Reiko

Reiko

by : Reiko Drinks

Papaya Ginger Smoothie

I usually prefer eating fruit to drinking fruit.

So I don’t make smoothie often.

But recently I received a large papaya in my farm box, and after enjoying eating it fresh, I realized I still had a lot left.

(I wish I had taken a picture of the whole papaya.)

So I decided to use it to make smoothie.

I also had a lot of fresh ginger, so I added a big chunk of it too.

Papaya Ginger Smoothie: papaya, ginger, lemon juice, ice, oat milk, honey

This turned out fantastic!

I’m notorious for my poor smoothie-making skills, but this was so good!

I have to confess that my husband helped me with this one.

I was hesitant to add ice when he suggested, but he was right; that made it better!

One of the things we were excited about renting a unit in this building was its great facilities.

But I wasn’t really taking advantage of the gym until recently.

Now I try to go three to four days a week and work out.

I’m not a fan of cardio machines, but this view helps.

It’s not a huge gym, but the high ceiling and a lot of mirrors make the space feel large and comfortable.

I do use the pool regularly.

My favorite time to swim is in the late morning, when it’s quiet and most of the pool is still in the shade.

The view from the pool is fantastic, too.

They have this nice sitting area right by the pool.

I’m waiting for friends and family to visit us in Bangkok so that we can have a pool party!

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by : Reiko Bread

Matcha Marble Sourdough Bread

My sourdough starter is getting stronger and stronger, and it is making the bread-making process easier.

I’ve been making sourdough bread for a while, so I know it works.

But seeing how a simple thing made of only two ingredients (flour and water) has this much strength (or power) still amazes me.

I added some Matcha powder and intentionally did not mix it too well so that I could create the marble look.

My scoring on this loaf was not perfect, but it still looks great.

Yay!

I got the marble design.

Taste-testing with homemade vegan butter and sweet red beans.

Yum!!!

Okay, I approve.

My husband has some hotel points that are going to expire soon, so we decided to check out Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel today.

It’s a lovely hotel, with timeless architecture and elegant decor.

There are some handsome-looking restaurants inside the hotel, but unfortunately, vegan options are limited.

So we got some baked goods from the hotel bakery.

They said they serve decaf coffee, so we may go back for it.

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by : Reiko Noodles/Pasta, Soup/Stew

Vegan “Tonkotsu”-style Ramen with Organic Vegetables

When a box of beautiful organic vegetables is delivered, I try to make dishes to showcase them.

Especially when something unique is delivered, I get excited so much that I want to put in an extra effort.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found fresh baby corn in my most recent farm box.

I’ve seen canned one many times, but fresh one?

Not so often.

First, I simply sauteed it and sprinkled salt and pepper.

Yum!

So good.

There is no comparison between fresh and canned.

I thought about concocting something fancy, but at the last minute, I thought using it as a topping for ramen might be a good way to highlight not only the taste but also the cool look of this vegetable.

By the way, the asparagus, the tomato, and the shallots placed in addition to the baby corn were also from the organic farm box.

The soup was made with ingredients, including kombu stock, garlic, shallots, miso, tahini, and soy milk.

A pretty morning fruit bowl like this is always a great way to start the day!

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by : Reiko Japanese Food, Sweets

Mango Coconut Cream Red Bean Taiyaki

There are a lot of Japanese people living in Bangkok, and it’s not hard to find a variety of Japanese food.

Interestingly, however, there aren’t many shops that sell traditional Japanese sweets.

I wonder if that is because it’s not something Japanese people crave the most being away from home, while they regularly seek food like ramen, sushi, and soba, etc.

Also, food like ramen and sushi (and probably soba, too) are popular not only among Japanese but locals and expats from other countries as well.

Yesterday I was in the mood for some sweets with red beans, and I couldn’t think of any place where I could get what I wanted easily, so as always I made the decision to make some myself.

It has been a while since the last time I made Taiyaki.

I forgot how to properly use the Taiyaki pan, and on my first attempt I made a big mess by spilling the batter and the filling all over the stove…

As a result, I ended up with three instead of five (or six).

I don’t make Taiyaki often enough, and I feel like I have to start over every time to learn how to get the right amount of heat.

That’s why you see three very different looking Taiyaki in this picture.

I think it’s a personal preference, but I like ones that are well browned and crispy.

I knew I wanted to stuff them with sweet red beans, but I always like to pair it with something else for my Taiyaki.

This time I wanted something very different from what I had tried in the past, and I made mango coconut cream.

It turned out great!

Japanese sweets with a little tropical flavor.

Definitely satisfied my craving.

I shared these with my husband, and sadly, one and half were not enough (lol).

If you are interested in what kinds of Taiyaki I’ve made in the past, check out this page.

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by : Reiko Bangkok Restaurants, Restaurants, Rice/Grains, Vegan Cheese

Cheesy Rice & Latte Date

Because we now have a blender, there is no excuse for not making vegan cheese.

I used my favorite vegan cheddar recipe.

I skip the agar because I wanted my cheddar cheese creamy, not solid.

Yum!

I mixed the cheese with rice and then served the cheesy rice with onion, king mushroom, and tofu “meat”.

It is nice that we can still enjoy “cheesy” food as mostly-plant-eaters.

Bangkok is full of beautiful cafes.

I want to try them all, but I usually pick places that have…

  1. “decaf” coffee options.
  2. plant-based milk options.
  3. non-caffeine quality tea or other drink options.

Luckily, I found this cafe called D’ARK through my search with the “decaf coffee” keyword.

I was able to see their menu online, and they had not only decaf coffee, but also plant milk and non-caffeine beverage options.

It has a modern decor and creates a comfortable space.

The staff are very friendly.

My husband had Iced Matcha Latte with oat milk.

He said it was a quality Matcha, and he really liked it.

I was going to get either decaf coffee or Rooibos tea, but at the last minute I decided to try Iced Turmeric Latte with soy milk.

The turmeric flavor was intense, just the way I like it.

The mocktail selection was tempting, too.

Maybe next time.

I really liked the glasses our latte was in, and on our way out we noticed that they were selling these glasses.

These short ones are pretty, too.

The cafe is nice and quiet, being a bit away from the busy street with the green space between.

Across the street is the famous mango shop.

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by : Reiko Sweets

Coffee Marble Banana Bread

The banana bread I made not long ago was so good that it was an easy decision when banana was included in my recent farm box.

I like eating banana as is, but I’m very particular when it comes to banana, and it has to be at the right ripeness.

This time the banana got dark very quickly (probably due to the weather here), and I didn’t have a chance to enjoy it fresh, but that also meant that it was ready for me to make banana bread,

I used the same recipe as the last time as the base, but this time I separated the batter and added cinnamon and strong decaf coffee to a half.

It’s hard to see, but I tried to make a marble pattern.

Ta-da!

The kitchen smelled so good.

I started the process a little before lunch time, and the bread was cooled and ready for my 3 o’clock snack time.

The marble pattern didn’t turn out to be exactly the way I had expected, but it’s okay because it still tasted amazing!

I used my favorite Banana Bread recipe.

This is so so good.

I sliced it thick, and you may think it’s too big a piece, but trust me, you would want a whole piece.

I used white sugar instead of brown sugar because I don’t keep brown sugar in my pantry, but no issue.

I actually prefer banana bread made with white sugar instead of brown sugar.

I really enjoy our Bangkok life, but one thing that is a con for us is the water situation.

The tap water is supposed to be okay, but most people, including locals, do not drink tap water.

We get our drinking water from the RO water dispenser located on the first floor of our condo building.

We fill two 6-litter bottles and six 1.5-litter bottles each time, and we do this a few times a week.

It’s a two-person job, and we are not always in the mood to do this and often wait until we absolutely have to do it.

But when you think about some countries where you have to walk miles to get to the closest well every day, our situation is not bad at all.

I certainly appreciate the safe tap water I had in Japan and the U.S.

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by : Reiko Bread, Breakfast

Ginger Rhubarb Jam & Coconut Milk Biscuits

When we lived in Minnesota, every year my mother-in-law would invite me to harvest rhubarb at her garden.

Many of the memories with her I cherish are not organized special events but rather the two of us spending time together in her garden.

I didn’t expect to be able to get rhubarb in Thailand, so when I found rhubarb in the farm box recently delivered, I was so excited.

They were super red and beautiful.

I only got four stalks.

Not much.

So I decided to make jam.

I also got this ginger from the delivery, so I thought it would be fun to add ginger to the jam.

It turned out amazing!

The color is so vibrant, and I think I got the sweetness and the consistency both just right, too.

I tried to think of the best way to enjoy the jam, and I remembered I had brought this set of cutters from the U.S.

I got rid of a lot of kitchen stuff when we moved to Bangkok, but I kept a few things, and this was one of them.

I guess I could still make square biscuits by cutting the dough with a knife, but if you ask me, biscuits should look like this with this particular edge.

I used this recipe.

Instead of regular milk, I used coconut milk instead, just because I had some left in the fridge.

It was subtle, but I liked the coconut scent.

We really enjoyed the biscuits with homemade vegan butter and the ginger rhubarb jam.

They were so good.

I’ve made a lot of different things (some very unique!) with rhubarb when we lived in the U.S.

If you search with “rhubarb” in this blog, you will find my old creations, like Rhubarb Pickles, Ginger Rhubarb Banana Cake, and Vegan Grilled Cheese with Tempeh and Ginger Rhubarb Jam.

This is my all-time favorite tea.

It’s caffeine free herbal tea but rich in flavor.

I like how I can really taste all the spices.

I’m glad that we can still get this in Thailand.

This tea was perfect to serve with the biscuits.

My lemongrass got so big!!

I was overwhelmed by this size.

I knew I needed to trim it, but I was putting it off.

But yesterday I finally worked on it.

My trimming skills are not the best, but at least I can now walk through without being attacked by it.

I have a feeling that this will grow back in no time, though.

My other herbs are growing like crazy too, probably because of the recent rain and heat.

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by : Reiko Bread, Sandwiches

Avocado Toast with Mango Strawberry Salad

I enjoy cooking, but I also enjoy putting together a meal WITHOUT cooking.

Especially when beautiful produce is delivered, I take advantage of the freshness and keep our meals simple and straightforward, which often means no (or minimal) cooking.

These sourdough loaves turned out great!

I didn’t time things well, and I wasn’t sure if I let the dough ferment long enough, but I’ve learned sourdough is forgiving.

I’ve stopped buying avocados because I realized that I’m not good at picking good ones.

It’s simply not good for my mental health (lol).

So it’s a nice treat when they include avocados in the delivery farm box.

The avocado toast was served with the salad and sweet balsamic glaze.

Yum!

By the way theses mangos I received this week were so sweet!

I noticed sticky syrup coming out from the top, which probably was a sign of ripeness.

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by : Reiko Sweets

Ginger Almond Cookies

I was familiar with ginger cookies made with ginger powder, but I never thought of making cookies with fresh ginger.

I received this beautiful ginger from farmfruitfolks as part of my farm box delivery.

I love ginger, but I became a bit overwhelmed by the size of it.

But when my husband suggested making ginger cookies, I decided to google recipes.

Who knew, I did find a recipe that used fresh ginger.

You can find anything online!

I hope you can tell how much ginger goes in.

It’s a lot.

I was a little nervous about the amount of ginger in the batter, but the cookies turned out great.

You can definitely taste ginger, but it’s very pleasant and did not make the cookies too bitter or spicy.

My husband liked them, too.

Here is a link to the recipe (Japanese).

I always chuckle when I see how small an amount many Japanese recipes yield.

For instance, this recipe calls for 50g of flour and is supposed to make 8 small cookies.

I tripled the recipe, and I ended up with 16 small cookies (lol).

A few days ago my husband and I went to a theater to see the new Mission Impossible movie.

It was a weekday, in the early afternoon, and I believe there were only three other people there.

Last time we went to a movie theater in Bangkok, it was freezing, so this time we brought extra layers of clothing.

Luckily, this theater was not as cold as the previous one, and they even had a blanket available for each seat.

The chairs were also comfortable.

I will go back to this theater.

There were a few parts where I had to mumble “no way!”, but I liked it.

It was definitely super entertaining.

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by : Reiko Restaurants

Spontaneous Getaway to Hua Hin

The rainy season has started, and it has been rather tricky to plan a trip.

So when we found out last Saturday that the weather forecast was positive for the next few days, we quickly decided to take off for a little getaway.

We picked Hua Hin Beach because it was only three-hour drive from Bangkok, and Grab car service was available.

We picked InterContinental to stay for two nights.

The building was a bit older than I had expected, but it was well maintained, and staff were wonderful.

They upgraded our room, and we got an ocean view instead of a city view.

The room was huge (and the bed was the largest I’ve ever seen!), clean, and well-maintained, and it had a traditional Thai decor.

Interestingly, the room we originally booked was in a different building and its modern decor was more appealing to us.

Maybe we should have kept the room.

But the ocean view was nice and being in the main building was convenient, close to the pool, the dining room, the lobby etc.

Because of the off-season, the hotel was very quiet, and we loved it.

We got there on Saturday, and there were some kids in the pool that afternoon, but other than that I saw only a few adults in the pool during the rest of our stay.

We spent most of our day on Sunday lounging around the pool, reading and swimming alternately.

We don’t usually spend this much time at the pool or on the beach.

But it was just a perfect day (some sun, but mostly cloudy, perfect pool water temperature, quiet, no kids running around), and I loved every minute of it.

The beach was also very quiet.

We took a walk several times during our stay.

I don’t need to live near the beach, but I do love slow walks on the beach (when it’s not too sunny) and the sound of the waves.

Horseback riding is probably one of the popular attractions during the busy season.

I consider breakfast one of the highlights of my vacations.

The hotel’s breakfast buffet was pretty good.

They had nice fresh vegetable and fruit sections, and I really liked their large selection of nuts and seeds.

Cooked vegetable options were limited mostly to roasted potatoes and mushrooms.

Plate 1.

Plate 2.

By the way, I had almost exactly the same things the next morning (lol).

The restaurants at the hotel had zero item on the menu that was clearly marked as vegan, unfortunately, except for this dessert, “Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse”.

Of course we had to try it.

It was good, but strangely lighter than I had expected.

For dinner we went outside the hotel.

On the first night we went to Hua Hin Vegan Cafe & Wine.

It was clean, spacious, and the decor was cute.

We got a nice big table right by a window.

The staff was friendly, and the menu looked promising.

Unfortunately, however, things went downhill from there..

A couple came in right after we sat down, and one of them was coughing nonstop.

They were a few tables away from us, but we could hear the cough.

We didn’t want to leave, but we were too uncomfortable to stay, so we asked to have our food to be packed to go and went outside to wait.

We ordered a few things.

Mango spring rolls were fresh and delicious (no photos, because they didn’t look great in a to-go container), but sadly, the whole dining experience was tainted by that incident…

On the other hand, our second night’s dinner turned out to be wonderful!

I was in a mood for falafel, and we found this place called Ogen.

The reviews looked very positive, and my expectation was high.

There were many vegan dishes available, and they were clearly marked.

A set of complimentary salad was served first.

A great start!

We were initially planning to order hummus, but when I saw this on the menu, I got intrigued.

It was listed as Muhammara; Roasted Red Peppers & Walnut Dip.

It came with pita bread, and the dip and the bread were both delicious!

Arabic salad was fresh and tasty.

It was a generous portion too.

Their falafel was one of the best I’ve ever had!

If this restaurant was in Bangkok, I would go every week (lol).

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