Tom Kha Tofu (Thai Coconut Soup)

On Monday, we returned from a long weekend in Florida with my family. Yes, I know we were just in Hawaii (and there may be a trip coming up to Mexico. It's really rough). This was a mini-reunion. My parents, sister (and her family), my aunt, uncle and cousins all traveled to Captiva. Even with the so-so weather, we all had a great time. We spent our one perfect day lounging on the beach and by the pool (heated to a perfect 80 degrees). My nieces were big fans and spent hours splashing around in their swimmies. On Sunday, we went to Bowman's Beach in Sanibel for some shelling. Despite the clouds and wind, it was a fun (and very successful) experience and we came home with some gorgeous shells.

Exiting Logan Airport was a bit rough as I hadn't packed a jacket with me. I wrapped myself up in a scarf and ran to the car as fast as I could. While we were away, we got a couple inches of snow. Now, it's a little early to say, but the reports have been saying that we're going to get our first major snow storm of the season this weekend.  To prepare for the nasty weather, I'm making sure we have enough firewood and bourbon to keep us warm and cozy. A big pot of soup, like this hearty, vegan Tom Kha Tofu (a take on Tom Kha Gai, which has chicken in it instead of tofu) will do the trick as well.

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Tom Kha Tofu (Thai Coconut Soup with Tofu)

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients
2-14 oz can full-fat coconut milk
2 cups water
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon red chili paste
1/2 large red onion, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 red pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, dried and sliced
1-14 oz container of firm tofu, drained and cubed
Cilantro
Lime
1 Thai chili pepper, seeds removed and sliced thinly
2 cups cooked white or brown rice

Directions
1. In a medium pot, add the coconut milk, water, ginger, garlic, Thai chili paste and red onion. Season to taste with salt. Bring to a low boil. After a few minutes, add the red pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu.  Cook for another five minutes.

2. Spoon a 1/2 cup of rice into each bowl and ladle soup over it. Garnish with fresh cilantro and, if you want more spice, sliced Thai chili pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

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Leave The Camera At Home: How to Capture Your Travels With Only Your Phone

I decided early on that I wasn't going to bring my camera to Hawaii. When I told people this, everyone was shocked. "Why? It's so beautiful. Don't you want to take pictures?" Yes, I did. And I planned on it. But I didn't want to lug around expensive (and heavy) equipment. And I didn't want to spend the whole time looking through a viewfinder. If I took pictures, I wanted to be fast and then put it away and enjoy the experience.

If you plan to travel this year, I suggest leaving the big DSLR at home and just capture moments with your phone. I think you'll find it liberating. Here are a few things to think about when you're taking pictures during your trip (and some examples from our time in Hawaii).

1. Capture your surroundings, from a distance and up close. 

Above all things, the scenery is what sticks with me the most when I travel. The beauty of a sandy beach, a drive at sunset, the way the waves crash against a cliff. When approaching landscape photography, I think about what's compelling about these scene. What is it that I connect to? Are there interesting colors or textures? Is there action?

My approach varies from place to place. Sometimes I want to pull back and capture the vastness of the landscape: the sunsets over the Pacific or crowds snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. Other times, it's a very specific detail, like the rocks and sand at the Wainapanapa Black Sand Beach in Maui or the bark of the rainbow eucalyptus trees that line the Road to Hana.

2. Food

Food is an important part of travel photography.  I like to focus not just on plated dishes, but the environment as well. I'll never forget when a Kalua pig, cooked in an imu (an underground oven), was uncovered at the luau we attended. Or the road-side taco stand we stopped off with to avoid hangeriness on our drive to Hana. Or the hole-in-the-wall sushi restaurant in Honolulu we dined at on one of our last nights (turned out to be our favorite meal).

3. Take some selfies!

When you're on a trip, sometimes it's nice to flip the camera around from time to time. Now, I'm not suggesting everyone runs out to get selfie sticks (we saw plenty of those in Hawaii), but it's nice to look back through pictures and see some of you and your traveling companion.  These may just be of you sitting out by the pool with a book, drinking Mai Tais, or on a hike with a beautiful view.

For more tips and tricks on taking pictures with your smart phone, check out my other posts here and here. And you can follow along on my food journeys over on Instagram.

Hotels + Restaurants Featured:

The Royal Hawaiian
Hyatt Regency Maui
Old Lahaina Luau
Star Noodle
Marukame Udon
Sushi ii (Honolulu)

Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Radish, Fennel + White Bean Spread

Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Radish, Fennel + White Bean Spread | www.athoughtforfood @athoughtforfood

You may be wondering why my first post of the year is a tuna sandwich. I don't really have a good answer, only that I was craving one the other day and I thought, "You know, I bet people might actually like this." And that's about it. No other reason.

My relationship with tuna salad (I realize how bizarre that sounds) goes as far back as my junior year of high school, when I became pescatarian. We were a household that always brought our lunches (with the occasional exception when I'd order a side of fries and a sugar cookie from the cafeteria). Up until that point, I was a turkey sandwich guy. Maybe roast beef. Or, sometimes, my father would slice leftover meatloaf and place that on top of two pieces of bread with mayonnaise (I still give him a hard time about this). So, I needed to figure out what to bring. Which led me to tuna. And I ate lots and lots of it. Surprisingly, I never got sick of it (even more surprising was the fact that I still had friends who wanted to sit next to me as I devoured this fragrant lunch).

Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Radish, Fennel + White Bean Spread | www.athoughtforfood @athoughtforfood

Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Radish, Fennel + White Bean Spread | www.athoughtforfood @athoughtforfood

Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Radish, Fennel + White Bean Spread | www.athoughtforfood @athoughtforfood

So, that's my history with tuna. I'm still rather partial to it and will often throw it on top of salad, but recently I was just in the mood for a sandwich. I kept things on the healthier side by mixing the tuna with just a touch of mayo. The bread is spread with a creamy, garlicky white bean dip. Quick pickles will always add some depth (both in flavor and texture) to a sandwich, which is where the fennel and radish come into play. It may seem like a lot of elements, but, trust me, it's worth it.

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Tuna Sandwich with Pickled Fennel and Radish + White Bean Spread

Yield Makes 4 sandwiches

IngredientsFor the pickled vegetables 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced 4 radishes, very thinly sliced 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the white bean dip 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced olive oil 2, 15 oz cans of cannellini beans 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped Lemon juice Salt Black pepper

For the tuna 2, 5 oz cans tuna, drained of any liquid 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1.5 tablespoons chopped scallion, green part only Salt Black pepper

Sandwich ingredients 8 pieces thickly sliced ciabatta Butter Mixed greens

DirectionsTo make the pickled vegetables 1. Place the sliced fennel and radish into a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt and then cover with vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes.

To make the white bean dip 1. In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Sautee onion for 3 minutes over and season with salt and black pepper. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add beans and rosemary to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Take off heat.

2. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree mixture along with juice of half a lemon. If necessary, thin out with a couple teaspoons of cold water.

To make the tuna salad 1. Add the tuna to a bowl along with mayonnaise, chopped scallion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and coarsely ground black pepper. Gently toss to combine.

To assemble the sandwich Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place in a pan over high heat and cook until golden brown (depending on your preference, some darker areas are ok as well).

Spread the white bean spread onto the inner side (uncooked portion) of the each slice of bread.  Spoon tuna onto four of the halves, followed by the pickled vegetables and some mixed greens. Place the other slice of bread on top, press down gently, and then cut sandwiches in half. Enjoy!

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