So I think I’m doing pretty well on my food and exercise projects since Christmas Day. I’m working out every day, and I’m trying to find healthier foods to eat, instead of eating too many pizzas, sodas, popcorn, and tatertot hotdish. I’ve always been a big fan of Thai food, so I picked up an old cookbook (Simply Thai Cooking by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu), and decided to try something with beef and curry. The recipe follows below.
I have to say that this is pretty amazing. Easy to cook, even with all of the ingredients. My personal version of the recipe was missing the lime leaves, because I couldn’t find any. I tried a Vietnamese Grocery, another grocery in a part of town with lots of immigrant citizens, and even my friendly neighborhood Kroger. Alas. No luck. They sound pretty good, and I’m certainly going to keep my eyes open for them, and I’m even gonna see if I can get some online.
A couple other variations… I’m a big fan of onions, so instead of putting them on top at the end, I added them into the mix about three-four minutes before the end. Probably not a lot different than dressing with them at the end. My guess is that they don’t really get cooked either way, but waiting until the end gives them a more fresh taste and more of a crunch.
Also, I don’t know much about fish sauces, but I do know that they stink to high heaven. So be prepared for that. I went with the cheapest version, but now I realize just how much flavor it adds, so I’m not gonna go budget on that next time I get my bottle.
The store at which I bought the beef was out of flank steak (which I guess is pretty expensive, $6/pound!), so the fella at the counter recommended round steak. He said they both are quite flavorful and tough. I guess that’s why the recipe calls for such small pieces. This guy recommended some non-flavored meat tenderizer. I guess it breaks down some of the toughness all on its own. Just sprinkle it on, rub it in, and give it about 30 minutes to do its magic. Not really much style, but I heeded the warning about the potential toughness, and pickup up a meat tenderizer. (Can you believe I’ve never owned or used one before?) Needless to say, I forgot to use the tenderizer anyway, and so the meat was a bit tough. Luckily, I’m not so bad with a knife, and I was able to chew it without any trouble. But I recommend tenderizing in some way if you can remember.
All-in-all, this was just like it tastes in most of the Thai restaurants I’ve tried. I highly recommend it. This would be a great dish for hosting a few guests.
I’m gonna try to make Pad Thai this Thursday with my friend Eric. It’s a little more complicated, but it’s my favorite Thai dish. Wish me luck!
Here’s that recipe
Beef in Thick Coconut Milk Sauce
10 oz trimmed beef flank
2 lime leaves
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp ground roasted peanuts
1 tbsp white sugar
1/4 small red onion, finely sliced
some fresh basil leaves
cooked rice to serve it with
Slice the steak into pieces that are ¼ inch thick, 2 inches long and about 1 inch wide. If you find it difficult to cut meat thinly, put it int the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden slightly and then slice. Reserve.
Thinly slice the lime leaves (with a very sharp, heavy knife). Reserve.
Heat 1 cup of the coconut milk in a wok (or frying pan) and add the red curry paste. Stir to dissolve and cook at high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the oil of the coconut rises to the top and the sauce is thick. Add fish sauce and stir it in.
Immediately add the second cup of coconut milk and the reserved beef. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the ground peanuts, ¾ of the reserved lime leaf shreds and the sugar. Stir. Turn heat back to maximum and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquids have reduced (it’ll be a red-brown, thick mantle covering the meat generously but with not much to spare).
Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 3-4 minutes while the oil of the coconut again rises to the top. Take off heat and transfer to a serving dish. Top with the rest of the shredded lime leaf, the onion slices and the basil leaves. Serve immediately, accompanied by steamed rice.