What's cooking? part 4

made a massive not-quite-vegetarian pinto bean chili (cooked pinto beans in chicken stock early on) and very inauthentic cornbread (baked in a tin in the oven, using sugar, no lard or butter, etc etc). it's really nice having someone to cook for again but I'm already feeling like I don't have any new ideas about cooking and am just making variations on the same three dishes.

Imma track down some Mae Ploy curry paste and Chaokoh coconut milk and start currying more. I am excited abt this tbh.

chaokoh coconut milk rules

accept no substitutes

finally FINALLY my local sfway has started stocking Chaokoh -- used to be only the $avemart across town had it.

I've never had it but err'one seems to love it

I think I might make a batch of gumbo zeb (gumbo aux herbes) base this weekend. Depends on the freezer space.

I'm making a coconut macaroon cake for my friend's birthday. I made lemon curd to go with it yesterday. It's nice but perhaps a bit... lumpy

I just picked up some of that Mae Ploy curry paste ($2.69!!) and Chaokoh ($1.39!!) and made the most amazing red curry w/ chicken thighs, broc, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and carrot. It is so fucking yummy, and it is about 90% there, it just lacks the citrusy brightness that Thai curry from a Thai joint has. Obv this is bcz I didn't add kaffir lime leaves or Thai basil bcz I couldn't find them, so what can I sub to give it that zing that it's missing?

also fish sauce smells gross but gives this a v full richness!

I feel like lime juice will get lost in the mix and not really do much, but I could be wrong. Maybe lime zest?

fish sauce is the greatest. palm sugar is another good addition, gives a nice viscosity to the coconut milk and lifts it a bit with the sweetness (brown sugar is an ok subsitute)

lime zest works well - try taking it off with a peeler, instead of grating it, gives you a bit more citrus bang for your buck

also don't forget lemongrass!!!

oh yes I was going to buy lemongrass! and then didn't. I don't know why. I've also read palm/brown sugar is good though this already tastes sweet enough from the coconut milk.

yeah it's not a must, it's just good to try if you're fully into the thai curry thing. and it balances the fish sauce, kinda raises the flavor level somehow idk the science of it lol

palm sugar I mean

lemongrass is KEY

here's the red curry recipe i have

you use about one cup of coconut coconut cream to like 4 tablespoons of paste which is made from : chilies, galangal, lemongrass, lime zest, coriander, shallot, garlic, shrimp, coriander, cumin, peppercorn (i.e. out of a bag)

you fry this paste in the coconut cream and add 1 tbs palm sugar, then 2 tbs fish sauce, then cooked ingredients, then finish by adding two cups of coconut milk and some lime leaves

I had a tub of mae ploy in my fridge for years, after R the ex bought it, made like one curry then moved out on me. Red curry is way too hot for my taste so I never used it :(

...I didnt intend for my logic flow to sound like R went "making curry... oh man! I gotta dump trayce and LEAVE!" lol

I never found red curry that hot? maybe because it was sweeter or I just wasn't having hot enough red curries lol. Green was always hotter to me.

the recipe i have calls for sixteen red chiles per three cups coconut milk!

Yellow curry is about as hot as I can handle, Im a real spice wuss.

;_;

green is my fave. hurts so good

I'm sorry ketchup is a little on the spicy side for you, trace

*trayce

:P

rosemary and white bean soup now underway

And this time I'm ignoring the cook time. I'm just going to simmer the motherfucker til the motherfucking beans are done, I don't care how long it takes. I told mr veg, 'we're either having it for lunch or dinner, fyi' :D

TODAY. TEXAS CHILI.

Arroz con pollo to pack for lunch all week.

gosh i feel so lame and picky, i can't eat leftovers more than two days in a row

maybe if it was someone else's really fantastic arroz con pollo but my own leftovers always seem horrible on the third day

lentil chard carrot lasagne

*soup victory* You guys! I conquered beans!

Soup turned out deliciously, extra cook time well worth it.

puree? yummay either way no doubt.
having trouble deciding between tempeh reuben or pizza with porcinis for dindin. it's really warm here for frisco in november which is making me try and come up with something else altogether. on the other hand i'm catsitting for a neighbor and can heat up his apt and not mine if it comes down to 'zza

cubed beef for over and hour; this shit is finally on and simmering.

over AN hour

xxpost yeah pureed - but I've struggled to get beans to the right doneness for the puree to be tasty. This time they were nice and tender, pureed up a treat.

what's a tempeh reuben?

xpsot: yeah, i had trouble being patient enough to let beans go another 1/2 hour or whatever it took for doneness in my past. can totally relate.

tempeh reuben is rye bread with 1000 island dressing slathered on the inside pieces, sliced swiss cheese on top of that, then to one of the bread pieces top wtih ~1/4" slab of tempeh (that is sliced horizontally & sauteed to brownness), top with a big pile of sauerkraut, then sliced pickles and put the other prepped piece of bread on top. then fry in butter. i love this thing and have made it about 5 times in the last 4 or 6 weeks

update: chili is entering it 3rd hour of simmering. feeling very good about this batch.

ysi?

we're working on the technology

WORK FASTER I'M HUNGRY

Smitten Kitchen cookbook just out. Deb's Gnocchi with tomato broth p. good; also made pumpkin muffins

oh cool, i'll check that out

oh yummo

i found this blog today: http://www.frenchrevolutionfood.com/blog/. haven't gone too far but i think i'm into it.

I just got into an argument with my mom about searing meat. I'm cooking two pork tenderloins and she insisted I sear them before putting them in the oven, that it will seal the juices in and give it a good crust. She said you do this with any steak or roast. I said it's unnecessary?

I always do.. But I like the seared bits a lot.

It doesn't seal in the juices, but it does really add to the flavor for meat that is braised. Not at all necessary when you're roasting though.

Tonight: country ribs slow braised in achiote, lime, chilis, garlic, salt, cumin, mexican oregano, and a little cinnamon with roasted yams.