As many of you may know by now I am on a restricted diet due to some food sensitivities to Gluten, Soy, Eggs and Dairy so my kitchen has become a mini food lab for trying out new recipes and modifying recipes I love to make them free of the things I should not eat! Thai curries have been a great inspiration for me with their fresh ingredients and one of my favorite liquids Coconut Milk! I like to eat this soup topped with fresh sprouts and red cargo rice on the side!
If you have an Asian market in your neighborhood I highly recommend visiting them for vegetables and especially the fresh Ginger root for this recipe. I find that the vegetables at these markets are always very fresh as vegetables make up the bulk in most Asian diets so the produce has a very high turnaround. The veggies at my market are not advertised as organic but since I always find critters in my produce and I take it as a good sign!
I am always especially excited about the ginger at my local Asian Market. It is always juicy and fresh and they even have Galangal a root in the same family as Ginger and used widely in South East Asia. It has a similar flavor to Ginger but is milder with less heat and slight woody pine flavors. It is used to make Thai Curry Pastes and can be substituted with regular ginger if you want to try and make your own green curry paste. I have seen many recipes but all have the ginger or galangal, garlic, chiles, lemongrass, lime and a spice blend. There are a lot of ingredients on most Green Curry Paste recipes so I like to buy mine pre-made.
Ingredients:
• 32 oz of low sodium vegetable broth from a box or make your own here.
• 1 can (13.5 oz) of Coconut Milk
• 6 large cloves of garlic sliced (or more if you like)
• 3 Tablespoons of grated FRESH ginger root. I like to use a fine cheese grater. Powdered ginger will not give you the heat and sweetness.
• 1 Tablespoon Green Curry Paste (more or less to your taste)
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seed oil.
• 1 heaping tablespoon of Brown Sugar
• 1 cup rough chopped basil (sweet or thai)
• 6 green onions light green and white parts, chopped
• Black pepper and Coconut Aminos to taste. (Coconut Aminos is a soy free liquid amino acid seasoning alternative - it kind of tastes like a combination of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and is DELICIOUS! You can use Soy Sauce if you do not have sensitivities)
• Vegetables - you can use just about anything that you have on hand. I am using:
2 Red Bell peppers sliced
3 - 4 cups of Baby Bok Choy cut into 1 inch pieces
2-3 cups stemmed watercress cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 cup whole sugar snap peas
If you are ok with meat you can sub the Veggie Broth for 32 oz. of low sodium Chicken Broth and add one cup of sliced chicken to the soup.
Method:
1) Wash and dry all of your veggies herbs and spices, cut up and separate into cooking times. Group 1: Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Red Peppers. Group 2: Bok Choy Stems and Sugar Snap Peas. Group 3: Basil, Watercress, Bok Choy Leaves. I like to have a few bowls going to hold my veggies as I chop then up since they have different cooking times.
2) In a medium Sauce Pan Heat your Sesame oil and saute Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions and Red Bell Pepper for about one minute to release the flavors - be sure to not burn anything!
3) Add the Sugar, Vegetable Broth, Coconut Milk, Green Curry Paste, Bok Choy and Sugar Snap Peas and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4) Add the Basil, Watercress and Bok Choy Leaves and boil for about 2 minutes.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Column Swirl
So, this video of a painting by Holton Rower has been going around and made it into the soap community via Soapylove's Facebook page where Debbie noted it might be inspiring for Cold Process soap makers. Boy was she right! Amanda Griffin of Lovin' Soap posted pictures of her attempt to do this with soap - as far as I know the first person to try it out with soap as the medium. Since then I have done it as well as Holly Port from Lotion Bar Café!
Click here to see the original video reposted by Non ci posso credere. The video is beautifully done!
Here are my results:
Click here to see the original video reposted by Non ci posso credere. The video is beautifully done!
Here are my results:
just poured soap. The colors are made using natural cosmetic clays. I used an essential oil blend for the scent so this one is all natural!
Gelled Soap 18 hours later
Clay colors
Column cross sections. These are really cool - I think they look like sediment lines.
Cut Bars. There is a lot of variety and the bars from the edges of the mold didn't get much color. These are mostly from the middle of the mold.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Market Special: Rose Bud
This week's Market Special is Rose Bud Shea Butter Soap!
A heady medium strong scent reminiscent of Fragrant Tea Roses!
Enjoy!
Labels:
market special,
naiad soap arts,
rose,
sale,
shop
50 % Off Sale!

1 Hour only 50% Off!
Today March 17th: 1 pm - 2 pm PST
Use code 50MARCHMADNESS2011 at Etsy Checkout!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Walk About San Diego
The beauty of photography is that you can crop out the ugly, or make the ugly interesting! Here are some things that caught my eye while taking a walk!
Labels:
bright,
flowers,
hydrant,
life,
naiad soap arts,
pansies,
pictures,
public service announcement,
san diego
Monday, March 7, 2011
Market Specials
Introducing Market Specials - super short run soaps of 14 bars for fun sold Naked (without a box) for $5.50!
I will be adding one or two new ones each week! This week:
I will be adding one or two new ones each week! This week:
Pineapple Mint
Pikake
Labels:
handmade soap,
mint,
naiad soap arts,
pikake,
pineapple,
sale
Saturday, March 5, 2011
I've been nominated!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much to Amy Warden of Great Cakes Soap Works, and everyone who nominated me on the Great Cakes Soapworks Blog for your favorite Handmade Soap Blogs in the "Best Photography" category! You guys (my loyal fans and customers) ROCK!
Check out the other nominees and cast your votes! I'm off to vote right now! Some of my favorite blogs are on there and it is so hard to choose!
Check out the other nominees and cast your votes! I'm off to vote right now! Some of my favorite blogs are on there and it is so hard to choose!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)