Despite the long title, I decided I wanted to make this while browsing through Leela Punyaratabandhu's book Bangkok. Thai food reminds me of Vietnamese food and I was looking to be inspired by new dishes or interesting combinations that I hadn't tried before. Saying that though, clearly I chose the safest recipe in the book. I like to try out safer sounding dishes before trying an unusual one, simply because I don't want to spend a fortune on ingredients for a sub-par dish!
I've never heard of Leela Punyaratabandhu before picking up this book, but after a quick google it appears that she is a food blogger of SheSimmers and although I couldn't find a recipe on her site for this, here is a similar one.
Yay or Nay: Nay
First, let me say that it isn't a nay because it didn't taste good, or that it wasn't easy to cook. It was a tasty enough dinner but it was just OK. I wasn't blown away by it and I wasn't wowed by it either. On the plus side, it was good enough to warrant another try with a different recipe.
Growing up in England, Shepherd's Pie is ingrained in you - that and cottage pie. There's the confusion to which one is which, and the only difference is the meat. Shepherd's tend to sheep so it is made with lamb mince rather than beef.
For me, shepherd's/cottage pie is ultimate comfort food and especially as the weather gets colder. This meal is a real comfort as I think it was one of the first meals my mum allowed my sister and I to make on our own - so it conjures up happy memories of being in the kitchen together!
What Katie Ate Next's recipe is called shepherd's pie but gives you the option to choose lamb or beef for the meat filling. I went with beef as I'm not really a lamb fan. I found a similar recipe here.
Yay or Nay: Yay
A little more effort than my version but tastier! I can't say that I tasted the garlic and cheese in the mash, but sprinkled on top was a nice addition. The recipe for the filling was lengthy but the filling had a rich, ragu-like taste that was definitely moreish!
Some call it Chow Fun, I am more familiar with Ho Fun and some probably know it as beef noodles. Whatever it's called to you, it makes for a top pick for a Saturday night take-away (take-out). I remember a cheap dive in London's Chinatown called Wong Kei where my cousin and I would go for a uni lunch. The service was poor, infamous in fact, but the food was cheap and delicious (especially as money poor students). You could order this wet (with a sauce or gravy) or dry depending on your mood. This version of Ho Fun/Chow Fun promised the taste of a take-away and the ease of a ready meal so I definitely wanted to give this a go.
Yay or Nay: Yay
Tasty and satifying it is well worth the effort to make the marinade and then cook. I did only marinade the beef for 15 minutes while I exercised so maybe I will try a little longer next time. I cooked the noodles but didn't bother to chill them as she suggested and it made for a sticky layer of noodles semi-permanently stuck to my sieve. Don't panic if the noodles don't separate as adding the leftover marinade helps break it apart nicely. Also, does flank steak cost an arm and a leg where you are???
UPDATE: Here are the missing pics I promised!
What a surprise to see a UK TV food personality in my local library! Naturally I quickly borrowed Home Cooking Made Easy to see what I could rustle up! The recipe of Thai Beef Salad caught my husband's eye as he put it, had fish sauce - hmmm haven't heard that one before. Usually fish sauce repulses people but I guess I'm pretty badass at making my mum's nuoc mam!
Yay or Nay: A resounding YAY!
It took a few tries to find the right cut of steak at the supermarket to suit our palates. I bought half sirloin (no idea what cut this is but if anyone can educate me on this!) as opposed to sirloin as it was cheaper! I used coconut oil instead of the vegetable oil and it definitely gives it a pleasant nutty taste that is super mild. Make extra of the dressing as you'll need it to dress everything properly!
Larb, a weird unappetising name for a dish but don't discount it yet! An Laotian/Thai dish that is pretty much a mince/ground beef salad with a lime and fish sauce dressing. This recipe caught my eye as it combined some familiar Vietnamese ingredients that I was used to cooling with but nothing I had really eaten before. A great one to test for my firsy Yay or Nay recipe.
Yay or Nay: Yay
Meaty and fragrant with a hit of spice! The lime really balances out the heat and definitely take the time to prep the toasted rice, it gave an unusual but moreish dimension to the dish!
Let me know if there are any recipes you want to try!
