Thai Red Curry Eggplant with Mustard Greens

I'm not exactly sure if I have ever had mustard greens before. I think I probably have, but I didn't realize it. I mean, I do live in the South, after all. Anyway, I think this was a possible first. At least it was the first time I have purchased mustard greens and prepared them. Dark greens are my friends. I love kale, collard greens, spinach, swiss chard- all of it. These guys were a little bit bitter/spicy/peppery- I'm not sure how to describe it. But, if you are familiar with them, then you probably know what I mean. That's probably why the word mustard is used to describe these greens.

Last week was a crazy-busy week. I had a few fun jobs-( cupcakes, cake, catering lunch), lots of responsibilities, kids activities, and I didn't feel well for a few days. This dish came to the rescue one night because it was super fast and easy and I felt like it was a good meal. I served it over brown rice and we had some fresh corn on the cob also. I'm getting so excited about all the fresh veggies and fruits that abound in summertime! I absolutely love this time of year.

I reduced the amount of red curry paste by about 1/2 Tablespoon, because it can carry a lot of heat and I wanted my kids to eat this. I also used vegetable stock, instead of water. I think this would be tasty if you wanted to use a different dark green in place of the mustard greens.

Thai Red Curry Eggplant and Mustard Greens from Vegetarian Times Magazine

2 Tbls Thai red curry paste
1 Tbls sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbls canola oil
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small onion, sliced
1 lb mustard greens, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup light coconut milk
lime wedges, for garnish

1. Whisk together curry paste, sugar, garlic, and 2 Tbls water in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and onion and cook 5 mins, or until eggplant is browned. Stir in curry mixture and cook 30 seconds, or until vegetables are coated.

3. Add mustard greens and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until leaves are wilted. Stir in coconut milk, and 1 1/2 cups water, and season with salt, if desired.

4. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

5. Serve with lime wedges.

Red Curry Chicken

This is going to be a super quick post. I wanted to get to this sooner, but had a really lazy morning, so here it is.
I saw this recipe on Prudence Pennywise a couple of weeks ago and since I absolutely LOVE red curry paste and this recipe looked super easy, I made it on a random weeknight.
I have made tons of Prudy's recipes and they always turn out fabulously. Always. I had absolutely no doubt that this one would be any different.
I used apricot preserves at the end and they really tone down the red curry paste, so that it isn't too spicy at all.
Prudy suggested that you could sub garbanzo beans for the chicken to make it vegetarian, but I thought it was a great addition, so just threw a can of them in with the mix.
Very good.
Very easy.
Make sure you come back tomorrow for National Bundt Day!

Recipe for Red Curry Chicken on Prudence Pennywise

CEiMB- Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Today's CEiMB recipe- Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, is one that I have been wanting to try for awhile now. I am so glad that Cathy picked it! You can find the recipe on her blog- The Tortefeasor, which I highly suggest you start reading, if you don't already or you can find the recipe HERE.

Now, I know my chicken is looking kinda sad, without any grill marks, but for some reason I decided to broil mine. Not really the best idea, since I put the broiler pan on the very top rack and even though I soaked my skewers, we still had some flames. Unbelievable!-especially since the day before my neighbor's kitchen was on fire. I stayed right there and watched them, but it was still a bit scary.

I moved the rack down to the next notch, a little bit farther from the heat for the next batch and luckily we didn't have any more flames.

My whole family liked the chicken. It was tender and flavorful, thanks to the marinade and the kids really enjoyed the whole eating-something-off-of-a-stick-that-you-can-then-turn-into-a-weapon-at -the-dinner-table idea.
Review on the peanut sauce- my husband said it was good. My son didn't like it, my daughters did. It was good, but not my favorite peanut sauce that I have ever made or tasted-It was a little too thick. Maybe I am too picky about peanut sauce. Maybe I have made too many different peanut sauces-idk. I don't want you to think it isn't good, it is! (This one is my favorite so far)

Overall though, we really enjoyed this recipe. Go see what the other CEiMBer's thought by checking out the Blogroll!

I also revisited the Oven Baked Onion Rings that I picked a couple weeks ago. The recipe uses Baked Lays Originals for the coating and I thought it would be fun to try it with some of the other Baked Lays flavors. We tried Cheddar & Sour Cream, Sour Cream & Onion and Barbeque Flavor. The Sour Cream & Onion were the fave and the BBQ were the least fave, a little too sweet, but it was fun to try other flavors.
Pam tried the onion rings again recently too- check out her post-HERE!

One Year Ago- What's in your Lunchbox #1-Finger picking chicken balls, mini caramel apples, mini bagel sammies, and fruit parfaits with homemade granola

Thai Red Curry Risotto

This is another recipe that I had hanging out in my drafts that I haven't had a chance to blog about yet.

I have tried lots of risotto recipes and also have a thing for red curry paste, so this recipe was a no-brainer. Of course, when I saw it, I knew I was going to make it.

The combination of flavors in this risotto was good.

We all liked it, but it was a little strange to be eating Thai-flavored risotto. Those 2 things don't really seem to go together. I once again realized that I don't really care for peas in risotto, they added a little too much sweetness for me.

Definitely interesting and different. This was a fun dish, but I don't think I am going to be making it all the time.

Thai Red Curry Risotto

Notes: Thai red curry paste is available in many supermarkets. It's hot - add more or less to suit your taste. This risotto also works well without interruption; just leave it on the heat after step 3 and continue with step 4.

1 onion (about 6 oz.), peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup grape seed or other salad oil

2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (see notes)

1 1/2 cups arborio or other short-grain white rice

1/2 cup dry sherry

About 4 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, stems removed, and sliced; or common mushrooms, rinsed, tough stem ends trimmed, and sliced

1 cup coconut milk (regular or low-fat; stir before measuring)

1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

1 lime (about 3 oz.), rinsed and cut into 6 wedges

1. In a 12-inch frying pan or 14-inch wok over medium heat, stir onion, ginger, and garlic in oil until onion is barely limp, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in paprika, curry paste, and rice, mixing well to coat rice. Pour in sherry and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until sherry is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

3. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and stir until broth is mostly absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and coconut milk; stir gently until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 2 more cups broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until almost absorbed, about 15 minutes total. Rice should be almost tender but still slightly firm to bite. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, up to 4 hours.

4. Return pan to medium-high heat, add 1 more cup broth, and stir until liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy and tender to bite, about 9 minutes. If risotto is too dry or rice isn't quite tender, add a little more broth and cook until risotto reaches desired consistency. Stir in peas, cilantro, and salt to taste. Spoon risotto into serving bowls and garnish each serving with a lime wedge.


Coming Tomorrow- Vanilla Bean Shortbread

CEiMB- Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth and Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

This week's host for CEiMB is The Not So Skinny Kitchen. The recipe selected for our enjoyment was Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth. I have to say that I was very, very, very, excited about this recipe because I have been using red curry paste alot lately and it has become one of my favorite things. Plus, we all love fish in this house and the whole thing together just sounded superb.
Amazing!!! This recipe got the best reviews of anything I have made in weeks. I had people scraping out the pan to get every last inch of the sauce to put on the halibut. The coconut milk and chicken stock tone down the red curry paste so that even my little ones loved it. The lime juice, cilantro, and scallions that are stirred into the sauce at the end, give the sauce an extra little zing.
We loved it. Serving it with brown rice and spinach is just perfect. I will definitely make this again. I splurged and bought halibut to go with this meal and I am glad I did, but I am sure that it would taste great with any other firm white fish. Great pick.

Since I can't seem to ever get enough veggies in at one meal and we all love salad, I decided to serve the Thai Salad I saw in a recent issue of Cooking Light alongside the halibut. The peanut dressing was really thin, but the flavors were good.

This was a great, healthy meal that pleased everyone at the table.

Go see what the other Ellies' thought of this recipe by visiting the Craving Ellie Blogroll!

Thai-Style Halibut with Coconut-Curry Broth 2006, Ellie Krieger
Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste*, or 2 teaspoons curry powder
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used chicken stock)

1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning
4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet, skin removed
Steamed spinach**
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving
Directions
*Available in the Asian section of most supermarkets
**Steam or microwave 5 cups of washed baby spinach for 2 minutes

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.
Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes.
Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with rice.

Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing from Cooking Light this only makes 2 servings, so I doubled the recipe

"These ingredients reflect the types of food my family enjoys year-round—fresh herbs and vegetables from our garden and local farmers. Sometimes we add chopped cooked chicken or my husband's fresh fish catch of the day for a main dish." —Maureen Nibecker, Honokaa, Hawaii

Dressing:

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons dry-roasted peanuts

Salad:

2 cups mixed baby salad greens

1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts

2 tablespoons vertically sliced red onion (I omitted this)

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

6 baby carrots, peeled (I used matchstick carrots)

4 cherry tomatoes, quartered (I used plum tomatoes)

1. To prepare dressing, combine the first 8 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Add peanuts; process 10 seconds.

2. To prepare salad, divide greens and remaining ingredients evenly between 2 serving plates. Drizzle each salad with 1/4 cup dressing.


Up Next- Coconut Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

Vegetable-Stuffed Rice-Paper Rolls with Curry Peanut Dipping Sauce and Steel-Cut Oats with Pomegranate Molasses + Almonds

It is kind of embarrassing to admit this, but I actually tore this recipe out of a magazine about 4 years ago. I made it last week. I just kept coming back to it and finally rolled these little guys up. Glad I did, too.
I have used rice paper sheets before-in these Spring Rolls and these Rolls. So, I already had those in the pantry. Everything else was ready to go.
This dipping sauce was divine. The best I have tasted. It is almost identical to the sauce they use at my favorite Thai restaurant, except this one uses chunky peanut butter. We used the leftover dipping sauce as a salad dressing the next day. It worked wonderfully. I loved these spring rolls. I shared some with a neighbor the next day and she loved them too. It doesn't get better then veggies and peanut sauce. They would have been great with some chicken or shrimp rolled up alongside the veggies.

I also saw a great way to serve steel-cut oats in Super Natural Cooking. The author of that cookbook said that drizzling pomegranate molasses on top of the oatmeal and sprinkling it with walnuts was one of her fave breakfasts. So I got out my molasse and drizzled away. It melted deliciously on top and I threw on some sliced almonds just cuz that is what I had in the pantry. Yum.

Vegetable-Stuffed Rice-Paper Rolls with Curry Peanut Sauce
Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 Tbls each freshly squeezed lime juice and fish sauce
1 tsp each red curry paste, sugar, and grated fresh gingerroot
1 Tbls minced fresh cilantro
Garden Rolls:
6 rice-paper sheets
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
2 large carrots, peeled and julenned (I used matchstick carrots)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1/2 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 red pepper, julienned
3 scallions, julienned
1/4 cup whole basil leaves
1/4 cup each whole fresh cilantro and mint leaves

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine first eight ingredients and cook, stirring, until well blended. Stir in minced cilantro, remove from heat, and set aside.
Fill a wide, flat bowl with warm water and soak one sheet of rice paper for 30 seconds, until pliable. Remove paper, blot it on a clean towel, and lay flat.
Lay 1/3 cup lettuce in the middle; top with one-sixth of the remaining ingredients. Fold front third over the mound and pull filling toward you a bit to compact into a tight roll. Roll over once, then fold the sides over the middle and continue rolling away from you until secure. Place seam down on a paper plate lined with waxed paper, sprayed with cooking spray.
Repeat with remaining rolls. Slice in roll in half on the bias and serve with peanut sauce.

Up Next- CEiMB- Garden Risotto

Red Curry Falafel

I saw this recipe in the newspaper and was intrigued by the combination of falafel and red curry paste. I have recently been trying lots of different curries and recipes that include red and green curry paste. I really like the flavors and thought this would be another great recipe. I was right. This was so delicious!
The only problem that I had with this recipe was that the falafel patties were very fragile and I had trouble keeping them in patty-form. I don't know if this is because I didn't want to overprocess the mixture in the food processor (there was a warning about doing so in the article-which I included with the recipe below) or just something else.
I replaced the flatbread that the falafel was supposed to be served on and instead served the patties on spinach with the tomato and avocado garnish on top. I am going to make these again because they were soo good, fast and easy!

*** Update! (7/09/09)
I just received an email from J.M. Hirsch, the creator of this recipe and here are his tips- "As for the fragility issue, I'd say a couple more quick pulses in the
food processor would fix that. The chunks of chickpea in your patties
look larger than mine. I also sort of manhandled the patties, forming
them into pretty firm disks. FYI, I made these again on July 4, but did
them on the grill. Very good."

I found this article and recipe in The Deseret News
Thai red curry paste adds spark to falafel
By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press
Published: February 25, 2009
Thai red curry paste, a spicy staple of many Thai recipes, lends gentle oomph to this rethinking of falafel (fritters made from chopped chickpeas and herbs). Jars of curry paste can be found in the ethnic food aisle of most large grocers.
These Middle Eastern fritters traditionally are served with a yogurt sauce, which cuts some of the heat. This version uses thick slices of avocado instead. The fat in the avocado plays the same cooling role as the yogurt.
A food processor makes easy work of this recipe, but be careful not to over-process the chickpeas. Process for too long and you'll end up with hummus (though it probably will be delicious).
And don't be intimidated by the spicy factor. The "heat" of Thai red curry paste is more akin to a vinegary bite than to a hot pepper burn.
RED CURRY FALAFEL
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices bread (about 4 ounces)
Zest of 1 lemon
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
3 flatbreads, warmed (I skipped this)
Smoked paprika, to garnish
1 avocado, pitted, skinned and cut into slices
1 large tomato, cut into wedges

In a food processor, combine the red curry paste, cilantro, parsley, cumin, salt, pepper, bread and lemon zest. Pulse until the bread is chopped to mostly fine crumbs. Add the chickpeas and pulse until the chickpeas are well-chopped.
Form the mixture into 9 patties, using about 1/4 cup of the mixture for each.
In a large skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Fry half of the patties until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the falafel and brown on the other sides, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining ingredients. To serve, arrange 3 falafel on each flatbread. Sprinkle with paprika, then top with avocado and tomato wedges


Coming Tomorrow- TWD- Chocolate Bread Pudding

Eggplant, Green Beans, Pumpkin, and Basil in Coconut-Tomato Curry and Spaghetti Squash Pancakes with Tomato-Basil Jam

Here are 2 more great recipes from The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen. It is always interesting to look through a cookbook and see which recipes just jump out at you. I love this cookbook and the unique way that all types of vegetables are represented. Combinations I never would have thought of are on almost every page.
I had to try both of these because I have really been trying to cook squash more, all types included. I have noticed that butternut and spaghetti squash are still available at the store and wanted to try these 2 recipes out.
This curry featured red curry paste and coconut milk and a unique mixture of vegetables. I served it over rice noodles and really like the sauce as well as all the veggies. I never would have paired eggplant, green beans, and butternut squash on my own, but it really works well in this curry. Deliciously well.
The spaghetti squash pancakes were really easy to make (well, besides the time it took to cook the squash). I also made one of the recommend toppings from the book the Tomato-Basil Jam. I actually preferred these pancakes the next day, cold out of the fridge with no topping and if I made them again, I would add a little more flavoring to the pancakes themselves. Overall, a very good recipe and a nice change from the normal, everyday vegetables we eat all the time. I like variety!

Eggplant, Green Beans, Pumpkin, and Basil in Coconut-Tomato Curry
2 tsp red curry paste
2 Tbls minced fresh ginger
1 14-oz can lite coconut milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbls fish sauce or 1-2 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls brown sugar (optional)
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 small (5 or 6 oz) Japanese or Chinese eggplant, cut into cubes
2 cups diced kabocha or butternut squash, steamed or blanched until almost tender
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
20 to 25 fresh basil leaves


Measure the curry paste and ginger into a large saucepan, then add the coconut milk and broth, and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in the fish sauce, and brown sugar.
Add the tomatoes, eggplant, squash, and green beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil leaves and serve hot, over rice.


Spaghetti Squash Pancakes
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1 cup minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose or rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs

Place the cooked squash in a medium-sized bowl and separate the strands by combing through them with a fork. Continue to use fork and mix in onion, flour, and salt and then to beat in the eggs.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Spray it lightly with cooking spray, or for richer flavor, melt a little butter. When surface is hot, use a 1/4-cup measure with a handle to scoop batter into the hot pan.
Cook the pancakes for a good 8-10 minutes on each side- until truly golden.
Top with:
sour cream or yogurt
minced parsley


*Tomato-Basil Jam
2 pds tomatoes, peeled and seeded if ripe
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 Tbls light-colored honey
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cider vinegar
about 5 sprigs fresh basil


Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and place them in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover the pot and place it over medium heat.
When the tomatoes begin to boil, reduce heat and uncover the pot. Let cook for 10 minutes, adding a little water if it seems dry.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue to let it cook uncovered over medium heat for another 35 minutes, or until reduced to approximately 1/3 its original volume.
Remove from the heat and dig out basil. Let cool to room temperature and store in fridge.

Up Next- Tuesday's with Dorie- Blueberry Crumb Cake Muffins