Tom Ka Gai Cookoff

Our intentional community has seen a decline in common meals, so I proposed a challenge -- cook up a pot of an exotic soup and we'll see who has the best recipe! I suggested Tom Ka Gai (Thai chicken soup). This wonderful soup is flavored with lemongrass, lime leaves, Thai ginger root, coconut milk, and other unusual and tasty ingredients.

Six cooks stepped forward to take up the challenge. We had no idea how many neighbors would show up to eat, so I cooked a triple recipe (twelve bowls) just in case. Lisa and I provided a good bread and salad for everyone, and the game was on!

The evening was a hit, and many of our neighbors attended, sampled the different soups, and stayed to chat. We've decided to do it again in three weeks, next time choosing Indian food (not soup) as a theme.

My special ingredients were the juice of fresh limes and a Vietnamese fish sauce made from fermented anchovies (not all fish sauces are alike). My recipe got a lot of compliments, but I actually preferred Jocelyn's, which had a richer coconut and more complex pepper taste. David's Indonesian soup was also a winner. Was that curry I tasted? (He's not telling.) Honestly, all the soups were excellent.

You can see the recipe I followed by clicking on the picture of the soup. I modified it somewhat, adding more lime juice and removing the Thai peppers before serving.

If you're looking for a skill that fits well with a family, community, or tribal environment, cooking is a great choice! If you aren't used to cooking for the masses, just start with a recipe for four and scale it upwards. Then invite all your neighbors (or tribemates) for dinner. Mastadon au vin, anyone?
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An octogenarian prophet took a beautiful 18-year old bride. The eager young thing burst into the bedroom wearing nothing but a flimsy neglige and asked excitedly, "How'd you like some sup-er sex?" "I'll take the soup," he answered quietly.