Thai Crockpot Curry Chicken

We enjoyed this red Thai curry made in the crockpot. I liked the addition of veggies that I usually don't use in curry, like cauliflower and butternut squash. (I subbed the squash for the sweet potato in this recipe.) In Italy one can buy pre-cut butternut squash rear-round, so that's what I used here. (It's labeled "zucca", or pumpkin.)

Thai Crockpot Curry Chicken   

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings 

CURRY SAUCE

1 14. oz can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
2-4 tablespoons red curry paste depending on brand 
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon Asian/Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 bay leaf or dried kaffir lime leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, ground coriander

CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 large sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (OR equivalent pumpkin or butternut squash)
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 bell pepper (any color), sliced

ADD LATER

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2-4 teaspoons sriracha/Asian chili sauce

GARNISH (PICK YOUR FAVES)

crushed peanuts or cashews 
lime juice to taste
fresh basil
fresh cilantro

sweet Thai chili garlic sauce

1.  Add curry sauce: Lightly spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Add the Curry Sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Add the chicken, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and stir to combine, making sure the chicken is submerged after stirring. You can add the bell peppers now for soft bell peppers or about ⅓ way through cooking for firmer peppers.

2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (Always check for doneness on the earlier end of the cooking window, then cook on as needed.) Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch together with ¼ cup water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker along with the peanut butter and lime juice. Shred the chicken right in the crockpot with 2 forks. 

3. Cook UNCOVERED on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add desired amount of Asian chili sauce to taste. Adjust to taste with lime juice, soy sauce, etc. Garnish servings with optional crushed peanuts, casshews, fresh basil, cilantro, lime juice and chili sauce. Serve with rice.

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Thai Pork & Peanut Red Curry

I had some sliced pork for stir-fry in the freezer that I wanted to use up, so I googled a pork Thai curry and found this recipe from BBC Food. It was good; the only change I made was to include some fish sauce to amp up the savory flavor. I also added a dried kaffir lime leaf and a lemongrass stalk, but it's not necessary. I use Thai Kitchen red curry paste currently, and I was afraid 4 Tbs would be too much, so I used 2. I couldn't taste any spice at all, so I added an additional tablespoon. I think start with 2 Tbs, and add to taste (taste after the meat is cooked all the way through, of course). The recipe called for baby corn, but I couldn't find any at the store, so I subbed baby zucchini instead.

Thai Pork & Peanut Red Curry

adapted from BBC Good Food

1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
bunch spring onions, sliced (I forgot these at the store, so omitted)
small bunch coriander (cilantro), stalks finely chopped, leaves saved for later
400g pork tenderloin, sliced (I used sliced stir-fry pork)
2-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 tbsp peanut butter (I used smooth)
1 tbsp soft brown sugar OR coconut sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce
400ml can coconut milk
3 baby zucchini, sliced
1 tbsp lime juice
steamed jasmine rice, to serve

1.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the spring onions and coriander (cilantro) stalks and cook for 1 min. Add the pork slices and cook for 5 mins until starting to brown. Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter. (For curry paste- start with 2 tablespoons. Can add more later, in step 2.) After 30 secs, add the sugar, soy and coconut milk, plus ½ can of water (I used less water than that, but ended up adding more later. Use it if you want to). Mix well, put a lid on and leave to simmer for 15 mins over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

2.  Remove the lid, add the baby zucchini and increase the heat. Simmer for 3 mins until the zucchini is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning. At this point, add more red curry paste if you want more spice/flavor. Can also increase the sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Serve with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and rice.

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Thai Drunken Noodles

There is no alcohol in this noodle dish, but different stories about the name. The dish is very flavorful and full of veggies. One can do lots of prep work the night or morning before, if needed, so this has the potential to come together very quickly. This pic was taken with the leftovers; in the process of re-heating on the stove, some of the noodles broke up, but it was still tasty. (Best way to reheat- in a small non-stick pan/skillet with some water added as it cooks slowly, while stirring with a silicone spatula.)

Thai Drunken Noodles
adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

CHICKEN

12 ounces chicken thighs, chopped into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

SAUCE

3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (may sub light)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses *don’t skip!
1/2 tsp EACH ground coriander, ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper

NOODLE STIR FRY

3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
8 ounces wide rice noodles, fresh or dried
2-3 Birdseye/Thai chili peppers, deseeded and finely chopped, optional (I left out)
½ medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 ounces baby corn, halved
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Thai basil leaves, loosely packed (may sub regular basil)
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

1. Chicken: Whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add chopped chicken and toss to evenly coat; set aside.

2.  Noodles (skip this step if using fresh noodles): Place the wide rice noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over top until completely submerged and give them a good stir. Let them soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender/still al dente, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together, about 12-15 minutes (less for thinner noodles). Rinse noodles in cold water, while separating any stubborn noodles with your fingers. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.

3.  Sauce: Whisk all of the Sauce Ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.

STIR FRY

4.  Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok over high heat or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken, onion, and chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add bell peppers, corn and garlic and stir fry 2-3 minutes.

5.  Leave the chicken mixture in the pan. IF USING A WOK, add 1 Tablespoon additional oil and heat over high heat. IF USING A NONSTICK SKILLET, heat 1 teaspoon additional oil over medium-high heat (the oil helps prevent the noodles from sticking).

6.  Add the noodles and sauce to the pan and toss to combine. Spread the noodles over the surface of the pan and let them sit without touching for about 30 seconds. Flip the noodles and spread them out again; repeat 2-3 times until the noodles soak up the sauce, start to caramelize and reach desired tenderness.
Add the tomatoes and basil and toss to combine. Stir fry another 1 minute. Serve immediately.

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Thai Red Curry with Beef

I totally meant to make this the intended way- with chicken- but I had a package of stir-fry beef in the fridge, already cut-up and ready to go. I could not resist the ease of just throwing that in and not having to cut raw meat. I hate cutting raw meat. I was pleasantly surprised to realize this tasted super, super amazing with the beef. I might like this better than my fave Panang Beef Curry.  I don't know..... the flavors on this Red Curry were just amazing. So perfect. I'm still thinking about it and I made it almost 2 weeks ago. It IS a bit more work than my Panang, since this one requires chopping veggies.  But, because of said veggies, it also feels like a healthier dish. You've got to try this one. I used Thai Kitchen red curry paste and it was not too spicy at all. I want to try this with chicken soon and see which one I prefer. (PS: Some of the pics look like ground beef, but it's not... it's thinly sliced steak.)

Thai Red Curry with Beef  

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 pound thinly sliced steak (such as stir-fry steak) OR 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced thin
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 orange or yellow bell pepper thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic/ginger paste for the ginger + garlic)
1 13.5 oz. can quality coconut milk
1 tablespoon Asian/Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar OR brown sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf OR 1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sriracha to taste/Asian chili sauce (optional)

GARNISH

fresh basil
fresh cilantro
fresh lime juice

Steamed Rice, for serving

1.  Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add chicken or beef, onion and red curry paste and cook just until meat is no longer pink. Add bell peppers, zucchini, ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the coconut milk. Add all remaining ingredients (expect Garnishes).

2.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the vegetables reach desired crisp-tenderness. Discard kaffir lime/bay leaf. Garnish with additional optional fresh basil, cilantro, lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Serve with rice.

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Chicken Panang Curry

I LOVED this Chicken Panang Curry!! I've only ever made Beef Panang before, and it's one of my (and my fam's) favorite meals.   I was hesitant to even try it with chicken, because how could it be better?  But I did try it and I loved it so much.  With the chicken and peppers, the flavor is different enough from my beef version that it tastes like a whole different curry.  I made this twice in two weeks.  The leftovers are amazing, as well.  Thanks to Carlsbad Cravings for this recipe. I'm really wanting to try her other Thai recipes now. I order my Panang curry paste (Mae Ploy brand) off of Amazon.com.  I recently got a package of Kaffir Lime leaves from Nuts.com- they send a lot for your money.  They are not all whole leaves, but I think it's hard to find that.  They smell great and impart great flavor.

By the way, this recipe calls for 3 bell peppers, which seems like too much.  But just use the largest skillet you have (or even a dutch oven) and they cook down enough to work perfectly.  Also, I've never used cornstarch in a curry before (that I remember) but I did use it here; the peppers release some liquid so it made the sauce thick despite that.  It would also be helpful if you decide to use lite coconut milk.

Chicken Panang Curry
adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

1 tablespoon coconut/olive oil
1-2 tablespoons Panang curry paste (Mae Ploy brand is good)
2 pounds chicken breasts thinly sliced into 1/8” slices against the grain
3 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used 2 red; 1 yellow)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
2, 14 oz. cans quality coconut milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice

4-5 dried Kaffir lime leaves*
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, roughly chopped

Garnish (optional)
fresh basil
fresh lime juice
Sriracha sauce

1.  Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add curry paste and saute for 1 minute. Add sliced chicken and cook just until chicken is no longer pink. Add ginger and garlic and saute 30 seconds.

2. Add 1 1/2 cans coconut milk. Whisk cornstarch into remaining 1/2 can coconut milk then add to skillet. Stir in sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add red bell peppers and basil and simmer 2-3 minutes or until peppers are crisp tender. Discard Kaffir lime leaves.

3. Garnish with additional optional fresh basil, lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Serve with rice.

*If you can't get Kaffir lime leaves (but do try to!) you can use 1 bay leaf and 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme.  

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Thai-Style Cucumber Salad

This is a great easy salad I made a few times to go with the Panang Curry.  It went perfectly together, I could make this salad a few hours ahead of time, and it's pretty healthy as well.  For gluten free, make sure your sweet chili sauce is gluten free.  (Sweet chili sauce is also used for lumpia dipping.  It looks like this, (pic below), there are a few different brands.)

Thai-Style Cucumber Salad
adapted from King Arthur Flour
I cut this in half, using one English cuke

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sweetened chili garlic paste
1 teaspoon salt

SALAD
3 cups (1 Euro or English-style) cucumber, unpeeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup sliced sweet or red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
all of the marinade

GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
fresh mint or cilantro leaves
chopped peanuts

1.  For the marinade: Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the chili sauce and salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed, or let cool on the stove.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, onion, and pepper. Add the marinade to the vegetables, stir, and chill for 1 hour before serving. (Can chill longer; leftovers are also good.) Garnish with fresh mint or cilantro and chopped peanuts if desired.

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Panang Beef Curry

My family and I LOVED this Thai curry.  I've made it every week for 3 weeks now.  Lol.  My 6-year old doesn't eat much, but he had three servings of this the first time I made it.  This is a Thai curry I hadn't tried until recently.  My Thai friend sent me some packets of the curry paste and I'm so grateful to her, lol.  I found it on Amazon so I'm ordering a tub, since the packets will be all gone come tomorrow.  Panang Curry is thick and sweet.  I made a Thai-inspired cucumber salad to go with this the last time I made it, and the combo was great together. Here is the recipe for that. 

This is great made on the stovetop, but last week, I was going to be gone all afternoon/early evening, so I cooked the meat, curry paste and some coconut milk together, then stuck everything in the crockpot for 5-6 hours.  It worked wonderfully!!  The beef was so tender.  I loved coming home to it.  If using the crockpot, it's ok to use a cheaper, tough cut of beef.  Just slice thin.

Edit Jan 2020: my new fave to make this is to just dump everything (except last 3 ingredients) into the insert of the crockpot the night before, cover, and refrigerate, not pre-cooking anything on the stove. In the morning just put the insert into the crockpot base and turn on to LOW.  This is a complete miracle on work mornings.  Lol. I also make the cuke salad the night before.  When I get home, just cook rice in the rice cooker, add the last 3 ingredients, and we can eat a delish meal.  I think it tastes the same as searing the beef on the stove and saves so much time.  This is one of my fam's fave meals. Edit June 2020: I just made this again and stuck a whole, unsliced round steak in the bottom of the crockpot. (Partially frozen, even!)  I just shredded it right before eating.  Still great!! I think this is the laziest way to make this, and it still tastes the same.

Panang Beef Curry
adapted from Splendid Table

50 grams (about 2 Tablespoons) Panang curry paste
2 regular (14 oz) cans coconut milk
1-2 lbs lean beef, (round steak, etc) thinly sliced (can also place whole in crock and shred before eating)
3 kaffir lime leaves, dried or fresh (optional if you cannot find them)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons Thai palm/coconut sugar OR brown sugar

2 tablespoons lime juice (I use bottled key lime)

20 fresh Thai (OR regular) basil leaves, plus extra for garnish, optional

1. Preferred method in the slow cooker- dump first 5 ingredients in the slow cooker. (I even buy pre-cut beef stew meat to save time OR use a whole steak and shred later.)  Turn to low and cook 5-8 hours.  When ready to eat, add fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and fresh basil if you have it.

(You can even prepare this the night before- dump all into the insert of your slow cooker. Cover and refrigerate.  In the morning, place the insert into the crockpot base, turn to low, and walk away.  (You can try searing the beef + curry paste first before adding to the crockpot to see if you prefer that; some might find it more flavorful, but I can't tell the difference so I skip that part now.))

Note: You can increase the sauce by using 3 cans of coconut milk instead of 2.  Increase the curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar by one more Tablespoon.
*********************************************************************************
Stovetop instructions:
1. Scoop 1 cup (250 ml) of the coconut cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the curry paste and reduce the heat to medium-low; cook until the mixture is fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the beef to the saucepan and stir until well mixed. Add the remaining coconut milk. Cook for about 5 minutes more, or until the meat loses its pink color. Add the kaffir lime leaves, chilies (if using), fish sauce, and sugar. Stir until well combined. Stir in the fresh basil leaves.  Serve hot over rice.  

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Thai Basil Beef

This was a great use of my Thai Basil plant.  I also added some regular (Italian) basil to this.  This was a quick, easy and tasty dish.  I love the Thai flavors in this. 

Thai Basil Beef
adapted from Closet Cooking

1 pound ground beef
2 shallots, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 birds eye chilies, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce or tamari)
1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 lime, juice and zest
1 cup basil (preferably Thai basil)
2 green onions, thinly sliced

1.  Cook the ground beef and shallots in a large pan over medium-high heat until the meat is cooked, about 10 minutes.

2.  Add the red pepper, garlic and chilies and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, lime and basil and cook until the basil just starts to wilt, about a minute. (Taste test and adjust to make sure that the balance of salty, sweet and sour is just right.)  Enjoy garnished with green onions!

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Thai Massaman Beef Curry II

I already have a recipe on here for Massaman, which I love, but I wanted to try this new recipe- it uses a different method and a few different ingredients.  I love them both.  I was able to sear the beef in this recipe and stick everything in the crockpot for a few hours.  The beef got super tender and the delicious juices didn't evaporate (something that's happened to me using my other recipe).  I just made some rice in my rice cooker before we ate, and dinner was super easy.  (Note: Made this again 2/23 with no searing, just dumping everything in, and it was just fine. I wouldn't bother searing next time.) 

This summer in the States, my son ordered Massaman at a Thai restaurant and it was the envy of the table.  Lol.  It was SO good!  So of course I had to make it at home, again.

Thai Massaman Beef Curry
adapted from Taste (Australia)

1 tablespoon oil
1 brown (yellow) onion, cut into large wedges
1/3 cup (100g) massaman curry paste
1/2kg (about 1 lb) beef (a tougher cut like round steak) cut into 5cm pieces OR use stir-fry steak
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger or ginger paste (OR use ginger/garlic paste for both)
400ml can coconut milk
1/2 cup (125ml) beef stock
1 cinnamon stick
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced, optional
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons palm sugar (or sub brown sugar)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
400g potatoes, chopped (about 1 lb)
1/3 cup (45g) roasted unsalted peanuts
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to serve
Lime wedges, to serve

SLOW COOKER: Dump all ingredients into the crockpot, except peanuts, rice, cilantro, and lime wedges.  (Can omit the oil.)  Stir together.  Turn crockpot to LOW and cook about 6 hours, or until potatoes and meat are tender. Serve with peanuts, rice, cilantro and lime wedges. 

STOVETOP: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins. Add massaman paste and cook for 1 min or until fragrant. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for 3 mins or until browned. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 min.  Add coconut milk, stock, cinnamon, chilli, bay leaves, palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and potato to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is very tender.  Add the peanuts at this point, or use later as a garnish.  Divide the steamed jasmine rice among serving bowls. Top with the curry and serve with coriander and lime wedges.

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Thai Basil Fried Rice

I made this fried rice recently to go with some other Thai food for a Thai-themed dinner.  We also had Massaman Beef Curry and Tom Kha Gai Soup.  We had an extra kid over that day and he loved the food too.  I want to make this meal again soon!

Thai Basil Fried Rice- Khao Pad Horapa
adapted from Rachel Cooks Thai

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 red Thai chili pepper, chopped finely
1/2 cup chicken, cut into thin, bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup red bell pepper (or red jalapeno) slices
1/4 cup onion slices
1/4 cup green beans, cut into 1” pieces
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon thick dark soy sauce (sweet soy sauce- like Healthy Boy brand)
2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
2 cups pre-cooked jasmine rice, left out for 1-2 hours

1.  Prepare the ingredients by finely chopping the garlic and red Thai chili. Slice the chicken into thin, bite-sized pieces. Slice the green beans, red bell pepper, and onion into thin strips.

2.  Heat a wok until very hot and then add 1-2 Tablespoons of canola oil (or any other mild oil of your choice). Add the finely chopped garlic and chilis and stir fry until the garlic is golden brown.
Add the chicken pieces and stir fry until it is cooked through. This should take 3-5 minutes, depending on how thick your chicken pieces are. Then add the long beans and red bell peppers, quickly followed by all of the sauces.

3.  Once the long beans and peppers are close to done, add the onion slices and stir fry for 30 seconds to a minute until they are translucent, but still slightly firm.

4.  Finally, add the rice and mix together with all of the other ingredients. Once the sauces have been mixed thoroughly with the rice, add the Thai basil and turn off the heat. Give everything one more toss and then serve.

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Thai Basil Chicken

I loved this dish so much.  I found some Thai Basil at my Italian grocery store.  It's just regular Thai basil- not Thai Holy Basil, which you're supposed to use in this dish, but it worked out wonderfully anyway.  I found this recipe online after asking my Thai friend what I should do with the Thai basil plant.

We loved the crispy fried egg with this! I forgot to buy chilies, so I used my Italian chili oil to fry the eggs in and add a little spicy.

Thai Basil Chicken
adapted Eating Thai Food

1 egg
2 tablespoons of oil for frying (I used hot pepper oil)

For the basil chicken:
1 chicken breast (or any other cut of boneless chicken, about 200 grams)
5 cloves of garlic
4 – 10 Thai chilies – when you fry the chilies, they aren’t as spicy
1 tablespoon oil for frying
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 splash of dark sweet soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 handful of Thai holy basil leaves

Hot cooked jasmine rice, for serving

1.  First, fry the egg:
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or frying pan on high-medium heat.  When the oil is hot and sizzling, drop in the egg. Let it sizzle and bubble up, and at the same time, splash some of the hot oil onto the top of the egg (don't flip the egg, unless you really want to).

After the egg looks about right to your cooked likeness (I like mine runny), take it out, drain the excess oil, and put it on a plate for later.

2.  Basil chicken:
Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces.

Rinse and peel the garlic and chilies, and pound them in a mortar and pestle (alternatively you can just mince them with a knife). They don't need to be super fine, you just want to bring out the oils and flavors from the garlic and chilies.

Pluck a good sized handful of holy basil leaves off the stems.  

Heat your wok on high heat, and add about 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan.  When the oil is hot, add the chilies and garlic. Stir fry them for about 20 seconds or so until they get really fragrant, but don't let them burn or get too dry.

Toss in your chicken. Keep stir frying continuously. At this stage you want to continue to stir and cook your chicken until it's just about fully cooked all the way through (depending on the size pieces of chicken and how hot your fire is, it should take about 2 - 3 minutes). If it starts to get dry, add just a tiny splash of water.

Add 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, and finally a splash of dark soy sauce. Keep stir frying for about another 30 seconds.

Grab a handful of holy basil, toss it into the pan, fold it into the chicken, and then immediately turn off the heat (if you're using an electric stove, you'll want to remove the pan from the burner). The holy basil really only needs to cook for about 5 seconds, and it will continue to wilt and cook from the existing heat of the chicken. This step is important because if you cook the basil for too long, it loses some of its glorious flavor and gets slightly chewy.  Serve over cooked rice.

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Thai Massaman Curry with Beef

I've had a container of Massaman Curry sitting in my pantry for a few months now, unopened.  I finally put an end to that the other week when I made this beef curry.  It was very good!  Massaman Curry is Thai, but inspired by Indian flavors.  You can make your own curry paste but why would you, when you can buy really good stuff and save yourself so much work?  ;)  (I have made my own yellow curry paste before, but I wouldn't again.... I have some of that (storebought) in my pantry now too.)  This recipe braises for a while, so you can use a tough cut of meat.  I think I used chuck steaks and they were great.
Note: This uses tamarind paste.  I have some my Thai friend gave me from Thailand.  :)  (Thanks!) I've heard you can use lime juice as a sub, to get that sourness, or just leave it out.

Also- this recipe needs to cook for at least 1.5 hours, so plan ahead.

Thai Massaman Curry with Beef
adapted from the Kitchn

For the braise:
1 pound beef chuck roast, cut into large bite-sized chunks
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken or beef stock

For the curry:
1 tablespoon coconut or neutral oil
4 tablespoons massaman curry paste (storebought or homemade)
1/2 cup coconut milk, stirred (just use the rest of the can)
2 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/4 teaspoon tamarind paste (or 1 tablespoon tamarind water), plus more to taste
Sugar (or palm sugar), to taste
Fish sauce, to taste
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Cooked rice, for serving

1.  Braise the beef: Place the beef in a heavy Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Pour the coconut milk and stock over top. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down and cover. Braise on very low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef is tender and just holding its shape.

2.  Lift the cooked beef out of the braising liquid. Strain the liquid into a bowl and reserve.

3.  Finish the curry: Wipe out the pot used for braising the beef and replace it on the stove. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and add 4 tablespoons of massaman curry paste. Sauté the paste for a couple of minutes, until fragrant.

4.  Add the coconut milk and the braising liquid to the curry paste. Bring it up to a gentle simmer, then add the beef chunks and potatoes. Season the curry with the tamarind, a few splashes of fish sauce, and some sugar. Bring back to a low simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

5.  Taste and adjust seasonings in the curry, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or tamarind, until the curry is a perfect balance of gentle spiciness, saltiness, tanginess, and sweetness. Stir in the peanuts and serve with coconut rice.

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Thai-Inspired Grilled Chicken with Peanut Sauce

A friend made this dish for my family last summer and we all loved it!  I got the recipe and meant to make it right away, but I just got around to it about two weeks ago.  We still liked it- especially my 4-year old, who stuffed his face, which he never does!  Unless it's candy or Thai or Indian food, he's just not that interested.  He loves Thai and Indian food though.  He can't get enough.

Instead of threading the chicken through skewers, I copied what my friend did and we grilled this on a veggie grilling thingy- just layed the chicken out on that and flipped it as needed.  We had grilled bell peppers on the side.

Thai-Inspired Grilled Chicken with Peanut Sauce
adapted from The Splendid Table and JP

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
Peanut Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)

1. Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a separate bowl. (Or put everything in a large ziplock bag.) Pour the marinade over the chicken and massage the meat with your hands for 1 minute to coat the cubes well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

2. Spray a grill rack with nonstick cooking spray and set the heat to high or use a grill pan. Use a veggie grilling tray on your grill. When the grill is ready, cook the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the chicken over half-way through. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce

from JP

serves 4, can increase for more servings

4T creamy peanut butter
4-5T warm water or more, to desired consistency
4 tsp hoisin sauce
4 tsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
1 T of lime juice

1, In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **