Lately I've been absolutely obsessed with Thai food. I've been eating curry multiple times a week, both homemade and out at restaurants. I told my boyfriend the other day that I could eat Thai food every day and not get sick of it, and so far that has held true. If you are a Thai fan like I am, then get excited. I've got restaurants, products AND a recipe, all in one post!
If you are a regular reader, you know that I love Ginger Pop, a Thai restaurant that has been nothing but accommodating to my needs (not to mention that the food is out of this world). But I'm always trying new places, and I think I may have found a place that tops the ol' GP. Enter Siam Society. Located on Alberta, this restaurant has everything I want in a dining establishment. Think vegan, vegetarian, AND gluten free menus, a cocktail list that I promise will blow your mind (although more than two of those and you won't remember dinner), and an extremely friendly and knowledgeable wait staff that will make you feel right at home, even if you are the pickiest customer EVER.
I remember a while back my parents mentioned they ate at Siam Society...They said it was good, but they didn't mention it was Thai food. Basically, they've been holding out on me. Thankfully, Groupon seemed to have my best interests in mind when it offered a deal for the restaurant. After using one, Joe and I ended up buying three more, cause we know we'll be going back. So let me paint the picture for you. The restaurant was classy without being stuffy, and hey, it's Alberta street, so no one is going to be dressed to the nines anyway. Our waitress was super goofy and amicable, I liked her right away. She brought out both the vegan and gluten free menus, and when I asked if certain dishes could be made both vegan and gluten free she didn't even hesitate when telling me yes. She also knew off the top of her head that the curries don't have sugar in them, and offered to swap the potatoes in my yellow curry out for kombocha squash , which was way better. Joe had the Pad Kee Mow and loved it, he even mentioned it might be the best he's tried yet. As for my food, well, I ate all of it. And had two Hibiscus Mojitos. Moderation be damned.
It doesn't stop there...another place I'm growing to love is Vege Thai, a completely vegetarian thai restaurant that makes all its dishes without fish or oyster sauce, and has a bunch of different faux meats to add to your meal. You can view my whole review here.
Now if I ate out as often as I had thai food cravings, I'd be 300 pounds. I knew I was going to have to teach myself to make curry at home. And while you just can't replicate that perfect restaurant curry without being a chef, Thai, or both, I think I do a pretty decent job. Although I do have the help of a pretty awesome product: Thai and True curry pastes. Thai and True is a local company that makes vegan, non-GMO and gluten free curry pastes, as well as sarachee and peanut sauce. And they are so easy to use. Throw a tablespoon into a saucepan with about a cup of coconut milk, heat until blended, and voila, you have a blank canvas to create curry masterpieces of your own! My favorite concoction is below.
Easy Curry
Serves 2
1 c. brown or black rice
1 tbsp. Thai and True red curry paste
1 c. coconut milk
1/2 tsp. Thai and True hot chili oil
1/2 block of tofu, cubed
1/2 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. mushrooms
1 bunch kale, chopped.
Prepare rice according to directions. Heat curry paste in large saucepan with coconut milk over medium heat until blended. Add onions and peppers and cook until soft, or 3-5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and cook about 5 more minutes or until ideal tenderness has been reached. Add chili oil and mix well. Serve over rice.
Showing posts with label curry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label curry. Show all posts
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Ginger Pop
I'm excited to share this new restaurant with you guys! Ginger Pop is a brand new Thai place off Columbia House Boulevard in Vancouver. I tried it out for the first time this weekend and it was fabulous!
First of all, its the most adorable place. You walk in and are immediately greeted by fun colors and mod-themed decor. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, and was easily able to answer all my allergy related questions. The lunch menu was small, which was actually nice seeing as most Thai places have an overwhelming amount of options, half of which you've never heard of. Ginger Pop's menu was simple: things like fried rice, pad thai and curries that you've heard of before. They also have an assortment of hot and iced teas and coconut juice, which may just be my favorite new beverage.
I ordered the Yellow Curry, which was a mild curry dish made up of pork, potatoes, and a few other veggies in a coconut milk curry sauce. Immediately, I knew the pork and the potatoes weren't going to work for me. The waiter informed me that you can make any substitutions you want, everything can be made to order. So I swapped red bell pepper for the potatoes and tofu for the pork. He also assured me that soy sauce is rarely used in their recipes, so most of the recipes are gluten free.
My mom ordered the Sweet Basil Fried Rice which was also pretty incredible. Also, the pad thai and the pad kee mow are made with rice noodles, making them great gluten free options as well. And of course, as is tradition in authentic thai, the curries are made with coconut milk, making them dairy free. The lunch portions also weren't outrageously huge; i did have leftovers but I didn't leave uncomfortably full. And it tasted GREAT the next day.
I highly recommend you check this place out, especially if you are a thai food virgin, since the menu is simple and easy to understand. I'd love to hear your critiques and praise as well! Happy Dining!
First of all, its the most adorable place. You walk in and are immediately greeted by fun colors and mod-themed decor. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, and was easily able to answer all my allergy related questions. The lunch menu was small, which was actually nice seeing as most Thai places have an overwhelming amount of options, half of which you've never heard of. Ginger Pop's menu was simple: things like fried rice, pad thai and curries that you've heard of before. They also have an assortment of hot and iced teas and coconut juice, which may just be my favorite new beverage.
I ordered the Yellow Curry, which was a mild curry dish made up of pork, potatoes, and a few other veggies in a coconut milk curry sauce. Immediately, I knew the pork and the potatoes weren't going to work for me. The waiter informed me that you can make any substitutions you want, everything can be made to order. So I swapped red bell pepper for the potatoes and tofu for the pork. He also assured me that soy sauce is rarely used in their recipes, so most of the recipes are gluten free.
My mom ordered the Sweet Basil Fried Rice which was also pretty incredible. Also, the pad thai and the pad kee mow are made with rice noodles, making them great gluten free options as well. And of course, as is tradition in authentic thai, the curries are made with coconut milk, making them dairy free. The lunch portions also weren't outrageously huge; i did have leftovers but I didn't leave uncomfortably full. And it tasted GREAT the next day.
I highly recommend you check this place out, especially if you are a thai food virgin, since the menu is simple and easy to understand. I'd love to hear your critiques and praise as well! Happy Dining!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Curried Chicken and Squash
There is just not enough time in a day. I wish I could make the blog more of a priority, I just feel like I always have so much going on! But I refuse to leave you hanging as long as I did last time, so I'll jump right into it.
I've been wanting to test out this recipe for while, but to be honest, I'm a little intimidated by cooking squash, cause I never know how long to cook it so that it will turn out perfectly tender. But recipes exist for a reason so I figured I should give it a shot! My parents are getting used to being the guinea pigs for my experimentation in the kitchen.
I must say, as usual, this turned out great! Such a good blend of flavors. If you like curry, definitely give this a try!
Curried Chicken & Squash
1 1/2 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 c. red onion, chopped
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. safflower oil
1 c. lite coconut milk
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. dried cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil over med-high heat with onions and garlic until onions are transluscent. Add squash, chicken, jalapeno, pepper, and water. Cover and cook, stirring occaisionally, for about 15 minutes, until squash is fork-tender. Uncover and add both milks and curry powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes. Add dried cilantro (fresh works too, i just didnt have any), salt and pepper. Serve alone or with rice!
Serves 4-6
I've been wanting to test out this recipe for while, but to be honest, I'm a little intimidated by cooking squash, cause I never know how long to cook it so that it will turn out perfectly tender. But recipes exist for a reason so I figured I should give it a shot! My parents are getting used to being the guinea pigs for my experimentation in the kitchen.
I must say, as usual, this turned out great! Such a good blend of flavors. If you like curry, definitely give this a try!
Curried Chicken & Squash
1 1/2 c. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 c. red onion, chopped
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. safflower oil
1 c. lite coconut milk
1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. dried cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil over med-high heat with onions and garlic until onions are transluscent. Add squash, chicken, jalapeno, pepper, and water. Cover and cook, stirring occaisionally, for about 15 minutes, until squash is fork-tender. Uncover and add both milks and curry powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes. Add dried cilantro (fresh works too, i just didnt have any), salt and pepper. Serve alone or with rice!
Serves 4-6
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