Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Kale

Like most people I know in DC, I have a weakness for great Asian takeout. I'm fortunate that there are a good number of places for Thai and Vietnamese in my neighborhood, and a new Laotian restaurant is going in right around the corner from my condo.

Not only do I like to order from any number of these places, I like to make my own Asian takeout. Because I cook with Asian flavors a lot, I usually have a stockpile of the ingredients necessary to whip up a dish pretty easily. As mentioned in previous blog posts, my neighborhood CSA presents me with a regular opportunity to support Pennsylvania farmers, while enjoying great seasonal vegetables. This week's offering included baby kale so this recipe was a no brainer.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp and Kale (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. dried rice noodles
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 TB chopped fresh garlic
• 1 TB chopped fresh ginger
• 2 TB Thai green curry paste
• 1 1/4 cups matchstick-cut carrots
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 1 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk
• 6 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. grated lime rind
• 1 1/2 tsp. lime juice

Directions:

Cook rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions,garlic, and ginger. Saute 1 minute. Stir in curry paste, saute for 30 seconds. Add carrots, chicken stock, and coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Fold in kale, sprinkle with salt. Cook 3 minutes or until the kale is wilted. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, top with cilantro, lime rind and juice. Serve over the rice noodles. 

Tom Yum Goong (Hot and sour prawn soup)

One of the highlights of the Thai cooking class was making this soup and seeing just how spicy each chef would make their version. We learned how to make two versions of this soup, one of which was a creamy version which uses a few additional ingredients to give it a creamy, cooler taste.

The way to increase the heat in this soup is to add one chili at a time. For those who just like spicy food (and I'll put the clarifier here of 'white people spicy') then just one chili pepper is plenty to give it a nice kick. However, if you like spicier foods, you can add additional chili peppers to increase the heat. I made mine with 2, but I think I could have brought it up to 3. Two of our chefs opted to go the three-chili route and their soup was right up my spice level alley. You be the judge on what kind of heat you want to bring.

Tom Yum Goong (serves 2)

Ingredients for making prawn stock

• 7 oz raw prawns
• 4 cups of water or vegetable stock (cabbage, carrot, and coriander)

Directions for making prawn stock

Remove the prawn heads. Peel the prawns' shells, leaving the tails intact. Using a sharp knife, slit each prawn down the back and devein. Keep heads and shells, set the prawns aside.

Make stock by putting the heads and the shells of the prawns in boiling water with vegetable stock and braing back to boil for 5-10 minutes until they are deep orange.

Ingredients for making soup

• 1 TB of Galangal or Thai ginger (skin removed/cut into thick slices)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (rip off stem and torn into pieces)
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, sliced into 1 inch long
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 1 lime, cut into 3 wedges
• 1 1/2 oz mushrooms
• 1 tomato, cut into 8 pieces
• 1-5 small green chillies, finely chopped (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 2 TB fish sauce

Directions for making soup

Remove the prawn peelings and bring the stock back to a boil.

Add all vegetables into the pot, except the lime, then boil them for 2 minutes and follow with the prawns and fish sauce.

Cook for 10-20 seconds until the prawns are completely cooked through then turn the heat off and add lime juice.

Stir well and serve, can sprinkle with coriander for garnish.

****To make a creamy version, add 2 tsp of Tom Yum paste or Thai chili paste and half a cup of coconut cream or plain condensed milk.