chayohome2020

P’Pew’s Mum’s Arroy Chicken Recipe

P’Pew is a childhood friend of mine. You might be wondering how to pronounce P’Pew. (The P’ is pronounced as the letter P, so it is “Pee Pew”.) Phi or P’ is the way Thais address an older person in a familiar way. It actually means “elder brother” or “elder sister”. The idea is thatContinue reading “P’Pew’s Mum’s Arroy Chicken Recipe”

A Reason for Every Season

I never really understood the expression “Season’s Greetings” on cards. One would be expected to be more specific about the season. I have been getting photographs from friends in different countries, and they all look the same because there is snow covering gardens and garden furniture. It’s definitely the season of winter. In many countriesContinue reading “A Reason for Every Season”

“The Coconut is Not a Nut” Story

I don’t know if you have heard Ryan Cayabyab’s song “Da Coconut Nut“. It talks about the coconut not being a nut. The coconut is not a nut, it’s a fruit, although there has been lengthy discussions on the issue. But it’s not just a fruit, it’s an amazing fruit. I discovered its amazing propertiesContinue reading ““The Coconut is Not a Nut” Story”

“Stretching the Turkey” lesson

For some reason, turkey isn’t everyone’s favourite meat, especially in South East Asia. It might be because you need an oven to bake it in, and not every household has a big oven or an oven. Most of the time, when turkey is served at home (in South East Asia) it would be bought alreadyContinue reading ““Stretching the Turkey” lesson”

The Curry in a Hurry Lesson

At my first attempt at cooking curry, I learnt that I couldn’t cook curry in a hurry. It all started when I found what looked like a bar of soap with the words “coconut cream” and a curry recipe on it in a grocery store in London. It seemed like the solution to what doContinue reading “The Curry in a Hurry Lesson”

Cooking and the Web

The Internet has changed the way we learn. There is no doubt about it. There are people who have learnt to swim before entering the sea. I knew someone who loved to swim. She would be the first person swimming in the sea when we went to the beach. The amazing thing is that sheContinue reading “Cooking and the Web”

The Priceless Gift

I started my first job during the time that there was “car-pooling” to work. It meant that if there were four people in a car, there wasn’t a need to pay the toll to get into the CBD area (Central Business District). The lady who gave me a lift to work everyday lived in myContinue reading “The Priceless Gift”

Home Protection: Monkey-Proofing

I never imagined that “home safety and protection” could include protection from monkeys. Although, come to think of it, when I was a child, I had a shock when the neighbours called out to us from their fence to tell us that there was an intruder in our garden – an iguana! It was hugeContinue reading “Home Protection: Monkey-Proofing”

The Peking Duck Lesson

Cooking requires a lot of planning and organising, but once you are organised, cooking isn’t a so daunting, even if you have to do it everyday with a full-time job. There was a time when I would go to the wet market on Sundays in the morning, and then cook the meat dishes for theContinue reading “The Peking Duck Lesson”

Sweet Memories of Pumpkins and Rubies

The good news for dessert-lovers is that Thai desserts are inexpensive to make. The not-so-good news is that they take a long time to make. I guess you can’t have your cake and eat it. I made Thai red ruby dessert (Tub Tim Grob) for the first time many years ago, and was surprised atContinue reading “Sweet Memories of Pumpkins and Rubies”