Some years ago, I met a woman from Vietnam who introduced me to the flavors of her country. After my culinary training in Thailand, I noticed there were some similarities to the Vietnamese food I had come to know over the years.  I started to do some research on traditional Vietnamese cooking. After some time, my search turned me toward a Vietnamese chef named Helen Le. She is very popular on YouTube and she has published a cookbook. Among her recipes is this Vietnamese Shrimp Curry. I love pumpkin, okra, and shrimp and decided to give it a try. All I can say is WOW! The colors and flavors of this Vietnamese Shrimp Curry are marvelous. With a few modifications to make it my own, this dish is now in the regular rotation. Given my love of Southeast Asian food, I am adding Vietnam to my list of countries to visit in the near future. Until I get there, I will be reaching out to my old friend to see if there is another authentic recipe I can share from this food-rich culture.

Above are the ingredients. In the original recipe, Helen adds sweet potatoes and pumpkin to her curry. I found that to be too much for me so I choose to remove the sweet potato. She also adds the onions at the end however since I prefer my onions well cooked, I decided to add mine earlier on in the process. She also cooks this Vietnamese Curry Shrimp with water. While this is a reasonable approach, I find the mixture of half water and half vegetable broth makes the sauce a bit richer. Be sure to pound the Lemongrass as it helps release the flavor (below).

Now we’re cooking! This Vietnamese Curry Shrimp has a perfect balance of spices. It’s hearty, flavorful, and not overly spicy. If you prefer a little more heat, feel free to add a touch of your favorite chili. Overall the dish is somewhere between a soup and a delicious curry. Either way, it will warm your soul.

I hope you will follow in love with this Vietnamese Curry Shrimp just like I did. Enjoy!

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Vietnamese Shrimp Curry

Course Entree

Cuisine Vietnamese

Author My Global Cuisine (Adapted from Helen Le)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound extra-large shrimp or prawns deveined and cleaned, tails on
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 lemongrass stalk cut into 3 inches pieces slightly bruised
• 1 teaspoon lemongrass minced
• 1 pound Asian pumpkin or sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 7 ladyfingers okra cut the ends and then into one-inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion sliced
• 1 shallot minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable or prawn stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro for garnishing Optional

Instructions

• Season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of fish or vegetable stock. Add some salt and pepper to it. Set aside.
• Bring a wok or large saucepan to a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the bruised lemongrass and stir-fry for about 30 seconds to bring out the aroma. Add the remaining minced lemongrass, shallots, and garlic. Fry gently for about 18 seconds.
• Add curry powder, turmeric powder stir together. Add tomato paste. Stir. Add coconut milk, water, stock, stir and bring to a boil. Add salt and sugar. Stir. Add pumpkin and onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add Shrimp and okra and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer curry to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
• Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment bellow. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Vietnamese Shrimp Curry appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

In case you’re wondering why I”m calling these Superb Beef Fajitas, it’s because, after a lot of trial and error, I finally figured out a way to turn an ordinary Beef Fajitas into a truly superb dish.

Now, before I give away my secrets, let me go ahead and tell you a bit about the history of this dish. Beef Fajitas are a traditional Tex-Mex dish invented by Mexican immigrants living in Texas, USA. When one explores the history of fajitas, several credible stories, going back as far as the 1930s, emerge. They originate from the ranch lands of South and West Texas. During cattle roundups, beef was butchered regularly to feed the hands. Throwaway items such as the hide, the head, the entrails, and meat trimmings such as skirt were given to the Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) as part of their pay. Hearty border dishes like barbacoa de cabeza (head barbecue), menudo (tripe stew), and fajitas/arracheras (grilled skirt steak) have their roots in this practice.

That brings up the great irony of fajita success: The more popular the dish became, the less likely it was to be made from skirt steak at all. By the mid-1980s, fajitas were a fairly common dish in Mexican restaurants and would ultimately become a popular Nineties fast-food item, thanks to Jack in the Box and Taco Bell. Increased demand often led Mexican restaurant operators to substitute other cuts of meat, and the addition of grilled items such as chicken, shrimp, and even vegetable “fajitas” blurred the lines even further.

Now I’ll tell how I turned a simple Beef Fajitas recipe into a truly superb dish. I began by making a marinade and adding some tequila to it. Why? Because tequila helps to tenderize the beef. Next, I added Worcestershire sauce since it goes great with beef marinades, then soy sauce which is also commonly used in beef marinades. Next, a touch of lime juice which is common in Mexican and Central American cooking and also helps to tenderize the beef.  To complete the marinade I add some traditional Mexican spices and fresh herbs including scallions, cilantro, and garlic, then a bit of Jalapeño and bam, this amazing marinade was created.

Once the marinade was complete, I place the beef and marinade in a ziplock bag and refrigerated it overnight. This tenderizes the beef and gives some time for the beef to absorb the flavor of the spices. Marinating some cuts of beef is essential. The longer it marinates the more tender and flavorful the beef will taste. I recommend marinating the beef for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. I also recommend removing the beef from the refrigerator at least two hours before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature. Why? Because cold beef tends to release water when seared and when it’s cold, the beef cooks less evenly.

I also recommend grilling the beef outside. If that is not possible, use a large cast iron skillet. It really helps caramelize the beef and vegetables giving you almost the same flavor that you would get in better Tex-Mex restaurants. I recommend serving this Superb Beef Fajitas on a toasted warm soft tortilla with my Mexican salsas, and guacamole. You could also serve with rice and beans.

To toast the tortilla preheat a frying pan and toast it for a minute on each side. You could also wrap the tortillas in foil; place in the oven and heat to 300 degrees. I much prefer mine toasted in a skillet as they come out a little crispier.

I hope these Superb Beef Fajitas bring as much joy to your family as they do to mine. Enjoy!

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Mexican Beef Fajitas

Course Entree

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• FOR THE MARINADE
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1/4 lime juice
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 1 jalapeno pepper ribs and seeds removed then diced
• 4 scallions thinly sliced green and white parts
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup minced cilantro
• **************************
• FOR THE FAJITAS
• 2 pounds beef loin flank steak
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 bell peppers red orange, yellow or green cut into strips
• 1 large yellow sweet onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 flour tortillas

Instructions

• In a bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade and mix well.
• Pour the marinade into a ziplock bag and add the steak ensuring the meat is fully covered. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
• Take the steak with marinade out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. (approximately 2 hours).
• Place a large frying pan next to your cast Iron skillet and warm the tortillas over a medium heat one or two at a time. If you need to heat the tortillas faster, you can wrap them in foil and place them in the oven at 200 degrees. Be sure not to completely seal the foil as the tortillas will release moisture and become soggy.
• Place a cast iron skillet on a medium-high fire and add 1 tbsp of oil. Place the steak in the skillet and sear for approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest in a cutting board tented with aluminum foil.
• While the steak rests, add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. When the oil is at temperature, add the onions and peppers and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice the steak against the grain into thin slices. Add the steak to the pan and mix with the onions and peppers. Turn the fire back on and cook for about a minute. Add cilantro and serve with warm tortillas, Mexican salsas, and guacamole.
• Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you have made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment below. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Superb Beef Fajitas appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Welcome to Part II of my Mexican Fiesta series! Last week I introduced a trio of Mexican Salsas that I typically serve alongside these Pineapple Shrimp Tacos. Although this dish could be served alone, at least one of the salsas should be considered essential when serving this recipe. I usually make the salsas prior to making these Pineapple Shrimp Tacos and I serve it alongside the tacos or Ias an appetizer with tortilla chips.

These Pineapple Shrimp Tacos have layers and layers of flavors. They are perfect to serve on a Taco night or at your next outdoor gathering. I frequently serve them at sporting events as well as dinner parties, and everyone loves them! I love these Pineapple Shrimp Tacos because they are easy to prepare, yet unique. Served with the salsas, the colors and flavors literally jump off the plate and are sure to tempt anyone nearby. The ingredient list is short, and the pineapple provides just the right balance of sweet to balance the dish.

To make this dish and my Fajita recipe I recommend using a cast iron griddle or griddle pan. If you don’t have one I would highly recommend you consider purchasing one, especially if you are planning to be making fajitas or tacos on a regular basis. If that’s not possible, you could also use a large sauté pan or skillet.

Enjoy!

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Pineapple Shrimp Taco

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 8 large soft taco shells
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound medium-size shrimp cleaned deveined, tails off
• 1 medium-size yellow sweet onion diced
• 2 cups fresh pineapple cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• half cup cilantro leaves
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

• Wrap the tortillas in foil; place in the oven and heat to 300 degrees.
• Preheat a saute pan or griddle until very hot.
• You will need to do this in two batches.
• Pour one tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add onions to the pan and when clear, add pineapple, half of the cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and set aside. Place shrimp in the pan and sauté until golden-orange in color, approximately 2-3 minutes. Then add the pineapple-cilantro mixture and combine all ingredients. Cook for an additional minute to ensure all flavors are combined then add the remaining cilantro. Spoon the shrimp pineapple mixture into the warm soft taco shell. Top with the Mexican Salsa of your choice. Eat while it's still hot. Prepare the second batch. Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment below. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Pineapple Shrimp Tacos appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Welcome to my Mexican Fiesta! In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing some of my favorite Mexican dishes, starting with these wonderful salsas. These salsas are wonderful when served separately and even better when served as a trio. They are the perfect complement to any Mexican dinner party and pair beautifully for my upcoming recipe, Shrimp Tacos. They are my own creations, but each is based on traditional Mexican flavors and regional ingredients.

As a global blogger, I have created and collected recipes from a variety of cuisines including Mexico. I often make tacos and fajitas because they are  healthy, delicious, and easy to prepare. In  Mexico, the chefs tend to prepare tacos and fajitas with simple fresh ingredients. They rely on sauces and salsas to enhance the flavor of those dises and these salsas really make them special.

Whether you’re planning a Mexican themed party, or just looking to spruce up Friday night dinner, you will love these Mexican Salsas. Prepare them in advance so that you can simply relax and share a margarita with family or friends when they arrive.

I hope you enjoy these Mexican Salsas and look out for my Shrimp Tacos recipe coming up next week. Believe me, you won’t want to miss them!

Have a great week and thanks for your support!

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Mexican Salsas

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• TOMATO SALSA
• 1 can 28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes without basil drained
• 1/4 medium sized sweet yellow onion chopped
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• salt to taste approximately 1/2 tsp
• 1 jalapeno pepper chopped head and bottom removed
• MANGO SALSA
• 2 fresh ripe mangoes peeled, and diced into little cubes
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeno finely chopped

Instructions

• TOMATO SALSA
• Place the whole tomatoes inside a blender or food processor and blend for only a few seconds until tomatoes are chunky. It's best to use the pulse bottom so you don't over blend. Transfer half of the chopped tomatoes to a bowl and add the onion to the remaining half inside the blender. Pulse it a few times until the desirable consistency. Add the lime juice, cilantro, salt and jalapeño and pulse it for a few seconds. Transfer the tomato mixture to the reserved remaining tomato chunks. Combine them together. Taste the salsa. Add more salt or lime juice if needed.
• Enjoy!
• *******************************************************************************
• MANGO SALSA
• Peel and dice the mangoes into small cubes, the smaller the size the nicer they will look.
• Add them into a bowl. Add the lime juice, red onion, cilantro, and half the jalapeño. Mix everything together. Taste the salsa. Add salt to taste. Add more jalapeño slowly until desired heat is attained. Enjoy!

Your comments mean a lot to me. If you made any of my recipes or are considering making them, please leave a comment below. Please choose a star rating too. Thank you. Carla!

The post Mexican Salsas appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Caribbean Curried Chicken is a popular take-out dish served at restaurants throughout Trinidad, Guyana and Surinam. It is sometimes served with rice but more commonly served with Roti. Roti (also known as chapati) is a flatbread originating from the India. These countries all have culinary traditions rooted in cuisine India, China and Creole thanks to the many immigrants who have come to the countries over the years.  I have eaten Caribbean Curried Chicken at restaurants in Trinidad and Surinamese restaurants in Amsterdam. Surinamese restaurants are popular in Amsterdam and were responsible for providing delivery services long before take out and delivery was popularized. Prior to becoming an independent state in 1975, Suriname was ruled by the Netherlands and as a result, many Surinamese people migrated to The Netherlands.Suriname is is located between Guyana and French Guiana on the North coast of South America. It is considered to be a culturally Caribbean country, and is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

I have always loved this dish and longed to cook it at home. As it turns out, finding the right balance or curry powders, and liquid in the stew was not an easy task. Although a good curry powder will enhance the flavor of any dish, finding the right balance of spices takes practice. As the origins of this dish are ancient, many recipes out there fail to give you the exact quantities, and as a result you ended up with either a bland or overly spicy stew. It took me some time to perfect the right balance between the spices and liquids, but I’m so glad I did so I could pass along this knowledge to you. I am sure you will find this a delicious curry dish, that will remain in your family for generations to come.

This Caribbean Curried Chicken is also a perfect dish for entertaining  because you can make it in advance and heat it up when company arrives. Just be careful to not over cook the potatoes and carrots. I usually turn off the fire 10 minutes prior to finish cooking, and then cook for another 10 minutes right before serving it. In some caribbean islands they serve this Caribbean Curried Chicken with potato roti or rice and toppings such as shredded coconut. I prefer mine with hot white rice since there are already potatoes in the stew.

Here are some of the steps I took it to make this Caribbean Curried Chicken.

I chopped the onions on widely slices and the rest of the ingredients finely chopped.

I sear the chicken to seal in moisture and release chicken flavor into the pan, where it can be deglazed and incorporated into the stew. Just make sure that you dry the chicken in paper towels prior to sear in order to avoid splattering over the stove or you.

The final result. A beautiful chicken stew that will be sure to satisfy your tummy and your guests. Enjoy!

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Caribbean Curried Chicken

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 lemon squeezed
• 2 Tsp of salt
• 1 Tsp of pepper
• 1 5- pound chicken cut out or 6 chicken thighs and 6 drumsticks
• 3 Tbs of canola oil
• 1 large onion thick sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup curry powder
• 1 cup chopped thinly sliced scallions about 8 small
• 2 Tbsp parsley chopped- set aside 1 teaspoon
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 small red potatoes peeled and halved or 3 large ones cubed
• 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 Tsp of brown sugar

Instructions

• Clean and wash the chicken. Place inside a large bowl and add 1 Tsp of salt and the squeezed lemon juice. Rub it all over the chicken with the salt. Let the chicken sit at the kitchen counter and marinate it for one hour.
• Remove the chicken from the lemon juice and pat dry with paper towels. This will prevent the chicken from splattering when you sear it.
• In a Dutch oven or large thick pot, add the oil and place it on high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the chicken skin side down then flip it over. This is just to seal the juices in the chicken, so it will still be raw. Don't overcrowd the chicken, do a few pieces at a time. Once seared, remove the chicken pieces from the pot. Rest aside. Add sliced onion to the pot with a pinch of salt. This will prevent the onion from burning. Sauté the onion until soft and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for only 20 seconds. Add wine.Turn up the fire, bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced and the onions and garlic sit in a thick gravy for about a minute or so. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add the curry powder. Stir well. Add the scallions, 1 Tbsp parsley, thyme sprigs and the bay leaf. Stir. Add the chicken pieces back to the pot. Pour in any of the cooked chicken juices. Bring to a boil, reduce fire to low, cook for 30 minutes with the pot partially closed.
• After 30 minutes, stir the chicken, add the potatoes, the carrots, the brown sugar, and the remaining 1 Tsp of salt. Stir well. Cook for another 30 minutes.
• Taste the chicken. Add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary and the remaining parsley. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard them. The potatoes and carrots should be tender at this point and the chicken should pull easy from the bone and have a nice gravy to it.
• If you prefer your gravy thicker, remove a ladle full of gravy, place inside an skillet and boil it on high fire for about a minute and pour back into the Curried Chicken. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle some finely chopped parsley on top and serve with potato roti or hot white rice. Enjoy!
• Note: In some Caribbean Islands, it is customary to add hot pepper sauce to this dish. If that is your preference feel free to add a 1/4 teaspoon or more according to taste.

The post Caribbean Curried Chicken appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

I remember tasting it and thinking to myself, if there is something that tastes as good as this out there, I certainly have not tried it! Incidentally, all of the dishes we made in culinary school after the Authentic Thai Green Curry Shrimp were also bursting with fresh flavors. This experience brought my love affair with Thai food to a whole new level.

I love many types of cuisine including, Brazilian, Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern, but Thai food is my adopted favorite. People always ask me, if you would have to live on one kind of cuisine for the rest of your life, which one would it be, and the answer to that would probably be Thai.

Now going back to what it takes in order to make this delicious Authentic Thai Green Curry Shrimp, here is a question that I get constantly from beginner cooks out there.

Homemade curry paste, is it really worth the efforts?

The answer is yes, absolutely! You could still prepare a good curry with a store bought paste, but the flavor will not be as alive and it will not taste truly authentic. In my opinion, to fully experience a Thai curry dish you will have to make your own curry paste. Trust me, once you taste curry this way, you will be glad you put in the time and effort. You will also realize that adopting this traditional approach really doesn’t take much time and effort, given that you are going to make one of the most delicate and luscious foods in the world. You can also make extra and store it for future use. However if some ingredients are not available where you live, then a store bought one is inevitable. In general, curry paste manufactures save on cost and extend the paste’s shelf life by cutting down on the amount of chilies, garlic and shallots used as they are costly and contain moisture. This is also the leading reason fresh curry pastes go bad. Extra salt is typically added as natural preservative, making most ready-made pastes too salty, not harmonious and refined. When using ready-made paste, I recommended that you add ingredients such as extra shallots, garlic, Kaffir lime leaves or lime zest if not available, and fresh bird’s eye chilies to enhance the flavor, aroma and body of the paste.

• KNOWING THE INGREDIENTS

Most Thai Curry dishes consist of :

• PASTE- All types of curry pastes. Red, green, yellow, and massaman being the most popular ones.
• CHILIES- *Spur Chilies* or phrik chi fat. These chilies give color but not much of the spicy flavor. The fresh ones (comes in red, green or yellow color) and are mostly used in stir-fries, relishes or as a garnish. Only sometimes they are used in curry paste. Dried spur chilies are pounded and used mostly in curry paste. They must be deseeded and soaked in water to soften before using it.
• ‘Thai Chilies’, some Thais would call them phrik china. They come in green and red color, smaller than spur chilies. They are less spicy than bird’s eye chilies but the heat is intense to western standard. Both fresh and dried forms are used.
•  ‘Bird’s eye Chilies’, or phrik khi nu sun. These little scuds are know for their fiery hotness and signature aroma. Like spur chilies, both fresh and dried forms have their own place in Thai kitchen. The dried chilies are soaked to soften (no need to deseed). Steams are often discarded.
• ‘Isan Chilies’, crucial in northeastern kitchen, Isan chilies are uniquely aromatic. Once cooked, the heat noticeably faded away. There is no exact substitute that would give the same flavor and aroma. However, you may use dried Thai chilies in less amount as closest alternative.
• ‘Karen Chilies’, extremely spicy, Karen chilies are popular for jungle curries and stir-fries. Like Isan chilies, there is no exact substitute. You may use the same (or more, if you want) amount of dried Thai chilies are the closest substitute.

FRESH AROMATICS- Lemongrass- gives wonderful aroma and texture. Usually only the bottom thirds are used as they contain more aromatic oil. The fibrous outer layers are discarded. Inner parts of fresh lemongrass should be pinkish purple. The top parts are ideal for soups or lemongrass drink. Just bruise them and cook in boiling water.

• Galangal- Similar to lemongrass, galangal gives wonderful aroma when cooked in hot liquid. Young galangals are bruised and used in soups while mature ones are good for making curry paste as they are pungent and peppery.
• Ginger- Thai kitchen utilizes ginger much less than galangal. Mature ginger is mostly seen in Indian-influenced curry paste and Chinese stir-fries.
• Turmeric- Is a crucial ingredient in southern Thai kitchen. It has a softer flavor and aroma. It also contains medicinal properties. Turmeric skin should be scraped off using the tip of a paring knife. Turmeric stains everything so it is advised to wear a pair of gloves when handling. Turmeric pairs very well with fish and chicken. Do not substitute with powdered turmeric.
• Coriander- Also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley, in an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Whole coriander plant is good in Thai cooking. Coarsely chopped leaves and stem are used as delicious and attractive garnish. The roots are extremely aromatic and sweet. Choose the smaller roots as they are sweeter and more aromatic than the large, fibrous roots.
• Kaffir lime rind- The rind delivers floral aroma to the curry paste. Use a sharp paring knife to peel off only the green part. Just like when you zest a lemon, the white pith is bitter and should not be used.
• Kaffir lime leaves- Slice or torn kaffir lime leaves makes the curry pleasantly scented. Choose the leaves that are neither too young nor too old. Young leaves are light green and soft to touch. Old leaves are dark green and rather stiff. Stack and roll up the leaves then finely slice to use in curries or stir-fries. If the recipe calls for torn kaffir lime leaves, remove the bitter midribs first then tear. In general the leaves should be added at the very end of cooking process. You add the leaves, stir lightly to mix, turn off the heat.

LIQUID: Such as water, stock and coconut milk. As an experienced cook, I do NOT recommend using LOW FAT coconut milk, as it will affect the flavor of your curry.

PROTEIN: Such as Meat, poultry, and seafood.

VEGETABLES: Such as Thai eggplant, Pea eggplant, Kabocha, White cabbage, Okra, Morning glory or water spinach, Bean sprouts, mushrooms, tomatoes, bamboo shoots, and many others.

HERBS: Such as Holy basil leaves, Kaffir lime leaves, (Cilantro|Coriander), scallions, and mint which is mostly used in salads and dips.

SEASONING: A balance of SALTY (Fish Sauce, Soy sauce, salt), SOUR: (Lime juice, Tamarind juice),

SWEET: Palm sugar, Granulated sugar.

RICE: Jasmine rice and long grain sweet rice.

To make this Authentic Thai Curry Shrimp I made my own curry paste. Here are the steps to it:

• Warning: When dealing with Thai bird’s eye or long green chillies I recommend using latex gloves or if you don’t have a pair of gloves available, to wash your hands immediately with lots of soap after finishing chopping your chillies, and to wash your cut board, in order to avoid rubbing your eyes by accident and ending up with a pepper burn. This could be extremely painful and in some cases it could even cost you a trip to the emergency room!

Step one: Lightly toast coriander seed, cumin seed and black peppercorns in a dry sauté pan. Grind them together in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Finely chop the rest of the fresh ingredients as seen in the picture. It will be easier to grind the mixture in a mortar if you chop everything very finely to begin with.

Step two: Begin by pounding your dry ingredients together. Start off first with the dry seeds, and then pound the fresh ingredients one by one, both kinds of chilies with the salt, the galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, cilantro roots, garlic, and shallots. Garlic and shallots should be added last because shallots contain water, and the liquid can splash out of the dish. (Add the garlic before shallots). This should take about 10-15 minutes, so pace yourself.

Step 3: Add the ground dried spices, and the shrimp paste and continue pounding to obtain a coarse curry paste. Mix everything together and set aside for immediate use, or refrigerate in a glass food storage container. To store curry paste, transfer to a clean screw-top jar, cover with a layer of oil. Storing it this way will allow the paste to remain fresh tasting for up to one month. To freeze curry paste, spoon into ice-cube trays and freeze. Transfer to a seal-able plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Frozen curry paste will loose some of it’s heat. You can fix that by adding some fresh sliced spur chilies to your curry dish when cooking.

Once your curry paste is ready, it’s time to make your Authentic Thai Green Curry Shrimp. In a wok or large sauce pan heat the oil, cook the onions, add the scallions, curry paste, and then cook the remaining ingredients one by one. Recipe to follow.

Once your Authentic Thai Shrimp Curry is ready add the cilantro and spur chili if using it. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice on the side. Enjoy!

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Authentic Thai Green Curry Shrimp

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• FOR THE THAI GREEN SHRIMP CURRY
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• I large yellow sweet onion finely sliced
• 3/4 cup finely sliced scallions
• 2 Tbsp Thai green curry paste homemade or store bought
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/2 Tbsp of palm sugar or granulated cane sugar
• 3 Tbsp of Thai fish sauce
• 2 pounds of prawns or shrimp uncooked, and cleaned leaving the tails on for flavor
• 3 kaffir lime leaves midribs removed and torn, or 1 Tsp of lime zest
• 1 Tbsp coriander-cilantro chopped
• 2 red spur chillies sliced diagonally
• ****************************************************************************
• FOR THE CURRY PASTE
• Yield: 6-7 ounces
• Ingredients:
• 1 Tsp coriander seed
• Half Tsp cumin seed
• 1 Tsp whole black peppercorns
• 5 green spur chilies finely sliced
• 15 Thai bird's eye green chilies finely sliced
• 1 Tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbsp mature galangal or ginger root peeled and finely chopped
• 2 lemongrass stalks outer layers discarded, bottom thirds only, finely sliced and fibrous cores removed
• 1 Tsp kaffir lime zest or lime zest
• 3 Tbsp cilantro stems finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp of garlic skins removed finely chopped
• 3 shallots peeled and finely chopped around 3 Tbsp
• 1 Tsp Thai shrimp paste
• *****************************************************************************

Instructions

• FOR THE CURRY PASTE
• In a saute pan, lightly toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns until they get brown in color, around 3 minutes.Transfer them into a mortar and pestle and pound them together and scoop them out to a bowl. Pound both kinds of chilies together with salt as fine as you can. Sea salt helps the chilies get smooth faster and easier. When pounding chilies, you may use your other hand to cover half of the mortar mouth to prevent the liquid bursting into your eyes. Then add the galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, cilantro steams and continue to pound until they are coarse. Add the garlic pound, and then add the shallots. Continue pounding until as coarse as possible. Add the reserved ground dried spices and the shrimp paste. Mix everything together and pound for another minute. Your homemade curry paste is almost impossible to be smooth. It should look very coarse though. Store the curry paste in a glass food storage container. Curry paste can be refrigerated for up to 1 month. To store curry paste, transfer to a clean screw-top jar, cover with a layer of oil.
• ****************************************************************************
• FOR THE THAI GREEN CURRY SHRIMP
• Put the oil or coconut cream into the wok and increase the fire to high. Add the yellow sweet onion. Cook the onion until it gets soft and golden in color about 3 minutes. Lower the fire to low. Add the scallions and the curry paste and cook stirring constinuously until fragrant for about 30 seconds.
• Add the coconut milk, water, palm sugar and fish sauce. Increase the fire to medium-high and bring to a boil.
• Add the prawns and cook until tender, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
• Add the kaffir lime leaves. Cook for one minute.
• Turn off the fire. Add half of the chopped cilantro and spur chilies. Stir it.
• Pour into bowls, and decorate with the remaining cilantro leaves and sliced spur chilies.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
• Enjoy!

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When zucchini is in season, it is typically sweet and plentiful. Many Italians celebrate by making this wonderful Italian Zucchini Risotto and often find ways to compliment the dish with the beautiful zucchini flowers. This risotto is a colorful and flavorful summer dish that can be served as an appetizer or an entree.

When I am in the mood for comfort food, Italian Zucchini Risotto is one of the first things to come to mind. Its creamy, and there is something healing about the process of stirring and adding the broth slowly that is reminiscent of the way foods must have been prepared many years ago. Making risotto is wonderful not only because almost anything can be added to a risotto, but because it cooks slowly allowing you enough time to prepare another dish simultaneously while occasionally reaching over to give it a stir. Add a nice glass of wine to complete the scene and help you completely unwind.

Here is what the dish looks like as we move through the process.

Adding broth a little at a time…..

Mixing in the Basil, Parsley and Parmesan Cheese…..

It’s important to note that you really must use arborio, carnaroli or vialone rice. You cannot substitute for other rices, otherwise you won’t get enough starch out of it in order to make your risotto creamy and not sticky. Also, don’t be worry about the butter. It’s all natural and and skimping will not give you the same flavor or results. When it comes to butter I usually make every attempt to minimize or avoid it all together, but there are cases like when it’s really necessary. There comes a time when it really pays off to indulge, and this Italian Zucchini Risotto is a beautiful indulgence. If you want to be creative, try substituting some mushrooms, proscuito, fresh peas or any combination of the three.  The results will be equally delicious.

Here is ready to be plated. You can almost feel the creaminess!

I am confident that you will enjoy making it, and eating it will be even better!

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Italian Zucchini Risotto

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 6-7 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 7 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 zucchini about 3/4 pound, diced
• 1 large onion chopped very fine
• 1 parsley spring minced, and 1/4 cup minced
• 2 to 3 fresh basil leaves minced
• 1 1/2 cups Italian short-grain rice Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• In a medium sauce pan heat up the broth and keep it at simmer.
• In a large skillet or heavy saucepan, combine 3 TBSP of butter and the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and sauté, stirring until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, transfer the zucchini to a bowl and reserve.
• Return the saucepan to the heat, add the remaining butter and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, parsley sprig and basil, and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the rice and saute, stirring, until the rice starts to stick to the pan. Immediately add a 4-ounce ladleful of the stock at a time.
• Cook, stirring until the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock in this fashion and cooking until the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the zucchini, remaining parsley and parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately. Enjoy it!

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Last summer, while in Italy, I had it all the time. Growing up in Brasil, where chicken liver is widely served, my mom frequently served me and my siblings chicken liver with rice and beans so I grew up loving chicken liver. Liver is delicious and is packed with vitamin A and iron. It is also a complete protein containing all of the essential amino acids. For anyone requiring extra iron in their diet, this is this is a real power food because it contains folate, iron and vitamin B12.

When I saw Chicken Liver Crostini on the menu at the restaurants in Italy I had to give it a try. One taste took me back home, to my childhood and to that familiar feeling of mom’s homemade chicken liver. I usually enjoy my Chicken Liver Crostini with a nice glass of red wine. If you want to get really Italian, try it with a little Bruschetta topping. The fresh tomatoes wake up the flavor of the livers and give the presentation some color.

I hope you give this delicious Chicken Liver Crostini a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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Chicken Liver Crostini

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12 people

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 20 OZ or 567 GR of chicken liver
• 4 TBSP of olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup marsala wine
• 1/2 TSP of salt
• 2 TBSP of butter
• 4 OZ drained capers
• Pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP of parsley finely chopped
• 1 large baguette

Instructions

• - Drain the liquid from the chicken liver and dry them on paper towels
• - In a large nonstick skillet add the olive oil and saute the onions and cook them for about 4 minutes.
• - Add the chicken liver and cook for 8-10 minutes.
• - Add the marsala wine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• - Remove from the stove. Add the salt, the butter, the capers, the pepper and stir it all together. Let cool slighthly.
• - Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse until chunky but not too smooth.
• - Add the parsley and serve on toasted slices of bread cut into 1/3 inch thick.

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