Hot and Spicy Soup/Tom Yum

I was trimming my kaffir lime bush this morning and this gives me and idea for tonight dinner. Tom Yum is a simple soup that cooks in a one pot in less than an hour. You can serve this soup with shrimp or chicken, I decided to use salmon tonight and serve warm with rice and a stir-fried vegetable dish.
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimps (washed, shelled leaving tails intact, keeping the heads and shells)
4 cups chicken stock/water
2 fresh tomato, sliced in chunks
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 pcs. lemon grass, cut in lengths and crushed
4 pcs. galangal (crushed)
2-3 pieces ginger
2 Tbsp. best quality fish sauce (nam pla, buy the one with the 3 crabs)
4-6 pcs. fresh kaffir lime leaves (crushed)
2 pieces of dried Thai fresh chilies (optional)
2 Tbsp. nam prik pow (Thai chili paste in soya bean oil)
3 Tbsp instant tom yum paste
juice of 2 limes or lemon
pinch of sugar
cilantro and mint leaves for garnishing
Method:
1. In a pot heat a little oil, fry the shrimps heads/shells until fragrant and red color. Add enough water to cover and lower heat to simmer for an hour. Strain the stock and press out as much juice from the shells.
2. In the same pot, add chicken stock, lemon grass, galangal, ginger, kaffir leaves, fresh chillies, and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. Lower heat to simmer and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove and let it sit longer to get as much flavor and essence from the ingredients.
3. Reheat the #2 stock, add the shrimp stock and bring to a fast boil. Stir in the tom yam paste, nam prik pow (if used), tomato, mushrooms, fish sauce and lime juice. Cook this for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp meat and season to your taste (do not overcook the shrimp)
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Pineapple Fried Rice

Ever since both my college kids moved out of the house, I have to learn to cook less and sometimes there are still leftovers for the both of us. I have some leftover brown rice and the dish that comes to mind is fried rice served in hollowed out pineapple. If you don't have fresh pineapple, you can substitute with canned pineapple, which is a bit too sweet. This is my version of what you can do with leftover rice.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1 cup cooked brown rice (or white)
1 fresh pineapple
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
¼ lb. prawns (peeled and deveined)
½ cup frozen peas (rinsed and drained)
2 small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. roasted cashews (optional)
¼ cup raisins
1 egg (beaten)
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
½ tsp. turmeric powder
¼ tsp. cayenne powder
1 piece kaffir lime leaf (thinly sliced)
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
cilantro for garnishing
Method:

1. Rub the cooked rice to separate them if they are in lumps. Cut pineapple in half, remove fruit and cut in small chunks. Be carefully not to cut through the skin. Reserve one cup of fruits for the rice.

2. Mix fish sauce, turmeric powder, and cayenne powder in a small bowl.

 3. In a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and fry shallots till soft and fragrant. Add the prawns and kaffir lime leaf and cook till prawns turned red in color, stirring occasionally.

4. Add in the peas follow by the beaten egg, stir to mix for about 5-10 minutes. Add in rice, spices, raisins, pineapples, and nuts if used. Stir to mix until all the ingredients, or until the rice is slightly dried.

5. Remove from heat, spoon into hollowed-out pineapple halves and garnish with cilantro.
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