Out with it -- What's your favorite Thai curry dish?

[emilycat]

Okay, so it doesn't necessarily have to be a curry; any Thai dish will do. I made an excellent one last night, and even though I've posted this before, here it is again. Wonderful, complex flavors.
I'd love to see any of yours; I'm on a mad Thai kick right now. Of course, I would prefer vegetarian and seafood dishes, but others may be interested in chicken, beef recipes, and I can always adapt those to suit my tastes, so no biggie. Thanks!

Emily :)

Thai Jungle Curry

A wonderful confusion of greens (thus the jungle connotation), this dish is especially delightful when the vegetables are freshly picked, as they often are at farmers' markets.

1 T. vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 (1/4-inch) piece galanga, thinly sliced
2 1/2 t. red curry paste
2 c. unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 pound tender green beans, trimmed and halved
1 c. canned bamboo shoots, boiled 5 minutes, rinsed and drained
1 c. julienned carrots
2 zucchinis, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
3 Kaffir lime leaves, cut into slivers
12 fresh Thai Basil leaves

Heat the oil in a fry pan over moderate heat. Add the shallots, galanga and red curry paste and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 T. of the coconut milk and let the mixture bubble for 2 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat and add the green beans, bamboo shoots and carrots. Cover and simmer until vegetables are just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, soy sauce, salt and sugar and cook until last vegetable begins to wilt. Stir in the lime leaves and basil leaves and remove from heat. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

*Just a couple of personal notes: I subbed broccoli for the green beans, since I prefer it, and I didn't boil the bamboo shoots, as the can stated that they'd already been boiled. Because Kaffir lime leaves are apparently not in season right now (how dare they inconvenience me so?) I used a t. of lime zest instead (for 1 1/2 leaves; I halved the entire recipe). I detest Thai basil, so I used conventional; definitely didn't miss that licorice accent. (Why isn't there a smiley for a grossed out expression?) I also used light coconut milk, and I served the leftovers over quinoa, which was delicious.

[kwormann]

Well, we are on a major Japanese/Thai kick. Last night we had coconut curry shrimp! I am also craving sushi!!!:)

[Lynn B]

Thanks for sharing, Em! That recipe sounds wonderful!

Just one question, though... what is "galanga"?! I know... I need to get out more!!! :)

Lynn

PS Thanks for the notation regarding the substitution of the Kaffir lime leaves... I'm sure I'd never find those around here, even when they ARE in season!!! :rolleyes:

[Beth]

Galangal is a spice derived from the root of a flowering plant, similar to ginger, used in Asian dishes and curries. You can order it from Penzey's. Substitute ginger and maybe a pinch of cardomom.

BTW, I haven't even found kaffir lime leaves at the oriental market, but I wasn't sure if I was looking for fresh or dried. They may have both, so it remains on my "look for" list on my next trip.

DH and I both love Thai. Many times I do throw-together stir fries and curries that don't have recipes. Guess that's why I bought that shrimp paste. :D

[gertdog]

Emilycat,

Do you have the cookbook Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott (your jungle curry recipe looks familar)? Everything I've made from that book has been A+, including homemade red curry paste.

My current favorite curry is Mussaman... I can post a recipe tomorrow if you like.

We went to a nice Thai restaurant in Philadelphia last week where we had a great appetizer called mieng cum... basically shredded toasted coconut, lime, nuts of some kind and other yummy stuff, served in little heaps on lettuce leaves. A tasty plum sauce-like stuff with peanuts in it was served alongside. Drizzle sauce on, fold, and eat... like a tiny Thai taco! They were heavenly. My cookbook has a recipe for something similar, so I hope to try it soon.

[Varaile]

Hi!

What a great question! :p

My favorite Thai dish is Thai-Seared Tofu, from CL, April 1997 (pg 140) It is a combination of cilantro, basil, mint, ginger, soy sauce, molasses, and curry powder as a marinade for the tofu, then it is heated and served over vermicelli noodles.

I accidentially left out the basil the second time I made it, and I cut the cilanto in half (I'm not wild about cilantro) and it turned out just great! It is also an increadibly easy recipe to do: I marinate the tofu during the day while I'm at work and it comes together in about 15 minutes that evening!

The only downer is I've never found a good side dish to compliment the spicy flavors.

[sneezles]

Here is Epicurian's definittion of "galangal":

A rhizome with a hot, ginger-peppery flavor, galangal is used primarily as a seasoning. Greater galangal, also called Laos ginger , Siamese ginger and Thai ginger , is the best known and most widely available. It grows throughout Southeast Asia and is particularly popular in Thai cooking. This creamy white-fleshed rhizome is often used as a substitute for GINGER. Laos is the name given to the powdered form of greater galangal, which is slightly more intense than the fresh form. Greater galangel can be found in Asian markets. Lesser galangal has an orangish flesh and a much stronger, hotter flavor. It's not as well known and is seldom seen in the United States.


While living in Singapore, I used this a lot in cooking but have not found it here in the States. I do not use Penzey's and have survived with my Singaporean dishes using regular ginger and a few added chiles. Not that any Singaporean or Thai dish is lacking in chiles so you could just as easily use regular ginger.

[keeganm]

I absolutely love thai food but the ingredients are so hard to find...maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. Since I live in D.C., there has to be a place to find them, right? There are many Asian supermarkets...is that where you get them? Where do you all find your lime leaves, galangal, etc. etc.?

[lorilei]

I make a Thai tofu curry regularly that is absolutely out of this world. I recall that I once had a recipe... but now I pretty much just ad-lib the amounts (and often the veggies, since almost anything is good with tofu).

Roughly, the recipe looks like this:

Lo's Ad-lib Tofu Curry

1 T Thai red curry paste
3 T fish sauce
1-2 T brown sugar
1 can light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1 small can bamboo shoots
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and chopped into cubes
2-3 cups chopped veggies (I usually use carrots, peas, bok choy, mushrooms or summer squash); saute or team very crunchy veggies slightly before adding

Mix coconut milk and curry paste and bring to slow (murmuring) boil over medium heat. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, tofu and veggies to the coconut milk mixture and cook until heated through and slightly thickened. Add basil in last few minutes of cooking. Serve over rice.

This recipe is nearly foolproof. I've never known it to flop :) You can kick up the heat by adding more curry paste. You can add interest by adding any kind of veggies imaginable. And you can use shrimp or chicken instead of tofu if you're inclined...

[emilycat]

Thanks, lorilei! That's just the kind of thing I was looking for. :)

gertdog, I actually don't have that book, but maybe I should look into buying it. As for Mussaman, I'm not familiar with it -- could you tell me a little more about it?

Varaile, thanks for the reminder -- I have that recipe, and I just haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

Anyway, thanks again! And keep 'em comin'; I know more of y'all love Thai food!

[gertdog]

According to my book, Mussamun means "Muslim-style" and is a result of interactions that occurred when Muslim traders came to Thailand from India. A Mussamun curry is a red curry that incorporates some sweet spices like cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.

I do recommend the McDermott book...I really enjoy cooking from it. I have one other Thai cookbook, the one on Thailand from the Vegetarian Table cookbook series, and I have found that book more difficult to use.

Here is a recipe for the curry paste, and then a recipe in which I use the paste. The curry paste takes patience, especially if you use a blender to grind everything up. But it tastes wonderful.

Mussamun Curry Paste
from Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott

15 dried red finger-length chilies such as chiles de arbol or chiles japones
1 Tbsp. whole coriander seeds
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
10 white or black peppercorns or 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 stalks lemongrass
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro roots, or leaves and stems
1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped peeled fresh galanga or fresh ginger
1 tsp. finely minced fresh wild lime peel or domestic lime peel
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. salt

Stem the chilies and shake out and discard a lot of the seeds. Break into large pieces. Place the chilies in a small bowl, add warm water to cover, and set aside to soften for about 20 minutes.

In a small skillet over medium heat, dry-fry the coriander seeds until they darken a shade or two, shaking the pan or stirring often, 2-3 minutes. Tip out onto a saucer. Toast the cumin seeds in the same way, until they darken and release their rich aroma, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the saucer along with the peppercorns and then grind the three spices to a fine powder in a mini processor or Thai-style mortar. Set aside.

To prepare the lemongrass, trim away and discard any root section below the bulb base, and cut away the top portion, leaving a stalk about 6 inches long, including the base. Remove any dried, wilted, or yellowed leaves. Finely chop the stalks.

Drain the chilies and combine them with the lemongrass, the ground toasted spices, and the remaining ingredients in a blender or a mini processor. Grind everything to a fairly smooth puree, stopping to scrape down the sides and adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to move the blades. Transfer to a jar, seal airtight, and store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Makes about 1 cup.

Mussaman Curry with Peanuts, Potatoes, and Cardamom
Adapted from Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott

1 can (14 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
1 to 2 Tbsp. Mussamun curry paste
8-12 oz. of extra-firm tofu, pressed to remove moisture
1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 white potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
25 whole green or white cardamom pods
1 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Cut the tofu into slabs (about 3/4" thick), and cut each slab into triangles that measure 2" across the base. Blot the triangles with a paper towel.

(This step is optional) Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu triangles in a single layer and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Turn and cook on the other side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Shake the coconut milk can well. Spoon out 1/3 cup into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and releases its sweet fragrance, about 3 minutes.

Add the curry paste and cook for about 3 more minutes, mashing, scraping, and stirring often to soften the paste and combine it with the coconut milk. Add the tofu triangles and the onion and stir gently to coat them with the curry paste. Add the remaining coconut milk, the white potato, sweet potato, vegetable stock, sugar, soy sauce, salt, and cardamom pods and stir well. Bring to an active boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the peanuts to the curry and stir gently. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot or warm.

Notes:
The original recipe calls for Wheatballs, made from wheat gluten, instead of tofu.

The tofu can either be added to the curry w/o being pre-cooked, or it can be pan-fried for added texture.

I usually find that there's lots and lots of sauce. You can add more potato and tofu, or other vegetables, to the same amount of sauce. I have had cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and baby corn in Mussamun curry and it tasted great. I don't know if it's authentic though!

I add carrots when I don't have sweet potatoes.

[browneye]

Emily: here are some ideas.
also, here is a thread with a similar question, and I posted a recipe there called "Pattaya Shrimp" or Goong Pad Pong Gahee... which is very nice. http://cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5732&highlight=pattaya+shrimp

I don't know if you eat mussels/clams or not, but here are several ideas that I have made. These are recipes from a very yummy local Thai restaurant.

Salmon Wrapped in Banana Leaf

(4 servings)

1 lb. salmon, skinless, boneless, cut into large chunks

For the sauce:
1/4 cup red curry paste
1 cup coconut creme
2 egg yolks
2 T fish sauce
2 T. cornstarch


1 cup sliced zucchini
1 large banana leaf, cut into 6- 8X8 pieces
1 cup holy basil leaves

Mix sauce ingredients, marinate salmon chunks in the sauce in refrigerator for approx. 15 minutes. Blanch or saute the zucchini and set aside. Wipe each piece of banana leaf with damp cloth before use. Place 1/4 portion of blanched vegetables and salmon in center of each piece of banana leaf. Top with a scattering of basil leaves. To close packet, bring the sides together,then fold in the ends. Use a small toothpick to close the packet.
Arrange the packets in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes or until done. or, alternatively, packets can be baked in the oven at 350º for approx. 20 minutes.

Serve with rice..




M Lemon Grass Seafood combination (Pad Po Tak )
4 servings

1 tblsp oil
1/4 lb. shrimp, shelled, deveined
1/8 lb scallops
1/4 lb. fish, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (white fish like halibut is great)
1/4 lb. mussels

3 Tblsp green curry paste
3 Tblsp coconut creme
3Tblsp fish sauce
1 1/2 Tblsp sugar
1/8 cup slivered bamboo shoots
1 stalk lemon grass cut into 1 inch lengths
1/4 cup sliced red pepper
1/4 cup sliced green pepper
1/4 cup basil leaves


Heat a saute pan, and add oil. Add all seafood and saute for 1 minute. Add the vegetables, and gently saute. Add the seasoning ingredients (curry paste through sugar) and stir. Cover the pan and continue cooking for approx. 3 minutes, or until mussels are all opened. Serve immediately with rice.



Spicy Shrimp Soup (Tom Yum Goong)

4 servings

1/2 pound prawns, shelled, deveined (reserve the shells)

4 c water
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (Shitakes are best )

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 kaffir lime leaves
6 Tblsp lime juice
6 Tblsp fish sauce
1 stalk lemon grass, cut into 1" lengths and use lower 1/3 portion only
1 Tblsp sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

fresh or dried thai chili peppers (optional)

1/4 tsp. red curry paste

Remove shells from prawns and rinse prawns and shells. Place shells in a pot with the 4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Strain stock and discard shells.
Add the prawns and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and stir. Combine sauce ingredients and add to soup stock. Heat through. Garnish soup with cilantro, chili peppers, and curry paste.



Lemon Grass Shrimp Salad Pla Goong
4 servings


Dressing:
1 Tblsp Red Curry Paste
6 T. Lime juice
4 T. fish sauce
2 T. sugar
1 T. chopped lemon grass

1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 c. sliced romaine lettuce
1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 c. sliced cucumber
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced onions (Purple onion is best)
1 tomato, cut in wedges
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup sliced green bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup fresh pea pods
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 green onion, chopped
lime slices

Prepare dressing, and set aside. Grill, saute, or boil the shrimp. Toss remaining ingredients with shrimp, and place on a platter. Garnish with cilantro, green onion and lime slices.

There ya go, hope you enjoy!:D

[kima]

Thankyou for posting that wonderful looking recipe Lorilei. Is Thai basil essential- I have never seen it in the stores here!

[browneye]

Originally posted by keeganm
I absolutely love thai food but the ingredients are so hard to find...maybe I'm just not looking hard enough. Since I live in D.C., there has to be a place to find them, right? There are many Asian supermarkets...is that where you get them? Where do you all find your lime leaves, galangal, etc. etc.?

Yes, I get my ingredients at an Asian supermarket here. THey have fresh or dried galangal, lime leaves, etc. Thai basil, too. Here are a number of online sites that do mail-order Thai ingredients, for those who may not have an Asian market close by:http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/mailmarkets.html

[emilycat]

Gertdog, thanks for the recipe :) ; browneye, those all look so awesome! Thanks so much!

keeganm, as for my ingredients, I find almost all of them at Harry's. I've visited a large Asian market, and I still have yet to find Kaffir lime leaves. :(

[SoCal]

when I saw this tonight on Food 911 (Food Network).

Shrimp and Mussel Thai Noodle Bowl
Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

1 quart chicken broth, low sodium
1/2 white onion
1 (2-inch) piece fresh peeled ginger
2 stalks lemon grass, white part only, cracked open
4 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
Pinch paprika

Rice flour, for dredging
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 dozen mussels, steamed
1 bunch asparagus, tips only
8 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 pound fresh Udon noodles
12 pea tendrils
1/2 cup roughly chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped cashews
Daikon sprouts, for garnish

To prepare the sauce, simmer the chicken broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, lime leaves, and lime juice together until the liquid is reduced by half. Then, add fish sauce, coconut milk, curry paste, and paprika; cook for 10 minutes.

Season the rice flour with salt and pepper, lightly dredge the shrimp in the flour; tap off excess. Heat peanut oil in a skillet until very hot. Add the coated shrimp to the hot oil and cook about 2 minutes each side. Add the mussels, asparagus tips, and shiitakes. Cook for 2 minutes just until heated through. Strain the sauce over the shellfish and vegetables. Poach the Udon noodles in hot salted water, drain and place in a warm bowl. Add the shellfish sauce. Top with pea tendrils, herbs, cashews, and sprouts.



Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

[ashley]

This is a pork tenderloin recipe, but the sauce is awesome and could be used over chicken. It's from Bon Appetit - here's the recipe with my modifications:

Thai-Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Orange Curry Sauce

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1 carrot, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 lg garlic cloves, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp Thai red curry base

Pork:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Thai red curry base
1 Tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces
2-3 Tbsp light coconut milk


Make sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in med saucepan over med-high heat. Boil mixture until carrot is tender and liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about 12 min. Puree in blender or processor in batches until smooth. Strain sauce and return to same saucepan (Can be prepared 1 day ahead - cover and refrigerate.)

Make pork: Stir molasses, soy sauce, curry base and ginger in lg glass baking dish. Add pork and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hr (can leave overnight).

Preheat oven to 350. Remove pork from marinade and discard marinade. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over med-high heat. Add pork and cook until golden brown, about 3 min per side. Transfer skillet to oven and cook pork until thermometer reads 160, about 25 min. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter and coconut milk, whisking until butter melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut pork into 1 inch thick slices. Serve with sauce.

Serves 6

This recipe makes a ton of sauce - I usually freeze the leftovers.

[mmanddf]

Thai is our fave..thanks for all the great recipes!

[lorilei]

Originally posted by kima
Thankyou for posting that wonderful looking recipe Lorilei. Is Thai basil essential- I have never seen it in the stores here!

Kima -- Thai basil has a pretty unique, licoricey taste... so, a good licorice basil or Holy basil would work splendidly. I would recommend these first.

You'll get a slightly different flavor if you use regular basil -- but it won't be BAD, just different. I've done this myself when I'm in a pinch :)

In either case, I hope you enjoy... this is one of our favorite dinners on a cool, autumn night.

[emilycat]

SoCal and ashley, these are great! Thanks -- I think I'll be occupied with all of these for a while. :)

kima, I wanted to add to what lorilei said about Thai basil. I actually can't stand the stuff, so I never use it. It's got that fennel, anise, tarragon accent, and I can't handle the taste. So I always use regular, and it always works wonderfully for me, although I suppose I can't be very objective here. I wish I could appreciate it, but alas, at least it saves me the hassle of trying to find it. ;)

I actually had a wonderful Thai chile dish about a month ago at a restaurant, and after I'd taken a few bites of something repulsive, I said, Why is there fennel in my Thai dish??? Then a light came on in my head (it's usually out. ;) ) Ugh! It was Thai basil! Forntunately, it didn't color the rest of the dish, which was delicious, and I just avoided the rest of the offending substance.

[kathyk]

for those having trouble finding fresh
kaffir lime leaves, you might consider
growing your own. here in northern
california, i've found kaffir lime trees
in various nurseries. these trees can
also be ordered from four winds growers
(i think that's the name!) in fremont.
they do quite well in pots, and for
those in more northern climes, the potted
tree can be brought indoors during winter.
i *love* these leaves. i just used some
skewered between sauteed tofu marinated
in a lemongrass/galangal/lime leaf/garlic
concoction on the grill over the weekend.
the leaves added a smoky, subtle perfume
to the tofu that was amazing.

[SClementson]

I tried your Thai Jungle Curry last night and it was a huge hit. I subbed asparagus for the green beans, just cause we had some, and I also added some tofu (that I baked in the oven for a nice, firm/crispy texture) at the last minute, just before serving. Yummy! Thanks for sharing!

Sarah

[emilycat]

Sarah, I'm so glad you liked it! It's definitely on my "make-again" list...whenever I get around to using it..... ;)

Lorilei, your "ad-lib" tofu curry is indeed delicious! I made it with oyster and shiitake mushrooms, julienned carrots and cabbage. I really had a massive amount of vegetables in there, so I may not have gotten as much of the flavor from the curry sauce as I could have, but it was still wonderful. Thanks again!

Emily

[lorilei]

Well, Emily, I'm certainly glad you enjoyed the curry... lots of veggies is good. It just mellows out the flavor a little bit :)

Too bad about that basil though... ;)

[emilycat]

I will get to all these recipes.... but last week I made the Shrimp Lemongrass Salad -- wonderful!

I loved the combination of the fiery dressing with all of the cool, crisp salad ingredients. This was a great dish, although the next time I might lessen the amount of curry paste because my mouth nearly caught fire. :)

Anyway, thanks very much, browneye -- I'll keep you all updated as I try the rest!

[Zinnia]

I'm not into curry, or any recipes containing it at all.. It is in so many things nowadays but I, (personally) don't make anything containing that spice anymore.
Call me weird, :D .. I cannot stand curry-anything! And, when I made those awesome looking Jamaican Jerk Beef Kebabs on the cover of the August 2001 issue of CL, I know I will never make them again, imo-Yuk! So many of you loved them!
It's weird, and I am probably just getting old but-curry, allspice, cumin, star anise, caraway, rosemary and a few others, are spices not getting used at my house lately.
My tastes must be changing! :) Zinnia

[emilycat]

Zinnia --
I do love curry spice as well, but a "curry" is actually only a mixture of spices, herbs and other ingredients -- they're highly flavorful, but the Thai ones don't even come close to tasting like the curry spice you're referring to. They're often very fragrant, complex and as hot as you want to make 'em.
Just to let you know so that you're not put off by a dish just because it's called a curry. :)

[Zinnia]

A curry dish doesn't necessarily have to have the spice curry in it?
I feel like an idiot:o .. I DO know I don't like the spice curry, but I understand what you mean emily. Thank you! I will definitely re-read this thread and see if I can try some things.
Any advice on what to start with? Thanks again, :) Zinnia

[emilycat]

Well, I would personally vote for the Jungle Curry I posted at the top :)

Also, don't shy away from curry paste -- it's a mixture that's nothing like the powdered spice.

[aggie94]

I'm just ditto-ing Emily's comments. My DH has always insisted that he HATES curry. Well, as it turns out, I think he just dislikes the spice -- we've gone out for Thai with friends a couple of times recently, and he discovered that he really likes the massaman curry.

[Zinnia]

Thanks, emily and aggie! I will give it a try and let you know how it turns out. I won't be able to try it until at least Friday or Saturday, but will let you know.. Thanks so much for your help! :) Zinnia

[browneye]

Emily-
Glad you liked the Shrimp Lemongrass salad. I love that too. I wonder if the heat varies among curry pastes. Mine must be a little bit more mild, but still it is a spicy dish, isn't it?
I haven't been on the BB for quite a few days- got stranded while traveling on business in Honolulu, had a hard time getting back home.

[katie]

Yummy. This is a dish that I could serve to company! The flavors are perfect and wonderful for those who love Thai. And it's very easy to make and looks pretty too.
I made it first on pork like the recipie says and later on other meats; chicken & beef. I'm sure it would work well on tofu or shitake mushrooms.
I don't know if it would be considered true Thai or not but it sure tastes good. :)

[Javajane]

Hi,

I happen to live in a town where there are Thai markets, but I did find these sites on the web that sell pretty complete Thai ingredients online.

http://www.importfood.com
http://www.bangkokmarket.com (This where I go in LA)

You might also want to check out www.asiarecipe.com. I have to admit that I haven't tried the recipes but its a great site.

Also, FYI kaffir lime leaves can be frozen.

Care