Yam Sami ("husband’s Salad") Pt 1

Here are eleven things expressly taught in the Word of God about election: 1. Election is “IN CHRIST.” No less than fourteen times in the first fourteen verses of Ephesians chapter one the Holy Spirit expressly tells us that every benefit and blessing of grace that comes to sinners from God is in Christ. 2. Election is UNTO SALVATION. Certainly, there is a sense in which it must be said that God's elect were saved from eternity (Rom. 8:29); but we must never be deceived into thinking that election is salvation. Election is unto salvation. Election is not, as some teach, unto 'Christian service.' Election is unto salvation. 3. Election is an act of pure, absolute, DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY. God has mercy on whom he will have mercy (Rom. 9:11-18). God was not moved by anything outside Himself to choose the people He chose to save. 4. Election took place in ETERNITY. God did not choose His people in time, but before time began, in eternity. He chose us before the foundation of the world, from the beginning, when nothing existed except God Himself in the tri-unity of the eternal Godhead. 5. The source and cause of election is God's eternal LOVE for His people. He loved us freely, from everlasting, before ever the earth was made. Our love to Him is not the cause of His love toward us, but the result (Jer. 31:3; 1 Jn. 4:19). 6. God’s election was an act of free, UNCONDITIONAL grace. Grace is always free and unconditional. The moment a condition is put to it, it ceases to be grace. To say that God chose us because of something He foresaw in us, or foresaw we would chose to do, is to frustrate the grace of God, making it the reward of our work (Rom. 11:6). 7. Election is God’s PERSONAL choice of specific sinners to eternal life in Christ. Here is a sweet cordial of grace which shall never cease to amaze and rejoice the hearts of believing sinners – The Lord God chose me to eternal salvation in Christ, because He loved me with an everlasting, unconditional love! 8. Election is IRREVERSIBLE. “The gifts and callings of God are without repentance” (Rom. 11:29). Those who were chosen to salvation in eternity shall not be unchosen in time! 9. Election is EFFECTUAL. There is no possibility that one of God’s elect shall perish (2 Tim. 2:19). 10. Election is DISTINGUISHING. To talk of universal love in God toward reprobate men is to talk nonsense. Read Isaiah 43:1-4! 11. Election is BLESSED, for it is the cause of all blessedness (Ps. 65:4; Eph. 1:3-6).

Don Fortner

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Meats, Seafood	Thai	Thai	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

8		Dragon shrimp, fresh water
		shrimp 2-3 to the pound
1	lb	Shrimp, 16-20 to the pound
1	lb	Ham
1/4	lb	Bologna, sliced
1/4	lb	Sliced roast pork
1/4	lb	Shaved beef
1/4	lb	Cooked chicken, sliced
1	c	Nam pla, fish sauce
1	c	Nam manao, lime juice
4	T	Nam si-ew wan, sweet dark
		soy sauce or use oyster
		soy
6	T	Kratiem, garlic minced
12	T	Khing, ginger minced
12	T	Bai chi, coriander/cilantro
		including the roots
		chopped
1	c	Ton hom, green/spring
		onions
1	c	Hom daeng, shallots/purple
		onions thinly sliced
4	T	Sesame oil
4	T	Chilli oil
1/2	c	Prik ki nu, bird's-eye
		chillies mixed red and
		green sliced
2	T	Khao koor, see method

INSTRUCTIONS

Description: My wife and I recently attended the marriage  celebrations
of the son of a friend of ours, and this dish is our  contribution to
the food (Thai wedding celebrations are often one  long banquet...
interspersed by visits to temples and paying respects  to parents and
grandparents).  Because it was offered as part of the "husband's side"
food, I have  called it yam sami, but a similar, if rather simpler
recipe, recently  appeared in an advertisement for a firm that packages
ham and  sausage, and called yam ham kung, which would be an
alternative name  (except I don't like using obvious imports in
language...)  It is similar in concept to such dishes as yam nuea or
yam mu (beef  or pork salads respectively), and we in fact bought the
shrimp  freshly cooked from a vendor near our home on the way to the
festivities, allowing this to be a "no-cook" recipe. However I would
usually prefer to start from scratch so I include the method for
preparing the shrimp. Note that when I describe them as 'fresh' the
jumbo shrimp are taken from a live tank for sale in most shops here...
The dish is loaded with meaning, so I have left the quantities large,
but you can of course scale it down for your own needs. The number of
large shrimp (8), their colour (red), even the local name (dragon)  are
indicators of wealth and success in life, so highly significant  for
the young couple. One local tradition here is for the couple to  each
feed each other a shrimp ~ less messy than the American cream  cake!
Eight shrimp also means one each for the Bride and Groom, their
parents, and the best man and chief bridesmaid (the latter being a
recent tradition of western origin).  Finally yam means tossed (as a
salad is tossed), and signifies the  tossings of fortune in life...
Method: First prepare the khao Koor - place about 5 tablespoons of
uncooked long grain whit rice in a wok over medium heat, and toast
gently until light brown. Allow to cool and then grind to a coarse
powder in a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder.  Next cook the shrimp:
the jumbo shrimp should be grilled or barbecued  until pink. To avoid
burning this is best done with the heads and  carapaces still on. Thais
eat almost the whole shrimp (including some  of the shell), so would
serve them like this. You may prepare to  remove the head and legs,
shell (except the tail), and de-vein them.  Set them aside. The smaller
shrimp are best dry-toasted in a wok over  medium heat, tossing
continuously to avoid burning until pink. Again  they are best
de-headed, shelled and cleaned after cooking.  Slice the cooked meat
into half inch strips, and then cut any long  pieces into smaller bite
sized pieces. Tease the chicken apart with  the tines of a fork.  Cut
the white bulbs from the spring onion, and then slice the green  parts
thinly.  Place the chicken, sliced meat, and small shrimp in a large
bowl. In a  mixing bowl combine the remaining ingredients and then pour
them over  the mixed meats and shrimp. Toss to thoroughly coat and
leave to  stand for at least an hour before serving.  Serving &
Storage: Place the tossed ingredients on a large serving  platter,
surround with a circle of alternating tomato segments and  slices of
cucumber, and place the jumbo shrimp like the spokes of a  wheel, heads
innermost then garnish with coriander/cilantro and mint  leaves.
continued in part 2

A Message from our Provider:

“Christian ARE better BECAUSE they are forgiven.”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 2201 Calories From Fat: 1175 Total Fat: 131.6g Cholesterol: 1098.8mg Sodium: 11167mg Potassium: 3733.8mg Carbohydrates: 57.4g Fiber: 14g Sugar: 20.6g Protein: 194.5g

It is not uncommon for Christians to claim that the saints of the Old Testament period experienced God’s Spirit in a fundamentally different manner from that of New Testament believers or modern Christians. Many have relied on specific idioms of the Old Testament to argue that the Holy Spirit only came upon people in the Old Testament but into people in the New Testament. Thus, the Holy Spirit was only bestowed temporarily, and then externally, to Old Testament believers as opposed to the permanent indwelling of the early church. Such preaching and teaching drives a wedge between the Testaments, placing too much emphasis on disunity rather than on mutual interdependence between the Old and New. This is an inadequate and incomplete understanding of the role of the Spirit in the Old Testament. Though the Spirit of God sometimes comes upon individuals in the Old Testament to empower for specific (and temporary) tasks, there can be no doubt that His role is also more extensive. He has an indwelling and transforming presence in the Old Testament believers as well and is described as the animating feature that effects spiritual renewal.

Bill Arnold