Life is Good: Salmon Fillet with Soy-Sesame Ginger Marinade

I had a lovely start to the week and I am keeping it that way…

As I was walking to the grocery store last night around 6:30 p.m. with my fellow New Yorkers – I looked back towards Times Square where all the bright lights can be seen a mile away in the dark cold air, I had this surreal feeling.

Time stopped for a second or two.

I stopped.

The people just moved around me as they hurried to catch the train after a long day at work or were excited to get home and greet their children or just wanted out of the cold and into the shelter of a warm home.

I stood at the corner and felt this complete utter bliss. The light turned, I began to walk and felt calm. I felt a sense of belonging in this beautiful and fast-pace city.

That was it.

I kept on walking to the grocery store and was internally excited to be walking with the pace of everyone else. Within those moments, I had no cares in the world.

I picked up my pace and couldn’t wait to go home and to cook the salmon dish I share with you today in MY apartment. And eat on MY new coffee table with MY handsome boyfriend next to me in MY new city, New York.

Life is good.

Salmon Fillet with Soy-Sesame Ginger Marinade
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillet, medium size
1 cup of soy sauce
2 tbs. of sesame oil
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbs. of grated ginger
1 large orange, squeezed
2 garlic cloves, smooshed

Directions:

1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped green onions, grated ginger, and squeezed orange juice and the smooshed garlic cloves in a medium size bowl.
2. Gently place the salmon in the marinade for 30 minutes, cover and refrigerate.
3. Once you are ready to cook the salmon, preheat the oven at 375 degrees.
4. Arrange the salmon skin side down in a shallow baking dish and pour half of the liquid on top of the fillets. Using your hands, put some of the green onions and grated ginger on top of the fish.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. The fish is cooked when you insert a fork and the fish is soft and flakey.
7. There will be left over juice on the bottom of the dish – do not discard. Using a spoon once you have plated the salmon, get some of the liquid and drizzle the hot marinade on top of each piece of salmon when serving.
8. Serve the salmon with a side of steamed vegetables like broccoli and Ginger Rice.
9. The salmon goes really well with a glass of light white wine. Bon appétit!

Meet Tom Costa: a narrative painter in Bed-Stuy.

This week I had the pleasure of trekking with my friend Jeannie to Bed-Stuy, a neighborhood in Brooklyn to meet up with my friend Tom Costa, a narrative painter and Jason’s younger brother.

Tom, a very talented artist, who I know first-hand is so passionate about keeping the arts alive. Not just for his sake but for the world’s sake. Ever since I met Tom, I have learned a lot about the art world — the highs and lows. How the hard economic times intensifies the competition and creates stress for those that are artists for a living.  The hours spent to create a piece and the process that goes behind to creating his vision onto canvas.

Meeting Tom has certainly opened my eyes to the art world and the behind the scenes. I am always in awe by his drive, his commitment to his art, and the countless hours he pours into his work. And I know that other artists do the same. I applaud you and appreciate you sharing your artistic talents.

Honestly, I wish you were with us to hear Tom talk about his artwork and inspirations. It opens your eyes to a profession that we must continue to support and to not let our economy deter the aspiring, new and upcoming artists in our world today.

Here’s why I love the arts: Art makes you think, ponder, and form discussions. Art is a form of expression, it’s educational, touches on topics of politics, life, emotions and anything that speaks to the heart and mind. I truly believe that any form of art brings light into our world.

My suggestions: When you have time on the weekend or after work, go to your local art walk, galleries or museums and get lost in the world of art an its beauty. Don’t be afraid to just stand there for a few minutes or 10 minutes and stare in wonder about what they piece of art is saying to you. Don’t be afraid to question the motives of the artists and his thoughts. Don’t be afraid to ask the curator questions about the installments. Don’t be afraid to go to art events even if you don’t know much about the artists or its history.

Go with an open mind and find out. Art is here for you to enjoy and learn from. Art is always in the eye of the beholder. Find your tastes and immerse yourself in its beauty….

Bell Peppers stuffed with Italian Sausage & Rice.

I have been totally MIA and I apologize for not keeping up on my postings. I do think about it every day and once I get the internet connected – I will be back full force.

For today, I will keep my NYC update brief and today’s recipe is one of the best!

My Brief Update:

• Work is a full grind
• Friends are in town and I have been having a blast exploring the city.
• I will openly admit that I am in my own little world. Speaking of “little” I am getting a new refrigerator that will still be little but will actually close all the way and not waste energy! Simple things like that really brighten up my day and thank goodness for a wonderful landlord.
• I have been trying my best to get my place in order.
• Once it’s up to par – I will be happy to show you the fully furnished and designed home. It’s is not ready for public viewing. Last weekend, I mopped the floors and now the hardwood is nice and shiny.
• I am using a UPS box as a coffee table and my TV is on its own TV box too. You gotta love the moving boxes. I cannot wait to get real furniture from the local flea markets.
• New restaurants I have tried: Momofuku Ssam Bar and Public (reviews to come!). Fabulous!
• Purchased a new dress at Opening Ceremony and I promise to write a Thursday Libation this week. I need my Thursdays back to create magic.

Okay, I am off to take a quick breather before I continue the daily work grind. Today has been a “deadline overload” type of day….

Enjoy my recipe for the day!

Bell Peppers stuffed with Italian Sausage & Rice
Serves 2 or 3 and leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of jasmine rice and 2 cups of water
2 medium to large sized bell peppers (any kind)
2 spicy Italian sausages
½ White Onion, diced
2 oz. of Crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
2 tbs. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.
2. Clean the rice and place into a medium pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
3. At boiling point, turn down the heat to low and cover for 12-15 minutes.
4. While the rice is cooking – get your bell peppers and you will want to make carve out a lid in a circular shape (like a pumpkin) and trim a little bit off the bottom of the bell pepper so the bottom is flat and the peppers can stand up right without any support. Gently using your fingers –discard the seeds. Do not discard the top part of the bell peppers.
5. Chop all the vegetables and put aside.
6. Take your sausages, cut it in half and squeeze out the meat from the casing into a bowl. Discard the casing.
7. Heat up your pan with a two tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat. Sautee the white onions until translucent.
8. Add the sausage to the onions and breaking it up into pieces. Once the sausage is thoroughly cooked, add the remaining vegetables to the hot pan and begin to sauté.
9. By now, the rice should be cooked. Scoop all the rice into the pan and mix it into the sausage and vegetables. Make sure the rice is well integrated because we want the rice to soak up the natural juices.
10. Once it’s all well combined, generously season with salt and pepper.
11. Taking a spoon, begin to stuff the peppers with the Italian sausage, rice and veggie mixture. Each time you put a spoon full into the pepper make sure to gently press down but be careful to not break the pepper. Fill each pepper with the mixture to the top and place the cut out top on top of the stuffed bell peppers
12. Once the peppers are all stuffed, place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. This will cook the bell peppers and the natural juices will be soaked by the sausage mixture.
13. Remove from oven and serve.

Make sure to eat everything from the inside out! It’s a hearty dish that is great for any evening especially when you want something wholesome and all in one! There will be plenty of leftovers and it is great if reheated for tomorrow’s lunch. Enjoy, my friends!

A Bowl of Goodness in My New Kitchen: Squid-Chard Pasta

Yesterday was a momentous day for me. Not only did I stock my tiny refrigerator with pure goodness – I finally had the opportunity to cook at my place for the very first time! It was so delightful to be home and in my own element.

Some of you may wonder:

How does someone with an unhealthy food obsession make do with a place that has a small fridge and small kitchen?!

Everyone in NYC does it. You make do and adjust to your surroundings while learning to work with what you have. One of the places I use to live in also had a tiny kitchen just like now but I had a gorgeous view of Elliot Bay. Today, I live in SoHo with the downtown lifestyle swirling around me. You have to pick and choose – I chose location. But hey, I have the essentials and I know my fixin’ will still be delicious and continue to inspire people to make healthy and beautiful food.

Before I share my recipe, I am going to digress and share my shopping experience. All day, I was so excited to go grocery shopping and I knew that I could only carry two full bags home and weight was not accounted for. I mapped what train I had to take home and had my grocery list ready to go. The shopping experience was certainly fun. Having to dodge every other person in the little cramped aisles around rush time – not so much. When I stepped to the check-out counter, I knew I was in trouble. I thought about telling the cashier that I didn’t want that product and this one and that one. But I didn’t because I wanted to ensure to stock my fridge and pantry with the essentials.

What was I thinking?

Going to the subway was a synch because it was one block away and as I proceeded to go down the steps, I heard a tear. Yikes. Yikes. Yikes. My double bagged paper bags were ripping! I should have been environmentally friendly and brought my reusable bags but I wanted some paper bags at home to use for recycling at home. That is what I get for not thinking of Mother Earth.

I got into the subway and I knew this bag would not last the three-block walk home. Right at my stop, I went to lift it and it ripped. I was so terrified that all my groceries would spill out of the bag and onto the subway floor. Thank goodness it didn’t because I would have continued to ride the subway picking up my lemons, oranges, cheeses, etc. I had to improvise and carefully carry the one bag as if I was holding a toddler. My left arm hurt so badly and my right hand holding onto the other bag were numb.

I did make it home – whew. And here comes the NYC experience (drum roll, please): carrying the bags up five-flight of stairs. It was a workout of itself but once I made it to my door after much huffing and puffing (queue music) – it was a “Rocky” moment.

As a treat to myself, after changing clothes, wiping the sweat off and opening every window — I made Squid-Chard Pasta. This dish is so simple, it’s sophisticated and pure heaven on a rainy cold day. The ease of boiling pasta and sautéing the garlic and jalapenos creates an aroma that would make your dog’s mouth water. As the garlic and jalapenos begin to crisp it is so satisfying to add the chard and hear it make the crackling noise. To make the dish meaty and more filling you must add mushrooms to soak the natural juices and the squid makes it a bit exotic. It turned out to be an elegant bowl of goodness that is perfect for one or a group.

Squid-Chard Pasta
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

18 oz. of Spaghetti, cooked and al dente
4 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno, sliced
6-8 leaves of chard, chopped
6 oz. of mixed mushrooms (I had crimini, chanterelle and button)
1 lbs. of squid, cleaned and sliced horizontally (this will create the “ring” shape)
Salt & Pepper, for taste

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil and cook the spaghetti – it should only take 8 to 10 minutes for it to be al dente. While the spaghetti is cooking heat your pan with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2. When the oil is hot – add the chopped garlic and sliced jalapeno until it’s crispy with a tint of caramel color. This will take approximately 2 minutes.
3. Add the chopped chard one big handful at a time. Do not be afraid of the crackling sounds – it’s because the leaf hits the oil but once it begins to wilt the chard will create natural juices. Mix the chard.
4. Once you have added all the chard, immediately add the mushrooms and begin to combine so the mushrooms can soak up the juices. This will take around 3 minutes.
5. Add the squid, two to three large pinches of salt and mix. The squid is thoroughly cooked with it releases all its juices and becomes opaque.
6. The pasta should be cooked by now and drain. Then toss the spaghetti with 1 tsp. of olive oil and place in a bowl. Pour the Squid-Chard on top of the spaghetti and toss and evenly coat.
7. Serve in a medium size bowel for each person and ensure that everyone gets the squid, chard, jalapeno and mushrooms.

Pair with your favorite glass of white wine. Enjoy the bowl of goodness.

A First: Dunkin’ Donuts for breakfast.

As I hastily left the house this morning my stomach was growling like no other. At 8 a.m. I had to get something quick and fast once I hopped off the subway before I settled down at work or it would have been a miserable few hours before lunch.

Once I got to the street level I had my options. I could have gotten fresh fruit from the local fruit and vegetable stand. See, I have eyeballed the asparagus and blueberries but when I want to buy those items it doesn’t look so good the next day. Or I could have also gotten juice and an egg muffin from this local shop but my legs kept walking towards Dunkin’ Donuts.

Yes! Dunkin’ Donuts.

Their tag line: “America Runs on Dunkin.” Go figure — there I was standing in line waiting to order my donuts and to fuel my body. If I ran on Dunkin’ my waist size would not be pretty anymore and there goes my “sophisticated” ways. I had to try it at least once (Dunkin’ Donuts are everywhere in NY taunting you) and there was no turning back once I entered. The smell of baked greasy donuts and coffee — was oooo la la to my senses.

This is the first for me.

I have never had their donuts and people seriously wait in line for this stuff. I knew what I was going to get once donuts was on my mind. It came to me naturally…it’s the same order I remember asking my mom when she would go to the Safeway bakery on random Sunday mornings and get us donuts.

Glazed and a custard filled with chocolate on top.

My mouth was watering. Ok, I could have done with one but it was only a total of $1.95 for two donuts! I was reliving my childhood memories. Wait. I was just really hungry and it was an excuse to get something really unhealthy and sweet for an early Wednesday morning.

I carefully carried my donuts in their little brown sack to work making sure it did not get hit by pedestrians. I wanted it to be the perfect donut shape when I arrived at work and to savor each sweet little big bite.

I will be downright honest with my first Dunkin’ Donuts experience. I annihilated the donuts with no shame. No need to have a coffee with it — it was just me and the donuts this morning! Did I feel good after consuming thousands and thousands of calories? Oh yes! For a minute or two. Then it was back to reality. It made me lethargic for 30 minutes or so but it hit the spot and perked up my morning.

There you go! My first experience at Dunkin’ Donuts and it was quite pleasant. Will I go there anytime soon? Probably not. It will be my little treat once in a blue moon.

My order for lunch today: May I have a salad and light on the dressing please?

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes: That’s All I Have to My Name.

This past weekend was my big move into my new pad. Literally, I have started from scratch from purchasing the clothes hangers to utensils to soap and to a brand new couch etc, etc.

The best thing about the entire shopping experience was my cowhide rug! I have always wanted a cowhide rug and I cannot wait to shine up my hard wood floors and gently lay down my cow. I can hear it softly “Mooo” because it will be so happy to be paired with the brown leather couch, the bookshelf and dresser. I am almost done shopping. I still have to purchase a floor lamp. And, did I mention that I still need to purchase a bed?! I will be on an air mattress for a few more days.

The place is a total mess right now and is not fun nor pleasant on the eyes.

I honestly don’t know what I would have done if Tom and Jason were not there to help me carry my purchased goods up the five-flights of stairs! It was a stressful weekend but looking back at it — all of the sweat, blood, tears and 100s of stairs was well worth it. A big THANK YOU shout out to Tom and Jason for their muscles and patience with me!

Now it’s time for me to organize, organize and clean and organize. You would think that living in a small space approximately 500 SF wouldn’t take as much time but it does. I want it to feel like home and I am going to be anal about it because it’s my sophisticated “home, sweet home.”

With the move — my wallet is officially EMPTY and all I have is a sack of potatoes to my name. I won’t complain one bit if you decide to take me out for drinks or buy me a slice of pizza with a side of Diet Coke — my stomach will thank you. OK, that was a big exaggeration but that’s how I feel and it is somewhat a funny intro into my recipe for today: Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.

These roasted potatoes paired with any meat dish especially steak or chicken makes it a perfect marriage. It’s easy on the wallet, sophisticated and divine. I love to make these potatoes when I want something filling, simple, fast and warms the soul.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Serves 2 to 3

10 small to medium sized red potatoes
3 tbs. of fresh chopped rosemary
2 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper for taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
2. Wash and scrub all the potatoes and pat dry.
3. You’ll want the potatoes to cook evenly. If they are big feel free to halve the potatoes and place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.
4. Finely chop the rosemary and toss the fresh chopped rosemary into the bowl with the potatoes.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil on top of the potatoes and generously season with salt and pepper.
6. Using your hands, thoroughly make sure each potato is evenly covered with the rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper.
7. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and a light brown caramel color.
8. Serve in a bowl as a side dish and make sure to cool for a few minutes because it will be very hot and steamy!

For the Love of Bubbles.

I love bubbly drinks like champagne and sparking wine! Who doesn’t?

It’s a drink that wakes up your palette. One sip and your taste buds perk right up. The crisp cold taste and the carbon dioxide bubbles just enhances the flavor and the feel. And it’s such a versatile drink where you can mix it with other liquors or juices making it a perfect champagne cocktail. Oh, I can’t forget to mention that it goes down quite nicely.

Holding a glass of champagne makes me in a celebratory mood even if it’s just happy hour. It creates happiness and clinking champagne glasses with friends is a sweet way to celebrate friendship, health, accomplishments or to just be able to relax and forget about your nasty day at work.

I have read that champagne was the drink of choice for the French Kings throughout Europe because it exudes luxury and power. My “luxury” and “power” is not one who has to have a massive amount of money or materialistic items (hey, I won’t complain if one day I do end up with lot of money). My luxury is the roof over my head, living in New York City, to have a job, food on my plate and once in a while I can have a piece of that beautiful three-layered chocolate cake when I want or that pair of boots I have been eyeing. As for power — power is my knowledge and love.

As for this weekend I will be celebrating my move into my new SoHo apartment. I will certainly be having a glass of champagne or two to celebrate this moment in my life. It’s a feeling that I cannot truly describe. It makes my life a bit more solid and I am ready to continue my journey and carry out my goals and dreams in this wonderful city, my home.

Before I forget since I am writing about champagne — I have a craft project that I will be working on this week for my cat. I am going to make a cat house out of Veuve Clicquot boxes, which is my ultimate favorite champagne. I got the boxes from Frankly Wines. It’s a cute little wine shop in TriBeCa and it was just so sweet of them to save the boxes for me!

This cat house is inspired by a post on Apartment Therapy and I believe that my cat deserves a luxurious home of his own when he arrives in NY. He is Pablo Picasso after all. And what cat wouldn’t want a house made out of the boxes from my #1 favorite champagne?! Now that’s luxury!

A Furry Roommate & His Wheat Grass.

My furry roommate Pablo Picasso aka “Picasso” or “PP” will be joining me at the end of this month (his first flight). He was born and raised in Seattle and has no say about the move besides the meows here and there. He has been living quite a grand life with his friends Zsa Zsu & Company. It will be him and I again in our little apartment in a different city.

Picasso has always done well adjusting to different environments. I can say that truthfully because he has moved around a lot (no exaggeration) since I adopted him five years ago. I think he will fit in quite nicely in NY. I think he’ll enjoy the “sun drenched” apartment because we face south and there are three big windows for him to peep into other apartments.

Just like old times once he adjusts to his new home — he’ll sleep under my duvet, wake me up around 6 a.m., sit next to me while watching television, lay on my laptop, chew my cords (I really really hope he is out of that phase) and consistently beg for food. Oh, how I miss his ways even if it’s annoying.

I look forward to welcoming him with food and his favorite side dish: wheat grass (not a shot of it but the real plant from grocery stores). From there he will be the great furry roommate that I have missed having around. My apartment will be whole once Picasso arrives.

It’s just amazing how pets can really bring comfort and life into your home. I will never be one of those cat ladies but I will tell you — pets never talk back, they never leave you and will love you unconditionally even if you have been away for a few days on a business trip or forgot to clean the litter box. I am so glad I adopted him because he is one-of-a-kind (he fetches! no joke!) and is truly a sweet cat to have around.

PS: Wheat grass is great for a cat’s digestion and it brings the outdoors in for indoor cats. Also, wheat grass is a great supplement of nutrients for humans to consume. They sell shots of wheat grass at smoothie shops like Jamba Juice. I tried a sip of wheat grass juice with a slice of orange as a chaser and I will leave it to the cats, like Picasso…meow.

Thursday Libation #7: Dirty Martini with Stuffed Green Olives

For the past couple of weeks, I have been neglecting my Thursday Libations because those Thursdays landed on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Now, I am back and in full effect!

On New Year’s Eve and for dinner last night, I made Dirty Martinis. It’s a great treat after a really long day at work while you are unwinding, kicking up your feet and just want to relax with a good meal.

This Dirty Martini is inspired by my friends Joel & Stephanie Pitts. They make a mean Dirty Martini and introduced me to green olives stuffed with blue cheese. Delicious!

Dirty Martini with Stuffed Green Olives
Serves 1

2 shot glasses of vodka or gin
1 tbs. of dry vermouth
2 tbs. of olive juice
1 olive stuffed with blue cheese (or your favorite kind of green olive)
A few ice cubes

Directions:

1. Place your martini glass in the freezer for a few minutes. While the martini glass is waiting for you – get a shaker and put in a few ice cubes.
2. Pour in the vodka or gin, dry vermouth and olive juice.
3. Give it a few really good shakes.
4. Get the martini glass from the freezer and drain the martini into the glass.
5. Drop an olive into your martini. Sip and enjoy!

Thanks to the Pitts for introducing me to olives stuffed with blue cheese. It’s now a favorite with a regular or dirty martini. Cheers to you!

Oy! The Joy of Apartment Hunting & All I Want is Lao Ginger Shrimp.

I have been apartment hunting this month (only 6 days into January). New transplanted to NYC – I am trying to find the right place that will suit my needs and budget. I know it will not be the perfect apartment or meet all my desires such as having a large chef’s kitchen, a full size bedroom and a bathroom where I can actually fit in the bathtub, etc .,etc.

What I do know is that I will have a place to call “my own.”

All the things you have heard or read about Manhattan rental prices and the little cramped spaces are so true within my budget. If your tree is growing money you probably have a nice 800sf-plus apartment. That is big in Manhattan terms! As for me, my tree is bare just like the trees outside with no leaves but I know whatever I do find – it will be just right for me.

One fine day, I will get a book published, my company starts making money and my career takes me to new heights is when I will get my dream sophisticated apartment (ok, I am now daydreaming—back to reality for a second).

As of yesterday, I have seen a total of eight apartments from SoHo to Mid-town to Murray Hill. I have decided to stick in Manhattan (to have my first year real city experience) and on the West side. I am sticking to my West coast roots (not really) but it’s convenient to work in Chelsea and I really like how it’s on the 1,2,3 and A,C,E lines because they connect to everything.

My broker Jan has been wonderful and has so much patience. The first time we met — I saw two SoHo studios and was so shocked by the “shoebox” sized apartments. I didn’t even have to walk in to see the entire place. Once he saw my reaction – he knew what I was thinking and he reassured me that we would find the right place (if you ever need a broker — call me because Jan is so great to work with!).

It was an eye opening moment for me.

We have been hitting the pavement, my feet are sore, my face frozen but with determination I now have two places that I like and a few more to look at this week before I make my final decision. This process has given me a lot of time to reflect on what my expectations are and I have decided that even with a little little place with a little little kitchen and a little little closet – I can make it work and I will be happy. I will still happily cook in cramp quarters and  have people over, I will eat out at amazing restaurants, I will get to know my neighborhood and I know someone will learn my name.

Most of all, I will have a place to call “home.”

All this writing, talking and thinking of home has gotten to me a bit. I miss my family dearly. Maybe, it’s because it has been full speed ahead at work (and I am still loving my job!), I’m exhausted at night and I think way way way too much, and my body is still not fully recovered from being ill over the holidays.

I know that this feeling is a natural part of the transition period of moving to a new city with new surroundings and I am a bit out of my comfort zone. When I miss home and family I think about food. Right now, I want is some good home cookin’ Lao food that my grandma would always make for my siblings and I. Papaya salad (extra spicy please with little crabs), sticky rice, roasted duck, rice noodle (kao piek sehn) and some minced spiced meat (laab) with beautiful steamed vegetables….

My grandmother is a fabulous cook and I miss her and her Lao food. This past weekend as I was vegging out, watching Anthony Bourdain and working on my Lao recipes for my cookbook — I decided to make a dish that I have titled: Lao Ginger Shrimp – inspired by my grandmother and aunt.

This dish is usually served as an appetizer before dinner and is fabulous with a cold glass of Beer Lao on a hot evening.The spiciness of the dish and the aroma of the fresh ginger brought me a little closer to home. I have come to accept that I can bring a little bit of home to NYC with delicious Lao dishes even though I may be eating it by myself, it may have some American ingredients and not enjoyed with a group of people. The process of making it and taste just makes me a tiny bit closer to family.

The shrimp is raw but soaked in rice wine vinegar. The vinegar creates a reaction and cooks the shrimp (think Ceviche from Peru).  This process does thoroughly cook the shrimp and with other spices such as lime, Thai chili, fish sauce, garlic and freshly chopped ginger – it is a heavenly combination on the palate. The tenderness of the shrimp, the fresh taste of the ginger and the spiciness from the chili is music to my palate. Lao dishes are known for their fresh ingredients and spices.

Thank you grandma for sharing your cooking skills with me and for never letting me forget my roots.

Lao Ginger Shrimp
Serves 4

12 to 18 raw medium sized Shrimp
½ cup of Rice Wine Vinegar
4 green Thai Chili, thinly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tbs. of finely chopped fresh ginger
3 tbs. of fish sauce
½ a squeezed lime

Directions:

1. Peel and devein the raw shrimp and with tail intact.
2. Bring the shrimp to a medium size bowl and pour the rice wine vinegar over the raw shrimp. Let it soak in the rice wine vinegar for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. After ten minutes, drain the shrimp.
4. Using the same bowl mix the remaining ingredients with the shrimp.
5. Serve immediately on a nice platter with chop sticks for each guest to use.  You can also serve this dish with rice to offset the spiciness or use less chili.

Enjoy, my friends!