Thai Curry 101

Thai Northern Yellow Curry

Have you been intimidated, afraid and discouraged to make Thai curry from scratch? This recipe will change your mind!

Yes, the curry pastes for red, yellow, green, massamun and others are made with long lists of ingredients. But the paste for this curry 101 recipe only needs 5 ingredients. The result is unforgettable. All my family and friends love it! It is easy to make yet very tasty, healthy and aromatic. This is “Northern Thai Yellow Curry.”

It can also be made as vegetarian. Replace chicken with firm tofu or use only vegetables.

Yields: 2-3 persons

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Coconut Milk, Chaokoh Brand

Thin Soy Sauce, Dragonfly Brand

Curry paste:

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped or diced
1 1/2 Tablesoons shallots, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (or coriander roots)
1-4 dried whole Thai chilies (or dried red pepper flakes, as much as you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric)
1 cup water

1 can (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk, Chaokoh brand
1 cup chicken breasts, boneless skinless, cut into bite size (about 1/2″ thick)
1 cup cut-up firm vegetables; green beans, carrots, sweet peppers (or zucchini, eggplants, potatoes, pumpkin, etc.)
3 Tablespoons thin soy sauce, Dragonfly brand

Instructions:

1. Make the curry paste: Toast the first three curry paste ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Shake the pan around frequently so the ingredients get toasted evenly until they change colors (but not burn) and become fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chilies and toast for 30 seconds. (Be careful with the chilies: keep a little distance from the pan when toasting them. The toasting smoke/fume can hurt your eyes and nose if you’re too close!) Transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the turmeric powder and the water. Puree until fine, about 2-3 minutes.
2. In a deep pot, over medium-high heat, add the coconut milk. Whisk well. Bring it to a boil. Add the curry paste mixture. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes, until the liquid starts bubbling.
3. Add the chicken. Stir well and cook for a minute, until its color is no longer pink.
4. Add the vegetables and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Season with the thin soy sauce. Stir well and taste. Adjust as needed.
6. Serve with cooked jasmine rice, or egg/rice noodles, or serve it as a soup. Enjoy!

For a video demo, please go to this link:

“4 Cheese Mexican Chicken-Poblano Taco Pizza”

This is my once a year contest entry at Foodnetwork – Chopped At Home Challenge, sponsored by Sargento cheese which is my favorite brand.
The required ingredients are:
– Sargento¨ 4 Cheese Mexican Blend
– Corn tortillas
– Poblano peppers
– Chicken thighs

This recipe is created based on my family’s love for pizzas, chicken, cheese and tacos.

This recipe will make about 8 mini pizzas.

Ingredients:
Chipotle sauce:
Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce: use 2 chiles plus 1 tablespoon of the liquid and some onion chunks that came in the can
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Pan grilled chicken thigh:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium white onion, peel, cut in half and slice thinly, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels (keep them inside the paper towels until use)
2 poblano peppers, wash and dry
White corn tortillas, super size (6-inch diameter)
Cooking spray with canola oil
1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce, your favorite brand
Sargento® Fine Cut Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican blend

Instructions:

1. Make the chipotle sauce – Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a blender. With the blender running, add the olive oil slowly and blend until smooth, about one minute. Set aside and let the sauce flavor fully develop. This can be made ahead of time.
2. Marinate the chicken – Mix well the marinade ingredients in a glass bowl and add the chicken thighs. Coat the marinade over the chicken evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Roast the poblano peppers – Spray the peppers with the cooking spray. Roast them on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the skin has blistered. Remove them from the oven and cover with foil until cool down enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove the skin. Slit them in half and remove the stems and seeds. Cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips.
4. Cook the chicken – Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Place grill pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and lower the heat to medium. Cook about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes. Cut each piece in half along the grain, then slice each half against the grain into a 1/4-inch pieces. Cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Toast the corn tortillas – Place skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spray with the cooking spray. Lay corn tortillas onto the skillet for about 10 seconds, then flip. Toast until they turn slightly brown. Keep them warm in a tortilla warmer or foil.
6. Warm the pizza sauce – Put the pizza sauce in a deep sauce pan and slowly bring it to a boil over medium-low heat. Keep warm.
7. Make pizzas – Set the broiler on high. Arrange tortillas on non-stick pizza pan. Spread evenly 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce and 1/2 tablespoon chipotle sauce on tortillas, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Layer the chicken, poblano pepper strips, onion and 1/4 cup Sargento® Fine Cut Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican blend. Place the pizza pan under the broiler and watch until all the cheese melts and starts bubbling, about 1 1/2 minutes.
8. Serve – Cut each pizza into quarters and serve immediately.

If you like the recipe and would like to vote for me, the voting is from 5/23/16 to 6/13/16 and you can click on Vote 5 times per day. THANK YOU!!!

Here is the link to vote: http://www.foodnetwork.com/sponsored/sweepstakes/chopped-at-home-challenge/gallery.html?ngxItemID=149121759

Massaman Curry Dressing Salad

Massaman Curry Dressing Salad

If you love Massaman curry. you will love this salad!  If you have never had Massaman curry, what are you waiting for? This dressing is so good on a pile of healthy veggies that you will find it hard to stop munching on it!

Massaman curry is a rich but milder Thai curry, which was influenced by Indian and Malaysian cuisine. This salad dressing is adapted from the curry, simplified by using the peanut butter and shortening the cooking time to be appropriate for a dressing.

Serving: 2-3 person
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. Mussaman curry paste (Each brand has a different level of spiciness.)
1 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Thin soy sauce, Dragonfly brand
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
1/4 cup water

Massaman Curry Dressing

Salad:
2 cups lettuce; romaine, butter heard, or mixed salad green
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup sliced tomato
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced (and/or fried cubed tofu)
1/4 cup julienned carrots (or beansprouts)
1 tablespoon sliced red onion

Instructions:
1. In a sauce pan, over medium heat, add the coconut milk. When it starts bubbling, add the curry paste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Add the rest of ingredient and whisk well until the sugar dissolves and the peanut butter is well blended. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Arrange the salad ingredients into layers for a nice presentation or just put them in a salad bowl. Top generously with the dressing.

Notes:
– Please feel free to substitute the salad ingredients with any Asian salad goodies you prefer or have available.
– The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It will turn into peanut-butter like paste so warm it up with a little water, in microwave or over the stove, before serving.

Asian Aromatic Steamed Fish

Asian Aromatic Steamed Fish

This is my go-to dish when I feel like something healthy, light, flavorful and satisfying. Any white flaky fish is good for this dish; snapper, tilapia, halibut, sea bass, trout or any of your favorite fish for steaming. It is good for any family member, kids and adults.
I simplify the cooking steps to what I prefer, resulting in fresh clean taste. I do not season the fish since the fresh fish has great flavor by itself.

For vegetarians, substitute fish with tofu or bok choy. Adjust the steaming time based on the size of the tofu and vegetable used.

Yields:  2 persons
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cooking time:  10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 white fish fillets, about 4″x5″, rinsed under cold water and patted dry
1/2 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1-1 1/2 tablespoons Dragonfly thin soy sauce, or Healthy Boy mushroom soy sauce, depending on the sodium level in your broth (so taste the broth before adding the soy sauce)
1/4 cup rice cooking wine
1 tablespoon peeled and julienned fresh ginger
2 tablespoons julienned red sweet peppers
1 tablespoon julienned scallion
1 tablespoon roughly chopped celery leaves, or cilantro leaves

Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

If you don’t have a large steamer, you need foil, or some large green cabbage leaves, for steaming

Instructions:

1.  Steam the fish: In a large steamer, place the fish fillets on a heatproof flat plate (like a glass pie plate) and place it in the middle of the steamer. If you use smaller steamer, such as a steamer basket in pot, or a steamer insert in a saucepan or a rice cooker, place fish over foil or green cabbage leaves. Half fill pot or pan with water, making sure the water does not touch the steamer. Bring water to a boil then adjust the heat so that the water is just boiling and place the lid on the steamer. Steam for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish fillets.
2. Make the broth: While steaming the fish, in a saucepan, add the broth and rice cooking wine. Taste for saltiness from the broth and add soy sauce to taste. Bring to a boil and keep warm over low heat.
3. Plating: When the fish is ready, turn the heat off. Carefully remove the fish fillets from the steamer and place them on a serving plate. Lay the ginger, sweet pepper, scallion and celery or cilantro leaves. Pour the broth over the top of each arranged fillets. Sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper, if used.
4. Serve immediately, by itself or with cooked rice.

Pad Woon Sen

Pad Woon Sen

Pad Woon Sen is stir fried mung bean noodles (or vermicelli/bean threads/glass noodles.) It is another popular Thai noodle dish that we all can learn to make. The tricky part is cooking the noodles to the right texture. It takes some practice and you can master it. As I got more requests for the recipe, I realize how important it is to make this blog simple and inviting for you to try it.
It can be made with meat or without for vegetarians. Add tofu and/or mushrooms as you please. Shitake mushrooms are good for this dish.
It can be made with or without eggs. I usually do not add eggs. If you do, a little more soy sauce is needed
This recipe is inherited from my mother. You can use other vegetables; for example, broccoli, sweet peppers , baby corns, etc.

Vermicelli/bean threads/mung bean noodles/glass noodles

Yields:     2 persons
Prep time:     10 minutes (plus 15-30 minutes noodle soaking time)
Cooking time:     5-7  minutes

Ingredients:
4 small bundles of mung bean noodles, about 5.3 oz or 150 grams
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly cut up chicken (or pork, beef, or shrimp)
1/3 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
3 tablespoons thin soy sauce, Dragonfly brand
1/2 tablespoon sweet soy sauce, Dragonfly brand
1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional-it gives depth of flavor to the dish but can do without)
1/4 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup bite-size cut tomatoes
1/3 cup sliced white onion
1/3 cup celery leaves (or stems) or 1/4 cup scallions/green onion (green part only) cut into 1″ pieces (or 1/4 cup mixture of both)
A dash of ground white pepper
1-2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Soak the noodles according to the instructions on the package. If instructions are not available, soak in warm water for 15 minutes or in room-temperature water for 30 minutes. Then rinse and cut them with cooking scissors into about 6″ long threads.
2. In a large non-stick sauté pan, over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir until golden brown.
3. Add the meat and stir until it is cooked half-way or no longer pink, about a minute.
4. Add the carrot and stir for a minute, followed by green cabbage.  Stir for another minute.
5. Add the noodles, thin soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce (if used) and broth, stir to mix well.
6. Check the noodles doneness. Once the noodle is al-dente (is cooked only until it offers a slight resistance when bitten into, but which is not soft or overdone), add the tomatoes and stir. At this point, if the mixture is dry, add a little water.
7. Taste and adjust.
8. Add celery leaves, white onion and white pepper. Stir well and remove from heat. Serve. (For spiciness, add some sambal Korean chili garlic sauce or sliced jalapeño in white vinegar.)

Please enjoy  learning from or cooking along with the demo: