Vanilla Scotch Pancakes s/w Dark Chocolate Ganache

Rainy Sunday's Tea/Coffee Break: 

Vanilla Scotch Pancakes 

(again??? Pancake Festival ...ehhh, Miss Anne ?!?) 

s/w Dark Chocolate Ganache & wild honey or maple syrup.

— feeling Pancake at via AnnaVanilla.

Ingredients:
{For dark chocolate ganache}
150 g dark chocolate
75 ml whipping cream

• Chop the chocolate and melt in a bowl over hot water. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside. Heat the cream until hot, but not simmering, and pour it into the chocolate. Stir the cream and the chocolate together until well combined. Continue stirring until the mixture has cooled and is smooth and glossy.

{For the pancakes}

225 g plain flour, sifted

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs

300 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

(alternatively butter milk or single cream)

1 teaspoon brandy or vanilla rum or water

50 g butter, melted

butter for frying

• Sift the flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre and break in the eggs. Work the flour into the eggs and gradually add the milk, brandy or vanilla rum , vanilla essence and melted butter to make a smooth and thick batter.  Cook the batter as soon as it is prepared.
• Heat a heavy frying flat pan, about 16 cm diameter (or ideally, a griddle pan), add a knob of butter and as soon as it begins to foam, hold a spoonful of batter high above the pan and drop the batter, holding the spoon vertically. Cook until bubbles appear and edges begin to dry but still slightly moist on top . Then turn and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. To keep the pancakes warm until all the batter has been cooked, place them in a heated dish lined with warmed tea-towel and cover.
• Serve with dark chocolate ganache, maple syrup (or wild honey) and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream (or whipped cream or plain yogurt). 

Enjoy!

Did you know......that today is Waffle Iron Day? Waffle Iron Day celebrates this great kitchen gadget that makes tasty waffles. The waffle dates back to the 1300s when Greeks cooked flat cakes between two metal pans and topped them with cheese and herbs.
If you don't have a waffle iron, today is a good day to go out and buy one. If you are too busy to make waffles yourself, buy some frozen in your fav. grocery store, or order them out at a restaurant or a cafe-bistro. Either way, please enjoy your waffles! 

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Choco-Coffee Scotch Pancakes w/ layered Baked-Apple & Bacon strips

Aimer, c'est agir. {to love is to act}
--Victor Hugo 

 When the heart (& tummy) are calling, It's wise to take action! 

Friendship, Love, Joy and Happiness -----> two-way street + interaction. 

  

Nothing beats homey choco-coffee scotch pancake, layered brown-butter-grilled apple, dark chocolate-drizzled bacon strips...s/w wild-flower honey or maple syrup & homey soy yogurt! Really worth my sweat on Sunday morning! 

I personally love the taste of "Sucré-Salé" {literally translated as sweet 'n' salty}tapas. Anne's favourite: 

a slice of french bread, topped with Brie cheese, grilled...and s/w maple syrup. or without maple syrup but with caramelized onion...hmmmm...

Today's dark chocolate drizzled bacon strips (grilled) = my first experience...love it too!

My confession: 

In fact, I made coffee-glazed bacon...then I did the washing whilst leaving the bacon strips in the mini-oven... without timer-setting. It turned out that all the strips became "charcoal". I felt terribly sorry for my tummy...for the untimely loss of coffee-glazed bacon...(sigh) 

Luckily enough that the fire alarm didn't beep...and no screaming neighbours... phew!!!

p.s No matter what goes wrong....Life goes on!
Dark chocolate is calling...I've got to go now...

For baked apples:
Core the apples and slice into 4 pieces each. 

Sprinkle with lime juice. Place the apple slices in a buttered foil dish, 

fill with brown sugar and dot with butter. Bake at 180 for 15-20 minutes. 

The making of choco-coffee pancake...with a normal small-sized pan..
.for those who haven't got any griddle pan.
Note* One tablespoon of mixture makes one 6 cm-Ø- pancake
(even smaller than traditional scotch pancakes which is at about 3.5 in / 9 cm in diameter). 
So you can have a good excuse for being immoderate...size does matter...oh yes!

For the pancakes:

220 g plain flour, sifted

1 tablespoon cacao powder

1 teaspoon instant coffee

1,5 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs

300 ml milk 

(alternatively butter milk or single cream)

1 teaspoon brandy or vanilla rum or water

50 g butter, melted

butter for frying

• Sift the flour, cacao powder, coffee powder, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre and break in the eggs. Work the flour into the eggs and gradually add the milk, brandy or vanilla rum and melted butter to make a smooth and thick batter.  Cook the batter as soon as it is prepared.
• Heat a heavy frying flat pan, about 16 cm diameter (or ideally, a griddle pan), add a knob of butter and as soon as it begins to foam, hold a spoonful of batter high above the pan and drop the batter, holding the spoon vertically. Cook until bubbles appear and edges begin to dry but still slightly moist on top . Then turn and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. To keep the pancakes warm until all the batter has been cooked, place them in a heated dish lined with warmed tea-towel and cover.
• When ready to serve, decorate the plate with dark chocolate circles, cherry tomatoes, bran flakes and dried raisins. Sandwich eachh pancake with baked apple slices. Top with dark chocolate drizzled bacon strips (grilled or baked) and serve immediately with wild honey or maple syrup and soy yogurt or whipped cream. Enjoy!

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Open-Faced Omelette with Herbs, Ham & Tomato

Open-faced Omelette with herbs, ham 'n' fresh tomato. 

Ideally s/w Tabasco or fresh Apple slices or apple salsa ....yummm! 

Note*

1. for CHEESE lovers, you can add a slice of Emmenthal or grated Gruyère in the ingredients too. 

2. You can also use 1 teaspoon butter + 1 teaspoon Olive oil together --------> lovely combination/flavour!

3. for more beautiful result, please use sliced tomatoes, instead of diced ones...then place them on top of the omelette (apple pie fashion) when the eggs begin to cook...

serving per person

(I used a 16 cm-∅-pan)

• Place eggs and salt in a bowl with yogurt and beat lightly with a fork until just combined.
• Heat olive oil (and/or butter) in a small frying pan over medium heat. Then add in chopped garlic and pour in egg mixture. As the eggs begin to cook, place chopped herbs and ham on top, followed by diced or sliced tomato (and your choice of cheese). Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
• In case you use cheese, place the pan under a preheated grill to finish cooking the eggs and melt the cheese.
• Slide the finished omelette onto a warm serving plate and place the remaining chopped spring onions for garnish. Finish with a grinding of black pepper.

Enjoy your breakfast!

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Thai Mango Sorbet (No sorbetière)

Heart-made Mango Sorbet (no sugar, no milk added) 

made of fresh mango puree, 

sprinkled with chopped dark chocolate w/ almond...

served with mango chunks & kiwi bedding. 

for "Thai mango" lovers!

Ingredients:

6 mangoes, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 tablespoons lime juice

***1-2 tablespoon(s) syrup (for sweet tooth)

Easy How to:

• Place cubed mango in a food processor, and puree. Pour in syrup and lime juice, and puree until smooth.
• Then pour the mango puree into a plastic freezer box, cover and freeze. Stir every 30 minutes with a whisk during freezing to break up the ice crystals and give a better texture. 
• Freeze overnight with a layer of plastic wrap over the surface and the lid on the container. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve. Enjoy! 

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Local Thai Ice Pop & Get Lucky

My locally nostalgic ice-pop 

@5.-Baht/stick, made of fresh ingredients (free from artificial coloring agents & preservatives) e.g. pandan, sweet corn, coconut cream, sala syrup with milk, durian, etc... available in my province, Phang Nga...
   

There is another version of local ice-pop a.k.a " i-tim-tud" or "i-tim sabu", literally translated as "soap ice-pop"... (Note* "i-tim" is ice-cream, "tud" means cut and "sabu" is soap, in Thai) 

Q: Why is it called soap ice-pop?

A: Because it comes in boxes 'n' long blocks (equivalent to the sizes of 2 bars of red bricks) with parchment paper cover...(just like "Potong" ice-cream, in Malaysia and Singapore)

Potong" means “cut” in Malay, referring to rectangular popsicles that are cut into portions from a bigger block...sold by hawkers from pushcarts.
Potong is made of coconut milk, skimmed milk, corn starch and sugar as basic ingredients, with exotic flavours such as yam, durian, sweet corn and the most popular, red bean...to be served either between wafers or rolled up in white bread.
{source: remembering Potong Ice-cream --Makansutra}

Then the ice-cream vendors will dig those boxes/blocks out of their portable carts...using a butcher knife to slice right through it...(so you'll get an ice-cream bar, which looks exactly like a bar of soap!) 

A bamboo skewer or a skewer made from the midribs of coconut leaf will be inserted in centre of ice-cream as final process. It costs only 10.-Baht/bar!!!!

"This ice-pop is too hot for sub-zero temperature here in Thailand, darling! It will burn your hand if you hold it for too long!"

Well, I'd better listen more often to that nagging little feeling that says it is long past time I had some fun...that's my inner child speaking--well, yelling, perhaps! ;) ...It feels good to let the child in me come out and play from time to time...

<<Just how long has it been since you indulged in a big helping of your favorite guilty pleasure, Anne? .. Even grownups are entitled to indulge in the pleasure of youth from time to time, aren't they? >>

Inside each of us lives a child, appreciative of life,

and curious towards change. One who trusts fully,

loves fearlessly, and is able to show emotions,

both good and bad. Happiness can be found here.

Choose to let this child live each and every day.

~Doe Zantamata

Life is meant to contain equal amount of fun and enjoyment.

All relationships benefit from a bit of devilish, positive, mischievous, playful and fun approach.

We don't have to be a grown-up and take life too seriously too much of the time.

Come to life again and be light in the heart & mind.

Let's have a permission to let the good times roll.

Relax.

Let's give ourselves a permission to be fully alive,

to fall in love with ourselves,

to feel everything...

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Thai New Year's Greetings

Happy Songkran 2014!

...

"Songkran" is a Thai word derived from Sanskrit saṅkrānti (or, more specifically, meṣa saṅkrānti) which means "move" or "change place" as it is the day when the sun transits the constellation of Aries, the first astrological sign in the Zodiac. It is also known as the "Water Festival" as it is believed that water will wash away bad luck and negative energy. 

The Songkran festival is celebrated for 3 days: April 13 (Water Festival & National Day for the Elderly), April 14 (National Family Day) and April 15 (Commencement of the New Year), which are also Thailand's public holidays.

On the first day of Songkran festival, it begins with merit-making and alms-giving to the Buddhist monks early in the morning....followed by a bathing rite for Buddha images. During this auspicious day, caged birds and animals kept will  be set free...as a good omen. 
Songkran is not only a significant occasion for family reunion... but also for making amends, apologies and forgiveness,... including paying respect to the elders by pouring scented water (with rose petals and jasmine flowers) over the palms of their hands. The elders in return, wish the youngsters good luck and prosperity. 
The highlight of the day is in the afternoon: time for water splashing, joyfully participated by both young and young-at-heart celebrants....to cool off from the heat of April.

Happy Thai New Year 2557 from little gangsters here! 

p.s I'm the youngest (lol) — feeling loved.

═════════════════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════════════

~✿ ░L░O░V░E░ ✿ ░B░L░E░S░S░ I ░N░G░ ✿ ░G░R░A░T░I ░ T░U░D░E░ ✿~

═════════════════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════════════

I wish to express my sincere & heartfelt gratitude to you all
for your invaluable support over the past 2 years.
It means so much to me...
--Anne

The Lady of Old Town--April 2014
Taken by my lovely cousin :)

Bliss is in the body & mind of the beholder...

Beauty in the eye...

But the urges to please myself surpasses previous physical, mental & spiritual highs...

...to end Songkran celebration with one of feel-good songs of mine...

...to dance freely...to love deeply & be happy as a child! 

oh yeah! ;)

“Life may not be the party we hoped for… 
but while we are here we might as well dance!” 
  

Take the time to relax and let us fully embrace life and the change that life brings...
Impermanence seems scary...but like an old snakeskin,
after a loss comes something vibrant and new.
Let us celebrate ourselves as passionate & evolving beings...
shhh... and chocolate + love make the ride worth travelling!

Happy New Year: Happy New You :)
There will never be another you! 

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Summer Breeze & Mung Bean Ice Lolly, Thai Style

One of my locally nostalgic ice pops, a feel-good remedy for these hot & steamy days!:) 

According to Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, mung bean is considered a cooling (yin) food, with sweet and astringent tastes, and have a nourishing, cleansing and balancing effect. Plus with its excellent source of protein & dietary fiber, high in iron, vitamins A, C & E and low in saturated fats. A natural remedy for health & beauty.

It's such a lovely idea to enjoy mung bean ice lolly and mildly sweet mung bean soup with a hint of ginger, alone or with ice during hot summer days, especially in April, known as the hottest month in Thailand...to cool off from the heat...:)

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of the winter to give it sweetness?"
--John Steinbeck

The grass seems greener around me... The sky is bluer...The sun shines brightly... 
A magical elixir...A renewed sense of hope, optimism & possibility I feel today...
and...one of my fav. retro holidays love songs: Summer Breeze...
what a lovely song! :)
See the curtains hangin' in the window
In the evening on a Friday night
A little light a-shinin' through the window
Lets me know everything's all right

Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind
Summer breeze makes me feel fine
Blowin' through the jasmine in my mind
[...]
Sweet days of summer, the jasmine's in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
And I come home from a hard day's work
And you're waitin' there
Not a care in the world

See the smile awaitin' in the kitchen
Through cookin' and the plates for two
Feel the arms that reach out to hold me
In the evening when the day is through
[...]

Chinese Medicine believes that the external environment has a strong influence on the body. For example, in a hot summer the body will absorb more heat from its external environment. If the body cannot release this heat, physical changes may occur, including: body will feel hot, red face, very thirsty, dry skin, constipation, lack of energy, headache, dizziness.

For the hot seasons, Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends foods that are cooling in nature, can balance the body’s Yin & Yang and can release the heat. These types of foods should be a part of the daily diet during the summer.

One of the very old traditional Chinese books, Kai Bao Ben Cao, mentions that mung beans act more on the Heart channel and clear heat and toxins from the skin, and cool heat in the blood. Therefore, mung beans can help acne and other skin symptoms, such as the common skin rash, cold sores, mouth ulcers, pimples and boils. To help these conditions, mung bean soup should be thick in consistency and at room temperature.

Modern science now also considers that mung beans can help clear toxins from the body, including environmental toxins and chemicals. (source: www.pingminghealth.com)

Ingredients:

One package (approximately 200g) of Mung Beans

1 litre of drinking water

a pinch of salt

50 g fresh ginger, washed and peeled (or 2 sachets ginger powder)

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon cane sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Easy How To:

• Wash mung beans in a mesh basket, and drain. 
• Transfer the beans into a large pan or wok, using low heat. Dry-roast the mung beans for 5 minutes or until light brown...to get full-bodied aroma...oh, how I love it!
• Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 1 litre water, ginger and dry-roasted mung beans. Bring to boil and reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer-cook for about 35-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. *Add more water as needed to maintain desired consistency. The bean's coating will start to spilt as it is cooking. If foam forms on the surface, skim it off and discard.
• Add in sugar and stir gradually until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add salt. Taste...then turn off the heat.
• Leave to cool. Ladle the soup into ice lolly molds and freeze overnight.
  Note***Some people may like it with milky version by adding soy milk or cereal milk or coconut milk or condensed milk in the soup before freezing it. For me?, no thanks! :)

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Roulades de Jambon aux Enokitake (Ham Wrapped Enokitake)

It's been such a long time since I last cooked meaty menu at home. That doesn't imply... I was a guilty carnivore... or a devoted carnivore who turned out to be a pure vegetarian in the end...There is no moral judgment towards meat and meat eaters' personal value system either.  It's just... I don't feel like...craving meat...that's all. However, with a tendency to get hypotension, it's recommended that I eat meat every once in a while, including the first 10 days' protein-based nutrition (from plant protein & meat protein) of my own health & beauty programme, a plus! Hence, the 10 days of enjoying soybean, mung bean,  mushrooms, (0% fat) yogurt mixed with oat bran, grilled & steamed fish, cooked ham, etc...etc...Spring & Summer are just around the corner! :)

Ham Wrapped Enokitake...

is one of simply delish-protein-infused dishes, by and for Miss Anne:)

You can use any kinds of ham or bacon or mixed...and Enoki mushrooms...Ideally served with Thai sweet chili sauce or Thai seafood sauce or Japanese soy sauce & Wasabi.

Note* If bacon is your preference, grilled or pan fried, it tastes much better with a few drops of lime juice when serving...followed by a cup of Matcha green tea or Thai jasmine-infused Mulberry green tea! hmmm :)

If you do not have time to make it by yourself, then you can buy it at any market with only 15.-Thai Baht/ skewer!!!
However, the joy of making, sharing and savouring it with friends, loved ones and that special someone who is so dear to your heart... is PRICELESS! So, cocktail party in the garden, BBQ by the lake, Full Moon tidbits at the rooftop, Midnight Tapas in the kitchen, etc...etc...with 80's and 90's music like this one (feeling sooo good, listening & dancing with this song regardless of its painful meaning...I just love this kind of beat!) + "dulce beat" chillhouse + sultry smooth jazz chill-out lounge...what would you say? ;) 

{Petites Bouchées}

Pour les fans d' Amuse-Bouches! ...miam miam.... 

: Roulades de Jambon aux Enokitake "แฮมพันเห็ดเข็มทองย่าง" à la sauce sucrée-épicée au piment, parsemée de graines de sésame... oh oui, oh oui! et Je vous offre cette rose d' amitié...

Quel qu'un m'a dit... "L'amitié et l'amour sont les seules choses qui grandissent quand on les partage". Je suis tout à fait d'accord...shhhhhh...mais avec la nourriture (+ le chocolat),...on métamorphose!!! Alors, tais-toi, Ms.Anne! Très bonne semaine à toutes et tous ! x

Ingredients:
(serving 3-4)

20 round hams, cut into 3 stripes/piece

2 big packages Enoki mushrooms, washed, trimmed and split into 60 bundles

12 skewers

Easy How to:

• Onto each ham stripe, position the mushroom bundle in the centre.  Roll up & wrap the ham tightly and secure with skewers (5 rolls per skewer). Grill the ham bundles for 5 minutes, or until the ham is lightly browned. Remove the skewers and serve right away... alone, or with sweet-chili sauce, or Thai seafood sauce. either way, Enjoy! 

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Intoxicating Yam Dessert, Thai Style

ขนมพื้นเมืองผ่านความทรงจำในอดีต
My Locally Nostalgic Dessert
-ข้าวเหนียวกลอย-

Steamed Glutinous Rice & Intoxicating Yam Dessert, Thai Style...a.k.a. "Khao Nieow Kloi "... served with grated coconut and sprinkled with roasted white sesame seeds & caster sugar. 

Well...I guess many of Thai food fans here on the blog, haven't heard about this dessert before. And I don't know if I should kindly convince you to try this...maybe just once in your lifetime....Why not? ;)

Before you make up your mind and perhaps say "Yes", ...allow me to tell you why...with my bla bla, as usual...;) This dessert is considered a member of Thai sticky rice dessert family. It is rare and uncommon among tourists, unlike its popular siblings i.e. sweet sticky rice with mango and sticky rice served with durian in sweet coconut cream. 

However, the dessert is to be warned because it is made of intoxicating yam (Dioscorea Hispida), which carries toxic buddies, namely Dioscorine and Diosgenine, causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, a rapid heart-rate, etc...etc...

Q: Why wasn't this yam discarded long ago as a non-edible plant?... You're wondering, right...Right?

A: Well, I have no answer for this....Any idea? ;)

Fortunately enough, there exists transferable indigenous knowledge of how to remove poisonous substances from this yam and ...and of course how to test & make sure it is toxin-free...and ready to be cooked and eaten in the end!... whew!!!

I remember back then...we... kids, looked forward to listening to our favourite bedtime stories, narrated by our beloved grandmother, including her life-altering story of WWII... She always mentioned that during WWII, when life was hard and food was scarce, several kinds of yam, including this yam, dig from the forest nearby, were used, prepared and mixed with rice when cooking rice congee. Besides, intoxicating yam is also one of the people's food source during rainy season, in the Southern Thailand.

There are various ways of enjoying eating this special yam: 

1. with steamed glutinous rice and shredded salted-fish as main meal;

2. It can be mixed with peanut and batter, deep-fried a.k.a. "Tuah Tohd Kloi- ถั่วทอดกลอย" eaten as crispy-yummy snack (I love this one!);

3. as a dessert, either accompanied with steamed glutinous rice, grated coconut and roasted white sesame & sugar...or sweet glutinous rice topped with coconut cream, sprinkled with roasted white sesame.

...

And another lengthy story which offers a significant linkage to Intoxicating Yam... If you're ready...please follow me, then...:)

In the deep jungle, of southern Thailand... along the Thai-Malaysian border, live indigenous people, who are sometimes called "Ngoh", "Ngoh Pah", or known as "Sakai".

The words "Ngoh" and Ngoh Pah" refers to the physical appearance of the people: being dark-skinned with thick woolly hair, they are thought to resemble the rambutan fruit, which is dark red in colour and hairy. In Thai contexts, in order to avoid the use of prejudicial terms such as Sakai or Ngoh Pah, many ethnologists and linguists increasingly use the term "Maniq" for these people. "Maniq", or a cognate term in related dialects, means 'human being' and is the term these people use for themselves in contrast with hamiq, meaning all who are not Maniq, such as Malay and Thai. (information references by Reflections on the 'Disappearing Sakai' : A Tribal Minority in Southern Thailand, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 37, No. 2, Hamilton, Annette: www.questia.com)

The "Sakai" is an ancient nomadic tribe who survives on hunting wildlife and gathering wild fruits, leaves, roots and tubers for food, has expertise in herbal plants and using a cylindrical mouthpiece made from bamboo stems and darts as weapon for hunting. They not only use this yam as poison on the tip of their darts for hunting... but also eat it...as breakfast, snack, lunch or dinner...whenever they are hungry...because their meals are unscheduled and hence, depending on food supply in the shelters....

(Oh! no more yawning please... we're getting there!) ;)

There are few processes used by the Sakai, to remove the toxin from the intoxicating yam tubers (Dioscorea hispida) before the cooking process, so that the yam can be safely eaten. 

• The first step is by slicing the tubers thinly as though making chips.
• Then they would bury the sliced yam in wood ashes for a day.
• After that the yam is soaked for another few days in salt water.
• Then putting it in a sac and soak it again in a river or flowing water for the extra 3 days.

***The yam is tested after detoxification by looking whether the fish is feeding on them.

• then boiling as final step. 

(source: nstda.or.th and world academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 72 2012) 

Note*

...In other places in the world, the detoxification is tested by feeding dogs or other domestic animals...

or by putting a crab....(yes, you hear it right: a crab!!!) into the sac of the sliced yam, and if the crab acts woozily, the yam would be soaked for a few more days. ....Oh, poor little creatures!!!!

"ข้าวเหนียวกลอย"

ของหวานหาทานยากของทางปักษ์ใต้บ้านเรา 

โดยการนำหัวกลอยที่นำพิษออกแล้ว ฝานเป็นชิ้นบางๆ เหมือนชิ้นมันฝรั่งแผ่นทอด
ไปนึ่งกับข้าวเหนียว... เมื่อนึ่งจนสุกจึงนำมาคลุกกับมะพร้าวขูดที่ไม่อ่อนไม่แก่จนเกินไป...
เกลือนิดหน่อย... นิยมคลุกกับงาขาวคั่วผสมน้ำตาลทราย... 

ส่วนทางภาคกลางนิยมทำข้าวเหนียวมูน กินกับกลอยและราดน้ำกะทิสดลงไป 

เหมือนการกิน ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง... 

ตอนเป็นเด็ก หลานๆของย่า จะชอบฟังเรื่องเล่าก่อนนอนจากย่า จำได้ว่า ย่าเคยเล่าให้ฟังว่า สมัยสงครามโลกครั้งที่สอง ตอนพวกทหารญี่ปุ่นบุก...ความเป็นอยู่ลำบากมากสมัยนั้น ต้องประหยัดเขม็ดเขม่สุดๆ ถึงแม้ว่าย่าจะเป็นลูกสาวของคหบดีในท้องถิ่น... สงครามก็คือ สงคราม...ข้าวยากหมากแพง...ต้องผสมหัวมัน หัวเผือก หรือ หัวกลอย (ซึ่งพอจะหาขุดได้ ในท้องถิ่น) ลงไปเวลาต้มข้าว เพื่อจะได้อิ่มท้องได้นาน ...

...คนทางใต้ รุ่นปู่ย่าตายายพวกเรา นิยมกินข้าวเหนียวกลอยช่วงฤดูฝน เชื่อว่าจะช่วยเพิ่มความอบอุ่นแก่ร่างกาย กลอยที่นิยมนำมาทำอาหาร มีชื่อวิทยาศาสตร์ว่า Dioscorea hispida Dennst. (Kloi Tuber) หรือรู้จักกันในชื่อสามัญว่า Asiatic Bitter Yam และ Intoxicating Yam...หัวกลอยทั่วไปนั้นส่วนมากจะมีพิษ ต้องอาศัยภูมิปัญญาท้องถิ่นของคนสมัยก่อน ในการประกอบอาหาร

[...]อย่างไรก็ตามแม้กลอย จะเป็นพืชที่มีพิษ แต่ด้วยภูมิปัญญาอันชาญฉลาดของคนสมัยก่อน ก็ได้คิดค้นวิธีในการกําจัดสารพิษใน หัวกลอยและมีการถ่ายทอดสืบต่อกันมาจนถึงปัจจุบัน โดยวิธีที่นิยม คือ การนํากลอยมาปอกเปลือก ฝานเป็นชิ้นบางๆ ตากให้แห้ง จะเก็บไว้ได้นานหลายเดือน ก่อนนํากลอยมาปรุงอาหาร ให้นําไปแช่ในน้ำไหลเป็นเวลานาน 1 วัน กับ 1 คืน แต่หากเป็นกลอยที่เก็บในช่วงหน้าฝนซึ่งมีพิษมาก ต้องแช่ในน้ําไหลนาน 3 วัน 3 คืน พร้อมทั้งใช้ใบชุมเห็ดเทศวางทับด้านบน แล้วนํามานวดให้นุ่ม ก่อนนําไปผึ่งแดด และนํากลบมาใส ั ่ภาชนะแช่น้ําเช่นเดิม ทําซ้ํากัน 2-3 ครั้ง จึงนํามารับประทานได้...
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"กลอย" ยังเป็นอาหารหลักของชนเผ่าซาไกที่อาศัยอยู่บริเวณทางภาคใต้ของไทย ซึ่งชนเผ่าซาไกมีวิธีกําจัดพิษกลอย โดยการเผาหัวกลอยให้สุกก่อนบริโภค แต่จะมีกลอยชนิดหนึ่งที่มีชื่อวิทยาศาสตร์ว่า ไดออสคอเรีย ดาอูนาเอีย (Dioscorea daunaea) หรือชาวซาไก เรียกว่า “มันสุนะ” จะต้องมีวิธีการเอาพิษออกที่หลายขั้นตอนกว่า... คือ นํากลอยมาปอกเปลือกให้สะอาด ห้ามนําไปล้างน้ํา แล้ว นําหัวกลอยมาขูดด้วยก้านใบระกํา (ก้านใบระกํามีหนามแหลม จึงต้องมีการตัดปลายแหลมทิ้งก่อนนํามาใช้)... จนได้แป้งเหนียวๆ จากนั้นนำไปห่อด้วยใบตอง ปิ้งไฟให้สุก ก่อนนํามาบริโภค...
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สําหรับภูมิปัญญาของชาวบ้านที่อยู่ริมทะเลนั้น จะใช้วิธีนํากลอยที่ปอกเปลือกแล้วมาหั่นเป็นชิ้นบางๆ แล้วนําไปแช่น้ําทะเลประมาณ 7 วัน เพื่อให้เกลือช่วยทําลายพิษ จากนั้นนําไปตากแห้ง หากต้องการนํามาปรุงอาหารจะต้องนํามาแช่น้ําไหลอีก 1-2 คืน[...] *อ้างอิง:http://nstda.or.th/rural/public/100%20articles-stkc/30.pdf

อ้าว! แล้วจะรู้ได้อย่างไร ว่ากลอยที่เตรียมนั้น ปลอดพิษแน่นอน?

ขึ้นชื่อว่า มนุษย์สองขา... มีหรือจะยอมให้ตัวเองเป็นหนูทดลอง... ว่าแล้วก็จัดการโยน ชิ้นกลอย สักชิ้น สองชิ้น ให้เพื่อนสี่ขาแสนรู้...ลองแทะดู.... ถ้าเพื่อนดมๆ แล้วเมิน หรือเพื่อนหลงกล กินเข้าไปแล้ว มึน แปลว่า ยังกินไม่ได้...บางพื้นที่ คิดได้แยบยล กว่านั้น คือ จับน้องปู ลงใส่ถุงกลอยที่แช่น้ำไหล เพื่อเป็นปูทดลอง... ว่ากลอยนั้นพิษหมดหรือยัง ถ้าน้องปูมีอาการโซเซ ตะกุยถุงมั่ว หรือเบลอผิดปกติ... แสดงว่า ยังกินบ่ได้เด้อ... ต้องแช่น้ำต่ออีกสองสามวัน แล้วค่อยนำมาประกอบอาหาร ...ทั้งกลอย ทั้งปู! เอวังก็ด้วยประการฉะนี้แล :)

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