Thai Peanut Curry with Pork and Vegetables

With coconut milk and peanut butter in the sauce, this is rich, savory, and very satisfying. You can make it entirely with seasonal root vegetables or, if you have peppers in the freezer, use some of those as well (as I did). If you can, pick up a little fresh cilantro at the farmers market today to go on top. Serve this over rice or tossed with noodles.

1 lb ground pork
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
1 large ripe bell pepper, diced (or 1 cup diced carrots or other root veg)
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk (lite is ok)
1-2 tsp Thai red curry paste, or to taste
1/3 - 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
2 tsp lime juice, or to taste
1-2 tsp rice vinegar
1-2 tsp Thai fish sauce (optional)
Salt to taste

Brown the pork in a Dutch oven or similar deep pan. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and cook with the pork for 2-3 minutes. Add vegetables and stir well. Add coconut milk and curry paste and stir well. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the peanut butter, lime juice, rice vinegar, and fish sauce (if using). Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. With the peanut butter stirred in, the sauce will be fairly thick.

Serve hot over rice or toss with noodles.

Serves 4-6.

Coconut-Ginger Braised Chicken with Peppers and Carrots

I made this Thai-themed dish inspired by the last of the Thai basil (you can substitute cilantro, which is more plentiful this time of year) in the garden plus the colorful peppers and carrots that are coming in abundantly right now. You can use bone-in chicken parts if you like - no need to stick to thighs - but they will need to braise longer to be fully cooked. Serve this over rice.

Canola oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 Tbsp minced or grated ginger
1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
1 14-oz can coconut milk (lite is fine)
2 large sweet peppers, sliced the long way
2-3 large carrots, sliced into rounds or matchsticks
1 tsp lime juice, or to taste
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil or cilantro

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet or braising pan.  Add the shallots and ginger and saute over medium high heat for about 1 minute, then add the chicken. Brown quickly, turning over once, then add the coconut milk. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add the vegetables and continue to simmer for a few minutes until they are tender but not too soft. Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Stir in the Thai basil or cilantro and remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Lamb and Snap Pea Curry

This is a Southeast Asian style curry with coconut milk. Substitute shell peas for the snap peas if you like. If you don't have scapes, feel free to use a few cloves of regular garlic instead. Serve this over rice.

1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
1 cup chopped garlic scapes
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14-oz can coconut milk (lite is fine)
3/4 lb snap peas
1 bunch scallions, sliced in rounds (white and green parts)

Cook the lamb in a Dutch oven or other large pot. When it's done, pour off the most of fat (there is likely to be a lot of it). Add the scapes, garam masala, and cumin, as well as some salt and pepper, and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes or so. Add the snap peas and scallions at the end, cooking just until tender, 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Serve hot over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Massaman Curry with Ground Beef and Spinach

Massaman curry is a Thai curry with Indian influences, mainly in the use of ground dry spices, and if you haven't tried it, it's wonderful. The list of ingredients to make the paste is long, but it's not difficult. The paste keeps well (i.e. for months) in the fridge. One batch from this recipe will make about two curries, but you can easily double or triple it if you want. This is great in the winter with root vegetables, too. Serve over rice.

Massaman curry paste
1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts
2 shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
Hot chilis to taste (I used 2) or ground cayenne
2 Tbsp fish sauce (optional but recommended)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice or to taste

To make the massaman curry paste, combine all ingredients in a mini food processor or mortar and pestle and process until it forms a nice paste. Use or refrigerate in a sealed container.

Curry dish
2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup massaman curry paste
1 tsp red curry paste (optional but good; adds heat)
1 14-oz can coconut milk (lite is fine)
6-8 garlic scapes, chopped
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed (optional but good)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 lb spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced in rounds (optional)

To make the curry dish, start by browning the beef in a Dutch oven or other large pot. Pour off the fat, then add the the massaman curry paste and the red curry paste if using and stir to distribute well. Add the coconut milk, scapes, and potatoes and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 minutes or so.

When the potatoes are tender, uncover the pot and add the spinach and scallions (if using). Cook until tender, a few minutes, then remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice.

Serves about 6.

Malay-Style Curried Beef Stew with Vegetables

This is adapted from a recipe in How To Cook Meat by Christopher Schlesinger and John Willoughby. I simplified it a bit, adjusted the seasonings, and add vegetables. The result is savory, spicy, hearty and satisfying - and my increasingly picky three-year-old scarfed it right down. Serve it straight up or, if you like, over rice.

2 lbs stew beef or cubed chuck
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper
3-4 Tbsp canola oil
3 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 Tbps minced ginger root (about a 1-inch chunk)
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 red peppers, in chunks (frozen is fine)
2 large carrots, in rounds
1 can light coconut milk
2-3 cups water or beef stock
2-3 Tbsp lime juice

Toss the beef in a bowl with the flour, cayenne, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and mix to coat well.

Heat about 2 Tbsp of the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot until it is hot but not smoking. Add the beef and brown thoroughly on all sides. Set the pot aside.

In a large skillet, heat another 1-2 Tbsp of oil and add the onions. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring frequently, for another 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water to loosen what's stuck to the bottom of the pan, and scrape it all into the Dutch oven with the beef.

Add the peppers, carrots, and coconut milk to the Dutch oven, then add enough water or stock to just cover the meat. Simmer for at least an hour, and as long as three hours if you have time. Before serving, add the lime juice, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Serves about 6.

Thai Curry with Beef, Peppers, and Green Beans

As the days get cooler, it starts become possible to imagine simmering something on the stove for an hour. September is our window to do this with summer veggies. Serve this dish over rice or, if you like, add beef stock to turn it into a stew.

2 lbs stew beef, trimmed into bite-sized cubes
2 Tbsp grated ginger root
1-2 Tbsp red curry paste
2 14-oz cans coconut milk (light is fine)
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 lb green beans, in 1- to 2-inch lengths
1 cup Thai basil leaves (optional but good)
Salt to taste

Brown the beef in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot. Add the ginger and curry paste, then the coconut milk. Simmer over low heat for an hour or so, until the meat is tender.

Add the onions, peppers, and green beans to the pot, turn the heat to medium, and cook until tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the basil leaves and cook just until wilted. Add salt to taste and remove from heat.

Serve over rice.

Serves about 6.

Thai Beef Stew

Yum! With local beef, potatoes, and onions available through much of the winter, I'll be making this again! At this time of year, you could brighten it up with some additional vegetables, like carrots or chopped red pepper, added near the end. You can get Thai curry paste (both red and green) at most grocery stores these days.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb stew beef, in bite-sized cubes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1-2 tsp Thai red curry paste, dissolved in 2 Tbsp water
2 (14-oz) cans light coconut milk
3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, sliced lengthwise
Water and/or beef stock
1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
Roasted unsalted peanuts (optional)

Heat a the canola oil in a soup pot. Add the beef and brown all over. Add the cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a minute or two. Stir in the curry paste in water, then the coconut milk. Add the bay leaves, brown sugar, and salt. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, covered.

Add the potatoes and onion to the pot, plus enough water or stock to comfortably cover everything. Add the lime juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender, about another 15-20 minutes.

Add peanuts to bowls at the table if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Asparagus Thai Curry

I made this with chicken, but you could just as easily use tofu. You can get Thai curry paste at just about any well-stocked supermarket. Thai Kitchen is a popular brand. Some brands are spicier than others, so add a little at a time and taste to see how you like it. I love Thai basil in curry, so I threw in a little that I had from thinnings for the garden. You could also use cilantro, or skip it altogether. Serve this over rice, preferably jasmine.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
2-3 tsp grated fresh ginger
3/4 lb asparagus, in 1-inch lengths
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
2-3 tsp Thai red curry paste (or more to taste)
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh Thai basil or cilantro (optional)

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken and stir-fry until about half cooked. Add the onion, ginger, and asparagus, and stir-fry until almost tender. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and salt. Make sure the curry paste is well dissolved (if it is particularly thick, you could mix it with a little of the coconut milk in a small glass before adding to the pan). Simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the Thai basil or cilantro, if using. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Serves about 4.