Gai Pad Gra Pow Muthaf*ckas!
Last night David and I got all dolled up and headed over to Sebastian & Sandrine's hip new place in Marspich for a "pendaison de cremaillere" (housewarming party).
It also just happened to be Sandrine's 30th birthday.
From what I can remember it was great fun. I chatted the night away with a bunch of French people, some Germans, and a really cute Portuguese guy who lives in Zurich. Apparently if I drink enough I can speak and understand not only French, but Portuguese and Swiss-German. Sweet!
At some point I was dancing.
I also vaguely remember sticking my finger in a piece of cake that I hope was my own.
After that I just remember David dragging me down the stairwell towards the car. I don't remember the drive home or getting into bed, but I did somehow manage to remove all my makeup, put on my nightly face cream, and put on my pajamas which frankly---I find impressive.
At 9AM I woke up to go to potty and realized that I was still very, very, very, very drunk when I tripped over the toe of my own sock (which for reasons unknown was just kinda flappin' in the wind) and almost took a header into the front door of our apartment. Thank God David didn't see me or it would have been "hello Betty Ford clinic!".....or wherever the hell the French send their drunks to. ( Palais de L'Elysee?)
Anyway----Hang-over.
But I'm gonna share with you what any drunk worth her weight in whiskey already knows: The cure for a hang-over is Thai Basil Chicken.
It's one of the most popular Thai dishes and it's often served at breakfast with a deep-fried egg, sunnyside up, on top. I highly recommend the recipe below. It's the one I use, but I add more peppers to really heat it up a bit. I find that the heat burns that "I just licked an ashtray" taste off of your tongue and lungs. Unfortunately it does nothing to get the smell of smoke out of your hair though.
Gai Pad Gra Pow
( Means "Hang-over cure" in Thai)
Ingredients
2-3 Tbs. Peanut oil for stir-frying 10-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute with 1/2 cup sliced onion)
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
12-20 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), cut into very thin rounds; or substitute 4-6 serrano, jalapenos or fresno peppers, cut into large slivers with seeds
2 small kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood), very finely slivered (optional)
2-3 tsp. black soy sauce (the semi-sweet kind), or to taste
2 Tbs. fish sauce (nam bplah), or to taste
1 cup fresh Thai holy basil (bai gka-prow), or Thai sweet basil (bai horapa) leaves and flower buds; or use 1/4 cup dried holy basil, soaked to soften plus
1/2 to 1 cup fresh Thai sweet basil (bai horapa)
Dash of ground white pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Prepare the ingredients as instructed.
2. Leave the fresh basil leaves whole; the flower buds may also be used. The dried holy basil will soften when soaked in tap water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pull off and discard the hard stems. Drain.
3. Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with the shallots or onion. Stir another 15 to 20 seconds before adding the chicken. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until most of the chicken has changed color on the outside and is no longer pink.
4. Toss in the chillies, slivered kaffir lime leaves (if using), and softened dried holy basil (if using). Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry for another 15 to 20 seconds.
5. Season to taste with fish sauce, then stir in the fresh basil. Toss well. Stir-fry another 1/2 to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through.
6. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.
Serves 6 to 8 alcoholics.
p.s. If you leave a comment about how I should quit drinking, I swear to Jesus I'm a bust this empty tequila bottle right over the top of ya f*&king head.
It also just happened to be Sandrine's 30th birthday.
From what I can remember it was great fun. I chatted the night away with a bunch of French people, some Germans, and a really cute Portuguese guy who lives in Zurich. Apparently if I drink enough I can speak and understand not only French, but Portuguese and Swiss-German. Sweet!At some point I was dancing.
I also vaguely remember sticking my finger in a piece of cake that I hope was my own.
After that I just remember David dragging me down the stairwell towards the car. I don't remember the drive home or getting into bed, but I did somehow manage to remove all my makeup, put on my nightly face cream, and put on my pajamas which frankly---I find impressive.
At 9AM I woke up to go to potty and realized that I was still very, very, very, very drunk when I tripped over the toe of my own sock (which for reasons unknown was just kinda flappin' in the wind) and almost took a header into the front door of our apartment. Thank God David didn't see me or it would have been "hello Betty Ford clinic!".....or wherever the hell the French send their drunks to. ( Palais de L'Elysee?)
Anyway----Hang-over.
But I'm gonna share with you what any drunk worth her weight in whiskey already knows: The cure for a hang-over is Thai Basil Chicken.
It's one of the most popular Thai dishes and it's often served at breakfast with a deep-fried egg, sunnyside up, on top. I highly recommend the recipe below. It's the one I use, but I add more peppers to really heat it up a bit. I find that the heat burns that "I just licked an ashtray" taste off of your tongue and lungs. Unfortunately it does nothing to get the smell of smoke out of your hair though.
Gai Pad Gra Pow
( Means "Hang-over cure" in Thai)
Ingredients
2-3 Tbs. Peanut oil for stir-frying 10-12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute with 1/2 cup sliced onion)
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, coarsely chopped, or cut into small bite-size pieces
12-20 Thai chillies (prik kee noo), cut into very thin rounds; or substitute 4-6 serrano, jalapenos or fresno peppers, cut into large slivers with seeds
2 small kaffir lime leaves (bai ma-gkrood), very finely slivered (optional)
2-3 tsp. black soy sauce (the semi-sweet kind), or to taste
2 Tbs. fish sauce (nam bplah), or to taste
1 cup fresh Thai holy basil (bai gka-prow), or Thai sweet basil (bai horapa) leaves and flower buds; or use 1/4 cup dried holy basil, soaked to soften plus
1/2 to 1 cup fresh Thai sweet basil (bai horapa)
Dash of ground white pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Prepare the ingredients as instructed.
2. Leave the fresh basil leaves whole; the flower buds may also be used. The dried holy basil will soften when soaked in tap water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pull off and discard the hard stems. Drain.
3. Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Swirl in the oil to coat the wok surface. Wait a few seconds for the oil to heat, then stir in the garlic, followed a few seconds later with the shallots or onion. Stir another 15 to 20 seconds before adding the chicken. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until most of the chicken has changed color on the outside and is no longer pink.
4. Toss in the chillies, slivered kaffir lime leaves (if using), and softened dried holy basil (if using). Sprinkle black soy sauce over the mixture and stir-fry for another 15 to 20 seconds.
5. Season to taste with fish sauce, then stir in the fresh basil. Toss well. Stir-fry another 1/2 to 1 minute, or until the basil is wilted and the chicken cooked through.
6. Sprinkle with white pepper. Stir and transfer to a serving dish, or spoon directly over individual plates of plain steamed rice.
Serves 6 to 8 alcoholics.
p.s. If you leave a comment about how I should quit drinking, I swear to Jesus I'm a bust this empty tequila bottle right over the top of ya f*&king head.
4 comments:
funny blog darl!
You don't drink enough.
*hiccup*
Damn, that sounds gooood! Est-ce que le bourbon est disponible en France ?
Oh, and thanks for stopping by. I am actually bringing some Girl Scout Cookies to several expats. Unfortunately, they're all in the Paris area. I'm also going to Benelux...well actually, just to "Bene" - Luxembourg will have to wait. Otherwise, I'd bring you some too.
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