Last month we challenged our Instagram friends to a Thai food themed Quarantine Cook-Off. We were blown away by all of the creativity!

Our instructions were simple: create a Thai inspired dish, post on social media, and tell us what courage means to you. Here are a couple of the standout meals submitted from around the globe:

Papaya Salad submitted by Mony Hean

“Courage to me is the willingness to face fear, embrace uncertainty and to stand up for one’s beliefs!”

Amen, Mony. We couldn’t agree more!

Longtime CK supporter and volunteer, Daniel Saguin, said these powerful words:

“Courage means learning more about yourself, your culture, and your traditions while being open to things you don’t know- histories that are both good and bad.”

Daniel’s ‘Kanom Jin’, an herb topped fragrant red curry with vermicelli rice noodles

And last but not least the winners of the challenge: Henry and Barbara from California who said:

“Courage is stepping out of your comfort zone, entering the unknown, seeking to improve your life and the lives of those around you.”

At Courageous Kitchen this is exactly what we strive to do every single day: improve the lives of others. With the uncertainty in our current climate, it’s important for us to remember that something as simple as growing your own food or sharing a meal can make a tremendous impact in reducing food mileage, healing your body, and the environment. By providing fresh produce and a hot meal for our students it can mean the difference of whether or not to they are going hungry that night.

Winners: Vegan Red Curry Ramen by Henry and Barbara.

We were so impressed with everyone’s dishes, but especially by your words of wisdom. Thank you to Henry and Barb for the beautifully presented meal. As our winners they will be receiving a Thai Cooking Kit full of our favorite ingredients like palm sugar and coconut milk, so they can keep perfecting their favorite dishes!

For those of you who didn’t have the chance to enter, don’t fret! Our friends from Taste of Thailand have curated an “I love Thailand” care box for those residing in the country. Each box contains items from small businesses and local purveyors, including homemade sauces from our students in the Courageous Kitchen.

The ‘I Love Thailand’ gift set for your favorite food enthusiast.

Care boxes will be delivered straight to your doorstep and with every sale, you’re ensuring the purchase of two meals for those in need. To our US and Canadian friends, don’t you worry because we’re crafting up something equally as exciting for you all. Be on the lookout for details. The trio of sauces included feature homemade sriracha, pad thai sauce, and Thai chili jam (aka nam prik pao).

We are grateful for the continued support from friends like you which allows us to feed and educate families throughout Bangkok. We hope you had fun participating in our Quarantine Cooking Challenge and we can’t wait to see what you’re all crafting up for the next one!

For anyone who missed the chance to participate, be sure to follow @courageouskitchen on instagram!


Christy

Christy is the Thai-Lao co-founder of Courageous Kitchen who grew up in Seattle, Washington. As a child of refugees, she's endlessly curious about SE Asian cuisine, and an advocate for the rights of children. She believes the kitchen is one of the best classrooms!