I was having friends over the other night for dinner and a movie and I just felt like trying something new. Sushi!My son loves to cook with me, as I've mentioned before, and as one of his holiday gifts he asked for a sushi making kit. Well, he got it in December and it was still in pristine condition last weekend so it was time to get cooking - literally!
I made my own sticky rice (it doesn't take long to cook but it takes a while to clean) and added 2 TBSP of Mirin rice vinegar for some flavor. Then I sliced some cucumber and avocado into very thin strips and rolled it in a rice-lined sheet of nori and topped it with some seaweed salad (that part I bought.) Not only was it really tasty but look how pretty it turned out!
While that made a pretty appetizer, I wanted something more substantive for dinner, so I decided to make my own panang-style coconut curry dish. It's not that I can't follow directions but I'm a little stubborn so I like to see what I can do on my own. The result was the recipe below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
You will need:
4 c coconut milk (low-fat is fine if you prefer) 1.5 TBSP curry powder .5 TBSP finely sliced ginger 1 TBSP chunky peanut butter Salt to taste 1 baby eggplant, large chop 2 c bok choy, sliced 1 c sugar snap peas, ends trimmed Juice of 1 lime 1 TBSP crushed peanuts for garnish 1 TBSP cilantro or flat leaf parsley for garnish
In a large stock pot add the coconut milk, curry powder, ginger and peanut butter. Turn the stove to medium-high heat and add the eggplant to cook along with the broth. It will take 40-45 minutes for the eggplant to be tender enough to enjoy.
Once the eggplant is the right texture, add your bok choy and snap peas. You can also add some crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Just cook for 3-5 minutes to the box choy still has some crispness.
Ladel into a bowl and top with crushed peanuts and cilantro or parsley. You can ever serve it over rice or rice noodles if you have, or add some bite-sized pieces of tofu...
