Pad Gao-Prao Muu, or Thai minced pork with holy basil, is a uniquely Thai roadside dish commonly served with plain white rice and a sunny-side-up. What makes this dish unique is the holy basil – a variant of basil that cannot be found in any other supermarkets than Thai specialty stores. This renders the cooking of the dish a challenge; otherwise, it makes for a really lovely dish to prepare after a busy day at work.
Two years ago, I told myself (and the rest of the world in a previous blog post) that I was going to try to make girdle bread soon. Today, I finally got down to doing it.
The tradition of making girdle bread goes all the way back to the medieval times (between the 5th to 15th century). Back then, it served as a staple food for many who lived in the old kingdoms of the British empire – Ireland, Scotland and England. ‘Girdle’, or ‘griddle‘ – as the English called it, was a rounded piece of sandstone that served as a cooking platform for the bread, hence the name ‘girdle’ or ‘griddle’ bread. This stone was placed right above a fire to cook the bread till it was crispy and airy. Today, girdle breads are not commonly served anymore, due to the existence of modern baking technologies. Making girdle bread the traditional way is therefore one pleasant peasantry way of reminiscing the past while savouring the utmost basic taste of food long gone.
Ayam masak merah, meaning ‘chicken in red spicy tomato sauce’, is a continuation of my specially dedicated effort to cook Malay food to celebrate the upcoming Hari Raya Puasa. It’s a good way to compliment my previous recipe of Nasi Kunyit too!
Enjoy!
Nasi Kunyit (meaning ‘turmeric rice’), otherwise known as Nasi Kuning (meaning ‘yellow rice’) is an Indonesian rice commonly served at local Malay Nasi Padang stores, that is, stores selling Malay dishes. Nasi Kunyit uses glutinous rice that is steamed with coconut milk, banana leaves and turmeric, the last of which gives it its bright yellow colour.
Another simple recipe of tender chewy squids, this time using large squids, stir-fried with spicy black bean sauce.