Eggplant Chili Dipping Sauce

The roasted eggplant chili sauce is my favourite sticky rice dipping sauce over the roasted tomato chili sauce and the classic Thai / Lao hot sauce. The eggplant chili sauce tastes best when the vegetables are roasted over an open fire. But since I don’t have a barbeque, my video shows the roasted method by using an oven.

You can substitute purple eggplants for the Asain green round eggplants. Just chop the purple eggplants into quarters before roasting and chop again into bite size pieces before adding into the mortar and pestle. I like to stir fry purple eggplants.

Vegetarian Recipe: Eggplant Chili Dipping Sauce
5 to 6 Asian green round eggplants
2 cloves garlic with skin
¼ of whole onion or 2 shallots
2 fresh chilies
2 tablespoons fish sauce or 1 tablespoon ba dek
Chopped green onions and cilantro sprigs

If the chilies are small do not roast them in the oven because they’ll burn. Place eggplants, onions and garlic in a roasting pan and broil under high heat for 10 minutes. Flip and broil for another 10 minutes making sure they do not burn. Remove skin of garlic and any burnt areas of the eggplant. Pound garlic, onions, chilies, and eggplant using a Thai / Lao Mortar & Pestle Set until smooth. Add fish sauce or ba dek and mix. Add chopped green onions and cilantro and mix with spoon.

These green Asian eggplants are traditionally in the aw quail stir fry. Serve the eggplant chili dipping sauce with sticky rice or jasmine rice, and lap Lao beef or lap chicken.

Thai Lao Fried Shrimp Rolls

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Marta! What do I give to someone who has everything--health, a loving husband with a successful real estate business, a fulfilling career, and a classy condo? So today I acknowledge and celebrate this day as "Marta Day." When I moved from home to the city to go to school, I did not know a soul. Marta and I met in class and have become friends for 13 years. My 2nd home is a Polish home as Marta, Mamus, Tatus, and Magda quickly adopted me.

Marta hosted the New Year's party and I brought these shrimp roll wraps. If anyone has a chance to go to a Polish party, I highly recommend it because Polish people know how to party! I had the best new year's party ever. Thank you Marta for everything and Happy Birthday!

Appetizer Recipe: Fried Shrimp Rolls
Egg roll wraps
Shrimp that are devein and shell removed except for tail
Salt
Vegetable oil
1 egg

Purchase large egg roll wraps and cut squares from one corner the other create triangle sheets. Season shrimp with salt and optional pepper. Separate egg white from egg yolk. Stir the egg yolk. Take one triangle sheet and place one shrimp so that the tail hangs over sheet. Roll the wrap and tuck in sides. Seal wrap with egg yolk. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Submerge shrimp wraps into oil. Stir occasionally. Shrimp will take less than 2 minutes to cook. Remove shrimp from heat and strain excess oil. Serve fried shrimp rolls with the Spring Roll Dipping Sauce or the curry peanut dipping sauce.

Lao Pho - Beef Noodle Soup

Happy New Year!

Thai pho is called 'Guoi Tiao' so when in Laos, ask for 'Pho' and when in Thailand, ask for 'Guoi Tiao'. This beef noodle soup is the most popular soup in Laos and Thailand. I like to make this soup on new years and weekends because it requires low preparation time, the broth simmers all day, and guests help themselves.

People from the northern region of Laos prefer khao soy which is with minced pork and salted soy beans noodle soup. Khao soy uses wide pho noodles.

For 12 years, everytime I craved pho, would order it at restaurants and was never quite satisfied of the taste. I find the pho soups at restaurants have too much fat and not enough meat, vegetables, herbs and sauce options. Since my parents taught me, I make my own at home and for the price of one pho soup bowl, I could feed a family of 6.

You can stir fry pho noodles to make Pad Thai Pho Noodles. Do not substitute vermicelli noodles for pho noodles. The star anis can also be added to dome kim which is pork and egg in soy sauce.

Pho Soup Broth:
1 pound beef bones
1 tablespoon salt
3 liters water
4 star anis
1/2 of whole onion
24 beef balls

In a large pot, over high heat, add all ingredients except beef balls. Boil 30 minutes. Scoop out dark foam that floats in broth. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight or until fat hardens. Remove fat and place broth over high heat. Add beef balls and boil.

Side Options of Meat, Vegetables, Herbs, and Sauces:thinly slice raw beef
Thai basil
fish sauce
chopped cooked tripe
chopped cilantro
shrimp paste
tomato slices
chopped green onions
chili tomato sauce
bean sprouts
lime slices
oyster sauce

Soak pho noodles 30 minutes in cold water and drain. In a large soup bowl, add a handful of noodles. Pour hot water into bowl to cover noodles. After 3 seconds, drain water out. Add desired amounts of meat, vegetables, herbs, and squeezed lime into bowl. Add pho broth and beef balls. Add 1 tablespoon each fish sauce, oyster sauce, chili tomato sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste. Mix soup and enjoy!