From the Beginning

Thai Food for Ultra Ultra Beginners

That's right, I finally have access to a stove and no access to cheap Thai food anymore, so I'll be posting whatever Thai recipes I've tried out and will hopefully successfully pass on to others for similar Thai-food happiness.

Today, I've cooked up no less than Thai Rice Porridge or Khao Nam, which literally translates to Rice Water.

Thai Rice Porridge/Khao Nam

3 c cooked rice (preferrably jasmine)
2 c chicken broth
1 c water
1 stub of ginger (half an inch) smashed
2 cloves of garlic smashed, skins left on
1-2 tsp of fish sauce
1/4 c minced pork (can also use thin slices of chicken or small shrimp)

1/8 c finely minced scallions
1/8 c finely minced cilantro
onion flakes
chili oil
lime wedges
white pepper

optional: egg

With the ginger and garlic, you can put them in a tea filter and close it and take it out at the end if you want, I follow my mom's example and just leave them in to the hazard of anyone who might eat it accidentally. Believe me, a bite of a gingerroot doesn't have the same delicacy as the pickled ginger one eats with sushi.

Boil the broth and water, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and crumble the pork into the soup until cooked, add the cooked rice and simmer at a low heat uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the rice is softened, but still rather separate.

If you'd like an egg poached in the soup, raise the heat to high and crack open a raw egg into the pot, and coddle.

The preparation of the rice soup is so easy that there really isn't an excuse not to ready the toppings, it's a simple, but very tasty start to the day.