Watermelon with Sweet Dried Fish-Crispy Shallot Dip (Pla Haeng Taeng-Mo ปลาแห้งแตงโม)

One 3/4-pound (~300-400g) whole trout
4 medium (80g) shallots, peeled and sliced very thinly lengthwise
1/3 cup (2.7 fluid ounces or ~70ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons (25g) salt
Watermelon, prepared
Place the trout in a heatproof plate, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap, and steam it in the microwave on high for 7-10 minutes (depending on the wattage of your microwave oven) or until the fish is completely cooked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Allow the fish to cool.Once the fish is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, separate out the meat (you should up with about 180g of cooked fish meat), pick off and discard any big bones, and place the meat in a food processor (a mini-chopper or a mortar would be fine as well). Pulse the fish until the flakes are fine.Transfer the fish flakes to a dry skillet set over medium-low heat. Slowly toast the fish, stirring constantly, until the flakes go from off-white to deep golden brown. This could take up to 30 minutes, depending on the surface area of the skillet (wider means better moisture evaporation). You want the fish flakes to dry completely, so don't rush this process by increasing the heat in hopes of shortening the cooking time.Once the fish is done, remove the skillet from heat. Stir the sugar and salt into it off the heat and set aside. (We don't want the sugar to be entirely melted; we want a bit of it to melt and coat the warm fish flakes while the majority remains intact.)Add the oil and the sliced shallots to another small skillet when the skillet is cold, then set it on medium heat. Stir the shallot pieces around constantly to make sure they're cooked and browned up evenly.Once the shallots are crispy, turn off the heat and immediately transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl to prevent the residual heat in the pan to cook the shallots further and turn them too dark.Let the shallots cool down, then stir them into the fish mixture along with about a tablespoon of the oil in which the shallots were cooked.Serve the dip with fresh watermelon chunks.The completely cooled dip can be stored for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. To use, it's best to scoop out just the amount you need with a clean spoon. That way, the dip stays fresh longer.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Enjoy! (:

Coconut Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting (เค้กมะพร้าวหน้าครีมกะทิ)

Coconut Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting
Makes one frosted 8-inch cake

Cake:
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (310g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (56g) butter, melted and brought to room temperature
1 cup (138g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (80g) very fine unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup coconut rum (optional)
Frosting:
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) heavy cream, cold
1/4 cup (78g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (50g) coconut milk powder
Garnish:
Extra coconut flakes (optional but recommended)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch pan (with edges at least 2 inches tall) with a piece of parchment paper.In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs until tripled in volume and light, adding 1/4 cup of the sugar to them at a time along the way.With a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, salt, and coconut flakes alternately with the melted butter and coconut extract. Make sure everything is well blended.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes.Let the cake cool completely in the pan, unmold, and frost.This is optional, but you can pump up the flavor of the cake by poking the warm cake (while it's still in the pan) with a bamboo skewer several times and pouring the coconut rum over it. Cover the cake and let it absorb the flavor of the rum for 5-6 hours or overnight (no need to refrigerate) before frosting it.For the frosting, beat the three ingredients together until the cream forms stiff peaks. Frost the cake with it. Sprinkle more coconut flakes on top, if desired.

Thai Tea Fudge

If you love Thai tea, you'll love this. And, yeah, please make it.

Thai Tea Fudge
Makes one 8x8-inch pan
Printable Version
18 ounces (520g) white chocolate chips, divided (I use Nestlé. For best results, you should use it as well. People have reported that the tea doesn't dissolve in or adequately perfume melted baking white chocolate tablets.)
14 ounces (396g) sweetened condensed milk, divided in half
One tablespoon/.25 ounces (8g) loose leaf Thai tea
1 teaspoon (4g) baking soda, divided in half

Line an 8x8-inch pan with a piece of aluminum foil; butter the foil or grease it with nonstick spray.
In a heatproof bowl, placed over a pot of simmering water, melt together half of the white chocolate and half of the sweetened condensed milk. Once smooth, whisk in Thai tea and half of the baking soda. Spread the mixture into the prepare pan; smooth out the surface. Put the pan in the freezer for 5 minutes or in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
In another heatproof bowl, melt together the remaining white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk over the same pot of simmering water. Once smooth, whisk in the remaining baking soda.
Remove the fudge pan from the refrigerator/freezer and immediately pour the white chocolate mixture over the tea layer; smooth out the surface.
Refrigerate the fudge for at least 2-3 hours. To serve, remove the cold fudge from the pan and cut it into desired size. (The fudge can be served cold or at room temperature, but it's easier to cut it when it's cold.)
Keep tune for more thai food.

Enjoy! (: