Tag: Thai

Thai-Style Red Curry

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Finally! I’ve been trying to make a silky, luxurious feeling Thai-style red curry for a minute and keep screwing something up. Either I don’t let it reduce long enough, or I drown the flavors some how – or I forget a key component like curry paste or coconut milk.

This go round, I forgot to pick up coconut milk. I swear my kitchen eats the stuff. I’ve lost like 3 cans of it in the last few months. But, with a last-minute grocery trip I was all ready to go. Whoo. I’m glad I was, too – this is a good one.

gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian

Thai-Style Red Curry

1 can coconut milk

Veggie, fish or chicken stock (1 of the empty coconut milk cans’ worth)

2 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce/coconut aminos

Zest and juice of 1 lime

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, peeled to reveal the soft center – mince 1 and whack the other with the back of your knife to release its flavors while cooking

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 scallion, thinly sliced

2 Thai red chilis (optional), minced

1.5 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped

3/4 cup chopped okra

2 Tbsp. minced basil

Minced smoked salmon (optional)

Rice to serve

This is a simple slow-cooker dump meal. Prep all ingredients and dump into your cooker (minus the salmon, basil and green parts of the scallions). Cook however you would make a stew.

When complete, add to a saucepan and simmer until reduced a bit and silky. Serve over rice, topped with the green parts of the scallion and chopped basil.

Serves 4

Thai Grapefruit Shrimp Salad

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This recipe came about because I had something similar one fateful night when I got delivery pan-Asian – and then proceeded to think about it nonstop for a solid week.

While this isn’t 100% the same as that dish, it’s pretty close – and almost equally as addictive. The sharp bitterness of a good grapefruit pairs really well with sweet-tart tamarind, and the earthiness of nut butter. Yum all around.

gluten-free, paleo, low carb

Thai Grapefruit Shrimp Salad

1 ruby grapefruit
14-16 shrimp
1/4 c. roasted nuts
1 small shallot
1 red chili
1 clove garlic
2 small cucumbers
6-8 cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
Salt & pepper

For the dressing

1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (or fish sauce)
1 tsp. Thai roasted red chili paste
2 tsp. tamarind paste
1/2 tsp. honey
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. nut butter

Add to a large bowl, the grapefruit (peeled and supremed), shallot, chili and garlic (minced), cucumbers and nuts (chopped), and cherry tomatoes (halved).

In a separate bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients together.

Pour over salad and toss.

Sautée the shrimp in the oil in a medium pan 3-5 minutes or until cooked through, making sure to season with salt & pepper.

When done, add to the salad. Toss again and let chill a couple hours to allow the flavors to marry.

Serves 2 as a light meal

Thai Coconut Beef Curry

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This dish is quick to throw together, takes a minimal amount of effort, and makes enough to last a few days.

gluten-free, paleo, keto

Thai Coconut Beef Curry

2 – 3 Tbsp. your favorite oil
1 medium onion
1 lb. ground or sliced beef
5 – 7 cloves garlic
1 inch piece ginger
13 ounce can coconut milk (full fat is best)
10 ounces shredded cabbage
1 orange bell pepper
5 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
1 c. frozen spinach
Juice 1 lime
Salt & pepper

Chop the onion. In a large steep-sided pan or pot, add the oil and heat to medium. Sautee the onion until softened.

Add the beef, hit with some salt and pepper, and cook through.

While the beef is working, chop the garlic and ginger and bell pepper and cabbage. Add the ginger and garlic to the beef mixture and cook 1 – 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Add the veggies, coconut milk, 1 can of water, curry paste, and another hit salt & pepper.

Bring to a boil, add the frozen spinach, knock the heat down and let simmer 10 – 15 minutes or until the coconut milk has reduced to the consistency you want.

Turn the heat off, add the lime, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt/pepper/acid if needed.

Serves 4

Paleo Thai Spaghetti & Meatballs

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This paleo version of spaghetti and meatballs brings the classic flavors of Thailand to your plate in a relatively quick to throw together dinner that’s both hearty and tasty.

gluten-free, paleo


Paleo Thai Spaghetti & Meatballs

For the spaghetti

1 spaghetti squash

For the meatballs

1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 bunch chopped scallions
1/2 inch grated ginger
2 clove grated garlic
1/2 grated shallot
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbsp. warm water
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos

For the sauce

2 Tbsp. sunflower seed butter
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
1/2 inch grated ginger
1 clove grated garlic
1/2 grated shallot
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

First, halve your spaghetti squash (lengthwise for shorter noodles; widthwise for longer), scoop out the seeds and stringy guts, poke a couple holes per side, add cut-side down to a dish with a little water standing in it and cover tightly with saran wrap. Microwave on high 30 minutes or until tender. Uncover (carefully!) and let cool. Shred with a fork when cooled to make the noodles.

While the spaghetti is going, make the meatballs.

Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and knead to combine.

Heat a Tablespoon or two of your favorite fat (I used coconut oil) over medium-high heat in a large pan.

Take the meatball meat, form into one-inch meatballs (as well as you can – my mix was a little wet and sticky so my meatballs were more like formed splats than round balls but were still tasty), and saute until browned and cooked through.

Set aside on a paper towel and cook batches until you are out of meat mixture.

While your last batch is going, make your sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

To serve, toss the spaghetti with the sauce and portion, topping with meatballs.

Serves 2 for dinner with enough meatballs left over for lunch

Thai Inspired Pork Bowl

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This dinner is quick to throw together and makes a bunch – perfect for batch cooking.

Gluten-free, Paleo, Keto


Thai Inspired Pork Bowl

1 lb. ground pork
1 red bell pepper
15oz. bag riced broccoli or cauliflower
2 cloves garlic
1 onion
4 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
2 Tbsp. no sugar added sunflower butter
4 Tbsp. tamari or coconut aminos
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 egg per serving (optional)

Heat 2 Tbsp. sesame oil in a work or your largest pan over high heat. Add the pork and stir fry until just browning. 

While the pork is browning, thinly slice the onion and chop the garlic and pepper. Add to the pan with the riced broccoli and cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper and broccoli has softened and the onion is cooked through.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sunbutter, tamari, lime juice, fish sauce and remaining sesame oil. 

Add the sauce to the pan of pork & veggies and stir well to combine. Let cook an additional 2 – 3 minutes to let the flavors marry.

Top each serving with a fried egg seasoned with a sprinkle of tamari and fish sauce if desired.

Serves 4 – 6

Spicy Thai Broccoli Slaw

Categories Recipes3 Comments on Spicy Thai Broccoli Slaw

Fair warning: this recipe has k-i-c-k. I amped up all the flavors I would normally use in a Thai-inspired sauce to punch through the taste-deadening head/chest congestion my DH has been suffering through. This sauce is bright from the lime, punchy from the garlic, and spicy from the serrano. It is also quick to make, easy, and delicious next to a nice thick pork chop.

Gluten-free, paleo

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Spicy Thai Broccoli Slaw

1 bag broccoli slaw
4 green onions
1 serrano chili
Small hand cilantro

Sauce

2 Tbsp. sunflower seed butter
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (Red Boat)
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 tsp. chili garlic paste
2 fat cloves garlic, grated
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Combine the sauce ingredients in a large bowl, whisking to form an emulsion. If the sauce is thicker than you want, add a splash of water.

Add the broccoli slaw to the bowl. Chop the cilantro and add. Slice the green onions and add. De-seed and chop the chili and add.

Toss to combine.

Serves 4 as a side dish

And a second shot because I couldn't choose
And a second shot because I couldn’t choose

Larb-Inspired Paleo Thai Poultry Bowl

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Larb. I can’t get enough of it. From Wikipedia:

Larb (Lao: ລາບ; Thai: ลาบ, RTGS: lap [lâːp], also spelled laap, larp, lahb or laab) is a type of Lao minced meat salad[1][2][3] that is regarded as the national dish of Laos. It is also eaten in Isan, an area of Thailand of which its inhabitants are for a large part of Laotian descent. There are also Lao and Thai communities in the U.S., France, and England, resulting in larb being served in those areas as well. Local variants of larb also feature in the cuisines of the Tai peoples of Shan State, Burma, and Yunnan province, China.[4]

Any way you slice it, larb is a deeply flavorful meat dish – usually served in lettuce wraps – and generally how I’ve experienced it, as a starter. I’ve had versions with so much lime my mouth tingled, versions that were so hot it made the endorphins fly, and versions that are decidedly more bland. I dream about larb.

This is one of those dishes I try to recreate from memory in a thousand different ways, but usually what I’m going for is crispy little nibblins of meat swathed in a fair hit of lime and chased by enough heat to at least tickle the back of the throat. Sticky rice is fantastic, but not something I generally eat – so I serve it in other ways. Lettuce cups would certainly be fantastic here, but they just don’t work very well in my household. So, bowl it is. Tonight’s rendition was served over a bed of salt and pepper roasted carrots in an effort to throw some veggies into the mix so we weren’t just eating a bowl of meat for dinner. This was a protein-heavy dinner and a light one at that. If you’d like to beef it up with more substance, feel free to make extra carrots or throw in some broccoli or cauliflower rice.

Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant with adjustments

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Larb-Inspired Paleo Thai Poultry Bowl

1 pound ground meat (I used turkey, pork and chicken are also good)
1 large shallot
1 stalk lemongrass
1/4 cup lime juice (I use key lime juice)
2 large cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. Red Boat fish sauce
1 tsp. sweetener (I used brown sugar, but honey or agave would be fine – omit if Whole30)
1-2 Tbsp. sriracha (if Whole30, use a compliant hot sauce)
2 Tbsp. cilantro
1/2 inch fresh ginger
2 tsp. sesame oil (check your labels if Whole30)
2 tsp. coconut oil

First, assemble your sauce. Mince the shallot (you want about 1/4 of a cup) and add half to a small bowl. To the bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha. Grate the lemongrass, ginger and garlic into the bowl. Stir. Chop the cilantro and add half to the bowl.

Now start the meat. In a large pan, heat the sesame and coconut oils over medium high heat. Add the meat and a couple pinches salt and cook, stirring to break up the big lumps, until cooked through. Add the sauce and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until browned to your liking.

Serve in a lettuce cup or over roasted carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower rice. Serves 2 for dinner if used as the main component of the meal. 

 

Thai-style Ground Beef with Zoodles & Peppers

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Mmmm…. Thai. I’ve been missing the tart/sweet flavors of Thai food in my life lately, and this meal was just the correction for that loss. This sauce is kickin – and could definitely be used on a salad if you have leftovers, or as a dipping sauce for some lettuce wraps. Yum.

Paleo, gluten-free and Whole 30 compliant

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Thai-style Ground Beef with Zoodles & Peppers

1 lb. ground beef
1 large zucchini
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
1/2 onion
1 red pepper
2 medium carrots
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Cilantro (optional for you poor souls with the ‘this crap tastes like soap’ gene)

Sauce

1/2 cup canned coconut milk
2 Tbsp. almond (or other nut) butter
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. Red Boat fish sauce
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
2 tsp. sriracha (or other hot sauce – if you use the Whole30 sriracha from Nom Nom Paleo, this dish is even W30-compliant)
4 Tbsp. lime juice

In a large pan over medium-high heat, brown your ground beef until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined bowl.

While that is working, mince your garlic and ginger and thinly slice the onion. When the pan is free, add the coconut oil and sautee the ginger, garlic and onion until softened (stirring frequently to avoid burning).

Add the pepper, which you’ve cut into thin strips. Sautee until beginning to soften, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Add the carrots, scraping up all the delicious browned bits from the meat. Sautee until the carrots are softened and everything is starting to brown.

While this is working, make your sauce. Whisk the coconut milk and almond butter together over medium heat to combine, making sure to beat all the lumps out. Cut the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Turn the heat back on for a minute or two to thicken a bit and whisk to combine. Let sit while you zoodle.

I happen to like my zoodles raw, so I made them at this point. If you prefer yours cooked, add with the carrots.

Don’t forget to chop your cilantro, if using.

To serve: toss the beef mixture with the sauce and either spoon over the zoodles or throw the zoodles in and toss. Sprinkle with cilantro before hitting the table.

Makes enough to serve 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch

Thai-style Burgers with Spicy Carrot Slaw (Paleo)

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My DH hates turkey burgers with a passion. He hates their denseness, their dryness, and their (usual) complete lack of character.

He does not hate *these* turkey burgers. They’re juicy little flavor bombs with enough chew to make you not even notice the lack of a bun. And with this kicky little slaw as a side, the meal gets better and better.

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Thai-Style Burgers with Spicy Carrot Slaw and Sweet Potato Fries

Adapted from Thai Turkey Burgers by How Sweet It Is

Burgers

1 pound ground turkey (or chicken)
2 scallions
2 carrots
Big pinch salt
Few grinds black pepper
Coconut oil for the pan

Sauce

1/4 c. chili garlic sauce (Sambal Olek)
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1/2 c. canned coconut milk
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. almond butter
Thumb-sized knot ginger
1 lime
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos

Slaw Topper

4 carrots
1/2 c. cilantro
1/2 c. cashews

Sweet Potato Fries

1 large sweet potato
Grapeseed oil
Salt
Pepper
Smoky grill spice or any other really yummy seasoning meant to go on meat

First thing’s first. Let’s get those fries working. Set your oven to 425 (F). While your oven is heating, wash and peel your sweet potato and cut it into large fry shapes. (I had a huge over a pound potato, so I halved mine width-wise, then length-wise before cutting into oven fry shapes – you do whatever is appropriate for your potato size and shape).

Rub your fries with grapeseed oil and toss with salt, black pepper and some sort of yummy grill seasoning. I happen to have had a really good smoky seasoning I wanted to take for a test run.

When your oven is preheated, pop the fries in and set the timer for 12 minutes. When the time is up, flip your fries and set the timer for an additional 12 minutes – your fries should take from 25-30 minutes to cook total. Make sure to watch them during the last cooking period – they burn fast.

While the fries are working, move onto some mise. Grate all your carrots – I use a food processor, and it makes life much better. Portion out about 1/4 c. for the burger and 3/4 c. for the slaw. Add the burger carrots to one bowl and the slaw carrots to another.

Thinly slice your scallions and add to the burger bowl. Add the salt, pepper and turkey.

Chop the cilantro and add to the slaw bowl. Toast the cashews in a dry pan until just beginning to brown – remove and chop. Add to the slaw bowl.

Now move on to the sauce.

Grate the ginger and add to a small saucepan. Juice the lime and add along with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Whisk to combine (until smooth-ish). Bring the sauce up to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook 3-4 minutes (or until beginning to thicken). Set aside.

And now for the burgers. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. coconut oil and bring up to temperature.

Add 3-4 Tbsp. sauce to the burger bowl – work everything in the burger bowl until it comes together. Beware – the mixture will be pretty wet, but that’s ok. Portion out your patties and place into the skillet as you go – you should have enough for 4 nice-sized burgers. Cook the burgers 4-5 minutes per side, or until nicely golden brown. Be careful when flipping.

Add another 3-4 Tbsp. sauce to the slaw bowl and toss to coat.

To serve, top each burger with a heaping helping of slaw and more sauce if desired. The sauce also makes an excellent dip for the fries.

Can easily serve 4 for dinner with the appropriate amount of fries, or 2 for dinner with 2 lunches left over.

Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Noodles

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This Thai-inspired peanut stir-fry comes together in a jiffy for a healthy, satisfying weeknight meal.

Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Noodles

3 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 carrot, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1/2 lb. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti, cooked until barely al dente

For the sauce

1/4 c. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses
2 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. chili garlic paste
4 Tbsp. rice wine
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. +1 tsp. lime juice
Water to thin

Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Add water, a Tablespoon full at a time, until thin enough to pour as a sauce (I ended up using 4 Tbsp.).

Heat 1 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil in a large wok over high. Add chicken and stir-fry until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.

Add the rest of the oil, onion, celery and carrot. Stir-fry until beginning to brown.

Add garlic, stir-fry until softened. Add spaghetti and sauce. Remove from heat and toss to combine.

Serves 2 for dinner.

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