Thai Shrimp Curry

Just thinking of this recipe makes me hungry! It's so satisfying because of the creamy coconut milk and the earthy flavor of the curry spices. If using shrimp, this only takes about 10-15 minutes to cook up!

I made this up just thinking of what would taste good and combining my version of several different curries from various Thai restaurants. I like to make this with chicken too. Leftovers taste REALLY yummy because the flavors set in the sauce longer.

Serves 4.

Ingredients
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-1 tablespoon sesame oil
-1 pound medium shrimp (peeled and de-veined, you can use frozen but make sure to defrost)
-1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and pureed in food processor
-3 garlic cloves, peeled and pureed in food processor
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 cup green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
-1 red pepper, julienned
-1 can coconut milk (I used the light version)
-1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
-salt to taste
-8 ounce can bamboo shoots
-1/2 cup diced cilantro
-1/4 cup diced basil

Assembly
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-Heat sesame oil in large pot and add shrimp, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until shrimp is cooked (if using pre-cooked frozen shrimp, just stir for a minute). Remove shrimp from heat into a serving dish.
-Add green onions and red bell pepper to the pot and saute until cooked, stirring frequently.
-Stir in coconut milk, peanut butter and bamboo shoots. Simmer sauce for a few minutes, then add shrimp back into the pot. Season with salt to taste.
-Prior to serving, stir in cilantro and basil, then serve with white rice.
-Enjoy :)

Thai Coconut Curry

The flavors in this dish are really robust and pronounced, every bite is packed with amazing flavor. I read a bunch of online recipes, and compiled this to accomodate our taste buds and readily available ingredients. The result? Take a wild guess! Better yet, try it for yourself and let me know!

The chunky peanut butter adds bits of peanuts, and adding shredded coconut helps to bring out the coconut flavors without tasting sweet. The lime makes a HUGE difference in this dish, it really emphasizes all the other ingredients.

Ingredients
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-1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
-2 tablespoons oil
-4 diced green onions, whites and greens
-6 cloves fresh minced garlic
- 1 inch piece fresh minced ginger
-1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 can bamboo shoots
-1 can coconut milk
-1/4 cup water
-1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
-1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter (chunky is best, but creamy works too)
-1 teaspoon curry paste (optional)
-1 cup spinach (not authentic, but you can't taste it, and it adds nice color)
-1/2 cup packed fresh minced lemongrass (optional, but it makes a difference)
- 4 squeezed limes
-1 cup fresh minced basil

-salt to taste

Assembly
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-To make in the slow cooker, add all ingredients except for coconut milk and basil and turn on low for 4 hours. Stir in coconut milk and basil during last 15 minutes of cooking.

Stove top:
-Heat oil in pot. Add chicken, green onions, red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic and cook until chicken is halfway cooked.
-Add salt, coconut milk, water, bamboo shoots, lemongrass, peanut butter, curry paste, lime juice and spinach. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
-Add basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve!