Thai Green Curry - The Best

 

Thai Piano Music 

Oh My God...

This was the most delicious Thai Green Curry I have ever had in my life.

The ingredients are relatively simple...

it is relatively inexpensive and quick to make...

and it is better than any restaurant's...

as you fit the heat and flavor to your exact preference

(as with any dish...you taste frequently as you cook...

using the two spoon method...of course).

The ingredients I had used:

Coconut Milk Powder

Sugar

Thai Green Curry Paste

Carrots

Shiitake Mushrooms

Precooked and peeled shrimp

Cooked rice

I had gotten this Thai Green Curry Paste off of Amazon.

I will buy this brand from now on.

It has a refrigerated shelf life of over 2 years.

One container is good for many large batches.

But...most of all...

the flavor is simply out of this world.

As I had never made this before...

and I wanted to make a large enough batch to not only last me for a while

(It can also be frozen)...

and I will share it with my elder sister and her husband, my younger sister, and my mother as well...

I continued adding the coconut milk powder to gently boiling water until I got 

the desired consistency and taste.

Should you wish a thicker curry...

You can either keep adding coconut milk powder...

or simply reduce the mixture on low boil.

I then added the carrots...

 as they take the longest to soften (ten minutes or so)...

and kept the heat on medium.

I started the rice early so it would be ready.

I then added the Thai Green Curry Paste and stirred it in for a few minutes.

Simply taste after you stir it in.

This amount was perfect in taste and heat for this size batch.

Remember...

the more you put in...

the hotter it will be.

I like it at medium heat.

This is how it looks after the paste is stirred in.

I then added the shiitake.

I bowled the rice and then placed it on one side to allow the curry to be on the other side.

Yes...

after seeing this photo...

I cut my thumb nail  :)

As I spend almost all of my time in solitude in the Tiger's Den...

I really don't pay attention to the length of my nails (they grow very quickly)...

unless I play the guitar.

As the last step just before serving...

I added the precooked and defrosted shrimp.

I then had the best Thai Green Curry in my life.

Sometime in the future...

I will learn how to make Pad Thai.

Once I can do that well...

I will never have a need to visit any Thai restaurant ever again.

Cabbage Roll Stew

 

Song:  Rainy Day Zen Music

My younger sister introduced this meal to me.

I will be modifying the recipe just a little.

I will substitute the vegetable juice with a spicy caliente vegetable juice...

one such brand being 'Snappy Tom'.

Cabbage Roll Soup

2 pounds ground beef                                                    1 onion

1 medium head cabbage                                                3-4 medium potatoes

4 cups beef broth                                                           2-3 stalks celery

3 cloves garlic                                                               3/4 c uncooked rice

1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz)                                        1 can tomato paste (6 oz)

1 bottle v8 juice (64 oz)                                                1 tsp thyme

or tomato based mixed vegetable juice                         1 tsp paprika                                     

1 tbs worcestershire sauce                                             1 bay leaf                                                                       

In a large pot, brown meat, onion, garlic, drain fat.

Stir in cabbage, let cook until slightly softened.

Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil then reduce to simmer, 30 minutes or until rice and vegetables are soft. 

Remove bay leaf. 

All the taste of a cabbage roll, without all the work to roll them.  Cabbage rolls are literally cabbage leaves folded and rolled around a meat filling, and cooked in tomato based liquids.   

Brown the meat partially then add the onions.

Vegetables...cut bite size or so.

Cook the onions to soften them until slightly translucent, then add the cabbage to soften

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Stir

Stir in the rice.

Heat to boiling, reduce and cook 30 minutes until the vegetables and rice are done.

Serve with hearty bread for a filling and satisfying meal.

This meal is inexpensive and quick and easy to make...

besides being very healthful. 

An Amber - Fire Dragon Sunset / A Sauna Afterwards

 

Song:  Angelic Frequency

Artist:  Mei-lan

My younger sister's dog is the little black one.

My mother's dog (Bandi) is the tan dog.

They love going on walks.

My younger sister and I took a sunset walk to lookout point...

just down the street from my mother's house.

From this one point, one may see the sunrise and sunsets.

Just a few shots of a recent sunrise.

I have a backpack in which I carry my camera and a tiny fold up seat.

I will walk to lookout point just down the street just before sunrise or sunset 

and sit while I watch the sunlight go through its transition upon the clouds.

My sister also brings her seat when she accompanies me on the walks.

The following shots are of this day's sunset.

I looked outside about an hour before sunset and saw the cloud formations...

and I then knew of the great probability for a nice sunset.

As the sun rays shine from differing angles as it travels across the sky...

the angle affects the lighting on the clouds.

Often times...

discernable patterns emerge.

A serpentine pattern began to emerge.

The amber fire dragon.

The dragon's head...

complete with eyes...

horns...

and an open maw.

The dragon begins to dissipate.

A demon's last cry of anguish at the setting sun...

ending its life in the sky.

After my walk...

I enjoyed a relaxing infrared sauna...

in my mother's sauna.

A few days ago...

my mother bought my elder sister's sauna at a big discount...

as my elder sister is going to buy a larger one...

as she enjoys her sauna days so much.

This is my mother's sauna:

The sauna is in my mother's bedroom...

and although it has a view of the TV...

I like to use the built in stereo to listen to beautiful music.

My mother and I tried it out for the first time a few days ago.

The sauna has multiple infrared emitters.

There are two sets of emitters behind the wooden slat backboard.

The quality stereo speakers are just above.

There is another emitter on each side.

One underneath the bench seat.

Another set is on either side facing the people inside.

You will also notice the control panel.

There is one on the outside...

and one on the inside.

The sauna has a built in timer so you may run the ionizer and then not have to worry 

about waiting for it to work before you have to shut it off.

It is a set and forget system.

This is the ionizer to run after use as it cleans the air

and the surfaces...

to keep it fresh from any odors.

Above the right side is the radio and cd player.

You open it to start the player...

and then re-close it as the lid insulates the player from the heat.

As I sit in the sauna...

I listen to a medley of music from the late Ramsey Lewis...

a great jazz pianist.

He plays a beautiful medley of which I will later

try to make a cover.

I first heard this artist back in about 1980.

It was on an album which was only sold overseas for decades.

I only rediscovered this particular album a few years ago...

and I bought the cd.

As I only have the music to listen to...

I will have to it break down by ear...

and then, not only attempt to replicate the piano passages...

but the multiple other instruments...

including the cello, violins, snare drum, and horns...

all with my Max 10 music arranger.

I still have two other songs I am working on presently...

each of which involves multiple instruments.

-------

 After a beautiful sunset walk...

I go to the sauna...

take a shower...

and I am then put into a mellow mood...

perfect for music and writing.

-------

My mother sleeps a lot.

I am going to try to have her go on short walks with me.

She is now having difficulty walking due to arthritic knees.

The sauna will greatly help her with this problem...

as will some knee braces I will put on her before our walks.

However, she still has her happy disposition...

and this means she is generally happy in life.

I am sure the walks and sauna will make her life even happier.