This easy Thai Red Curry is fragrant and sumptuous, and can be made anywhere from mild to red-hot, depending on how much spice you prefer. It's a healthy and hearty curry dish that will awaken your senses and boost your mood. Note that in Thailand this curry would be simmered in a wok over a stovetop, but in this case I have adapted it to suit Western cooking methods so that it can be baked in an oven (easier for most North Americans). This means it can be put together and in the oven in under 20 minutes! ENJOY! Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 1 hour, 00 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 medium chicken, cut into parts (remove as much of the skin as possible)2-3 kaffir lime leaves (purchased frozen at Asian stores), OR substitute 1 Tbsp. lime juice1 cinnamon stick (OR substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)fresh basil and coriander/cilantro for garnishRED CURRY SAUCE:1 can coconut milk 2 shallots OR 1/2 cup purple onion, sliced1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger)3 cloves garlic3 Tbsp. fish sauce1 Tbsp. chili powder1 Tbsp. ground cumin1 Tbsp. ground coriander2 heaping tsp. brown sugar2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)optional: 1 fresh red chili, minced, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, OR 1/2 to 1 tsp. dried chili flakes VEGETABLES:1 red bell pepper, chopped2-3 tomatoes, sliced into wedgesoptional: 1/2 to 1 eggplant, chopped into bite-size pieces (leave skin on)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces in a fairly large casserole dish. Place all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process well. Pour the curry sauce over the chicken. Stir well, so that each of the chicken pieces is covered with sauce. Add the kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon, mixing these into the sauce. Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove dish from the oven. Add the vegetables and stir them into the sauce. Return the curry to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is well cooked. Do a taste test. If the sauce isn't salty enough, add more fish sauce (1 Tbsp. at a time). If it's too sour, add a little more brown sugar. If too spicy, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough: add a few fresh-cut chilies or dried chili flakes/cayenne pepper. Dish the curry into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle generously with fresh basil and coriander/cilantrol, and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice. ENJOY!
Thanks : thaifood.about.com

When the weather gets hot, there's nothing better than quick and easy cooking, with enough spice to get the blood flowing and the sweat pouring; and when the mercury climbs, look east to the foods of Thailand as a perfect antidote to the hot days of summer, when spending much time over a hot stove sounds like torture.

Thai spicy salads (yam) are made with just about anything you can think of, and are almost universally quick and easy to prepare, fresh tasting and very healthy…oh yeah, and very SPICY!!! Perfect hot weather food.

These dished are full of fresh and raw vegetables, minimal quantities of grilled meats and a simple spicy, sour and no fat dressing. Thai style yam is about as healthy as eating can get.

The recipe as follows is for a simple grilled beef salad, allowing you to prepare an entire meal without ever turning on the oven or range in an already overheated house. Beef can be substituted for chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, squid, boiled eggs…whatever you can think of! There may seem to be a lot of ingredients, but they are quite quickly chopped and mixed, and it's little different from composing a traditional western salad in technique.

Easy Yam Neua (hot and spicy Thai style beef salad)

1 lb of inexpensive yet flavorful steak - flank, rump or sirloin…or whatever you've got!

2 Tbls fish sauce

3 ½ Tbls lime juice (freshly squeezed!)

1 tsp sugar

2 cloves of garlic minced

The green part of 1 stalk of lemon grass (available at all Asian markets) very thinly shaved. It's tough, but when shaved finely, lends a crunchy and flavorful textural component to the salad

5-10 chopped Thai bird chilies (use more or less depending on your affinity for spice…usually better to start with less, and add more if needed!)

4-5 red shallots, thinly shaved

A couple of green onions chopped

½ cup of mint leaves; roughly shopped, or even better, simply plucked from the stalks

1/3 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped

2-3 not too ripe plum tomatoes cut in into quarters (you don’t want a juicy ripe tomato for this one)

1 peeled cucumber, also shaved thinly

Pre heat grill, and BBQ steak until medium rare, let rest for 5 minutes, and then cut across the grain into ¼ inch slices.

Make the dressing mixing the garlic, lemon grass, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and chili in a bowl until homogenous and combined.

Add the beef to all the remaining vegetables and herbs, and toss with the dressing. Taste for salt, spice and sour, and add more fish sauce (salty) lime juice or chili as is needed.

Serve with plain jasmine rice, and with ice water, fresh fruit shakes, or cold lager beer, and enjoy a meal always ready to beat the heat!