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Tag: galangal

Green Curry with Tofu

This is the first time I have attempted green curry at home. We always order it in Thai restaurants and really enjoy the flavor. My problem with attempting Thai recipes at home was the numerous ingredients. I finally went to an Asian grocery store and stocked up on galangal which comes frozen and can be stored in your freezer for a long time. It is nice to have fresh kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass but they are not always available. So, I bought frozen lemon grass and stored the fresh lime leaves in the freezer as well. They may not be as aromatic as the fresh ones but it is better than not having them at all. This was a good first try- will keep improving….

  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 1 inch galangal or ginger
  • 2 tablespoons lemongrass or zest of 2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and process till a paste is achieved. You may need to add some water to process. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 to 4 heads small bok choy, whites and greens separated and chopped
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • Salt
  • 3 or 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a wok like saucepan with the coconut oil. Add the green curry paste and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bok choy whites and sauté for 2 more mintues. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add salt and water if needed. Cook on a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Check for seasonings and garnish with kaffir lime leaves and cilantro. Serve with soba noodles.

Penang Curry- My Version

Panang Curry

A great version to make at home…

Curry Paste

  • 2 to 3 dried chilies, soaked in warm water until soft and seeds removed
  • 1 inch galangal, grated
  • 3 to 4 stalks lemongrass, grated
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 small shallots
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro stems
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peanuts in a small frying pan till aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Take out and grind in a spice grinder. Add to a mortar and pestle. Add the soft red chilies to the spices in the mortar and pestle.
Add the grated galanga, lemongrass, cilantro stems, garlic and shallots to a small food processor and process till smooth. Add the mixture to the mortar and pestle. Add the shrimp paste to the whole mixture and pound the paste till incorporated together and relatively smooth. Add the salt and keep aside.

  • 1 can low-fat coconut milk
  • 3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced thin
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, sliced thin on a bias
  • 1 cup haricot verts (green beans), cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon palm sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Juice and zest of one lime
  • ½ cup basil, shredded

Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the curry paste. Add ¼ cup of coconut milk and sauté on medium heat while stirring constantly. Make sure the milk does not burn. Keep adding as the liquid evaporates and more is needed. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beans and bring to a boil and cook for a minutes. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer and add the lime leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce, juice and zest of the lime. Mix well and check for seasonings. Turn off as soon as the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with basil and serve with rice.

Thai Style Cheeseburgers with Lime Cilantro Mayo

My love of Asian cuisine continues with these delicious cheeseburgers.. they are really good. Feel free to marinate the meat overnight for extra yummy flavor and serve them with oven baked fries!

  • 1 pound grass fed ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 teaspoon grated galangal or fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup basil, chopped
  • 1/3 cup mint, chopped
  • Zest of one lime
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and chopped
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoons oil

Transfer all the ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and let sit for a couple of hours in the fridge. Take out half an hour before cooking. Form into 4 to 6 patties, depending how big you want the burgers.

Heat a frying pan with the oil and cook the burgers to the desired doneness. Top with cheese and serve on toasted rolls.

  • 4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, sliced and toasted
  • 4 to 6 cheddar slices
  • Baby spinach

Lime Cilantro Mayo

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • Zest of one lime
  • Juice of one lime
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and serve with the cheeseburgers.

Chicken and Bok Choy Thai Green Curry

I think I am currently obsessed with Asian food.. I love it and love cooking it…You could buy a jar of green curry from the store or you could make your own.. the one from scratch is way yummier!!!

  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced thin
  • Zest of one lime
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil

Marinate the chicken slices in the lime zest, salt and oil. Mix well and let it sit for 2 to 3 hours.

Green curry

  • 2 to 3 fresh lemon grass stalks, trimmed, the ends smashed and chopped fine (I used frozen chopped lemon grass)
  • 2 inch piece of galangal, chopped (you can substitute with fresh 1 inch fresh ginger)
  • 2 to 3 kaffir lime leaves (substitute with zest of 1 lime)
  • Zest of 1 lime (use 2 limes all together if kaffir limes leaves are not being used)
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 serrano chili, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Place all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle. Pound till a paste is formed. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons palm sugar or 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili sauce (your favorite)
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 large red, orange or yellow pepper, sliced
  • 4 to 5 baby bok choy, sliced in quarters
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a saucepan with the oil. Add the curry paste and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, palm sugar, fish sauce and chili sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken slices and poach on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep aside. Continue to simmer and add the peppers and the bok choy. Cook for another 5 minutes. Return the chicken back to the curry and finish cooking, making sure the chicken is not over cooked. Garnish with cilantro.