A Bunch of Burts

One of my friends has been encouraging me to participate in Menu Plan Monday, a weekly peek into the kitchens of ladies from all over. Laura, at I’m an Organizing Junkie sponsors this menu share every week.

I don’t know about you, but somedays, I just cannot think of yet another meal to make and serve.

Good thing I love to read cookbooks.

When we still lived in Brinnon, we all loved the weekly trip to the Bookmobile for our fix of books and videos. The Bookmobile librarians were so faithful to keep the cookbook section stocked with fresh selections each week. I happily perused them each week, highlighting new recipes and adding them to my ever growing file of ” To Try”.

Not only did my file folder with all those wonderful recipes disappear into postal oblivion, but there is no Bookmobile, let alone library for me here in Chaing Mai.

Enter Laura’s Menu Plan Monday.

I enjoy checking out what others are cooking up and have gleaned some great new recipes too.

Maybe I can give someone else a new idea, or remind them of a loved but lost or forgotten idea for dinner. Share and share alike, right?

Monday: Potato Soup
Tuesday: Gaeng Kiaw Waan (Green curry with chicken), Rice, Fruit (recipe below)
Wednesday: Dinner at the Grace cafe
(Zach and Leah have basketball games, and it is only 25 -or so- baht a plate. 1$=34B)
Thursday: Gai Pat Met Mamuang (Cashew Chicken), Rice and cucumbers
Friday: Enchiladas and Spanish Rice
Saturday: leftovers
Sunday: Apples, popcorn, cheese and muffins

I will try to remember to take pictures on Thursday when I make the Cashew Chicken. Pictures make it so much easier to explain.

Gaeng Kiaw Waan
Green curry packet
coconut milk (two cans or boxes)
Chicken, sliced and diced (enough for your family)
round green eggplants, or potatoes, or carrots (chunked)
bamboo shoot slices (optional)
sweet basil leaves- 1 cup
kaffir lime leaves (whole or minced)
fish sauce- 2Tbl
sugar- 2tsp

In a hot wok or sauce pan, combine 1/2 can of coconut milk and packet of green curry. Stir to mix, and cook 2-3 minutes on high heat. Add chicken and stir until white. (Does not have to be cooked through at this point)
Add remaining coconut milk (1 1/2 cans).
When it is boiling, add the vegetables.
Cook until vegetable is softened.
Add fish sauce (Don’t be afraid here. I know fish sauce smells awful, but it helps to create the overall flavor)
Add sugar. (This is sort of to taste. Start with just 1 tsp and see how you like it)
Add lime leaf and 1/2 of basil.
Stir to combine.
Turn off heat and add the remaining basil leaves, but do not stir.
Serve with rice and garnished with sliced red chilis.

My first try at making this curry was at a cooking school. Not hard at all, especially if you use prepared curry paste. Give it a try!

If you want more ideas, see what others are cooking at Laura’s site.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 18th, 2008 at 7:17 am and is filed under Recipes/Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.