Menu Food Thai Beef & Pineapple Curry

I first tried this gourmet-style Thai curry in a high-end Thai restaurant and have been working to perfect the recipe every since. I'm pretty happy with it, and I think you will be too. This unique and beautiful curry is extremely flavorful - it's also simple and fun to make. It features a combination of tender beef with chunks of juicy pineapple and ripe tomatoes in an easy-to-make yellow curry sauce for a true taste sensation! Serve with steamed rice for a delicious, nutritious meal that's beautiful to serve guests as well as for everyday eating. ENJOY!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: SERVES 4

Ingredients:
•2 beef steaks, sliced thinly on a bias (on an angle), fat left on
•1 can thick coconut milk
•1 small to medium cooking onion, sliced into rings
•1+1/2 to 2 cups pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
•1+1/2 to 2 cups cherry tomatoes
•2-3 Tbsp. oil
•1/4 cup chicken or beef stock
•2-3 Tbsp. sherry or red wine
•2 bay leaves
•handful fresh coriander or basil
•CURRY PASTE:
•1 stalk fresh lemongrass, thinly sliced, OR 2 Tbsp. frozen/bottled prepared lemongrass
•1-2 fresh red chilies, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crush chili (from the spice aisle)
•3-4 cloves garlic
•1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
•3/4 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar in Asian stores)
•3/4 tsp. turmeric
•1/2 tsp. ground coriander
•2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation:
1.Place all 'Curry Paste' ingredients in your food processor or blender. Add up to 1/4 can of the coconut milk to help blend ingredients. Blitz well and set aside.
2.Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl around, then add the onion rings. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, until starting to brown, then add the stock. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until most of the stock has disappeared. Using a slotted spoon, pick out half of the rings and reserve in a bowl for later. Leave the rest in the pan.
3.Turn heat back up to high or medium-high and add the beef plus a little more oil if necessary. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes until beef is browned. Add the sherry or wine as you stir-fry, a little at a time, to keep ingredients sizzling and add additional flavor.
4.Add the curry paste plus most of the remaining coconut milk, reserving roughly 1/4 cup for later. Also add the bay leaves. If using fresh pineapple, add it now as well (canned pineapple will be added later). Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.
5.Reduce heat to low. Cover and let the curry simmer 20 to 45 minutes, depending on how much time you have (the longer the beef simmers, the more tender it will be). Stir occasionally.
6.Add the tomatoes plus canned pineapple (if using). Simmer another 10 minutes, until tomatoes have softened.
7.Reduce heat to low and add remaining coconut milk plus reserved onion rings, gently stirring them in. Taste-test the curry for salt, spice, and sweetness, adding more fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough, or more chili for more heat. If you'd like a sweeter curry, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet, add another Tbsp. lime or lemon juice.
8.Top the curry with fresh coriander and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice. ENJOY!

Menu Thai Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Food

This Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry is healthy and colorful with robust flavors that are easy to stir up. Along with the broccoli, you can add red bell pepper or, for those who like it spicy, red chili peppers. The stir fry sauce is simple to make but complex in taste, making for a lively taste combination when fried up together with the beef and vegetables. Just serve this Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with rice and you have a complete meal that also makes for delcious leftovers. ENJOY!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
•SERVES 2
•3/4 lb. (.350 kg) beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced into strips
•3 Tbsp. soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp. sugar
•1/4 tsp. coursely ground black pepper
•1 large head broccoli (or 2 small), chopped into florets
•optional: 1 red bell pepper, chopped
•optional: 1 red chili, thinly sliced
•1/2 onion, roughly chopped
•2 Tbsp. chopped galangal OR fresh ginger
•STIR FRY SAUCE:
•2 Tbsp. fish sauce
•1/2 tsp. cornstarch
•3 Tbsp. dry sherry (or cooking sherry)
•2 Tbsp. oyster flavored sauce (I use Kikkoman brand)
•2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. lime juice
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1+1/2 tsp. sugar
•1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
•2 Tbsp. fresh coriander leaves and stems, finely chopped
•OTHER:
•2 tsp. sesame oil
•extra handful of fresh coriander (for garnish)
•2 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
•1/4 cup water


Preparation:

1.Pour the soy sauce and sugar mixture over the strips of beef. Season with the ground black pepper and stir well. Set beef aside to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

2.Place the fish sauce in a cup or small bowl. Add the cornstarch and stir until it dissolves. Now add all the other stir-fry sauce ingredients and stir to combine.

3.Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil plus the onion, ginger, and fresh chili (if using). Stir-fry briefly to release the fragrance (about 1 minute).

4.Add the beef together with its soy sauce marinade. Stir-fry 5 minutes, or until beef is cooked. If your wok becomes dry, add a Tbsp. of water.

5.Add the broccoli plus the red bell pepper (if using). Also add the stir-fry sauce plus 1/4 cup water.

6.Stir-fry until broccoli turns bright green and has softened slightly but is still fairly firm - about 2 minutes.

7.Remove from heat and do a taste test. If too salty for your taste, add a little more lime juice. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If not spicy enough, add a little more cayenne pepper.

8.Drizzle the sesame oil over and serve immediately with generous sprinklings of fresh coriander. ENJOY!