Chan Phuut Phassa Thai Nit Noy

As the months tick by and I get further into this I feel increasingly frustrated and incompetent with the language things. It is OK for the first 2 months, you are still new, but later you should have something to show for yourself. We did have a good (and actual) study session last night. Sa-mai and Chan were making an effort to learn English, Pom was reviewing my flashcards, and Sa-kon was sticking around to translate. So, to get everyone on the same page, we’d end up repeating phrases multiple times – the best way to learn and it was fun. Somehow need to encourage more of that. 

24 November 04 5:18pm
The Thai cooking style is reflective of the general lifestyle attitude. Simple. Every dish is prepared with the same basic wok and metal spatula. A simple bowl shape perfectly tuned over the generations to be used with quantities of oil. The menus have evolved with the tools. Other musts of the Thai kitchen: A mortar and pestle (for grinding those hot peppers and garlic), fish sauce, oyster sauce, and of course rice, sugar, and MSG. Everything else is fresh bought at the market. We had one dish tonight of an egg with a vegetable called Pak-ChaOhm. Meals consist of three or four bowls which you spoon out (communally) small portions (ie. a bite size piece of meat and a mushroom) to add to your personal heap of rice. So, automatically there is variety and I’ve been able to selectively spoon/avoid sketchy/chewy/bone/finger/eyeball/beak pieces of meat. I think I am eating more healthy than at any other point of my life.