Light, But Heavy on Flavor

 

Looking for a light, vegetable-based curry, that packs quite the flavor? Nicki Sizemore, who wrote the new cookbook Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for this amazing dish, which is based on red curry paste, onion, garlic and ginger. Nicki says she also uses coconut milk and peanut butter to give it a creamier texture. She uses cauliflower, but Nicki says you can use most other vegetables create this curry, which is nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Aromatics

• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste

Slow cooker

• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat brand)
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch florets
• 1 pound red potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups frozen cut green beans
• 1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving

• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Coarsely chopped peanuts
• Chopped cilantro
• Sriracha

Want Authentic Thai? Travel to New England...

...or follow the recipe from Yankee Magazine. Senior Food Editor Amy Traverso stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a recipe from someone who settled in New Hampshire, but is originally from Thailand. They own Chaing Tai Cafe and offer their customers a delicious Thai Pumpkin Red Curry. Some of the ingredients are a little on the exotic side, but offer, as Amy says, layers of flavor. Once you get everything in order, making this one pot dish is easy!

Yield:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
½ medium peeled and seeded kabocha squash, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons brown sugar, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
1 sliced serrano, jalapeno, or other chili pepper (optional)
½ cup chopped Thai basil or sweet Italian basil

Instructions

Warm the oil in a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the red curry paste, stir, and let it cook for a minute, then whisk in the coconut milk.

Add the squash, chicken, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt and cook until the squash is tender and chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve the curry over cooked rice and sprinkle with chili (if using) and basil. Serve hot.

Healthy Thai Dinner in 30 Minutes

 

Talking Thai food doesn't necessarily bring to mind a quick meal, but Katherine Alford with The Food Network and The Cooking Channel says it doesn't have to be that way.  Katherine has been talking to Tonia's Kitchen about their new cookbook Chopped, based on the TV show by the same name.  Alford says the inspiration behind the book are delicious meals that are easy to make, and take no more than 30 minutes to do so.  Katherine told Tonia about their fresh, healthy Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps, which are very healthy, taste amazing and are almost like a salad taco!

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 bunch scallions, sliced (white and green parts kept separate)

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay

1. pounds ground turkey

. cup Asian fish sauce

1. cups diced fresh pineapple

. cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Juice of 2 limes, plus wedges for serving

Hot cooked white rice, for serving

1 head of Boston lettuce, leaves separated, for serving

MAKE THE FILLING: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high

heat. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and seafood seasoning.

Cook until the vegetables start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the

turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until golden, about

5 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and scallion greens and cook until

the liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the

pineapple, cilantro, and lime juice. Remove from the heat.

SERVE: Spoon the filling over the hot cooked rice and serve with lime

wedges and lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.