Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Praram Long Song (Thai peanut curry sauce)

This is one of my favorite Thai dishes to cook. It's simple to make, and the sauce is also great for dipping or stir-fry. 


Ingredients:
1 can of coconut milk
~3+ tbsp red curry paste 
1/2 to 1 tsp fish sauce, depending on your taste
1/2 c. natural unsweetened peanut butter
4 tbsp brown sugar and/or agave nectar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
red pepper flakes
Sriracha. Duh.
Green onion
Crushed peanuts
A bunch of baby spinach
Brown rice
A protein, if desired (I usually use pan-fried tofu or scallops. Chicken is mighty tasty too)

Now do it:
Heat coconut milk in a small pot over medium-low heat, stirring to make sure it doesn't stick. Once warm, add curry paste and stir until thoroughly blended. Add peanut butter and other things, pepper/sriracha to taste. Add your protein and let it soak up the sauce for a few. Wilt the spinach just a little bit, and place a bed of it on rice. Cover with this delicious sauce, and top with crushed peanuts and minced green onion.



Spring Slaw

Mmm, so fresh and so tasty. I've heard this kind of dish referred to as an "Asian" slaw/salad, but that's silly and racist. Personally, it makes me think of springtime. Half approximated recipe, half list. Next time I make this I will measure everything and actually write out a proper recipe.
  • 1/2 to 1 jicama, grated
  • 1/2 a large red cabbage, shredded/chopped into lil bits
  • 1/2 large red onion, cut into thin slices
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced small
  • 3 celery stalks, cut into thin slices
  • 2-3 carrots, grated
  • 1 cucumber, sliced thin then cut into little sticks
  • 1/2 can garbanzo beans (maybe more? I don't remember)
  • crushed peanuts (pile em on
  • toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • soy sauce/liquid aminos
  • agave nectar and/or brown sugar
  • fresh ginger, minced (not too much--it can be overpowering)
  • a little peanut butter
  • a little Sriracha



GOLDEN BEET AND KALE RAW SALAD

I'll admit it--I spent waaay too much money buying little plastic containers full of this dank salad from Mississippi Market before I decided to just start making it myself. As the co-op staff refused my offer of my firstborn child in exchange for their recipe, I've had to approximate. This is really just a list of ingredients, not actually a recipe. Use your imagination and experiment.

Here We Go:

  • Curly leaf kale (the frilly stuff, not the long-leafed stuff)
  • Golden Beets (A quick word on this: whenever I make this salad myself, the golden beets turn a really unappealing grey-brown color, almost instantly. Oxidation, or a reaction to the metal cheese grater, perhaps? I would suggest grating and adding the beets right before serving if you're trying to present this dish to others, or using regular red beets instead.)
  • Carrots
  • Scallions
  • Green bell peppers
  • Broccoli sprouts
Dressing:
  • Tahini
  • Olive oil
  • apple cider vinegar (the good stuff, with 'the mother')
  • soy sauce (I use wheat-free tamari) or liquid aminos
  • Garlic, minced
  • Fresh oregano & basil, minced
Chop all your veggies. Cut the kale thin, shred beets and carrots (a round cheese grater with a crank works great for this), dice the peppers, and chop the scallions into little rings. Toss all the veggies together in a big bowl. In a separate container, combine the dressing ingredients w/ a wisk (start with tahini and vinegar, add other things when these are blended smoothly). I just add everything to taste and test it as I go along. I like my salad pretty saucy. I use the most tahini, then ACV, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, herbs.