GLASS NOODLE MAGIC

Once upon a time there was a very hungry girl. She was standing in her kitchen, tired after a long day and thought to herself "What the hell am I supposed to cook tonight?!" Ordering pizza was not an option, so she peeked inside the fridge, which was basically empty, took out the last bits and pieces of vegetables and fried them. "Carbs, I need carbs!" She opened the cupboard and they're they were! Glass noodles! Bought a long time ago in a food frenzy and totally forgotten, she put them in a pot, poured water over them and then it happened. It seemed like magic as the former dry noodles drank up the water and floated in the pot like an angel's hair. Still amazed by this wonderful process, the girl mixed the fried veggies and the noodles together, poured an unhealthy amount of soy sauce over it and couldn't believe her tongue when she tasted it. It was like the entire Asian continent in her mouth. She called for her roommate to let her try the dish and she too was immediately under the glass noodles spell. It was that moment, that the girls had explored their new favorite meal and from then on, they lived happily and fully ever after. 

Here's the recipe for two servings: 

1 zucchini

1 large carrot

1 onion 

Chinese cabbage as much as you want

mushrooms of any kind and as much as you want 

1 pack of glass noodles 

a shitload of coriander and peanuts

for the marinade: 

1 garlic clove

3-5 tablespoons of soy sauce (depends on how salty you like your food) 

2 tablespoons sesame oil 

Cut up the veggies in really small pieces (or as we do, grate them) and fry them all together in a big pan. Meanwhile let the noodles soak for about three minutes in hot water. Mix everything together and add the marinade. You're almost done, now chop the coriander and the peanuts et voilà, c'est ca! You are now really close to laying under a palm tree, on a beach in Thailand. Enjoy! 

SUMMER SOUVENIRS

Last July something monumental happened in my life. Like most people who are hungry for adventures and yearn to see the wonders of our precious planet, I looooove travelling. I love the foreign food, the looks of the people, the different habits, the languages…One of my biggest wishes is to travel around the world for like six to twelve months (I don’t know yet how homesick I’ll be, so yes I need this time frame).  So a couple of months ago, my parents made a tiny part of my wish come true. And that parts name is Thailand.

It was my first time in Asia (I don’t think we’re counting turkey here, are we?) and my feelings were constantly shifting between “OhmygodI’msoexcitedthisisgonnabeawesome!” and “There are cockroaches in Thailand. And spiders and poisonous snakes and Hepatitis-C!” I have to say that I was a bit intimidated by the foreignness of Asia. Before this trip I had only seen Europe and parts of the USA and I have to admit that the thought of the tropical otherness of Thailand scared the living shit out of me.

Anyways, we made it to Bangkok where the hot, moist air and thousands of various smells made me feel miserable and good at the same time. From Bangkok we took the night train to Surat Thani in the south. Let me say a few things about this train ride, if you ever happen to plan on riding a night train in South-East-Asia then bring a fur coat AND a heated blanket. It’s freakishly cold inside those things and you’re very likely to catch a cold. Besides the freezing temperatures and slightly moldy smell of my blanket, that train ride alone was worth the ten hour flight. I was lying there in my bunk bed with the curtains drawn, watching the bright night outside pass by and eating donuts. In the morning we had breakfast in the restaurant section of the train, we’re all the windows were opened and the fresh, steamy air mussed our hair while we we’re having rice soup with shrimps in it.

From Surat Thani we took the ferry to Koh Samui and from there another ferry to our final destination, Koh Phangan. When we arrived at our hotel in the late afternoon, we looked just as much as zombies as the party people, who were there for the traditional half moon party. The days we spent on Koh Phangan (which looked a lot like the island from “Lost”) can be described in three words: paradise, leisure and tempura. Basically all I did was read Game of Thrones, eat awesome thai food, go swimming, read some more Game of Thrones, get a massage, eat again and then at night fall asleep like a happy baby. Of course we did other things as well…Went on a snorkeling trip, visited a beach where small wooden houses were built between the rocks and on top of each other, vines dangling aside. It was marvelous, like a dream. Seriously I get  moist eyes when I think back.

After those incredible ten days on Koh Phangan we headed back to Bangkok, which felt like falling face first into another dimension. So loud and dirty, smelly and crowded and HOT! It was a bit too much for me and after having lunch at Chatuchak Weekend Market (delicious!) I had my first food poisoning and hugged the toilet that night. Apart from all the ruckus and my week stomach, Bangkok really is something. It’s hard to describe, like a cacophony of impressions which can easily overwhelm you, but it definitely is something you shouldn’t miss. Well see for yourselves! All I can say is, that I will go back and hopefully spend more time exploring and enjoying Thailand. The pictures down below were taken by my brother and the video clip was made by me(don’t hate, that was my first video EVER!).  (Ago)

 

copyright: Johannes Knogler 

 

 copyright: Agnes Knogler

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