Corn and Potato Soup

I had some sweet potatoes sitting around for a long time. I actually bought them to make some Moroccan  dishes, but every time I was going to make one I was short of some ingredients. So I decided to make some simple soup.

Thai Fish Soup with Tamarind and Ginger (Tom Som Pla)

If you are familiar with Asian soups, you know that they are not really filling as soups in the West are. Usually they are served along with some other dishes. Normally they won't  be served by themselves, as long as it is not a hearty noodle soup, which is fine and filling by itself. 
I like asian soups  for their aroma and clear broth, They are really good on a hot summer day, as they are quite light. This Fish Soup with Tamarind and Ginger originates from Thailand. Tamarind, sugar ginger bring  the simple white fish to a different level.So why not try?
I would slice ginger into thinner sticks so I could eat it. This time there were way too thick so I just had to leave them in the bowl. But the ginger  did its job, the soup had nice  aroma..

Fish Soup with Tamarind and Ginger (Tom Som Pla)

Recipe from Thai Soups ans Salads 

Ingredients:

1 tsp white peppercorns
2 shallots, sliced
3 coriander roots
1 1/2 liters ( 6 cups) water
500 g(1 lb) fresh fish fillets ( red snapper, sea bass or flounder), cut into bite-sized pieces
5 cm ( 2 in) fresh young ginger root, peeled and cut into thin shreds to yield about 1/4 cup
3 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs tamarind pulp soaked in 60 ml ( 1/4 cup) water, mashed and strained to obtain the juice
3 tbs shaved palm sugar or dark brown sugar
1 spring onion, cut into lengths
few sprigs coriander leaves, minced

Preparation:

1. Grind the peppercorns in a mortar or blender until fine. Combine with the shallots and coriander roots and grind to a smooth paste.
2. Bring the water and ground mixture to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add the fish pieces and ginger, season with the fish sauce, tamrind juice and plam sugar, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the fish pieces are just cooked. Remove from the heat.
3. Just before serving, stir in the spring onion and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Oktoberfest 2012 -Food and drinks outside of the tents

There are still two more days to go until the end of the famous Beer Fest in Munich - Oktoberfest. I am sure  you have heard or have been, drunk and eaten there. You might also know that it is quite hard to find seats if you do not have reservations. And you know what? Reservations begin a year or at least a few months before the actual fest. Isn't it crazy? If you are coming with a big group and hoping to get a table for 12 gals at one of the beer tents in the evening, forget it. You have better chances  for that early morning. And I mean early. You do not have to wait until the clock strikes 5 o'clock. No one does that! You are in Bavaria, where beer is served for late breakfast along with a pair of white sausages and sweet mustard.