One of every Thai's comfort food, this noodle dish will sooth your soul with its mild gravy sauce. In Thailand, there are many variations of the dish as the rice noodle and the gravy base is extremely versatile which can leverage all kinds of ingredients. Our version of Lard Nar incorporates the classic Chinese broccoli and tender sliced pork combo, and a little bit of other veggies which were available in our fridge. However, you can add any vegetables that you like or change up the protein. Some of the vegetables which you can either substitute or add to the dish are mushroom, baby corn, broccoli, yu choy, bok choy, collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli rabe, kale, and carrots. As for protein substitutes, you can use sliced beef, sliced chicken, seafood, fried firm tofu, and seitan. The gravy sauce should mellow out all the ingredients and create a well rounded flavor to coat the charred rice noodles. 

Finger licking good, sweet and savory, this thumbs up shrimp dish will satisfy your sweet tooth cravings while enjoying the fruits of the sea. Inspired by 'Walnut Shrimp', my version is sans Walnut just because I'm not as fond of nuts in my savory food, and the shrimp can be a versatile companion to any dish such as a salad topping. The best part is you only need several common ingredients and the prep to cook time is less than 30 minutes!

While Thai curry has been a stable to many ​of people abroad, most of the time we are stuck with either the choices of Red or Green curry. While undoubtedly, those are the two most popular type of curries, there are so many more regional specialties that are just as good or better. ​

While Korean music is becoming mainstream in the states, appearing in the billboard charts and even on Conan O'Brien's show, Korean food is still slowly making it's way into the melting pot of American food scene. There are famous Bloggers like Maangchi who is introducing Korean staple recipes to the globe. Her collection of recipes is so vast that sometimes I would get confused on where to start.

​What I'm trying to do here is introduce you to 6 simple Banchan recipes that I've either adapted or created based on what I've tasted at various Korean restaurants. Not all Korean food is great, but there are hidden gems that could even help with your Sunday meal prep as these dishes will last for a week! Furthermore, these selected banchans are great to store in the fridge and can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Just need some hot rice or hot soup to accompany these flavorful side dishes. In fact, you can make your own Bibimbap, a popular Korean rice bowl, with all of the banchans here. Enjoy!

Recipes in this post:
1) Garlic Spinach
2) Fresh Baby Bok Choy and Zucchini Kimchi
3) Zucchini and Red Bell Peppers
4) Bean Sprouts and Jalapenos
5) Pickled Cucumber
6) Braised Potatoes with Korean Chili