Ponytail Journal

’Bo Bun’, is really a spring-roll-less version of ’Bun Cha Gio’, the classic Vietnamese noodle salad of beef, deep fried spring rolls (scissored into the dish), blanched vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs like coriander and mint, as well as nuoc mam dressing (lemon juice, sugar, garlic, chilli, and fish sauce). For many, it is comfort food in its most thrifty and creative form.

Like a lot of Thai food, Khao Yam dish is all about the prep work, with flash-fast cooking time, its a soulful cuisine that shows love through labor. Don’t let this scare you away from trying it out, all I mean is that the more effort you put into slicing, peeling, and presenting, the more delicious this dish becomes. That’s where the poetry lies.

This Sunday I’m pulling out my favourite recipe, my tastiest Burmese chicken curry that I discovered on a trip to Myanmar a couple years back. I watched a curry stall lady prepare this dish out back behind her side of the road curry stall where we communicated with smiles and many animated hand movements. I will always think of her when I have this super tasty stew that is wonderfully mellow from the addition of lemongrass to the turmeric and red onion based curry paste.

There are people who love tea, and then there’s Shinya Sakurai. Although Japanese tea ceremony practices date back to the 9th century, Sakurai’s expertise is a rarity in contemporary Japan. After training for 12 years to become a tea master, Sakurai opened a small tea room in Nishi-Azabu called Souen. Anne Berry explores a perfect blend of modernity and tradition, resulting in one of the most innovative tea rooms in the world.

This week we’d like to give you a challenge to impress yourself with scrambled, poached, and boiled eggs. When done well, eggs are the most heavenly food on the planet. So how do your skills scratch up?

Tokyo: Along the Toei Oedo metro line sits a discreet little place called Bar Gen Yamamoto. Picture a small space carved out of a 500-year-old Mizunara tree, seating only eight at a time. There is no music or gaudy bar décor, merely an ikebana flower arrangement near the door. The menu itself is limited to either a tasting of 4 or 6 cocktails and their philosophy, seems quite simple: to make really really good cocktails.

How to spruce up the humble fried egg, the Thai way. PTJ presents, ’Yum Kai Dow’. This is how its done.

Give Lauren’s very own recipe for a curried bitter melon dish inspired by her travels through South East Asia.

In celebration of Thai New Year, I’m bringing some spicy goodness to your kitchen with this Herb-y Spicy Northeastern Thai chicken soup. It’ll make you start dancing in your seat.

Presenting to you, the ultimate Japanese way to eat the best quality, freshest eggs - raw. Although this dish may not be for the squeamish, it is a simple pleasure that shows off the purest ingredients.

Nam prik gapi is almost a staple here in Thailand. It’s super versatile and adds a punch to seasonal vegetables, rice, egg, fish, and many other goodies. Here we show you how to make our quick version!

This Thai water chestnut dessert translates to ruby and boy are they a perfect festive dessert!