Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

Ingredients

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa

• 1-2 cups shredded red cabbage

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• ½ red onion, diced

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• ¼ cup diced green onions

• ½ cup cashew halves or peanuts(honey or dry roasted are good)

• Fresh lime, for a bit of tang

• For the dressing:

• ¼ cup all natural peanut butter

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. 
Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.

holy hot basil

delicious with a runny fried egg on top. excellent for dinner parties, total cooking time is ~7 minutes.

holy hot basil
[neua pat bai grapao]

10 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
8 bird's eye chilies, chopped
pinch of salt
1/2 cup fish sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
1/4 cup stock or water
2 large handfuls of holy basil
ground pork or chopped beef
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs

Serve w/ steamed thai sticky rice [thai glutinous rice]

Preparation
Coarsely chop garlics with chilies & salt.
Heat a oiled wok over high heat, add in 2 tbsp vegetable oil, fry two eggs until just cooked & yolks still runny, spoon oil over the top to ensure top is cooked well. Lift eggs out & set aside.

Add remaining 2 tbsp of oil to wok.  Once oil is hot, add in garlic, chili & salt mixture.  Stir fry quickly, don't allow the garlic to brown.  Add in the beef or pork and stir fry until just cooked through.  Add in the fish sauce, fish sauce & sugar to your taste.  Add stock or water and simmer quickly.  Add in the holy basil, once wilted remove dish from heat.  

Serve with thai sticky rice & top holy hot basil dish with one fried egg.  

lard guy

i'm pretty into anything spicy, tangy & salty, and the absolute best is when the three flavors combine.  larb gai is quick to whip up and can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer, or medium temperature any time of year.

LARB GAI

2 tablespoons roasted rice powder (available at Asian markets in the spice aisle)

16 ounces ground chicken breast (you can also use dark meat, pork or beef)

1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder, preferably Thai or Lao

8 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup slivered red onions

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

10 whole mint leaves

Iceberg lettuce leaves for serving

4 cups cooked sticky or jasmine rice, for serving.

Mix lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In an oiled wok on medium heat, cook the ground chicken, stirring to break up any chunks.  Remove from heat and place chicken in a mixing bowl, add the rice powder and chili powder and stir. Add in the onions, cilantro, green onion and mint.  Pour the lime, sugar and fish sauce mixture over the ingredients and stir to combine.  Spoon onto a plate and surround with mint and lettuce leaves. Serve with rice or scoop larb into lettuce leaves.