Pad Thai

This weekend I had the great pleasure of witnessing the marriage of two wonderful people: a great friend from my Master's at Rice and her boyfriend/fiance of four-ish years.  It was an amazing ceremony and such a fun time to hangout with some friends.

I have been spending my weekend at my awesome friend Chloe's!!  (my Mango Curry friend!!)  We both love Asian food (and she even wants to be Asian!).  In any case, we brainstormed for quite a long time about what to make tonight (as, of course, with the wedding taking place last night, we didn't have to worry about dinner).  After going through all the options... rice, pasta, potato, bread.... beef, chicken, pork, lamb... (no tofu, please!)... we settled on Pad Thai.

I really, REALLY must be honest.  I don't really like Pad Thai very much!  Maybe it's because I haven't had good Pad Thai?  I don't know...  Maybe there was never enough peanut flavor, or enough lime, or too many noodles with not enough other stuff?  I'm not sure, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I LOVE peanut sauce!!!!  I could drown anything in peanut sauce and enjoy it.  So, with that being said, I guess I have made my "own" version of what I think Pad Thai should be, with all the things that are traditionally included!  :)

Peanut Sauce
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil
2 tsp fish sauce
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
zest of one lime
juice of two limes (large)
1 can coconut milk (full fat!)

In a medium sauce pan, combine peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, lime zest, and lime juice and stir.  On medium-low heat, begin to simmer sauce, stirring to bring all the ingredients together.  Pour in coconut milk and stir again.  Once fully combined, turn heat down to simmer, stirring occasionally until using.

Pad Thai
3 lbs sliced chicken (tofu, or other meat)
1/4 tbs oil
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 14 oz box/bag rice noodles
bean sprouts (about 2 cups)
1 cup green cabbage (sliced thinly, about 2 cups)
green onion (one bunch)
cilantro
shredded carrot
crush peanuts
fresh lime
peanut sauce

Prepare rice noodles as instructed on package.

In a skillet, over medium heat, heat oil and add chicken.  Toss in garlic, a dash of salt, and stir.  Spoon about 1/4 cup peanut sauce over chicken, stir, and continue to cook.  Once chicken has fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes, add in about 1 cup cabbage, 1 cup bean sprouts, and about 2 tsp thinly sliced green onions and allow to tenderize for about 1 minute.  Turn heat to simmer until serving.

On serving plate, top the rice noodles with peanut sauce, chicken and veggies, and any of the other toppings you desire (shredded carrots, cilantro, green onions, crushed peanuts, fresh lime, or even more cabbage and bean sprouts!).  Serve!

This makes approximately six servings.

Mango Curry

This is one of Lexi's favorite recipes... of ALL time!!!  This is the best recipe to please everyone (unless they don't like mango...)!  My dad and husband don't really care for coconut, but in curries, they don't even notice the flavor of the coconut milk and the recipe, or almost any Thai-like curry, just doesn't taste right without it.  :)  Guess what vegan?!  It's already vegan!  And for you meat fans or tofu lovers, and all you need to do is saute up some chicken (best for this recipe) or tofu and toss into the curry.

Over time, this recipe morphed from a recipe my mom and I ran into at one of our favorite groceries stores back home.  It started out as a mango curry using mango chutney, hot madras curry powder, and heavy cream (in substitute for coconut milk).  After making it for two of my awesome friends, Chloe and Aya, at an end of the semester relax dinner celebration, I inspired Chloe to go and make her own version.  So, after combining forces and recipes, it has mostly morphed into Chloe's recipe, but here's the result that has become a regular for me.

Mango Curry
approximately 4 - 5 cups chopped vegetables, or roughly the amounts listed below
     2 bell peppers (we used one red and one green)
     2 red onions (or one white, one red)
     1 head broccoli
     3/4 cup snow peas
1 mango (sliced and cubed)
1/2 - 1 cup golden raisins (optional)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup oil (or enough to saute vegetables)
1 - 2 tbs sesame oil
1 - 2 tbs soy sauce

Chop vegetables into desired size.  In a wok, skillet, or pot, heat oil on medium-high heat.  Once oil is heated, toss vegetables, season with salt, pepper, and sesame oil.  Cook down until tender, seasoning with some soy sauce while the vegetables are cooking down.  If you'd like, you may like to add some extra garlic, but there is a decent amount in the sauce.  (I recommend seasoning any meat you add in with garlic, though).

Once the vegetables have cooked down, add curry sauce and turn heat to low or medium low so the curry stays warm.  About five minutes before serving, toss in mango and raisins (if desired).  If adding meat or tofu, add at this point.

Serve over rice or with naan bread.

Curry Sauce
1 large mango (sliced)
1 red or orange pepper (sliced)
1 15 oz can crushed pineapple
1 13 oz can coconut milk (full fat)
1/2 - 3/4 cup rice vinegar
3/4 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 - 1/4 tsp tumeric
3 gloves garlic
1" fresh ginger
2 - 3 tsp hot madras curry powder
1 - 2 tsp curry powder ("traditional" yellow curry)
sugar (optional, if you'd like it a little sweeter)

In a blender, puree all of the ingredients together.  If there isn't enough room if your blended, then hold off on some, or all, of the coconut milk.  Vary the amounts of each spice and vinegars depending on your personal taste.  You may also decide you want a less intense curry flavor or to use red curry or omit the hot madras curry and substitute it with all "regular" curry.  If it's too tart or your mango isn't ripe enough, then you might want to add a little sugar to sweeten it up. To make it creamier, add extra coconut milk (using only the delicious full fat kind!  Don't skimp!!!).