Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Thai-Style Stir Fry #recipe by @LeslieKarst

 

What I crave this time of year—when it’s cold and rainy like today (yes, even in Hawai'i!)—is a healthy dose of brightly-colored, crunchy vegetables, to remind me of summer.

The other night, I had some nice veggies and basil in the fridge, so I decided to make a Thai-style stir fry. (The ingredient list that follows for the vegetables is merely a suggestion; feel free to use whatever ones strike your fancy.) 




 Ingredients

 

1 can coconut milk

1 teaspoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice (bottled is fine)

 

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 sm. heads broccoli

2 bell peppers (or 6-7 of the tiny ones)

1 onion

1 eggplant 

pineapple chunks (optional) 

chopped basil

pine nuts (for garnish)



Directions

Chop up the veggies into bite-size pieces.

that’s a daiquiri in the bottom right, made from
fresh Meyer lemons
 

Pour the coconut milk into a medium saucepan (as it has a tendency to boil over) Add to it the red curry paste, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. (You might want to add these ingredients to taste; you’ll know if it needs more umami, salt, or sugar.) Bring this mixture up to a simmer and cook for about fifteen minutes, in order to reduce it. 

Now to stir-fry the veggies. When you stir-fry vegetables, you should commence with the ones that take the longest to cook (in this case, the broccoli). Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until it's shimmering, then add the broccoli and cook, stirring/tossing often. When it's about half-way done, add the bell peppers to the pan and continue stir frying.

notice how the color of the coconut milk has changed,
with the addition of the other ingredients


Next go in the onions, then the eggplant. ( I had cut a fresh pineapple up into spears that afternoon, and decided on the spur of the moment to add some of it to the mix, too.)



When the veg are all cooked—but still crunchy—pour the now somewhat thickened curry sauce into the wok, and add coarsely-chopped basil.


 

Stir it all up, then serve over steamed rice, topped with a sprinkling of pine nuts.

 

 

🌱  🍆  🌿

 


The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California.

An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.


Leslie’s website
Leslie also blogs with Chicks on the Case
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Leslie on Instagram


Look what's coming from Leslie this April! 

(now available for pre-order here)



 
"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

 

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine



THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH

the newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here!

 


 

Praise for THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH:

 

“A page turner for me from the very first chapter, THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH had everything I’m looking for in a mystery and more.”

Lisa K's Book Reviews



"[An] enjoyable fifth outing for Santa Cruz, Calif., chef Sally Solari.... This well-done culinary cozy should win new fans for the ever enterprising Sally."

Publishers Weekly




All five Sally Solari Mysteries are available through AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Bookshop.


 




8 comments:

  1. Sounds yummy. Thanks!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a recent convert to coconut milk -- it's such a great addition to soups and curries that it's become a pantry staple for us.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, me too--I now buy it by the case at Costco!

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    2. Don't make the mistake of getting the low fat version. It pales in comparison for flavor with regular coconut milk.

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  3. I love stir frys - so easy and versatile.

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  4. Yes, they're great for those cleaning-out-the-fridge days!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brilliantly conceived and executed.

    ReplyDelete