Thai Food Dork

Emily thinks I’m a “food dork” for saying this, but my idea of a perfect Saturday is a morning at the Brookside Farmers’ Market (maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don’t know, I don’t know if we’ll have enough time), an afternoon in the kitchen, and a night eating (and drinking) outside.

Last weekend, I lived that dream. Even better, I was collaborating with friend Julia (yes, of Food on Fridays at PVPost.com) for a summertime Thai feast.

I love having a theme in mind when I go to the market, and I arrived thinking salad–something like the mint-beef salad I’ve had at Thai restaurants, but less shitty (no wilted iceberg lettuce, watery vinaigrette, or chewy tepid beef). I knew that Julia was making red curry and crab rangoon, so I wanted something to balance the spice of the curry and richness of the creamy crab.

Who doesn’t like a good crab rangoon or eight? Olivia just couldn’t stop putting these in her mouth. Recipe available at PVPost.com.

As usual, the market delivered. I got garlic scapes (get ‘em while you can), cucumbers, and jalapenos from Lonnie at Bear Creek Farms, and mint, microgreens, and purslane (a mighty delicious weed) from Alicia at Cultivate Kansas City. I then hopped across town to the Oriental Supermarket in Overland Park for paper-thin slices of beef ribeye ($5.99 a pound, thank you very much), cilantro, limes, and fish sauce.

The preparation was simple. I flash seared the slices of beef (literally five seconds on each side in a hot pan), sauteed the diced scapes until just slightly tender, and tossed all with the greens, herbs, a few enthusiastic dashes of fish sauce, drizzle of canola oil, and a big ol’ squirt o’ lime. And, indeed, it was not shitty. (Please pardon my lapse in humility.)

Thai Red Chicken Curry
Courtesy of Julia Westhoff, who writes a wonderful weekly food column for PVPost.com. Read it.

1 can coconut milk – (14-ounce)
1 1/2 tablespoon red curry paste (after tasting many, I prefer Thai Kitchen)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup basil leaves – coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound chicken breast halves – cut in 1″ cubes
1/2 medium bell pepper – julienned
1 medium carrot – shredded
1 medium zucchini – shredded

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk and red curry paste. Bring to a low boil and let simmer for five minutes. Add fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir, let simmer for 5 more minutes. Add basil leaves and lime juice; remove from heat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add chicken. Cook until no longer pink in the middle (about 7 minutes). Add bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini. saute until the vegetables wilt.

Add curry sauce to chicken mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. Serve over rice.

Chang is not the best beer in world, but it’s from Thailand. So it’s got that going for itself.