Thai Spicy Beef (Nuer Phad Phed)

I’m not too familiar with Thai food, but I’m always looking for recipes that are quick and do-able on a weeknight, and stir fries like this certainly fit the bill. This recipe comes from the book Simply Thai Cooking. It should be noted that “20 basil leaves” is a rule of thumb the book uses, so it doesn’t need to be exact at all. I didn’t have any Thai basil (I actually had some bi-colored basil growing in the summer that would’ve subbed well) so I used regular basil.

Thai Spicy Beef (Nuer Phad Phed) (Serves 2)

10 oz. Flank steak, trimmed of excess fat

¼ medium green pepper

¼ medium red bell pepper (plus some extra for garnish)

Snap peas (enough for 2 servings, so like a big handful)

Canola/vegetable oil

1 teaspoon chopped garlic (1 clove)

2 tablespoons red curry paste

5 tablespoons coconut milk

2 lime leaves, torn into thirds (I substituted lime zest and a bay leaf)

½ cup bamboo shoot strips

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

20 fresh Thai basil leaves

Cut the beef into pieces that are ¼” thick, 1” wide and 2” long. Dice the peppers. Set aside some strips of the peppers for garnish. Get the rest of the ingredients ready as the cooking goes quickly and you’ll be too busy stirring to prep ingredients, open cans, etc.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable or canola oil (the original recipe calls for 5 tablespoons, I used something in the neighborhood of 2.5-3 tablespoons) and heat until it’s just about to smoke. Add the curry paste and garlic, stirring and frying for 45 seconds, then add the coconut milk and lime leaves. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thick and bubbly.

Add the beef, the bamboo shoot strips, the snap peas and the peppers all together. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the fish sauce and sugar and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the peppers are softened. Add ¾ of the basil and cook for 45 additional seconds.

Serve over rice, and garnish with remaining basil and pepper strips.

Chicken Satay Tacos

These Thai meets Mexican tacos are inspired by the chicken satay tacos at Cucina Zapata, a local food truck that I believe got a nod on some food network show one time or another. These are definitely something different, especially since the curry flavor definitely comes through in the peanut sauce (something I don’t usually eat). This recipe could probably use some tweaking to make the components work together flawlessly, but the basic idea is certainly there.

Servings:  4

Total time: 1 hour

Pico de Gallo:

3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb)

½ large cucumber (5.5 oz)

2 serranos

¼ cup cilantro

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

1 shallot, chopped

Lime juice

Salt

Pepper

Chop everything into smallish pieces and add to a bowl. Let marinade and coalesce for at least half an hour in the fridge (covered), so the flavors can blend. You can also use a food processor to save you some time, or if you like a more liquid-y salsa.

Peanut Sauce:

5 oz unsalted roasted peanuts

4 cups coconut milk

2 tbsp red curry paste

2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

3 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

¼ tsp cayenne

Blend the peanuts into a fine meal. Reserve. Heat half of the coconut milk to a boil and stir in the red curry paste. Boil for 10 to 12 minutes, until the oil from the coconut milk has risen to the surface.

Lower the heat and add in the peanuts. Stir, and add in the rest of the coconut milk. Add the sugar, lemon juice, fish sauce, cumin coriander and cayenne. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil is once again on the surface. The sauce should have the consistency of heavy cream. Let cool for half an hour. Stir to blend the oil that rises to the surface.

To Finish:

4 Chicken breasts (figure 1 breast for 2 tacos)

Salt and Pepper

Flour tortillas

Avocado slices (1 avocado for every 4 tacos)

Preheat oven to 420°F. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cut into bite-sized pieces.   Toss chicken with peanut sauce. Heat tortillas on hot skillet (no oil in the pan) for about 30 seconds per side. Add sauced chicken, pico de gallo, and avocado slices to finish.