Thai Basil Pesto

Our Thai basil plant is pretty big, even though it's the small leaves plant, not the good big leaves plant. Although, a rogue Thai basil plant with the good leaves has been growing in the raised planter box on the porch, which is crazy.  I harvested from both.
Anyways, I took this recipe from combination of 3 different websites, although there are even more with variants with added soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar.

Main thing is that Eric really liked it! Said one of his fave in a long time.

Ingredients:

-4 cups Thai basil - did about 4 cups (not packed), but could have used more

-1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - roughly estimated about a half of a wedge?

-1/2 cup roasted peanuts - did an extra 1/8 cup probably

-2 tsp brown sugar 

-1/2 TBSP salt - didn't need because the Parmesan was salty

-4 cloves garlic

-1 inch ginger

-4 "chilis" - I used Serranos from the garden that were a bit mild

-2 TBSP sesame oil

-1 TBSP lime juice (used 1 lime)

-1 TBSP oyster sauce

-1 tsp fish sauce - used less because of Eric

-1/3 cup olive oil - could have used less

Served with:

-Chicken (marinated in garlic powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, splash of fish sauce, lime or rice wine vinegar) 

--Cooked chicken with shallot, garlic, serranos, pequins, chili de arbols

-Veggies: 1 yellow onion, 2 zucchini, 1 green BP, 1 red BP

-Pasta

Directions:

1. Chop veggies - set aside

2. Chop pesto ingredients: garlic, ginger, chilis

3. Roast peanuts: 325 degrees: 8-10 min

4. Pick Thai basil

5. Make pesto in Cuisinart and set aside: Parmesan cheese --> peanuts + brown sugar --> wet ingredients --> olive oil 

6. Cook chicken on stove + veggies in oven

Thai Green Curry

Recipe taken from recipetineats.com

--I wasn't sure because I messed with the amounts and order of things if it was going to turn out ok, and it turned out great! Eric really liked it. 

--He wanted it less saucy/liquidy, too, so I halved the liquid. I used half of the full fat can + half cup of chicken broth and am wondering if I should have just gotten the lite can since making less liquidy.

--I also used more ginger and garlic than recommended as usual and that worked out. Didn't have the lemongrass paste though.

--I cooked chicken in the pan first, then created a hole in middle to cook or "dry out" the curry paste, but maybe try the curry paste in pan first, then add the chicken so as not to overcook the chicken. Also, original recipe has me adding the liquids to pan before chicken, but I like a nice sear on the chicken.

--Apparently, I made this one before and didn't see from Dec 2023 (I deleted) I marinated the coconut milk and broth with lemongrass prior to adding to drain out the lemongrass, but since I didn't have lemongrass this time, didn't do. Also, as I mentioned, don't cook the chicken after the broth because it's too "boiled." Also, I cooked with eggplant last time and just not a good veggie for us (too chewy)

Ingredients:

-1 jar of green curry paste

-garlic (1 head)

-ginger (1 inch piece)

-1 tbsp lemongrass paste (didn't have)

-1 cup low sodium chicken broth (used 1/2 cup)

-1 can full fat coconut milk (Thai Kitchen Organic) (used 1/2 can)

-1 tsp fish sauce (used 1/2 tsp)

-1 tsp sugar (used 1/2 tsp)

-6 kaffir lime leaves (didn't have)

-thai basil leaves

-lime as garnish

VEGGIES used: 2 bell peppers, 1 yellow onion (2 small in this case), 1 zucchini, and 1 bag of snap peas + 8 or so small serranos from the garden

Directions:

1. Marinated chicken with salt/pepper/garlic + 1 tsp or so of the green curry paste jar

2. Prep and bake veggies in oven - added salt/pepper/thai spice, and some of the chopped garlic/ginger

3. Heat oil in pan - curry paste + ginger + garlic + lemongrass + serranos - cook ~2 min until "dries out"

4. Add chicken 

5. Add broth and coconut milk (half if you want less saucy)

6. Add fish sauce and sugar (try adding/mixing to broth beforehand?)

7. Add kaffir lime leaves and bring to simmer

8. Add snap peas or snow pea leaves

9. Add everything to bowl and add thai basil leaves - garnish with lime wedge

Ginger Lemongrass Soup with Coconut Milk

Recipe modified from CookingOnTheWeekends

I thought it was pretty good. Eric said he liked it a lot.

Able to use the lemongrass from the garden

I added a lot of jalapeno, but because it was cooked, not as spicy as I would have liked.  

Try serranos next time. And if still not spicy enough, red pepper flakes.

Used the cuisinart and added the cooked ginger/lemongrass/garlic/jalapenos to the chicken.

I also added veggies.  I think subsequent days, it was not as good on reheat.  Eric agreed.  

Maybe zucchini got soggy, so try snap peas next time? Would also consider adding cherry tomatoes

Added scallions like recipe, but don't think it was a good add esp if using cilantro

Try marinating chicken beforehand

Ingredients

-Lemongrass - 4 stalks (I used a lot more)

-Ginger - 1/2 cup roughly chopped

-Garlic cloves - 3 cloves smashed (I used a lot more)

-jalapenos - use serranos next time!

-8 cups vegetable stock (used 4 or 1 box)

-1 1/2 cups coconut milk (preferably not light) - I used 1 can 

-1 TBSP red curry paste

-VEGGIES: bell pepper, onion, zucchini....maybe use snap peas/cherry tomatoes next time?

-chicken 

-cilantro, thai basil, lime to taste

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken - didn't do before, but would use the red curry paste, lime, other seasonings

1. Prep lemongrass - cut, peel, and smash with knife

2. Infuse lemon grass, chopped ginger, garlic cloves, serranos to pot with coconut milk + stock

3. Boil, bring heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 min.  Turn off heat and infuse for another 45 min

4. Strain liquid in separate bowl - pick out lemongrass and half the ginger - cuisinart the rest

5. Cook chicken with the cuisinarted stuff + jalapenos/serranos

6. Cook veggies with the coconut liquid

Gordon Ramsay's Malaysian Chicken Curry

Recipe taken from food.com

--For red chiles, I used 3 garden salsa chilis from the garden and 1 serrano.  I got scared and took out seeds from a few, but because I'm cooking them, it wasn't hot enough! So next time, keep the seeds.

--First time using the lemongrass from the garden, but I wasn't sure on how to harvest and likely didn't take enough. To harvest, I had to slice them lengthwise to find the soft part and discard the tough parts and any tough outer layers.

--could try using diced chicken breast instead of chicken thighs next time

--I suggested using cubed bell peppers and onions instead of green beans, but Eric and Jasmine said they liked it the way it was cooked

--Didn't see where I used the turmeric again in the recipe

--I had to buy the shallots and kaffir lime leaves from Tim's Oriental Market

Ingredients for curry paste:

-5 garlic cloves

-4 to 5 long red chilies (don't take out the seeds)

-2 lemongrass

-5 cm piece fresh ginger root

-4 shallots

-1 tsp ground turmeric

-2 Tbsp oil (used avocado)

Ingredients for curry dish:

-Chicken thighs (1.5-2 lbs) cubed--> try chicken breasts next time

-1 Tbsp oil

-1 tsp ground turmeric

-2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

-4 kaffir lime leaves

-1 cinnamon stick

-3 star anise

-1 can of light coconut milk

-100 mL chicken stock

-1 tsp palm sugar (or soft brown sugar) - I actually used dark brown sugar all I had

-2 Tbsp light soy sauce

-2 Tbsp fish sauce

-green beans (800 g in recipe - I used about 1.5 lbs

-salt and pepper

-cilantro for garnish

-avocado for garnish

Directions:

1. Cut chicken, and salt/pepper - set aside

2. Cut onions and green beans - set aside

3. Combine chicken stock (to 100 ml), coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce - set liquid aside

4. Set aside dries: lime leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise

5. Make curry paste - Combine garlic, chillies, lemongrass, ginger, shallots in Cuisinart

6. Heat oil in large pan with med heat --> add curry past + 1 tsp ground turmeric

7. Add onions and stir for 5 min

8. Add chicken in pan and stir to coat

9.  Add liquids and dries and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook gently for half and hour to an hour until chicken tender (about 30 min fine - cooked rice and washed dishes during this time)

10.  Skim off any excess oil on the surface (wasn't much)

11.  Add beans and cover for another few min until beans tender (Eric likes his beans crunchy)

12. Serve with cilantro, avocado, and jasmine rice.

*Asian, Malaysian, Thai

Slow Cooker Thai Basil Chicken Curry

Recipe taken from Closet Cooking.

Ingredients:
-1 lb chicken breast
-1 can coconut milk (I used whole milk)
-1 Tbsp curry powder
-1 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)
-1 Tbsp lime juice (or rice vinegar - I used this)
-1 Tbsp coconut sugar (DOES NOT NEED, DO NOT ADD)
-1 onion, diced
-1 jalapeno, diced (seeds and all)
-4 cloves garlic, cuisinart-ed
-1 Tbsp ginger, cuisinart-ed
-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
-1/3 cup basil, chopped

Directions:
1. Place all in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours
2. Shred chicken
3. Add in cilantro and basil before serving

Notes:
-Was spicy with the whole jalapeno, but would keep it that way
-I think my slow cooker cooks fast or too high on low, so it was fully cooked in 4 hrs (maybe even less)
-Was too sweet, so would not add sugar next time

*Thai

Thai Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce

Used a couple of different websites for this one.  May need to look up more to continue to tweak it.
My Sugar Free Kitchen, Beauty from Burnt Toast, and JoCooks

Meatballs:
~1 cup of breadcrumbs (toasted 2 slices of bread and Cuisinart-ed)
1 inch ginger (2 inches was Cuisinart-ed to use in sauce, too)
3 garlic (3 + 2 were Cuisinart-ed to use in sauce, too)
1 jalapeno pepper (I chopped with glove and kept seeds/insides, could have been spicier)
1/4 cup chopped white onion (I forgot to do)
1 tsp chili paste (didn't have - next time use more red pepper flakes on top of jalapenos)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce (may try without in future bc it was salty)
1 Tbsp red curry paste
Pepper for taste
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
*Didn't add - Thai basil/Basil

Peanut sauce (had doubled from original):
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic (see above, already Cuisinart-ed)
1 inch ginger (see above, already Cuisinart-ed)
1 can of lite coconut milk
5 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter (1/4 cup = 4 Tbsp, so use a little more than 1/4 cup)
2 tsp honey
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lime juice
2 Tbsp red curry paste
Lots of red pepper flakes (didn't have 1 Tbsp chili paste)

Directions for meatballs:
1. Make Jasmine rice
2. Cuisinart the toast - set aside to dry
3. Cuisinart the garlic - set aside half for the sauce - add to bowl
4. Cuisinart the ginger - set aside half for the sauce - add to bowl
5. Chop jalapeno - keep the insides - add to bowl
6. Chop the onion - add to bowl
7. Add the red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fish sauce, red curry paste, pepper
8. Whisk egg - add to bowl
9. Add the chicken or turkey
10. Add the bread crumbs - Mix with hand
11. Use Tbsp spoon to put onto pan - put in oven for 400 degrees for 15-20 min

Directions for peanut sauce
(Cook veggies while making peanut sauce?)
1. Mix honey, soy sauce, lime juice, red curry paste, and red pepper flakes in bowl
2. Sauté garlic and ginger with sesame oil
3. Add coconut milk and stir for 1 min
4. Add peanut butter and stir for 1 min
5. Add rest of ingredients
6. Keep warm on stove

Veggies:
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow onion
1 bag of snap peas
1 avocado on top

Notes: Original recipe called for 4 Tbsp peanut butter, but I added an extra while tasting it.  Tasted a bit watery.  Eric's recipe had 1 full cup of peanut butter.
It was a lot of work.  Eric mentioned just using chicken and peanut sauce without the meatball part.  Would try cooking one more time now that I know how to do the order of things.
There was a low level spice, but could have been spicier.

I like the ground chicken because HEB packaged more than 1 lb.  It was pretty mushy when using.

*Thai

*Asian

Thai Basil Chicken

Don't ever make again - ERIC HATES IT ALL THE TIME

baked veggies with garlic and garlic didn't get cooked enough too bitey.

Last Sunday, I made Thai Basil Chicken from Skinnytaste. 2nd time around, I made Chef John's Allrecipes with the Thai Basil from the garden, and Eric liked it better. Updated all the changes.

Ingredients:
-1 package of chicken tenders sliced into cubes
-1/3 cup of chicken broth (FORGOT)
-1 tbsp oyster sauce
-1 tbsp light soy sauce
-1 tsp fish sauce
-1 tsp coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar) - KEY bc Eric said it needed something sweet last time
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-1 serrano chile, sliced thin (kept all seeds)
-1 shallot thinly sliced 
-avocado oil
-1 cup Thai basil (didn't have to slice because small from the garden)

-1 lime juice
EXTRA - 1 red bell pepper + 2 green bell peppers + 1 yellow onion
EXTRA (alt) -  broccoli

Directions:
1. Mix chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar + LIME JUICE 
2. Marinate chicken with above
3. Gather Thai basil from garden
4. Cuisinart garlic
5. Thinly slice serrano chili and shallots + cut veggies
6. In pan (used the silver pan), heat avocado oil --> add garlic + serrano chili + shallots --> cook 30 seconds
7. Add chicken and cook on high heat (around 7 or 8 on stove)
8. Take off heat into bowl, and mix in Thai basil
9. Depending on veggies, cook bell peppers and onions in pan or oven - can add soy sauce/oyster sauce/garlic powder/thai seasoning

Served with jasmine rice.

Notes:
This updated version was better received than before.  I think it was the coconut sugar, cutting meat into cubes, and the real Thai basil.

Forgot the chicken broth and shallots from Chef John's recipe, but want to try next time.

*This time around, I did NOT use chicken broth, but used lime juice. Had extra water added to oyster sauce bottle to clean it out, so next time I make, will see how it goes without the broth (or extra water)

*Thai

*Asian