I am totally excited to share one of my newer recipes with you this week. In the spring session at the culinary school this was definitely one of my favs. I’m going to literally bounce around to many concepts involving this dish. Perhaps you’d better grab a seatbelt!!!
What is a Thai noodle? It’s a noodle made from rice and you can find them in many different formats. In this recipe I used a less expensive rice noodle that cost around 2.18 at the super stores. A flat and straighter version runs about a dollar more per box. If you’re thinking less carbs I’m afraid I’ll be poking a hole in the balloon. The rice noodle is actually higher in carbs than a regular pasta noodle. Who has the lowest carbs when it comes to noodles? Actually, a rather big surprise, it is the Amish egg noodle!
Curry, don’t shy away from this delicious spice. I could probably write an entire thesis on this jewel. The benefits of curry are just phenomenal. First remember the main ingredient in curry is turmeric. Certainly everyone has read about the benefits of this spice. Curries are usually made up of 7-12 different spices, not just curry. Curry is a very small green leaf and by itself, not too powerful. One thing many do not realize is that every Asian family has their own blend of ‘curry’. And usually it’s not just one curry, most households have multiple curries, for different types of recipes. The properties of curry are huge as you’ve probably read over the past few months. Along with turmeric it is fantastic for achy joints, arthritis and so forth. One of the most interesting facts is with the country of India. There is a direct correlation between curry and Alzheimer’s disease. The country has a substantially lower diagnosis and the studies show it is due to the large amounts of curry. Now hold that thought, before you run out and purchase turmeric and curries by the bucket, consult your physician. Usually unless you’re in jesting it in large doses you’ll be fine. However it’s not worth the risk, consult with your physician.
The amount of curry in this recipe is only 1 teaspoon. This is all a ‘first time’ curry person needs to implement. Many guests have told me they don’t like curry very much, but with only one teaspoon they enjoyed the dish. Personally I wouldn’t make it with less than 2 teaspoons. And to think, I used to hate this spice!
Chicken is my choice of meat in this recipe, but there’s literally no reason why you couldn’t switch to shrimp or beef. If shrimp is implemented remember to bring it into the recipe at the very end or the shrimp becomes rubbery.
Never made a burnt butter sauce? This one you’ll like and probably incorporate into other dishes. Brown the butter until it turns to a deep Carmel color and remove from the heat. In my first rendition of this recipe I used an entire stick of butter; my son, Phillip, and I proclaimed it too heavy. That’s when I brought in the chicken stock and pulled back on the butter!
The points I’ve covered are the most important in preparing the dish. The recipe could easily have peanuts, cashews or water chestnuts added. Also consider your favorite vegetables. I’m always leaning towards sugar snaps, carrots and broccoli. For a great opener try a coconut butternut soup.
Enjoy this refreshing recipe. Simply Yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
