Thai Red Chicken Curry

With my vacation ending before I begin my last year at UW-Seattle, I figured I should make a dish that is abundant along what we huskies call "The Ave". You see, "The Ave" is nothing more than a street with blocks upon blocks of restaurants in the University District. It seems every time I walk down The Ave, there's always a new Thai place popping up out of the woodworks.

Thaiger Room, Thai Tom and Banana Leaf are just a few and the list goes on and on. Yes, I do have my favorite place to go to but it seems my favorite place varies with a different dish. From Chicken Pad See Ew at Thaiger Room to Pad Thai at Thai Tom, I felt it's time to do something else than just a noodle dish. This is where Thai Red Chicken Curry comes in.

This is my version of Thai Red Chicken Curry. Trying to stay true to the original but putting my own spin on it, I read pages and pages of recipes and watched various videos to get an idea on what to do and to stay authentic. I knew I didn't want to make a dish that is overly consumed in coconut milk because of its richness, so I added chicken stock to thin it out. I also thought I would need a Jalapeno just in case the curry wasn't spicy and let me tell you, red curry paste is SPICY! BE CAREFUL!! Good thing I didn't use the Jalapeno. Overall, this is what I came up with!

AJ's Secret:

• When you add the Red Curry Paste to the oil, you need to be attentive! It can burn quickly so you need to stir constantly. Immediately add in the chicken to the pot once it becomes fragrant and has a slight change in color.
• When you open up a can of Bamboo Shoots, they have an interesting smell. How can I describe it? When I was in elementary school, we took a field trip to the pumpkin patch. At the pumpkin patch, there were many animals from goats to cows. Bamboo Shoots smelled exactly like being at the pumpkin patch; it was that barnyard kind of smell. To remove some of the smell, I drained and rinsed the bamboo shoots with cold water a couple of times. Then I brought a small pot of water to a boil with about 1 tsp of salt. Blanch the Bamboo Shoots for about 2-3 minutes by adding the Bamboo Shoots to the boiling water. Drain in a colander and rinse w/ cold water. Submerge them in cold water until ready to use.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Recipe by Me

Ingredients
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
2-3 tbsp Red Curry Paste
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
4 Chicken Breasts, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cups Coconut Milk
3/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
2-3 tbsp sugar
1-19 ounce can of Bamboo Shoots in water, blanched
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
4-5 leaves of Thai Basil
Optional:
2-3 slices of Jalapeno if the dish isn't spicy enough

Directions
In a medium sized pot, add the oil and begin to heat on medium. Once hot, add in the Red Curry Paste and shallot. Stir constantly for about one minute until the curry paste has become fragrant. Once fragrant, add in the sliced chicken breast and mix. Cook until the chicken begins to turn from a translucent pink to white and opaque in color.

Once most of the chicken has become opaque and is halfway cook, add in the coconut milk. Mix until the curry paste has been dissolved into the coconut milk and the coconut milk has taken on an orange hue. Finally add in the chicken broth, mix and bring to a boil. Once to a boil, boil for about 5 minutes to cook the chicken.

After the 5 minutes are up, add in the fish sauce and sugar to season. Finally, add in the blanched bamboo shoots and red bell pepper. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

When done, turn off the heat and add in the Thai Basil. Serve with rice.

 -Aaron John

Coconut Cupcakes

These last couple of weeks, I've been bombarded with a plethora of school work! (Don't you just love my sophisticated language? ha). From readings, to assignments, to labs and post labs and now midterms, I have been super busy. I've been SOOOO determined to do extremely well in my full load of classes though so hopefully it will be worth it. Also, I have narrowed my major down to two choices! Either Biochemistry/Pharmacy or Pre-Nursing. I guess we'll find out what I choose by the end of the year! :)

Back to this week's post for Coconut Cupcakes. If you have a facebook account, you may have noticed, in the last couple of weeks, that your friends may be posting a status that says 'I like it on the ___(Fill In The Blank)___". In addition, you may have noticed that only females were posting this. I'm about to de-mystify what this means! So what was this about? Breast Cancer Awareness Month..Duhhhh! lol. How this status relates to Breast Cancer Awareness, I have no clue, but the message does have us ask "Why the status?" and thus, it brings awareness. To bring awareness to Breast Cancer, I made Coconut Cupcakes with a Pink Buttercream. I only felt it would be right to do something for Breast Cancer Awareness since it is this month. Plus, since it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you definitely have to have something Pink inspired. ha. How will you honor Breast Cancer Awareness?

Also, if you still haven't entered my giveaway for a $55 Gift Certificate for CSN Stores, just check out my post for "Love Potion #31 Cookies". You can enter until October 20th.

Results

Taste: The cake had a distinct almond-vanilla flavor which brings out the flavor of the coconut. I wasn't able to test out the cream cheese frosting however...

Texture: Not exactly a soft and fluffy cake. More dense than a regular cupcake but not as dense as a pound cake. The coconut that was mixed into the batter gave a nice textural difference to the cake. 

Tips
-I did not fill the cupcake liners to the top as the recipe says. If you do, your cupcakes will rise too much and bake onto the cupcake pan. I filled mine with about 3 tbsp of batter so about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up.

-Other people have variations of this recipe. I even saw some using toasted coconut instead! :)

Coconut Cupcakes (Makes 24 Cupcakes)

Recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

5 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

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Coconut Macaroons (Filipino Style) And My First Ever Giveaway!! (Giveaway Now Closed)

That's right! The major role you guys play in this blog post is that you guys get to enter my first ever giveaway!! Let me explain a little bit about the giveaway, talk about this week's food creation, then back to the giveaway, okay? Once again, I was approached by CSN stores. Remember how I was able to review a product for CSN? Well, they're back and this time you guys get the opportunity to win something great in my FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY! Trust me, this is a great giveaway!! Definitely give CSN a look see. They have so many great products for your dining room such as Kitchen Tables, for your kitchen such as appliances and baking pans, and even things for dogs! They have so many websites specified to different products that the possibilities are endless. More on this giveaway later. Time for this week's food post.

For a coconut lover, coconut macaroons must be a top favorite because they are so jam-packed full of coconut. That slightly chewiness and "crunchy" texture from the coconut is to die for. However, these aren't any other macaroons. These are the Filipino Coconut Macaroons. I mean, basically all Coconut Macaroons use the same ingredients: eggs, sweetened condensed milk and coconut of course. However, the Filipino Coconut Macaroons are made in paper cups and sometimes a crust. Why did I decide to make these? When I made Granola weeks ago, I used coconut and when my mom saw that, she immediately said "Are you making coconut macaroons?". My mom told me that when she was living in the Philippines, at every wedding anniversary of her parents, her parents' cousins always served the Filipino Coconut Macaroons and it was her favorite. She described it as the same coconut macaroons but the difference was it had a crust to it. So, I went searching for a recipe like that one but no such luck. There was no recipe that contained the crust. I did find a recipe for Macapuno Tarts but my mom said it was different. So, I just made the Filipino Coconut Macaroons with paper cups as stated.

What was the result? These were chewy, had a nice crust to them, moist in the center and had a great texture from the coconut. However, it was a little sweet for my taste so I may reduce the sugar a bit in the future. Overall, really good recipe. My mom even liked it. The recipe will be at the end of this post!

Now, back to my FIRST EVER, SPECTACULAR GIVEAWAY!!! (Now Closed)

Like I said before, I was approached by CSN to do a giveaway this time. What's this SPECTACULAR GIVEAWAY you ask? CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $60 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! Sounds fantastic, right? I don't exactly know what to do for a giveaway but I looked around at how other people formatted their giveaways and here's the criteria to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have THREE chances to enter!! (Be sure to place your email in your comment and, if entering multiple times, make different comments for the entries. It makes it easier for me)

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the fantastic $60 Gift Certificate along with your email.

2. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

**If entering all three times, leave three different comments.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Sunday, August 22, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Great giveaway, right? Remember, have your email in your comment!! The more entries you have, the better chance you have to win!! :DD Good Luck to all!!

Filipino Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients

14 oz. of shredded coconut

14 oz. can condensed milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup butter

½ cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once butter has softened add it to mixing bowl and cream it by gradually adding sugar until blended. Then add vanilla extract, eggs and condensed milk. Mix all ingredients well. Once mixed, add coconut and stir into mixture using a spatula. Once all ingredients are incorporated spoon into mini muffin cups and bake for approx. 15 – 20 minutes until they are slightly golden brown on top.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

Facebook Fan Page

Granola

Oats are one of my favorite things. They have such a nice nutty-ness to them which I love. Even though I love oats, I dislike oatmeal. That kind of "mushy" texture doesn't do well with me. I remember when I was growing up, I only made myself oatmeal from the instant package that you just add boiling water to and bam, you have oatmeal. Well, I always added as little water as possible to keep the "crunchiness" that the oats have. Am I weird for doing that? Anyway, even when I do this, oatmeal isn't something I crave to eat in the morning. So, what other food involves oats and is something I can eat for breakfast instead of oatmeal? Granola of course!

Surprise surprise, this recipe for Granola comes from Ina Garten. But the great thing about Granola is that you can flavor it anyway you want it to be. Really, there is no recipe. Before I made this Granola, I read the reviews and the reviews were almost consistent in complaints about the amount of oil and honey and the baking temperature. I took all of these into account and changed the recipe as suggested by the reviewers. I will place the different measurements I used in the recipe. Like I said before, you can flavor Granola any way you want. Making this granola was kind of a "spur of the moment" thing this morning. Thus, the only dried fruits I had were raisins and cranberries so I used those but you can use anything you want. Then, because of my love of chocolate, I decided to put some milk chocolate chips in as well. Overall, the granola is great with or without the dried fruits and chocolate. It's crunchy, nutty and slightly sweet from the honey. YUM!! Put this on yogurt, use it as a cereal or use it as a snack. It's perfect for them all. Here's my tips and the recipe!!

**Tips:
-Stir every 10 min to ensure even browning (The edges tend to brown quickly)

-After 20 mins, make sure you keep checking back because it will burn in no time

-Once a pale golden brown, take the Granola out immediately. The Granola will be slightly soft which is what it's supposed to be like

-When cooling, the Granola will harden. If you want large clumps, leave the pan alone for at least 15 mins. The Granola will begin to harden almost in one slab which enables more clumps to form when you mix.

Granola
Ingredients
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
1/2 cup good honey (I used 3/4 cup honey)
1 1/2 cups small diced dried apricots
1 cup small diced dried figs
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (I baked at 300 degrees F instead)

Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl. Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated. Pour onto a 13 by 18 by 1-inch sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries, and cashews. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.


-Aaron John
My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure
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