Thai Red Curry with Flat Rice Noodles and Peanut Dip

Ever tried cooking Thai food at home?? Not only is it delicious , but quiet flavourfull too. And the best part , you can make it with the available ingredients at home.......
For the ones who are quiet new to thai food , heres a short overview.

Thai cuisine is also heavily influenced by Indian spices and flavors, which is evident in its famous green, red, and yellow curries. Although Thai curry incorporates many Indian spices in its pastes, it still has its own unique flavor with the addition of local spices and ingredients, such as Thai holy basil, lemongrass, and galangal (Thai ginger). 

A typical Thai meal includes four main seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. 

The plain rice, sticky rice or the Thai rice noodles served alongside a spicy Thai curry or stir-fry, tends to counteract the spiciness.

Thai cooking is simple, quick and healthy.The ingredients like lemongrass, basil, galangal that add the unique flavor to the Thai food if not available can be substituted with lemon zest, tulsi leaves, and ginger. To make it more simpler I have used the regular khara peanuts that you get in the market. So now you just have to remove the chilka and you have your roasted peanuts. I have used the ready made tetra packed coconut milk but you can extract milk from one coconut.

So..... as you see it is not tiresome at all.

Today I have tried to make a filling Thai Meal, so lets go Thaiii!!!!!!!!!!!


Ingredients:


For the Red Thai Curry
(I have made chicken curry but vegetables can be used instead if chicken)

200 gms                 Boneless Chicken
3 to 4                      Mushrooms
1/2 each                 Red, Yellow Bell Peppers
3 tsp                       Oil 
1/2 tsp                    Soya sauce
1/2 tsp                    Namak Shamak
1/2 tsp                    Sugar

For the red curry paste

4 to 5                      Red chillies (De seeded Kashmiri chillies soaked in warm water for 10 mins)
8 to 10 flakes        Garlic
1 inch piece          Ginger
1                            Onion
2 inch piece          Lemon Grass (use the base part)
or 1 tsp                  Lemon Zest
1 tsp                      Jeera
2 tsp                      Coriander
6 to 7                     Pepper Corns
1 tsp                      Vinegar

Roast the jeera and coriander. Grind all the ingredients together to a fine paste. 


Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, add the red curry paste and fry till the oil separates, Now add the chicken and stir. Add the coconut milk, soya sauce and salt. Cook covered on low heat for 10 mins. Now add the mushrooms, bell peppers and sugar. You can add any vegetables here. Put 1/2 cup water and cook for 2 more mins. Garnish with basil leaves and serve. This curry can be served with plain rice or plain noodles.


For Flat Rice Noodles:


100 gms              Rice Noodles
1/2 cup                Peanuts
1 tsp                    Crushed Garlic
3 tsp                    Tomato ketchup
1/2 tsp                 Namak Shamak
8 to 10                 Basil leaves
2 tsp                    Oil





Method:


Boil 6 to 7 cups of water and remove from the heat. Add the noodles, cover and leave them for 1 to 2 mins. Drain the water and refresh with cold water. Strain and add oil to them and mix.

Heat oil and add garlic and peanuts. Saute and toss in the noodles, tomato ketchup and  salt. Mix well and fry for 3 to 4 mins. Add the basil leaves while serving.

For the Peanut Dip:


1/2 cup                 Roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp                  Chilli Powder
1 tsp                     Coriander Powder
1 tsp                     Jeera Powder
4 to 5 flakes         Garlic
1                            Onion
1/2 tsp                  Sugar
1 tsp                     Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp                  Soya sauce
1/4 tsp                  Namak Shamak
1 tsp                     Oil





Method:


Grind the peanuts, chilli powder, jeera and coriander powder finely.


Heat oil and add the crushed garlic and saute till the garlic becomes golden brown. Add the onion and cook till soft. Now add the peanut mixture. Add 2 to 3 tsp of water, sugar, lemon juice, soya sauce and salt and cook for 3 to 4 mins. Serve, garnished with peanuts.