Recipe Makeover: Shrimp with Turmeric and Kaffir Lime Leaves

My Kaffir Lime tree (best xmas present ever) has gotten a little leggy, so it was time to prune it back. So what can I do with a few leaves on a weeknight?  I feel like making a curry or tom yam soup, so I hit the Google. I have some frozen shrimp, and some about-to-bolt lettuce in the garden, so what could I do for a light meal with what I had?

I came up with two recipes: One from Ming Tsai which sounded simple but perhaps not very adventurous, and one from a spice company that added a couple more flavors in that sounded like they’d work together well. I then kicked it up a little bit (neither recipe used fish sauce? no garlic?), making the flavors closer to tom som (green papaya salad). This made a nice light meal for two, with a little left over for lunch.

Sorry, no photos today — we ate it too quickly.

Recipe: Shrimp with Turmeric and Kaffir Lime Leaves

12 oz (340g) frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled, deveined
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 to 1 jalapeno chile, sliced into rings
2 full (double) kaffir lime leaves, center vein removed and shredded
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) turmeric
a few grinds of black pepper
juice of 2 limes
1 Tbs fish sauce

3 cups leaf lettuce, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup scallions, sliced into fine rings
juice of 1.5 limes
2 Tbs (30ml) olive oil
large pinch of sugar
pinch of salt and a few more grinds of pepper
2 full (double) kaffir lime leaves, center vein removed and minced

1. Combine the shrimp, onion, chile, shredded leaves, turmeric, pepper, the juice of two limes and fish sauce in a nonreactive bowl and marinate for ten minutes.
2. While the shrimp marinate, prepare the salad using the rest of the ingredients.  Toss to mix flavors
3. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat with the oil
4. Drain and discard any liquid from the marinading bowl, and add everything but the shrimp to the hot pan, stir fry until the onions have softened just a bit (a minute or so)
5. Add the shrimp and continue to stir fry until they are opaque
6. Remove from heat
7. Distribute the salad on plates, top with the cooked shrimp/onion/chile

 

Bachelor Chow: Clams with Egg Noodles and Chile Jam from “Simple Thai Food”

I feel like I’m starting to get in a rut: Sue’s out for the evening, it’s time for Asian seafood. Clams with chile jam, egg noodles and basil, while tasty, did not come out quite as awesome as it sounded.

Tiger Cry Beef – from “Simple Thai Food” by Leela Punyaratabandhu

Last week, a beautiful new cookbook arrived, authored by fellow Chicago-area cook Leela Punyaratabandhu. You may know her better as “SheSimmers” – a blog on home Thai cooking. The day I received it, I made a batch of Panang (Phanaeng) Curry, which I didn’t photograph, and last night a batch of Tiger Cry Beef. There’s no doubt in my mind that this book is a winner.

Bachelor Chow Weekend: That’s no ordinary tuna sandwich

Leftover seared tuna, pretty darn nice on its own, becomes an awesome sandwich.

Signs of Warm Weather: Nuea Nam Tok

My favorite warm-weather meal is the Thai salad Nuea Nam Tok, or “Waterfall Beef.” It’s named for the drops of juice that form on the top surface of the steak as you grill it, the sign that it’s ready to flip, or if already flipped, then it’s time to serve. It’s finally warm enough in Chicago to run the grill regularly, open the back door and get some fresh air in the house, but this dish is even better on a hot summer day: no fat other than what’s in the steak, fresh vegetables, and a bright, herby dressing.