Dynamic Yet Consistent

Ingredients

• Protein
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Aromatics and Base Flavors
  • 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 sweet onion, cut into half strips
  • 3-4 celery stalk, finely cut
  • 1-2 carrot, cut into fine discs
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
• Liquids
  • 1 can (15 oz) full-fat coconut milk (more if needed)
  • 3-4 cups rich gelatinous chicken stock (made from boiling down one chicken carcass with veggies over 3-4 hours)
• Other Vegetables
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• Seasonings
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 large limes)
  • 2-3 tbsp Thai chili paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-cook the Shrimp

• Simmer the Shrimp: Bring 1 cup of chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a small pot. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp and set aside. Reserve the cooking stock for later use in the soup.

2. Prepare the Aromatics and Vegetables

• Heat Oil: In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
• Add Ginger and Lemongrass: Stir in the grated ginger and lemongrass, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Incorporate Curry Paste: Add 2 tbsp of red curry paste and mix well, letting it cook for about a minute to release its flavors.

3. Create the Soup Base

• Add Chicken Stock: Pour in the 3-4 cups of chicken stock (including the reserved stock from cooking the shrimp) and bring to a boil.  Add liquid from reconstitute shitake if needed.
• Simmer: Reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

4. Add Vegetables and Coconut Milk

• Add Other Vegetables: Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and red bell pepper to the pot. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Coconut Milk and Seasonings: Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for another 5 minutes.

5. Final Touches

• Add Shrimp: Return the cooked shrimp to the soup, allowing them to warm through for 1-2 minutes.
• Finish with Lime: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the fresh lime juice.
• Add Cilantro: Mix in half of the chopped cilantro, reserving the rest for garnish.

6. Serve and Garnish

• Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with remaining cilantro, sliced chili (if using), chopped green onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• Optional Heat: Drizzle with sriracha sauce or chili oil if desired.
• Serve with Rice: Serve alone as a soup or over jasmine rice for a more filling meal.

Tips

• Adjust Spice Level: You can control the spiciness by adjusting the amount of red curry paste and optional chili slices.
• Aromatics Variation: If you’re out of lemongrass, lemongrass paste or lime zest can be a substitute, though the flavor will vary slightly.
• Additions: Feel free to add other vegetables like sliced zucchini or baby corn to enhance the dish.

Once again I break from my normal posts of esoteric ponderings and theo-political rants to bring you a recipe we have been cooking up (don’t worry, I don’t intend to make this a habit.)  Beth and I have continued our Thai cooking kick and have loved what has come from it.  Here is a hearty soup we have made a couple times.  It is flavorful, spicy and brings a very pleasant sweetness.  It is not overly complex and the ingredients can be found in the international section of most major grocery stores.  If served with rice, it easily makes a meal. 

Thai Coconut and Curry Soup

[Serves 6  //  Prep time: 20min – Cooking time: 35min]

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 pound cubed Chicken (Tofu may be substituted)
• Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 4 cups (32 oz) Chicken Stock
• 14oz Coconut Milk
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped Ginger
• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 3-4 Large carrots sliced into discs
• 3-4 Celery Stalks chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, minced, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass (may be omitted)
• 1/2 large onion sliced
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (2-3 cloves)
• 1 Bell Pepper chopped
• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp Thai Chili Paste
• 2 chopped Basil Leaves
• Cilantro (to garnish)
• 6-8 cups Cooked Rice (roughly 1.5-2 cups uncooked rice)

Preparation:

Put 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. When it reaches temperature, add 1/2 pound cubed chicken. Season with black pepper. Cook until chicken is done.

Add 1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste and cook an addition 30 seconds while stirring continuously. Add 4 cups chicken stock (add less for a thicker soup), 14oz coconut milk and 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger. Bring mixture to a boil.

Once mixture comes to a boil, add 1 Tbsp lime juice, (if you omit the Lemongrass, add an extra Tbsp lime juice) 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1/2-1 Tbsp Thai chili paste (depending on how much “kick” you like your soup) and vegetables (carrots, celery, lemongrass, onion, garlic, bell pepper) Return mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until vegetables have soften but are not mushy (approx. 15-20 minutes).  Salt and Pepper to taste. 

Right before serving, stir in 2 chopped basil leaves. Top each bowel with cilantro and serve with rice.

Note: Soup can be ladled over the rice, or the rice can be added to the soup depending on personal preference.

Beth and I have always had a special place in our heart for Thai dishes.  In fact, for our rehearsal dinner we rented out the entire Thai restaurant and offered a buffet.  However it has only been recently that we have ventured into cooking our own Thai food.

Below is a recipe for one of our favorite dishes called Pad Kee Mao or more popularly "Drunken Noodles."  This is an amalgamation of several recipes I found online and then adjusted  to taste.  Most of the ingredients can be picked up at grocery stores with a decent international section, or at your local Asian market.

 

Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles)

[Prep time: 30min // Cooking time: 30min]

Ingredients:

• 12 oz package medium rice sticks (rice noodles about the width of fettuccini)
• 1 pound chicken
• Oil (Peanut, Canola, Vegetable, etc)
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Cilantro

   Stir fry components (adjust to meet your preferences)

• 4-5 Baby Corn stalks cut into 1” pieces
• 2 Medium carrots sliced into thin discs
• 1 small can bamboo shoots (drained)
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts(drained)
• 2-3 stalks of celery sliced
• 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, green or a combination) sliced into 2” strips
• ½ medium onion sliced into thin strips
• 4-5 Shitake mushrooms
• 2 Tbs minced garlic (4-5 cloves)

    For sauce:

• 1-2 Tbsp Thai Chili Paste (2 Tbsp is noticeably hot, but still tame by Thai standards)
• 2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 3 Tbsp Golden Mountain Sauce (a very flavorful soy sauce)
• 2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Lime Juice (1/2 fresh lime juiced)
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 Tbsp Rice Wine (use Cooking Sherry if unavailable)
• 1 Tbsp Black Bean Sauce (or substitute Hoisin Sauce)

Preparation

Begin by chopping all your stir fry vegetables as this can be quite time consuming.  If you are using dried shitake mushrooms you will need to soak them in hot water for up to 30 minutes so plan accordingly.

Cut up 1 pound of chicken (thin strips are better than cubes) and cook in large skillet with 1-2 Tbsp oil and black pepper to taste.  [Note: We have found it easiest to cook large pieces of chicken until they are about half done, then remove them from the heat to cut into smaller pieces, and then finishing cooking in the skillet.  It is less messy and easier to have consistent pieces.]

While you are cooking your chicken, begin preparing your rice noodles.  You will break the noodles into 3-4” pieces, place them in a large bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let these sit 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Prepare your sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside.

[Vegetables, Brown Sauce and Noodles]

Once your chicken is cooked, drain it and set aside.

Add 1-2 Tbsp of oil to a large skilled (use the same one you used for the chicken if you like) and bring up to medium-high heat.  Add your stir-fry vegetables and sauté.  If the vegetables begin to dry out, add a small amount of water.  Cover between stirrings.  Vegetables are done when they are firm but no longer crisp.

Add the chicken back in, along with previously prepared sauce and cook a 1-2 minutes on medium heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the noodles (drained).  If your skillet is not large enough, you may need to transfer things to a large pot at this point.  Add 3-4 chopped basil leaves.  Cook until noodles begin to absorb the sauce and the basil leaves begin to wilt.

Remove from heat and serve on plates garnished with cilantro.

Enjoy!

[Final Dish]

As Beth and I list out our top 10 lists of 10, we come to the discussion of food with day 3.  Here is a list of my favorite dishes.  Beyond #1, there is no particular order.

1. Mom’s Vegetable Soup – Far and away my favorite dish.  When I got married, I made sure my wife added this delectable delight to her stable of regular meals.  Thick and healthy, this slightly spicy soup heats up well and can be eaten for 5-10 meals straight with no complaints!!
2. Lettuce Wraps – Perhaps the famous dish from the classy Chinese chain P.F. Chang’s.  I could eat these alone and be very happy.  We have tried to copy the recipe at home.  Our dish is good, but not the same.
3. Thai Food – I know that is a broad category, but I love the mix of sweetness and spiciness with lots of noodles/rice and fresh vegetables.  Thai food can be bold, light and filling all at the same time.  Two favorites are Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) and a Green Curry / Coconut milk soup served over rice from our local Thai Restaurant.
4. Sushi – I would consider myself a moderate sushi eater.  I don’t shy away from the raw fish dishes, but at the same time I prefer the rolls with tempura.  My favorite is the Special Roll from Ichiban which is fried shrimp, cream cheese, avocado served with spicy crab on top and special sauces below.
5. Chicken Fajita Gyros – Available at a small shotgun style restaurant just off the square of Bowling Green.  Great mix of flavors on delicious pita bread.  You must have it along with the pita and hummus appetizer.
6. Stuffed Jalapenos – Beth has a recipe that she makes that uses fresh jalapenos (straight from our garden), cuts them in half, and bakes them with a cream cheese and sausage filling.
7. Pizza – But not just any Pizza.  I am talking about a hand tossed masterpiece with thin(ner) crust in the middle and a nice soft crust on the outside edge.  Not too much cheese or sauce, and topped with ham, banana peppers, garlic and onions.  Throw some peppery spices on there and you are good to go.  Honorable mention goes to a good chicken white sauce pizza with lots of garlic.
8. Stew – I love a good thick stew, especially on a cold day.  Lots of bay leaves for flavor along with crushed black peppers, big chunks of potatoes and an abundance of meat makes for a great dish.
9. Mongolian BBQ – I was first introduced to this at a restaurant in Missoula, MT.  Usually it consists of thin slices of meat, noodles, veggies, and your choice of sauces.  You mix it up and then hand it off to have it cooked in front of you.  To make it even better, it usually is all you can eat.
10. Candy – Come on… if you know me, you know my favorite food of all time is candy.  I will eat it all, but I love chewy sweet and sour stuff.  Give me some chewy sweet-tarts, or sour patch kids, or sour watermelon slices and I am golden.  But… don’t leave it laying around if you ever expect to save some for yourself.