Simple Thai

Have you ever noticed the absurd amount of restaurants in Burlington? I mean like, actually realized how many options there are?

With such a mind blowing variety, you'd almost mistake this whistle-stop for being culturally diverse. We can thank them for broadening our dining horizons. I, for one, don't know what I'd do without La Fiesta, La Cocina, Mar Y Sol, Pancheros, Moe's, Qdoba, Cancun or even Taco Bell.

And thank goodness that whenever I'm cravin' asian, I can choose between Red Bowl, China Gate, Simply Thai, Hibachi, Hong Kong, Anna's Thai Sushi, Panda Express, China Inn Buffet, Harusaki or Tokyo Express.

Nowadays, that tiny drawer I once chose to store menus has become so stuffed, it barely even closes. I'm lookin' at you, China Gate. Slipping six copies of your menu under my door still doesn't make me like you.

Ordering take-out around here quickly goes from being the perfect lazyman's solution, to being the most complicated decision process of the day. Kind of counteracts the whole reason why you're ordering take-out in the first place...

Unfortunately we know, it's inescapably necessary-- there's nothing worse than diner's remorse. Or as my roommate Danielle calls it, food regret. And no, I'm not talking about the side order of guilt that comes free with your hush puppies. Food regret occurs when you don't take adequate time to consider each option, and suddenly your Greek salad with chicken looks pitiful next to your friend's pepperoni calzone. Shit.

So, in the 30 minutes (or hour if it's Mike's Deli) that it usually takes for the delivery guy to track down your address, you can make this delicious rice dish and save yourself the $8.74 plus tip. I guarantee, it's a whole lot better than the stuff you get in styrofoam.

Thai Coconut Curry Sauce with Brown Basmati Rice
Makes 1.5 cups of sauce or about 6 servings 
*For serving, use 1/4 cup of sauce for every 2 cups of cooked rice


Organic Brown Basmati Rice
[1] tsp canola oil
[1/2] tbsp minced garlic
[1] small red chili pepper, minced
[1] tbsp minced ginger
[1] can organic light coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
[1/2] tsp curry powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
[1/2] tbsp soy sauce
[1] tbsp chopped basil
Juice of 1 lime
Black sesame seeds
[1] tbsp chopped scallions for garnish

Start by heating a small sauce pan to medium/low heat. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon of canola oil and heat for about a minute. Drop in the garlic and sauté until it just starts to tan. Then bring the ginger and red chili pepper to the party, turn up the heat to medium, and cook for about 3 minutes. 


Next, stir in the coconut milk. Add the curry powder, soy sauce, and as much cayenne pepper as you can handle and whisk it all together. Turn up the heat to medium and let it cook until simmering. 


When the sauce is bubbling, take off the heat and stir in lime juice and chopped basil. 


Cook rice according to package instructions. I actually used a 90 second rice-in-a-bag because I couldn't find a boxed rice that I liked, so this step took no time at all. It made 2 servings (1 cup each). 


Finally, combine the rice, sauce, and black sesame seeds in a bowl. The hot rice will absorb the creamy, zesty sauce. For garnish, top each serving with a bundle of chopped scallions. 


So, the next time you're looking for a fast and easy dinner solution, put away your take-out menus and consider making this savory version of a thai classic. 


*This recipe obviously makes a lot of sauce, so either cook a lot of rice reserve the rest for later! Click here to find out what I did with the leftovers!

On a Roll!

Between my last post (Feb.8... yikes) and now, a lot of stuff has happened.

Blogging, clearly, has not been one of them. Sorry.


I'm sensing a pattern developing, here. I get on a serious roll, then... uhhh... I don't even want to know when the last entry was. And the busier I get, the more often it tends to happen. At least I'm consistent?

But enough of that, today is a new day. And April is (about to be) a new month. Being a better blogger is still on my radar, and what's the harm in having a long-term goal.

One thing that hasn't fallen to the wayside-- my cooking. I've got tons of recipes to share and I promise, sooner or later, I'll get 'em up here.

So, let's see how many posts I can get in before the next dry spell. Chances are pretty good that consistency will get the best of me once again, but for the sake of everyone who reads my blog, I'll remain optimistic.

Here's a phenomenal recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I don't know many people who don't like hummus, and I'm telling you, this is honestly the best hummus I've made so far.* This recipe literally could not be easier.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
[1] can organic chickpeas
[2] tbsp sesame tahini
[2] lemons, juiced
[1 1/2] whole roasted red peppers, chopped
[1] garlic clove (use more... if you like more garlic)
[1] tsp paprika
[1/4--1/3] cup water to thin. (I use water in place of olive oil but you could use either, or both!)
salt
pepper

Blend chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a little water in the food processor until smooth. Add water until you've reached desired consistency. When smooth, add salt and pepper to taste, chopped peppers, and paprika. Blend once more until combined. I kept the consistency pretty chunky (I hate that word) so that it was more like a dip. Sprinkle the top with paprika and add a sprig of parsley for presentation and color. Bring it to a party, serve it with pita, then watch it dis-ap-pear.

I'm going to go eat this now and pretend that Spring Break hasn't ended.

You're gunna be sahooo pOpuLaR

*In my latest attempt to avoid preservatives, I've been making my own hummus. It's so much cheaper (hummus at the grocery store can cost up to $5.00 compared to a can of chickpeas for like, $0.80), plus you can control the flavors and consistency. Basically, after you make your own hummus, you'll never buy it from the store again. 

Citrus Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

For me, using a recipe is sort of like using a cheat sheet on a test. If everyone had one, then anyone could do it. (The only exception is baking, where not using a recipe is just silly... unless, of course, you're the thrill seeker type and don't mind the occasional chocolate chip paper weight). But cooking should be about creating, and sometimes that means failing too.

That said, I came across a recipe for Pumpkin Hummus on La Fuji Mama's blog, and thought it sounded so different and (most importantly), delicious. I really want to put my own twist on it, so I kind of just used the unique idea as my starting point and crossed my fingers that I could figure it out sans recipe. After a lot of taste testing, critiques (good AND bad) from my sisters, and a couple of tweaks, I think I came up with a really great recipe. It's a perfect holiday dip that gets an unexpected twist from the pumpkin and orange.

Citrus Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

[1] can garbanzo beans

[1] can pumpkin puree

[½] cup sesame tahini

[½] cup orange juice

Juice ½ lemon

[1] tbsp lemon zest

[1] tbsp orange zest

 [½] tsp allspice

[½] tsp fresh ground nutmeg

[1] tsp cinnamon

[1] garlic clove, minced

salt

pepper

Making hummus is just about as easy as it gets. You literally just put everything into a food processor and blend until it becomes a lovely, creamy, and delicious dip. 

I was worried at first the pumpkin would be overpowering so I only added half at first, but it really does need the whole can. You can really taste the orange flavor, too, and the sweetness of the orange juice works perfectly with the spices and the sesame tahini. It's a savory/sweet dip that I plated with pita crackers, cheddar cheese, and baby carrots.