Fresh Thai Green Curry - Shrimp

Fresh Thai Green Curry

The curry paste you can buy in the store is good but cumbersome to use, CurrySimple is really good and makes making Thai curry at home even easier - but FRESH is now and always will be the best...

I had always used the paste until we hooked up with CurrySimple which is what we use 90% of the time - I had wanted to try my hand at making fresh green curry and I have to admit at first I was a bit skeptical. After the first bite I was hooked! This is a bit more time consuming to make but well worth the effort. I still use the past and CurrySimple but again, Fresh is best...

1 Stalk lemongrass
3-4 Lime leaves (available at finer markets or most all Asian/Chinese markets)
1/2 Tbsp corriander ground
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tsp shrimp paste (will not miss this if you don't use it...)
1 Tsp sugar (this plays a big part in this so don't omit it)
3-5 Green chilies - we use 2-3 sorrano and 1-2 jalapeno peppers
2 Bunches green onions
3 Cloves garlic minced
1.5" Piece ginger pealed and chopped roughly
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro (coriander) including stems
1 Tsp dark soy sauce
1 Can coconut milk (do not shake this up! You need to separate off the fat)
1 Cup sweet basil chopped roughly

Start by preparing the lemongrass - Remove the bulb and any though outer leaves. Thinly slice then mince the lower half of the stalk - the top half can be discarded. Place in a food processor. Add everything else but the coconut milk and basil to the processor bowl and blitz until it all comes together - you're not looking for a paste here but you want everything well incorporated with itself.

You will want to fry up the curry before you add the shrimp. The best method to do this is to fry the curry up in the coconut milk. Separate the thick fat part of the coconut milk and add it to a pan. Turn up the head to a medium/medium-high - once up to temp add the fresh curry. You will want to cook the curry for about five minutes. Once the curry gets to a happy place add the remaining coconut and bring it to temperature. Once heated add your shrimp and cook it through (3-5 minutes depending on your shrimp - will be a nice pink when done). Best served with rice but works well with pasta as well...

Make your plate look good - remember you eat with your eyes before your mouth...

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

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Fresh Thai Green Curry Shrimp 1 of 2



Fresh Thai Green Curry Shrimp 2 of 2

Chilled Cucumber-Chickpea Soup

This is a start to finish in 25 minutes dinner...

1 Coriander Paprika Spice Rub mix (see below)
1/2 Lb peeled and deveined cooked shrimp chopped
2 Medium cucumbers seeded and chopped
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
2 Cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 Tsp ground coriander
1/4 Tsp cayenne pepper
3 Cups ice cubes
1/2 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 Green onions, thinly sliced

For the Coriander Paprika Spice Rub

1 Tsp ground Coriander
1/2 Tsp paprika
1/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp ground black pepper

1. Prepare the Coriander Paprika Spice Rub. In a medium bowl toss the shrimp with the spice rub; set aside. Thinly slice enough cucumber to measure 1/3 cup; set aside. Peel, seed, and cut up the remaining cucumbers.

2. In a blender combine the cut-up cucumbers, chickpeas, tahini, mint, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, coriander, cayenne, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and blend until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

3. Just before serving, with the motor running, add ice cubes, a few at a time, through the lid opening until smooth and thickened (blender should be about full). Pour into bowls. Top soup with the shrimp, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, and green onions.

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

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Video Coming August 09 2009...

Avocado & Shrimp Salsa

Avocados and shrimp are a match made in heaven. If you ask me the light creaminess of the avocado goes well with the light taste of the shrimp.

This fresh salsa doesn't take much prep.

1 small red onion
1 or 2 tomatoes
1 large avocado
1 jalapeno
6 boiled shrimp (can be grilled too)
lime juice
cilantro would be nice if you have it.
salt & pepper

Dice everything up and mix it up in a bowl. Let sit i the fridge for 20 min to get happy. Eat & Enjoy!

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

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Play With Your Food...

I try not to take life too seriously - And you shouldn't either. Sometimes you need to enjoy your food before you consume it. There's really no point other than that I'm trying to get across in this entry, so there you have it...

This dish came from the California Pizza Kitchen - Thai Linguini...

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko