Making Mexican Food At Home In Thailand

[NanaFoods]

I looked up Annatto seeds- They are the same as Achiote paste used in Mayan Cooking in Yucatan and Oaxacan cusine.

It also is sold on line in Asia (India & China), They may have it at an India Spice Market.

Hope that helps !

Cheers

Annatto actually grows here in Thailand, its a red fuzzy looking fruit on a shortish sort of tree. It is called Kum Saet in Thai

Thanks for the pic, sbk.

Very nice.

Yes, annatto grows in Thailand. The problem is, it seems all the seeds are cornered for processing into food coloring (annatto extract (Natural Color E1606): used in for coloring many foods, including orange cheddar cheese, cosmetics, etc). I've been looking all over for it, and it seems even my spice suppliers cannot seem to find them in seed or powder form. Do you know of any contacts???

Edited June 2, 2010 by ChefHeat

[kikoman]

Thanks for the info and pictures SBK, Chefheat if you get a line on a supplier let me know.

Thank You.

Cheers:

[kikoman]

Just like to post some pictures of my homemade tortilla press made and given to me as a gift from my Thai neighbor,

I Can't wait to use it!

Cheers:

[Tejas]

Just like to post some pictures of my homemade tortilla press made and given to me as a gift from my Thai neighbor,

I Can't wait to use it!

Cheers:

I would love to make fresh corn tortillas............glad you got the pinto beans and masa through customs

On a different note, I want to ask you a question: Do you think it would be possible to make puerco pibil in a pot like you make beef stew?

In other words, you don't cook it in an oven or in a smoker, you cook it on top of a stove in liquid (probably 3 hours), then reduce the stock to a sauce consistency.

Obviously, if this is possible, you have to add liquid to the recipe.

What would you add? Water? Chicken broth? Pork broth? Other?

Just an idea.

[kikoman]

Just like to post some pictures of my homemade tortilla press made and given to me as a gift from my Thai neighbor,

I Can't wait to use it!

Cheers:

I would love to make fresh corn tortillas............glad you got the pinto beans and masa through customs

On a different note, I want to ask you a question: Do you think it would be possible to make puerco pibil in a pot like you make beef stew?

In other words, you don't cook it in an oven or in a smoker, you cook it on top of a stove in liquid (probably 3 hours), then reduce the stock to a sauce consistency.

Obviously, if this is possible, you have to add liquid to the recipe.

What would you add? Water? Chicken broth? Pork broth? Other?

Just an idea.

Tejas, to tell you the truth, I do not know.

But on the other hand I like to try many ways of cooking, If i decided to cook it stove top and had to add liquid I would add some of the marinade (left over) and pork broth.

My 1st option would be to cook it in a Slow Cooker, set it on high for the 1st couple of hours and then let it slow cook for the next 6-8 hours. It will be moist and you could shed it with a fork..

You can adjust the cooking time after your 1st batch.

I do not see why that would not work.

I hope that little bit of information was helpful, Good Luck !

Cheers:

[Tejas]

Tejas, to tell you the truth, I do not know.

But on the other hand I like to try many ways of cooking, If i decided to cook it stove top and had to add liquid I would add some of the marinade (left over) and pork broth.

My 1st option would be to cook it in a Slow Cooker, set it on high for the 1st couple of hours and then let it slow cook for the next 6-8 hours. It will be moist and you could shed it with a fork..

You can adjust the cooking time after your 1st batch.

I do not see why that would not work.

I hope that little bit of information was helpful, Good Luck !

Cheers:

Thanks for the input.

I was asking because many people in Thailand don't have ovens to cook puerco pibil. I was thinking about alternative ways of cooking it.

I know you can cook it in an oven. I am sure you can also smoke it, like smoked BBQ. Slow cooker is a good idea............I will likely make it within the next two weeks and post the results here.

So, put it in one of these...............I think it will work and be very tender.......concerned about being "moist." I think maybe you add more liquid...........maybe more orange and lemon juice (or more tequila).

[NanaFoods]

just wanted to share a pic of my home-smoked and dried chipotles...

red-ripe jalapeños smoked for 18-hours using mango wood, then dried.

[kikoman]

just wanted to share a pic of my home-smoked and dried chipotles...

red-ripe jalapeños smoked for 18-hours using mango wood, then dried.

Looks Good, I wish I had Some!

Cheers:

[Tejas]

just wanted to share a pic of my home-smoked and dried chipotles...

red-ripe jalapeños smoked for 18-hours using mango wood, then dried.

Looks Good, I wish I had Some!

Cheers:

Looks good to me too..........that would make great chili powder.............bet they smell great.

[Tejas]

Made puerco pibil for the first time yesterday.

Unfortunately, I did not cook it in a crockpot (next time this is what I will use).

Instead, I cooked it in my homemade smoker/oven..........probably would have had sauce if I cooked it on lower heat for less time.

Cooked it too long and too hot...........so no sauce (don't recommend cooking it for two hours this way if you want sauce).

But it smelled wonderful...........tasted great.........very tender (sorry, no pictures).

I let some Thais try it and they actually thought it was great...........that surprised me.

If I had corn tortillas, it would have made great taco meat.

I ate it with plain white rice.

[kikoman]

Congratulations on your first try!

To me the art of cooking is best on a low fire for a longer period of time, a hot fire uses up all the moisture in the item being cooked faster, a slow fire allows it to cook slowly in its juices..

If you allow me to put my 2 cents in I would try the same recipe, but on a slow fire, if you liked the taste and tenderness -you are on the right track. What you are missing is the sauce you like so much. a slow fire and longer cooking time should take care of that ,also remember your question (About what kind of liquid to add) to your Puerco Pibil to keep the moisture while cooking.

Good Luck, Good cooking.

Cheers:

PS -Some suppliers like Don's food will ship the corn tortillas to you, He is downgrading his services, But I would check ,you still maybe able to order tortillas online!

Edited June 16, 2010 by kikoman

[Maenromo]

ohh my, this post really made me crave mexican food , any good mexican restaurants near Sathorn in Bangkok?

Kikoman, are you from Mexico???? :jap:just wanted to say hi I am from el Puerto de Veracruz, going to be here 2 months doing an intership

[sabaijai]

ohh my, this post really made me crave mexican food , any good mexican restaurants near Sathorn in Bangkok?

Kikoman, are you from Mexico???? :jap:just wanted to say hi I am from el Puerto de Veracruz, going to be here 2 months doing an intership

Closet to Sathorn is Coyote On Convent, which, as the name suggests, is on Soi Convent. It's very much American-style Mexican, but it's always packed so they know their market.

There are six Mexican restaurants on and off Sukhumvit Rd and further west on Ploenchit Rd. Only one is Mexican-owned and operated, and that is Tacos & Salsa, on Sukhumvit between Soi 22 and Soi 24, very close to the Dubliner Irish Pub. Excellent, authentically prepared cocina mexicana, estilo del DF.

All are worth checking out, from east to west (my faves are starred *):

Tacos & Salsa, between Soi 22 and Soi 24 *

Senor Pico's, Soi 18

Los Cabos California Mexican Grill, Soi 14 *

Sunrise Tacos, Soi 12 *

Charley Brown's, Soi 11

La Monita, Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit Rd

Sunrise also has a small branch in the ground-floor food court at Siam Paragon.

[kikoman]

ohh my, this post really made me crave mexican food , any good mexican restaurants near Sathorn in Bangkok?

Kikoman, are you from Mexico???? :jap:just wanted to say hi I am from el Puerto de Veracruz, going to be here 2 months doing an intership

Yes, from a little fishing village on the Sea of Cortez, Puerto Penasco, Sonora , Refered to in the states as Rocky Point.

(Que Lejos estoy del suelo , Donde he nacido!)

Moved to Thailand 10 years ago, plan to live the rest of my life here!

I have not found any Mexican food in all of Thailand to my liking, There is a place in Bangkok that is Mexican owned, Tacos and Salsa

http:// tacosandsalsa.com, I told the owner I would try his food the next time I am in Bangkok,

That is the only place I know about that sounds promising.

I wish you a great 2 month stay in Thailand.

Saludos:

[Maenromo]

Sabaijai, you seem to really enjoy Mexican food, thank you for the recommendations

Oh I have heard about it, Puerto Peñasco se ha vuelto muy popular como destino turístico

It is so great that your neighbo made you a press, >) they must really like you. I have had a problem as I don’t speak any thai and most of the time I just point at things or randomly choose, so some times I eat stuff I like sometimes I don’t. but it is an adventure

I will check that , Tacos and Salsa, i went to their website and they have this promotion

Tacos & Salsa invite ! For every goal that the Mexican team scores, a round of Corona beer for every one in the house

should of have been there yesterday jajj >) it was really a great surprise to defeat France

[kikoman]

That's why I left and came to Thailand, US Realtors were buying all the available land in Penasco, In the hopes it would become a Centro Turistico. Driving the cost of living up, beyond what I was willing to pay.

Thailand is smart in not allowing, Falangs to purchase land in Thailand!

Also we defeated France back in the 1860s and again yesterday.

Cheers:

[kikoman]

Just wanted to update you all on my Masa corn crop, I planted the Mexican corn to see if it would grow and to my amazement about every seed I planted spouted and is growing quite fast. (Pictures)

I since planted more of the corn before the rains started, those that did not have a area to hold water spouted , those that held water are slower or they will not spout because of being water logged.

But I will have a good corn crop this year.

Cheers:

[kikoman]

Just wanted to update my Corn crop progress, soon I will be Making Masa from my own grown corn

That is the same crop as shown before 20 days later., The tallest Stalks are over 7 foot high.

Cheers:

[BillR]

impressive, did you use ant fertilizer or just plant and forget it?

[kikoman]

impressive, did you use ant fertilizer or just plant and forget it?

My wife has prepared that plot over the years we have live here, after planting the corn she mixed hog droppings with rice husks and spread it around the stalks. We also are raising some Pla Duk in a cement pond, and change the water once or twice a week which we use to water the garden, with all the fish dropping etc. She also weeds the corn and loosen the dirt around it regularly.

She is the one that should take credit for the fast growth as she is the one that cares for it.

Cheers:

[Jimmyd]

Thanks to all for this thread.

[kikoman]

My Neighbor whiling returning from a Trip to Chang Mai, saw some Avocados for sale and heard me wishing I had some purchased Two kilos for me, At the price of 20 baht a kilo!

I have not tasted the Avocado's yet but they look more like Haas than the Smooth Skin, They have the Haas size and not as much bumps on it like Haas and are not as dark as a Haas. But it sure does not look like a smooth skin.

You are looking at 40 baht of Avocados, Those of you that would like some and will travel the Highway from Chang Mai After passing the half way mark to Lat Yao ,They do not remember exactly where, but it was closer to Lat Yao. Keep an eye out. A rode side stand.

Good Luck

Cheers:

[Jimmyd]

They have them for 60 baht a kilo in Foodland in Pattaya.

[NanaFoods]

Made some chipotle beef using my homemade chipotles en adobo to enhance some chile colorado sauce we had lying around.

Used a slow cooker...

No fancy plates or presentation, just an easy meal with rice, beans, and homemade tortillas.

But, both my wife and I enjoyed it a lot.

[sabaijai]

Just wanted to update my Corn crop progress, soon I will be Making Masa from my own grown corn

That is the same crop as shown before 20 days later., The tallest Stalks are over 7 foot high.

Cheers:

Very impressive!

[kikoman]

Sabajai,

Thank you,

Some of the stalks are now over 8 ft high, Needed to tie them to bamboo poles as the wind is very strong and I lost two plants. During the rain storms!

Chef Heat

That looks yummy! The slow cookers is a great way to go for making Mexican meat dishes.

Cheers:

[NanaFoods]

Puerco Pibil in a slow-cooker

again, this was just a convenience meal, so no fancy presentation -- i didn't even have cilantro for garnish.

Actually, I would have liked a few slices of avocado to go with it... but not available.

1. meat mixed with spices and O.J. -- ready to go into the fridge to marinate overnight.

2. meat the next morning -- you can see it has soaked up most of the liquid.

3. final product in the slow-cooker after 6 hours -- you can see there is plenty of "gravy".

4. plated up -- you can see in the photo the meat is falling apart tender.

Very nice flavor; aromatic -- so completely different from the chile-based Mexican recipes.

Overall, a satisfying meal.

[kikoman]

Just wanted to include an update on my Masa corn crop! It keeps growing taller and taller, the highest stalks are now past the telephone lines. Many Thais have stopped at the house to comment on what we use as plant food, they have never seen corn that high.

Our new corn crop is also doing well, They were planted during the rainy season and some did not sprout because of to much rain, We did a 3rd planting.

They have exceeded my expectations.

Cheers:

[kikoman]

Chef Heat,

I have tried the same dish cooked in the slow cooker with OJ and it was great. You seem to eat as much beans and tortillas as I do, Almost daily.

That looks great you should package it up and sell it, add contents of the package, meat and OJ, knowing you have most likely been working on that.

Good eats:

[The Professor]

I just use chili mix for me tacos. shredded lettuce, cheddar, diced tomatos, taco shells and diced onion. I hate refrieds though. I wont touch any restaurant mexi in BKK, esp the one pushed and shoved like it's god's grace of mexi food. cant do mexi rice here though which is too bad. I'll need to read this thread for stuff other than tacos so long as they're aint no refrieds in it. but my #1 point in this post is stay away from anything served in bkk at a so called mexi restaurant