Thai food has to be one of my most loved cuisines. Just the thought of creamy coconut, fresh basil, a kick of chilis in a rich sauce over rice or noodles warms my heart (and tummy) instantly. So, when David and I were planning this week’s Date Night Dinner I immediately said, “Thai.”
This meal came together pretty quickly and we used what ingredients we had around. You could easily make this with only one veggie as long as the sauce rocks, but try combos of various produce, fresh or frozen, and create something magical.
To make this easier for David, the evening’s chef, I prepped everything ahead of time. When I had this meal’s cast assembled and ready to go he jumped right in.
He started by sauté-ing the onions.
Then he added the garlic.
Next came a few dollops of Roasted….sweet but spicy.
Mix well.
Yes, I happened to have some lemongrass, so we added some big chunks to the pot.
We didn’t have any but I did have a lime, so we zest it into the pot, added some diced ginger and a few dashes of hot cayenne sauce.
Next we added the diagonally sliced carrots.
Then came the zucchini and potatoes. Usually I wouldn’t add potatoes to a Thai dish, but like I said, try various combos of produce for different textures and flavors.
Add the coconut milk.
And then brown sugar.
Then add some water.
And then some Tamari or soy sauce. You can even use Braggs if you like.
As the Squirrel Nut Zippers say ‘Put A Lid On It’ and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and poke a potato with your knife to see if it is tender.
Now add in your green beans.
Simmer it again for another 5 minutes until the green beans are heated through.
Now remove the lemon grass stalks.
Now take a taste to see if it needs any salt or pepper. It most likely will.
…and ours did.
We served this meal with some steamed brown rice and a wonderful Pinot Noir.
I plated it with some of the last of our summer gardens basil. Try this one out…it’s simply delish!
