Shrimp In Thai Coconut Sauce

 

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Coconut milk flavored with peanut butter makes a classic Thai inspired, creamy sauce with bell peppers and sautéed shrimp for an easy dinner.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound jumbo shrimp
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 gloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ onion, peeled and sliced
½ red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 ½cups coconut milk
4 to 6 Tablespoons  fish sauce, or to taste
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 Tablespoons purple Thai basil leaves, torn
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 scallion, sliced,  for granish
1 red hot Thai chile pepper, thinly sliced , for granish

Directions:

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on. Place the shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, kosher salt and  crushed red pepper flakes. Toss to coat and let marinade for 10 minutes.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the peppers and onion to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook half of the shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until opaque. Transfer the shrimp to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining shrimp then add to the other shrimp.

In another bowl  mix the coconut milk, fish sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, brown sugar, ginger and turmeric and stir well. Transfer the cooked onion and peppers to the skillet and pour the coconut milk mixture of the peppers. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the skillet with the basil and cilantro and toss to coat. Serve over rice or noodles. Garnish with more cilantro and basil,  scallion and Thai chile peppers.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Yuan Yang Shrimp

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The Chinese name for this dish is Yuan Yang Shrimp. Pairs of mandarin ducks are also know as yan yang, or love birds, because they are always seen together. The often symbolize affection and happiness. This dish is usually part of banquet.

 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp uncooked
1 pinch salt
1⁄2 egg white
1 Tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with water to make paste
6 ounces  snow peas
1 cup vegetable oil
1⁄2teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1  Tablespoon light soy sauce
1  Tablespoon dry sherry , or Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon  hot bean sauce
1  Tablespoon tomato paste

 

Directions:

Peel and devein the shrimp and mix with the pinch of salt, the egg white and the cornstarch past.

Top and tail the snow peas.

Heat about 2 to 3 tablespoon of the oil in a preheated wok and stir fry the snow peas  for about 1 minute and then add the salt and sugar and continue stirring for another minute, remove and place in the center of a serving platter.

Heat the remaining oil, par cook the shrimp for 1 minute and then remove and drain.

Pour off the excess oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok and add the spring onion and ginger to flour the oil.

Add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 1 minutes, then add the soy sauce and wine or sherry and blend well and place about half of shrimp at one end of the platter.

Add the hot bean sauce and tomato paste to the remaining shrimp in the wok and blend well and then place the red shrimp and the other end of the platter and serve.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

Zuppa Toscana

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I love the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana.

I loved it so much I decided only recently to make it home. This creamy concoction has Italian sausage, hearty potatoes and just a hint of heat with the crushed red pepper flakes. The ingredients are a perfect combination if there ever was one, not to mention the velvety-rich broth that warms us from the inside out. The ingredients list is budget-friendly and, while it tastes indulgent, there is also a hefty amount of leafy greens, making this soup one of the healthiest dishes out there.

 

 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into wedges then halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large white onion, finely chopped
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups kale or Swiss chard or baby spinach, rinsed, tough stems removed, roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove an drain on paper towels and set aside.

Leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the sausage in the bottom of the Dutch oven, stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven over the onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale into the soup just before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor