Massaman Curry

Jerry and I have quite an affinity for Thai food. Spicy curries are so filling and satisfying and make a complete meal all in one bowl. They are also easier to make than you might expect! My only suggestion is to have all your ingredients measured and ready to go, as the process of cooking goes very quickly. This recipe has chicken in it, but you can easily omit it, or replace it with beef if you prefer.

Serves:

2-4

Ingredients:

• 1-2 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
• 1-2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14 oz light coconut milk
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium tomato, sliced into small wedges
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1/3 cup onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1 red chili, or 3/4 tsp red pepper chili flakes
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts or cashews
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp whole cumin seed
• 1/2 white pepper
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Cooking:

1. Heat a wok, large frying pan, or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around, adding the onion, ginger, garlic, and chili. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the stock, bay leaves, turmeric, chopped nuts, ground coriander, whole cumin seeds, white pepper, lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a light boil.
3. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat. Stir in the coconut milk and potatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, allowing to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender.
4. Add the red pepper and tomato during the final 10 -15 minutes of cooking time. Keep the curry uncovered if you like it thicker, or covered if you would like it thinner. 
5. Taste the curry and adjust your seasoning. You can add fresh coriander, if desired. Serve with jasmine or basmati brown rice.
6. Enjoy!

I accidentally poured half a jar of red chili flakes in this when I first made it, and I desperately tried to scoop out as much as I could. Thankfully it wasn't nearly as spicy as we might order it in a restaurant, so it worked out well. Jerry complimented me by saying that this massaman was better than any he'd ever ordered in a restaurant. Always nice to have a satisfied customer!

-Carly

Pad Lie (My Version of The Popular Dish, Pad Thai)

Thai food is one of my favorite types of cuisines! It is spicy, filling, healthy, and comforting. Now, every Thai restaurant has it's own version of Pad Thai, some I like, and some I didn't particularly like. This recipe derives from my own Pad Thai preferences, and doesn't necessarily reflect the dish in a traditional light. You can easily adjust to your preferences as well. The best advice I can give when making this dish is to have all your ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go, as the actual cooking time is less than 10 minutes.

Serves:

4

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup of soy sauce or fish sauce (I use soy, fish sauce is still a little too fishy for me)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
• 3 Tbsp Lime Juice

Noodley-Saute:

• 2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil (EVOO is pretty much the only oil I use)
• 2-3 chiles finely minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 3 cups of shredded carrots, about 6 carrots
• 2-3 eggs, beaten
• 6 ounces of flat rice noodles, uncooked
• 2/3 cup crushed, unsalted peanuts
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• Handful of stemmed cilantro

Cooking:

Sauce:

Simply mix the ingredients and set aside. If you are like me, and you like a lot of sauce, make a little extra. 

Noodley-Saute:

1. Prepare all ingredients. Seriously, don't wait to chop the green onion or shred the carrots, because timing is everything with this recipe.

2. Set a pot of water to boil for the rice noodles. Heat your oil on med-high heat in a large saute pan or wok. A giant wok is on my list of things to buy when we have a larger kitchen.

3. When the oil begins to glisten, throw in the chiles and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Be careful handling and chopping chiles as the oil can stay on your hands and fingers for a long time. I made the mistake of not protecting my hands when preparing chiles and then I look my contacts out and tried to put them back in the next morning...it was horrible. I typically just use a plastic bag to hold the chiles with.

4. Add the shredded carrots, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Drop your noodles into the boiling water about at the end of the carrots cooking time. They only take 2-3 minutes to cook and since they are being added to a saucy saute, they should not be over-cooked as they will continue to cook once added to the rest. Soggy noodles are not good.

5. Push the carrots aside, making a well in the center, sort of like a donut shape. Pour the beaten eggs in the center and scramble them up. Stir to prevent sticking. When your noodles are done, drain and lightly rinse with water. The faster you can get them into the saute, the better, as they tend to stick together.

6. When the eggs have set, mix together with the carrots and add the sauce and noodles. Stir well, adding the peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.

7. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Variations:

• Bean sprouts: always a nice option, if there are fresh ones available. I've tried canned mung bean sprouts and they just don't lose the canned taste, so I've left them out.
• Adding other veggies, like broccoli or boy choy, are also nice option.
• If you like chicken, beef, or tofu, I would saute it separately and add it when the eggs are set. That way you can be sure the meat is cooked, without over-cooking the rest.
• Lime wedges are always a nice touch, if you like lime as much as I do!
• Additionally, you can make this as spicy or mild as you want, just adjust the amount of chiles you add.

This is one of my favorite comfort dishes! I made this on a night that my husband was out of town, so I brought in some for lunch the next day, as it keeps in the fridge pretty well. Let me know how you like my Pad Lie!

-Carly