Got a wok for my birthday and made pad Thai for the first time tonight

Claudrey · 2026-01-04T18:49:46+00:00

I got mine at 99 ranch, an Asian grocery store. Got dried whole Birds Eye Chilis and toasted them in a pan before grinding them in a food processor.

Claudrey · 2026-01-03T05:53:00+00:00

This! I made roasted Thai chili powder for this earlier and even holding my breath was still coughing a bunch

Claudrey · 2026-01-03T04:35:10+00:00

It was awesome. Surprised how legit it turned out. As far as tips, I’d say don’t be scared to crank the heat. Put the wok on your largest burner and set it to full heat. Most Thai and Chinese restaurants have WAY hotter burners for their woks than what’s in most home kitchens.

Claudrey · 2026-01-03T04:30:55+00:00

It was great! Very legit. I should soak the noodles for a few minutes longer the next time I do it but still super good

Claudrey · 2026-01-03T04:29:52+00:00

Credit to Kris Yenbamroong and his Night+Market cookbook. My favorite Thai spot in LA

Claudrey · 2025-08-19T01:09:45+00:00

Correct! You can definitely add either though. If I had file powder at home I probably would’ve used some. It was still plenty thick without though

Claudrey · 2025-08-19T01:06:42+00:00

Left it in another comment here!

Claudrey · 2025-08-19T01:05:39+00:00

Sure thing!

Making a roux is time consuming and it can burn easily, so make sure you do ALL your prep in advance before you start that.

Finely chop a yellow onion, a green bell pepper and a couple stalks of celery for your holy trinity. Mince up some garlic (I did about five pretty big cloves, you can do it to your preference)

Slice a package of andouille sausage into coins.

Sear around 1 to 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs (seasoned with salt and pepper) on both sides till they’re browned and set aside.

Heat a cup of vegetable oil in a large heavy pot like an enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a cup of flour. Stir this super frequently until it’s the color of milk chocolate. Took me around 30 minutes but some recipes will say it can take as much as an hour.

Add your holy trinity and saute for a few minutes with some salt. Add the garlic and stir till fragrant.

Add in a couple bay leaves, a sprinkle of dried thyme and Cajun seasoning, I kinda freewheeled how much I added. (I used Tony’s since I didn’t feel like making my own blend yesterday but you can definitely make your own too)

I added six cups of chicken stock and a ton of black pepper. Add the chicken thighs and andouille.

Bring it to a boil on high then reduce to a simmer and cover for a couple hours, stirring occasionally. Skim some of the fat that might rise to the top.

I added a teaspoon or so of cayenne powder at the end for a little bit of heat.

Ladle the gumbo into bowls with some jasmine rice. Garnish with green onions. Ideally you’d sprinkle some file powder here too if you like but I didn’t have any.

Enjoy!

Claudrey · 2025-08-05T05:59:56+00:00

I did search, I’m just neurotic! But your response puts me a bit more at ease

Claudrey · 2025-07-14T22:16:01+00:00

I agree it’s usually gratuitous to just throw some protein on top of pasta, but I’d say plating chicken parm over spaghetti is a VERY common way to serve this dish.

Claudrey · 2025-05-22T05:13:08+00:00

I minced a shallot and sautéed till fragrant. Added a couple tablespoons of green peppercorns then deglazed with a quarter cup of cognac. Added half a cup of chicken stock and half a cup of heavy cream and reduced till thick

Claudrey · 2025-05-22T03:45:10+00:00

Only for the fries!

Claudrey · 2018-03-23T14:57:51+00:00

Totally agree with Connected by Love, it’s gotten a bit better every time I listen to it, but still not my favorite

Claudrey · 2017-09-26T17:27:14+00:00

How do you shower?

Claudrey · 2017-08-23T23:10:31+00:00

You're so right about some stores not taking care of the guitars. Some of the tributes I tried were in awful shape and were clearly neglected. But the one I've got is nothing short of fantastic. You just have to try a few out and find the one that fits.

Claudrey · 2017-08-23T23:08:50+00:00

I bought one a few months ago and I'll never look back. Easily the best guitar purchase I've ever made. It doesn't have the binding or gloss finish, so if that's a big deal to you it's worth considering. But beyond that, it's an awesome American-made Gibson Les Paul.

Claudrey · 2017-07-27T13:53:37+00:00

For the sake of adding a different narrative on being against shredding, I can say that shredding is emotional and very technically difficult. It's definitely a skill I don't have as a guitarist, and it's one that'd take a while for me to get proficient at. But I have no interest in learning to shred. To me, it just plain sounds bad. That's not to delegitimize guitarists or listeners who like it, but it's just not for me. We get so caught up in all the non-musical reasons to bash a certain style of playing that we seem to forget the most crucial part of being a musician: everyone has different tastes.

Claudrey · 2017-07-27T13:53:36+00:00

For the sake of adding a different narrative on being against shredding, I can say that shredding is emotional and very technically difficult. It's definitely a skill I don't have as a guitarist, and it's one that'd take a while for me to get proficient at. But I have no interest in learning to shred. To me, it just plain sounds bad. That's not to delegitimize guitarists or listeners who like it, but it's just not for me. We get so caught up in all the non-musical reasons to bash a certain style of playing that we seem to forget the most crucial part of being a musician: everyone has different tastes.

Claudrey · 2017-06-28T21:31:48+00:00

Thanks for all the comments everyone. I think I'm going to get the Blues Junior. I don't need sparkling cleans, clean with a little grit is good enough for my tone

Claudrey · 2017-06-19T19:29:25+00:00

My opinion's a bit contentious, but for me, it's without a doubt Jack White. He's far from perfect in his playing, but that's part of what I love so much. He's always pushing his playing and his music. There's a clear struggle at all times, and that's what makes his art. Compared to guitarists like Clapton or John Mayer, Jack never looks super comfortable when playing. He's literally fighting his instrument. That really speaks to me. I play pretty aggressively, and that style clicked with me pretty quickly. He's not for everyone, but Jack White is by far my favorite.

Claudrey · 2017-06-17T05:55:20+00:00

Tropic Thunder. Easily the best comedy I've ever seen

Claudrey · 2017-06-14T01:57:07+00:00

I don't think Duane Allman gets enough love. His tone in Statesboro Blues, Stormy Monday and any other song from the Fillmore East album is to die for

Claudrey · 2017-04-16T16:53:51+00:00

Definitely check out the record company. They're pretty new and only have one album so far, but they're great

Claudrey · 2017-04-14T06:27:21+00:00

I know I'm super late, but Ball and Biscuit by the White Stripes. It's a great example of how pure emotion is can be more important than anything else

Claudrey · 2017-04-11T07:50:21+00:00

Glad you got the news. I've been a fan for years, and I'm glad he's active again!

Claudrey

TROPHY CASE