste quite good with lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves)

      Seasonings:

• 2 tsp light soya sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp dark (thick) soya sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• dash of pepper
• sesame oil

1. Firstly, boil a pot of water. Once boiled, switch off the fire & immerse the vermicelli into the water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat a wok with oil, until it's smoking hot. Fry the (spice paste) with the tom yum paste until the oil separates.
3. Add in the minced pork and fry until half cooked. 
4. Add in the fish cakes and stir-fry briefly. 
5. Add in the vermicelli and stir-fry to spread the paste evenly, about 1 minute. I use a metal spatula and a wooden fork (fork from a salad tosser), to not break up the vermicelli too much.
6. Add in the sauce and cabbage, stir-fry to cover the cabbages with the vermicelli. 
7. Once the cabbage is almost cooked (i like it with a bit crunch), dish up and serve.

Thai Steam Pomfret with Lime

In my recent trip to BKK, we ate nonstop, having 4-5 meals a day. We visited hawker shops, small eateries, floating market, even a 7-11 for ready-made frozen meals. Upon coming home, i realised we didn't try any Steam Fish with Lime & Chili. So below is an improvised version.

• Fresh pomfret / garoupa or tilapia slices (gutted)
• 8 slices of ginger
• 2 tbsp oil

      Spice Paste (Pounded with a pestle & mortar):

• 1 stalk lemon grass, with outer layers removed & sliced thinly
• 4 chili padis (bird's eye chili), deseeded & sliced thinly
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, with spine removed & sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced

      Sauce:

• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• Half cup of chicken stock
• (Optional for garnishing: Fried garlic / Chopped flat leaf parsley)

1. Rub the fish & its cavity with salt, and rinse with water. Make 3 diagonal slits on each side, to help it cook faster.
2. Place 2 ginger slices inside the cavity, and the remaining slices at the bottom of a steel dish. Place the fish on top of the ginger slices (to prevent the fish from sticking to the dish when it's cooking).
3. Boil some water in a wok, and place the fish dish inside and cover. Steam the fish for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. Discard any excess liquid from the dish after it is steamed.
4. (While steaming the fish) Heat a small saucepan with 2 tbsp oil, and fry the (spice paste) until fragrant about 2 minutes. Pour the (sauce) in and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. 
5. When the fish is cooked, pour the hot soup over the fish and garnish with some fried garlic or parsley. Serve immediately.

     (Tip 1: You can buy a bottle of fried garlic, and garnish any dish in a jiffy)
     (Tip 2: Try not to add too much lime juice in as it would over power the soup.)