October 20, 2020 Thai Red Curry Chicken and Veggies

I was craving something spicy.  There wasn't too much in the fridge, but in the freezer I found some chicken thighs and chicken stock.  I opted for the instant pot, but the meat was frozen, and I was getting hungry.

Flash of brilliance, I put the frozen stock and thighs in the instant pot and set the pressure for 8 minutes.  Not enough to cook them, put certainly enough to thaw them.  After 8 minutes, I quick released the pressure and removed the contents to a bowl.  I discarded the skin off the thighs and held them in the broth.

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs

2 c chicken stock

2 T red curry paste

1 can coconut milk, do not shake

chopped ginger

chopped garlic

chopped jalapeno

kaffir lime leaves

1 lime zested and juiced

1/2 head of cabbage, chopped

1 broccoli crown, chopped

1 red bell pepper

2 onions, halved and cut into wedges through the root

basil leaves, thai if you have them otherwise italian basil is just fine

fish sauce

                                                                                    sugar, if needed

Method

1.  Heat instant pot on saute mode.  If you defrosted the thighs and stock in the instant pot, wipe is dry.

2.  From the top of the coconut milk, spoon off the cream and add to the pot.  When it bubbles all over the surface, add the curry paste and cook until the oil separates.

3.  Add ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and lime leaves.  Mix well and cook for a minute or so.  

4.  Add vegetables, lime zest, and chicken into the pot.  

5.  It will thicken up, add the broth.  If you defrosted the thighs, add reserved broth.  Mix well.  If you need more liquid, add some of the coconut milk.

6.  Cancel saute.

7.  Set pressure to high and time to 8 minutes.  Replace lid.

8.  Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.  Quick release any remaining pressure.  Open lid.

9.  Taste.  Add lime juice.  It will need salt, that is where the fish sauce comes in.  Add about 1 T to start.  Taste again.  You may need more.  If it is too spicy, then add a little bit of sugar.  Keep tasting until it pleases you. Add in basil leaves.

10.  If the broth is too loose, you can reduce it using the saute function until it reaches a consistency that pleases you.

11.  Serve with rice or over noodles.

Nota Bene:

The veggies will all but disintegrate.  If that isn't what you would want, then do not add them in step 4.  Add them after 5 minutes of pressure cooking, by using quick release, then throw in veggies and set for an additional 3 minutes.  Proceed from step 8.

Dateline: August 31, 2020 Cleaning out the Fridge! Vegetarian Red Curry with baked Spicy Tofu

I realized that the situation in the fridge had become untenable.  I had veggies in all corners of it, and each at a different level of "goodness".

Out they all came, and those close to their maker were set aside, those that already were shaking hands with their maker were tossed, and those still on this side of heaven were put back for another day.

What I had to work with:  a very small head of cabbage, 3/4 of a yellow bell pepper, a couple of hot peppers, onions, scallions, and a tomatillo.  Bingo!  Red curry with veggies and rice noodles.

Red Curry Vegetables and Rice Noodles 

Ingredients

1 14 oz container of firm or extra firm tofu

1 cup homemade or store bought spicy bbq sauce

1 large onion, sliced into thin quarter moons

1 tomatillo cut into small chunks

1 yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips

1-2  hot red peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips

1 small head of cabbage, cored and cut into thin strips

1 bunch of scallions, sliced cross-wise into rings

1 small jar of red curry paste

1 can coconut milk, chilled without shaking

fish sauce

1 T shrimp fry paste  (Indonesian ingredient, optional)

1 T coconut oil

2 servings of rice noodles, I used a fresh brand, but any rice noodle will do, just prepare according to directions on the package

Method

1.  Press the tofu to remove as much water as you can.  I find wrapping it up in lots of paper towels and pressing down on it gently with my hands several times does the trick.  Unwrap from paper towels and turn the block on its long side and divide into thirds, so you have 3 one-half inch blocks.  Cut the blocks into 1/2 cubes.

2.  Pour 1/3 of the sauce into a plastic bag, add 1/3 of the tofu cubes.  Be gentle, do not break up the cubes.  Add 1/3 more of the sauce and another 1/3 of the tofu, followed by the last third of each.  Gently distribute the sauce all around the tofu and put into fridge for at least an hour.

3.  After an hour pre heat oven to 400° F and line a sheet pan with sides with either a teflon cooking mat or parchment paper.  I used a mat.  Gently tumble the tofu cubes onto the paper or mat and spread them out in a single layer.  Put pan into oven for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 15 minutes.  There should be no watery residue on the paper or mat.  If there is, put back into oven for a bit.  Remove from oven and if any residue has burned, gently pry away from the cubes.  Take those burnt bits, if they are NOT bitter, you can stop fussing and just all burnt bits and all in later.  

Crispy tofu bits separated from burnt bits

4.  I used my instant pot but not for pressure cooking, just for saute and slow cook in the pot.  Melt the coconut oil and add the ENTIRE jar of the red curry paste along with the shrimp fry paste.  I used Roland brand curry, which is not very spicy, to my taste buds, if you are using a Thai or Indonesian brand, use smaller amounts and add more to your liking.

5.  Mix the curry paste with the coconut oil until well combined.  Allow to cook on low until the fat separates from the mixture.  Spoon in the coconut cream from the can of coconut milk trying not to take any of the liquid beneath it.  Reserve what remains in the can of coconut milk.  It will get added later.

6.  Mix well and allow to cook on low until the oil separates again.  When that happens, add the vegetables and mix well and cook until softened.  

Veggies on their way to being softened up

7.  Add coconut water from can and mix well.  Taste.  If too spicy, add a bit of sugar to cut the spice.  If not spicy enough, add some more hot peppers.  Add fish sauce if the salt level is too low for your.

8.  Prepare the rice noodle according to the package, and then add to the curry.  Mix well.  If more liquid is needed, add water or broth to get the consistency you like.

9.  Put cooker on slow cook for 30 minutes.  Serve with tofu bits and thinly sliced cucumbers on top.

Just before adding the noodles

For Bill and I this had a perfect spice level, enough to get us both sniffing and reaching for tissues, and not so spicy that we couldn't eat more!