How about some authentic Thai comfort food in the comfort of your own home? ( I realize I said comfort twice! This dish is that comforting!). It is made with shrimp seared in sesame oil, snow peas, red bell pepper, in a simple sauce with coconut milk and red curry. It is served with a helping of brown rice, a splash of lime and a touch of cilantro. This really is an easy dish to make, but oh so special!
Here's what you need: (to serve 4)
1 lb fresh, large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz,. snow peas
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
12-15 oz. lite coconut milk
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t fish sauce
1-3 T red curry paste (according to your taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 t sesame oil, divided
1 lime, cut in wedges for garnish
Cooked brown rice to serve
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the rice and keep warm. Prepare all the ingredients. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Add shrimp and cook for about two minutes or until browned. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. ( the shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce). Rinse and wipe out pan and use it for the sauce.
To make the sauce, Add the other teaspoon of sesame oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, snow peas, bell pepper, and cook about five minutes. Add coconut milk, and stir in a little red curry paste at a time to your taste, stirring well to fully incorporate the curry paste into the sauce, and add the fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, cilantro (saving a little to garnish) and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to simmer and cook about five minutes until sauce is slightly thickened and shrimp is cooked (reaches an internal temperature of 145).
To plate the dish. Place rice in a shallow plate or bowl and ladle the curry sauce around it. Garnish with a squeeze of lime and a few cilantro leaves. Delish! Thai food at home! Enjoy! Remember, there are hungry people everywhere.....so feed them well!