Thai Spicy Green Beans With Tofu

After touring Thailand, I'm addicted to Thai food.  I mean, I was before, but now it's a daily kinda addiction.  It's just so flavourful and so easy to make vegan and/or gluten free. Lots of fresh veg and tofu make this a plant-based delight. First, saute the tofu - about 10-15 minutes on each side - and set it to cool.  It's kinda tricky to dice when it's wobbly and searing hot.

In the same hot pan, saute a medium onion and bell pepper.  When they're translucent, tip them out of the pan.  Keeping the same hot pan, add a couple cups of chopped green beans.  I prefer long beans, but I couldn't find any I liked at the market.  So, I used "French style" beans, whatever those are.  I like to get the pan quite hot and put a nice sear on the beans.  When they have a few specks of brown, put them with the onion and pepper.  In the hot, hot pan quick sear some diced portobellos.  Again, add them with the other cooked ingredients when they have a bit of colour development.

Make a quick spicy sauce out of:

• A few hundred mL of coconut milk
• Tamari sauce - to taste
• Siracha - ya know, however spicy you like it
• Red curry paste - a spoon or so
• Crushed peanuts - also, a spoon
• Water - enough to thin it down, 100-200 mL

Add the sauce to the hot pan and allow it to settle for a moment, then add in a pile of bean sprouts and turn off the heat.  Add in the, previously set aside, vegetables and mix thoroughly.  Add the diced tofu and a big handful of Thai basil.  Give it one final stir.

Plate it with a nice portion of rice.  I like to use black Thai rice mixed with Jasmine rice.

Mango and Sweet Coconut Jasmine Rice

A variation on a favourite of mine, sticky rice with mango.

It a fairly simple dish, and one I used to eat often when I lived on an island.  It's sweet, savoury, creamy and satisfying.  To make this, I prepared jasmine rice and added: coconut milk, toasted coconut flakes, coconut sugar, salt and Thai basil.  I used only coconut milk, instead of water, to cook the rice and it was a bit too rich.  It would probably be better 50:50 water and rice.  Also, I used coconut sugar to give it a rich caramel flavour; again, a bit too rich.  Plain white sugar would be perfect.

While the rice is cooking, chunk the mango.

When the rice is finished cooking, allow it to cool slightly and serve with the mango chunks.  Garnish with Thai basil.  It's a delightful licoricey complement to the tropical flavours.

Ginger-Chili Mung Beans with Coconut Black Rice

Richly flavourful, this dish packs lots of energy and fibre.  Although mung beans are generally available at most Asian grocers, they're not the most common legume.  They are, however, a delicious base for this curry-like recipe.

Start by rinsing the beans and adding equal portions of mung bean and water to a large saucepan and set on the heat.  Salt the water gently - season it, but remember that it will need to be adjusted near the end of the cooking process, so don't go wild with the salt. While waiting for the beans to start boiling, prepare the curry.  Ginger is the dominant flavour. To round out the curry flavour profile, you'll need a bit of garlic, chili pepper(s) and a medium tomato.  Place these ingredients in a blender with a can of coconut milk.  Blend until smooth.

Once the beans have started boiling, add the curry to the pan.  Return the mix to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer.

While the curried beans are simmering away, prepare the rice as directed by the packaging.  Simply, add a bit of salt and a half-handful of shredded unsweetened coconut when the rice starts cooking. So easy!  There are a couple different types of black rice.  I used Forbidden Rice for this meal.

When the beans are tender, they're done cooking.  Be sure to season with salt according to your taste.

Curried Brussels Sprouts with Ginger Coconut Rice

A quick and easy way to make sprouts delicious.

First, halve the sprouts and remove the scruffy outer leaves.  Then, mix coconut milk, curry powder and salt.  This imparts a spicy richness to the dish.  Pour the mix over the Brussles sprouts and arrange on a baking tray.  Make it easy to tidy up by lining the tray with parchment paper.  I like to put these cabbage-wannabes in a cold oven and preheat to 400F - this cooks them quickly and browns the sprouts.

Serve with ginger coconut rice.  Simply add ginger, unsweetened coconut flake and a smidgen of coconut milk to rice and prepare as normal.

Thai Noodles and Veg

This tasty dish is rich, warm and packed with lots of fresh veg.

Soak and drain the rice noodles:

Prepare the seasonings: curry paste, peanut paste, lemongrass, salt, red curry paste:

Cashews for protein:

Chop the veg - carrots, onions, green onions, lettuce, sweet peppers:

Heat a can of coconut mild; add the seasonings and veg:

Promptly add in the noodles and cook until done:

Warm yet spicy comfort food!

Thai Green Curry (winter)

That curry is unbelievably good.  It can range from mildly warming to a searing sweat-inducing  spice.  Served with brown jasmine rice and cashews.

For a hot moderately hot curry, start with 2 tablespoons of curry paste, a teaspoon of crushed peanuts or crunchy peanut butter and a teaspoon of salt.  Add these ingredients to a can of coconut milk and simmer.

The oil will start to separate out of the coconut milk when it's ready.

Add sliced or julienned vegetables, bamboo strips and Thai basil.Unfortunately, in the winter, basil doesn't grow.  This dish is prepared with carrots, onions, peppers, napa cabbage and fennel.

In the summer, I'll post a proper green curry.

Thai Red Curry Soup with Cocunut Rice

An amazing flavour and comfort food, red curry is both spicy and smooth.  Curried coconut milk with carrots, bell peppers and napa cabbage, served with toasted flake coconut