Journal#6: Transscript

What are the ingredients:

coconut milk

red curry

whole chicken

ox tail

salt

MSG

shrimp paste

fish sauce

vermicelli noodles

sliced cabbage

long bean

bean sprouts

lemon grass

kefer lime leaf

ginger

Bring a pot of salted water to a near-boil, then dunk in the dried rice noodles. Remove pot from heat and press the noodles into the water. Allow noodles to soak.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and add the shrimp paste, bean sauce, fish sauce, and tamarind paste, stirring to incorporate. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Finally, add the coconut milk. When coconut milk has melted into the broth, do a taste test. This "sauce" should be tangy - a balance of salty and sour - and a little spicy. If not salty enough, add up to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce. If too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice.

If too sour, add 1-2 tsp. sugar, or more to taste.

Keep soup warm on minimum heat.

By now the noodles should be ready. Taste one to make sure it is soft enough to eat. If not, place pot over medium heat until noodles are done. Drain and set aside.

To serve, place generous mounds of noodles in serving bowls and ladle soup over top (bowls should be at least 1/3 full of the spicy soup). Now either add the other toppings yourself, or place in bowls and allow guests to add their own.

Serve with slices of key lime on the side and fresh vegetables, as well as additional red chilies or chili sauce (for guests who like it extra spicy).

ENJOY!!

Are there any special memories?

" I remember always waking up at the crack o dawn to help my mom start cooking the stock, just so she can make me my special breakfast with the chicken stock. The smell of the simmering chicken in the pot would make its way to my room and it would be my wake up call to come down stairs to help my mom. "

Is there a back ground to this soup?

"Its a communal party dish, everyone can put their own vegetables and make the soup the way they wanted."

Are there any stories/experiences from this dish?

" Everyone always fidgets for the thick, meaty ox tail, but my mom always saved a few pieces in separate bowl just for me."

What is your favorite part in making this soup?

"My favorite part would have to be shredding the chicken just so i can have a little on the side with some white rice and soy sauce"

Is it traditional?

"I would consider it to be a traditional laotion dish"