Khao Soy, the way I make it, is essentially a Thai chicken noodle soup. (There are many different variations, this is one my MiL got from a friend while they were living in Thailand.)

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (to taste)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 3-inch piece ginger, sliced thin
2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into thin strips
2 15 oz cans coconut milk (I usually use 1 regular and 1 lite)
16 oz thin egg noodles

for garnish:
crispy Chinese egg noodles (you can get these from a Chinese restaurant)
chopped cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges
chopped scallions
fish sauce

Mix 1 cup coconut milk with 1/2 cup water. (This is coconut milk mix #1.) Mix remaining coconut milk with 6 cups water. (Coconut milk mix #2.)
In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of mix #1 and add the curry paste. Stir and fry, adding mix #1 by the tablespoon until the oil begins to release. Stir in curry powder and continue adding mix #1 by the tablespoon until it has all been added. Add chicken and ginger. Stir fry until the chicken no longer looks raw. Partially cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Skim any oil off the top of coconut milk mix #2. Pour half into chicken mixture, stir and heat. Add the remainder, stir and heat.
Cook the noodles in boiling water until soft. Drain.
To serve, first add noodles to soup bowls and pour chicken and broth over them. Top with garnishes.

Smonster, thanks! Some day I hope to refinish/refurbish and I shall keep that all in mind. I hope I didn't sound rude to sarameg or you with my waste/recycling questions. I have no idea how it started, but I am acutely aware of the waste I generate now and am always trying to make it go down down down. My biggest problem is my commute. I posted to the local neighborhood bbs to see if anyone wants to carpool with me, and my hours don't match up with anyone else's (I go in late and work late). Working from home on Wednesdays is a good start but it's not enough.

My next thing is to practice not visibly wincing when I go to people's houses and they say things like "I hate doing dishes so I just use paper plates and plastic and throw it out." It's like kicking me in the stomach.

msbelle, I forget, what kind of car did you get??

And it seems so perfect that now that Omnis and msbelle are settled into their new places, we'll hear about Hil's exciting transitions!

That sounds super yummy!

My next thing is to practice not visibly wincing when I go to people's houses and they say things like "I hate doing dishes so I just use paper plates and plastic and throw it out."

Oh, I wince. And then I lecture. Because, you know what? It's the fucking PLANET. If people want to think of me as That Pretentious Bitch Who's Always Going On About The Environment, so be it. It's important.

Some guy watched all 180 Old Spice videos, and picked out the best ones: [link]

Oh, I wince. And then I lecture. Because, you know what? It's the fucking PLANET. If people want to think of me as That Pretentious Bitch Who's Always Going On About The Environment, so be it. It's important.

I don't know how to say things like that and yet keep getting invited over? 'cause I like going to peoples' houses.

I use compostable plates (paper) for parties. They go straight in the yardwaste bin. My footprint otherwise is not enormous, and if I didn't, I would not entertain. Also, I'd have to buy more dishes. (There are only three of us! I don't need THAT many!)

I use compostable plates (paper) for parties. They go straight in the yardwaste bin. My footprint otherwise is not enormous, and if I didn't, I would not entertain. Also, I'd have to buy more dishes. (There are only three of us! I don't need THAT many!)

Yea--please don't become the people who came over for a party I was having, looked at the (admittedly plastic solo) disposable cups I had (it was a big new year's drinking party!) and disdainfully made environmental remarks, then went into my cupboard and grabbed their own cups...leaving me to wash them the next day! (When I already had to clean the whole apartment, wash the floor, deal with my hangover...)

If I'm just having a few friends over, I would normally use regular cups but I lived alone, had only so much stuff, and...already had to deal with recycling a bazillion beer bottles and cleaning up the plastic cups!

Plei, that's what I do for parties, too (compostable plates). I also bought dishwasher-safe plastic utensils that I use over and over.

My next thing is to practice not visibly wincing when I go to people's houses and they say things like "I hate doing dishes so I just use paper plates and plastic and throw it out." It's like kicking me in the stomach.

When we were on vacation last week, sharing a house with 6 other people, every time I had to throw away food waste that we would compost at home, I winced. (No, there was no community composting, and we weren't going to save 8 peoples' food waste for 8 days and drive it back to Ohio.)

We did, however, recycle everything that was recyclable, which assuaged my guilt somewhat.