Spicy Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Eggplant and Bamboo Shoots

Recipes

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

Spicy Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Eggplant and Bamboo Shoots

Back in my gluten-eating days, I lived near a great hole in the wall Thai restaurant. Literally, the place is a garage with a retractable door. Back then, each plate lunch or dinner cost less than $5, which meant than even an under-employed person like myself (I’d taken the summer off to surf… oh how I miss my carefree early 20s) could dine like a king.

While I loved trying new-to-me dishes like Thai crispy noodles, Tom Ka Gai soup, and Pad Kee Mao noodles, their green curry with chicken, eggplant and bamboo shoots (the #12!) was in high rotation. I loved the thick, rich and spicy curry sauce that coated the chicken and veggies and seeped into the accompanying rice. That curry also probably deserves most of the credit for building up my heat tolerance for spicy foods.

I haven’t been to that restaurant in years and years (they use a glutinous oyster sauce in just about everything), it was easy to recreate the dish at home with the help of some store bought curry paste. And although the paste alone will give you a perfectly decent curry, adding a couple extra items like fish sauce, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves and some Thai basil transforms it into restaurant-quality.

Although I listed all of my favorite curry add-ins, the only ones I consider absolutely essential are the fish sauce and the Thai basil. So don’t skip the curry if you’re only missing the Kaffir lime leaves or the lemongrass- it’ll still be excellent without them. You can also up the amount of eggplant if you’re not a fan of bamboo shoots. I make it that way quite often, but added the bamboo shoots in this time for nostalgia’s sake.

Spicy Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Eggplant and Bamboo Shoots

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2 Tablespoons oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound boneless chicken, cut into strips or large chunks
* 3 cups thin eggplant slices, no larger than about 1-1/4″ in diameter(about 1 small Italian eggplant or one large Japanese eggplant)
* 1/4 cup green curry paste (I typically use Mae Ploy)
* 1 cup coconut milk
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1-1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
* 1 teaspoon regular or palm sugar
* 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and cut into several inch pieces
* 4-5 Kaffir lime leaves
* 1 cup bamboo shoots, well rinsed (make sure to buy the matchstick shoots rather than the bamboo tips)
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped Thai basil leaves

Directions:

Heat the oil in a work or extra large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to change from pink to white. Add the eggplant and cook, continuing to stir frequently, until the eggplant begins to soften.

Push the chicken and eggplant to the perimeter of the pan and add the curry paste. Let the paste cook in the oil for about a minute or so and then add the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves and bamboo shoots. Stir well and then let the mixture come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover (set the lid partially askew) and let simmer until the sauce has thickened the chicken is cooked through. Add the Thai basil and give everything a quick stir. Serve hot.

Massaged Kale Salad with Mango, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Massaged Kale Salad with Mango, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Although I’ve been eating kale for a long, long time (Marcella Hazan’s excellent Tuscan Peasant Soup was my “gateway drug” to this dark, leafy green), I’ve been firmly resisting the kale salad trend. And so kale always found three other eventualities: kale chips, soup, or green juice/smoothies.

While I’m usually pretty good at resisting fashion trends (high-wedge sneakers, I’m talking to you), I tend to cave to food trends pretty quickly… curiosity always seems to win out. And unlike the Luther Burger or Double Down, kale salad seems to have some serious staying power. And so I finally caved. I only wish I’d done so sooner.

While kale is tougher and more bitter than your average salad green, there’s a couple of tricks for making it work. First, a quick massage of the leaves will help soften and break down kale’s tough structure. And pairing the kale with something extra sweet–like mango– will help balance the flavor.

I made a couple iterations of this salad, using whatever fruit I had on hand. Peaches and mangoes were my favorite, but any sweet, ripe fruit should work well.

Massaged Kale Salad with Mango, Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Total Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Bunch kale, tough stalks removed and cut into thin slices
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
3 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided
Sea salt
2 teaspoons honey
Black pepper
1 mango, cut into chunks
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions:

In large bowl combine the kale, a drizzle of olive oil, a Tablespoon of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, honey and some freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss to combine. Transfer the kale mixture to four individual plates and top with the mango chunks, walnuts and goat cheese.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

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Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint Living in Hawaii, it’s easy to lose track of the seasons… I suppose I’ve got something of an endless summer mentality. But while sunny beach days aren’t in danger of going away come Labor Day weekend, summer produce won’t last much longer.

Since August is only a day away (seriously, where has the year gone?), I’ve decided it’s time to stuff myself with as many berries, stone fruits and other goodies while I still can. My first priority: watermelon.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint For twenty-something years it never occurred to me to enjoy watermelon any other way than plain ol’ slices or cubed in a fruit salad. Delicious? Yes. But also a bit boring. Thankfully I’ve been making up for lost time in recent years, enjoying it in tequila mojitos, in summery salads with tomatoes and avocado, and made into a juice with ginger and lime. Who knew watermelon was so versatile?

Watermelon also makes one heck of a pretty summertime salad when combined with feta and mint and tossed in a lime dressing. Salty, sweet and oh-so-pretty (a pink salad!), it just might become my new go-to potluck or BBQ contribution between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Seek out real sheep’s milk feta for this recipe- most stores sell faux feta, which is made from cow’s milk.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 m9nutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

* 8 cups cubed seedless or seeded watermelon
* 2/3 cup very thinly sliced red onion
* 1/2 cup finely chopped mint
* 3 Tablespoons lime juice
* 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
* handful or two of arugula, washed (optional)
* 1-1/3 cup crumbled Sheep’s milk feta
* mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, onion, and mint. Add the lime juice and olive oil and toss well to coat.

Scatter the arugula on a large platter, if using. Mound the salad on top of the bed of arugula. Sprinkle the feta on top and garnish with mint leaves, if using.

Indian Spiced Butter Chicken

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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For somebody who loves Indian cuisine as much as I do, I’m not quite sure how I’d gone so long without trying butter chicken, one of the most popular Indian recipes outside of India.

But now that I’ve tasted it, I can definitely understand its popularity. After all, who can resist chicken when it’s swimming in a luscious sauce made from butter, yogurt, heavy cream and Indian spices?

The hardest part about this recipe is rounding up and measuring out all of the different spices. Otherwise, you’re just a quick sauté and simmer away from a pretty great meal.

It probably goes without saying that you’re going to want something to sop up all that sauce goodness. Rice or some naan would be perfect.

Indian Spiced Butter Chicken

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

* 1/3 cup whole fat plain regular or Greek yogurt
* 1/4 cup ground almonds
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
* 1/8 teaspoon ground bay leaves
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 cardamom pods, smashed
* 1 cup diced tomatoes in their juice
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut into large chunks
* 3 Tablespoons butter
* 1 Tablespoon oil
* 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
* 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the yogurt, ground almonds, cayenne, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, tomatoes, and salt and stir to mix. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture, stir to coat, and set aside.

Heat the butter and oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to turn golden. Next, add the chicken and all of the yogurt marinade and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through.

Add the heavy cream and half of the cilantro and stir well. Cook for another minute or two. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Indian Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Dill

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Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Although I most often associate dill with pickles and Scandinavian cuisine, it was Vietnamese (specifically cha ca thang long) and this Indian dish that finally turned me onto the polarizing herb.

And so the girl who could barely tolerate dill as a garnish (I’m a sweet gherkin girl through and through) became somebody who can’t seem to pass up the large, leafy bunches when they make their appearance at the farmer’s market.

Chickpeas are simmered with garlic and onions, Indian spices, a slightly sweet tomato sauce and plenty of chopped, fresh dill in this healthy vegan dish. If you’ve got pre-cooked chickpeas on hand, the dish should only take about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Although you can certainly use canned chickpeas for this recipe, I’d strongly recommend boiling up some dried beans yourself. They’re not only more economical, but the texture is far superior. This is pretty important in a dish made almost exclusively with chickpeas.

Indian Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Dill

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup diced tomatoes in their juice
2 cups finely chopped dill leaves and tender stalks
2-1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn golden. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onion mixture is golden. Reduce heat to medium.

Add the coriander, cayenne and turmeric and stir to evenly coat the onions mixture. Add the tomatoes with their juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down. You can use the back of a wooden spoon to help break up the larger chunks.

Add the dill, chickpeas, water, salt and sugar and simmer until the dill wilts and the mixture is hot, about 5-10 minutes.

Red and Green Cabbage Salad with Lemon Mustard Seed Dressing

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Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Rainbow Slaw Let’s face it. If there was such a thing as a popularity contest for vegetables, the humble cabbage probably wouldn’t have much of a chance. Not when there’s much sexier vegetables like asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and ramps out there.

But while I could probably live without some of those other veggies, life without cabbage seems almost unthinkable. No Korean kimchi? No Polish kapusta? No Italian peasant soup? No spicy Indian cabbage? Some of my very favorite dishes are made primarily from cabbage.

Carrots and Cabbage And with each new cuisine I cook, it seems like my love affair with the hardy, leafy vegetable deepens. Cabbage may be considered peasant food in many countries, but I’ll take peasant food over molecular gastronomy any day.

Rainbow Slaw 1 In this colorful salad, which is another one of my favorite Indian recipes, red and green shredded cabbage are combined with grated carrots and tossed in a lemon juice dressing that’s spiked with hot Serrano chiles and pungent mustard seeds. Bright tasting with plenty of crunch, it’s a great side to rich, coconut milk-based curries.

Rainbow Slaw 2

Red and Green Cabbage Salad with Lemon Mustard Seed Dressing

I like to make this colorful salad with red and green cabbage as well as purple, orange and yellow carrots, but it’s still excellent with standard green cabbage and orange carrots.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

* 4-5 cups finely shredded cabbage (about 1/4 of a medium-sized cabbage)
* 3/4 cup finely grated carrots
* 1 Serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 2 Tablespoons oil
* 1-1/2 teaspoons yellow or brown mustard seeds

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrots, Serrano, lemon juice, salt and sugar and toss to mix.

In a small saucepan heat the oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds and immediately cover with a lid or splatter screen. When the seeds have stopped popping, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the oil and seeds over the cabbage mixture. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Creamy Goan Black-Eyed Pea Curry

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Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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I remember reading once. Or maybe I heard it on the radio? It was about Fergie being the only member of the Black-Eyed Peas who actually liked black-eyed peas.

Well, in the unlikely event that I’m one day in charge of feeding the on-again, off-again band, I feel like I’d have a pretty good chance of changing their minds with my garlic and cheddar black-eyed pea dip as well as this creamy Goan black-eyed pea curry.

I know that Indian food can seem pretty overwhelming to make because of all the unusual and/or hard to find ingredients, but this curry primarily uses canned pantry staples and a couple Indian spices. It’s the perfect recipe to get your feet wet in Indian cooking.

But as much as I love kitchen shortcuts, if you’ve got a little extra time on your hands, I’d definitely recommend boiling up a bag or two of black-eyed peas yourself. Not only is it cheaper (and you avoid the BPA exposure), but you can use any extra beans to make this Indian black-eyed pea salad. It’s like a delicious two for one special.

Creamy Goan Black-Eyed Pea Curry

I enjoy this curry extra rich and creamy, but feel free to substitute 1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth for the some of the coconut milk.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2 Tablespoons oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 cup diced tomatoes in their juice (canned tomatoes work great)
* 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas (approximately 2 15-ounce cans rinsed and drained)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1 15-ounces coconut milk (about 1-3/4 cups)
* 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has begun to turn golden. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add the tomato and any accumulated juices to the saucepan and cook until the tomato begins to break down. Add the black-eyed peas, salt, sugar and coconut milk and stir to mix. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or long enough for the sauce to thicken slightly and for the flavors to meld.

Add the lemon juice and cilantro leaves, stir, and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with a few cilantro leaves, if desired.

Spiced Yellow Split Pea Fritters

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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Americans sure do love fried foods, so I’m not quite sure why we haven’t jumped on the bean/legume fritters bandwagon. Clearly the rest of the world has a leg up on us: countries in the Middle East have their chickpea Falafel, Brazil has its black eyed pea acaraje, and both India and Burma have yellow split pea fritters.

If you’re a fan of yellow dal, then you can probably imagine how good hearty, spiced dal would be in fried appetizer form.

Soaked yellow split peas are processed until nearly smooth and then combined with garlic, onion, spices and fresh cilantro. Form the mixture into little discs or balls, and shallow fry them until golden and crispy. These might not qualify as health food, per se, but I’m guessing that these vegan treats are a whole lot better for you, and a whole lot tastier, than what’s coming out of the fryer at your local fast food chain.

I couldn’t resist snacking on them just out of the skillet, but I imagine they’d also make a great lunch or dinner when paired with an Indian or Burmese salad.

Spiced Yellow Split Pea Fritters

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 10-12 hours

Ingredients:

* 1 cup yellow split peas
* 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 Jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped (seeded first, if you prefer less heat)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus extra for garnish (optional)
* 1/4 cup water
* oil for frying
* lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

Rinse the split peas under cold water. Cover with plenty of water and soak overnight.

The following day, drain the split peas and process in a food processor or high speed blender until almost smooth. Mix the processed split peas with the onion, garlic, chile pepper, cumin, turmeric, salt, cilantro leaves, and water and stir until well combined. Let sit for one hour.

Heat a thin layer of oil to a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Use your hands to shape round or slightly flattened fritters and place in the oil. Cook for several minutes until the bottom is beginning to turn golden. Use long-handled tongs to flip the fritters. Continue to cook until the fritter is golden all over and cooked through the center.

Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the fritters if desired and top with an extra sprinkle of salt and cilantro.

Burmese Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Girl Cooks World

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April 11, 2019

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If you were to poke around my kitchen right now, you’d see a lot of jars and bottles containing all sorts of liquids and other curiosities. There’s the large jar of vinegar that’s steeping with orange peels (for a natural, orange-scented all-purpose cleaner), a small container of vodka with zested citron peel for a test batch of limoncello, and a giant bottle that holds my first, and possibly failed, attempt at making kombucha.

These endeavors aren’t for the impatient or the overly tidy. Not only do I have to wait a week or two, but all of these experiments are taking up almost every horizontal surface of the kitchen.

So it sure is nice to throw a simple, healthy and, most importantly, quick meal to the mix. There’s nothing quite like immediate gratification.

This shrimp and asparagus stir fry, which is flavored with shallots, turmeric, and cayenne, can be thrown together in less than 20 minutes. Perfect for those in a hurry. And because you only need one-skillet to cook everything, it’ll be a snap to clean up and get your kitchen back in order. Unless of course you’ve got some vinegar/limoncello/kombucha experiments going on like I do…

Burmese Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

* 3/4 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 3 teaspoons fish sauce, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 Tablespoon oil
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 1-1/4 pounds asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
* 2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce, tamari or Bragg’s liquid aminos
* 2-3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the shrimp in 2 teaspoons of the fish sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of the turmeric, and the salt. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the remaining turmeric, the cayenne pepper and the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots have softened. Add the asparagus, the remaining teaspoon of fish sauce, and the soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus have begun to soften.

Finally, add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp have turned pink and are cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Top with cilantro and serve hot.