Asian / Principal Chef

Prik King (Green Beans with Thai Red Curry)

This is always one of my favorite dishes to order in Thai restaurants. Spicy red curry and green beans, mixed with some kind of protein. I got the recipe from the New York Times cooking site – it’s fantastic. You have to get red curry paste. While you can buy the Thai Kitchens brand in most grocery stores, I order the Maesri brand from Amazon. This can be a side dish or a main course.

Ingredients

Sauce Ingredients

3 tbsp Red Curry Paste(I prefer Maesri from Amazon, but there are many good ones)

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

10 cloves Minced Garlic(Cut it in half if you're not a garlic fiend like I am)

2 tsp Corn Starch mixed well into 3/4 cup water

2 tsp Brown Sugar

½ tsp Salt

2 tsp Neutral Oil (Avocado, Canola)

Vegetables and Protein

12 oz Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb Protein (Tofu, Chicken, and Shrimp all work well)Cut into bite size pieces. If using tofu, wrap in clean dish towel with a pan on top for 30 minutes to drain)

Last Minute

1 Zest of one Lime

3 Green onions, finely sliced

Directions

Making the Sauce

Saute the green beans in a little bit of neutral oil until they are the way you like them. I recommend at least five minutes, but basically you want to pull them off when you think they’re perfect. Remove from pan and set aside.

In a little bit of neutral oil, cook protein until browned and cooked through. You can add a little spice to it, but the sauce will more than spice these babies up. Remove from pan and set aside.

Saute garlic for 30 seconds in oil, then add curry paste, press and crush for 2 minutes, letting it toast a little. This may make the air a little spicy, so I recommend turning the fan on.

Add the remaining sauce ingredients into pan, stir frequently, and cook until you have a nice thick sauce.

Add vegetables and protein. All you need to do is mix the sauce so that all ingredients are coated with red curry sauce goodness, and so that all veggies and proteins are reheated properly.

Add lime zest and stir in for 30 seconds and turn heat off.

Serving

Serve with our without rice, sprinkle with green onions and you have a beautiful dish!

Ramen

We went to Tokyo, Japan in February of 2024. Our youngest son was studying over there, and we felt we were obliged to at least try to understand a little of what he was experiencing. It was cold, a little rainy, and absolutely wonderful. We restricted our visit to Tokyo, but the largest city in the world has plenty to offer. We loved the food – the sushi, the gyoza, and the ramen. We even took a Ramen and Gyoza making class. This ramen recipe is a version of what Chef Andrew Baba Rowe (www.babaramen.com) taught us to make. It’s a little less complex than his version, but after trying it several times, I’m very happy with it. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

Men-Dare Ingredients

1 cup Soy Sauce (I prefer low sodium)

1 cup Filtered Water

¼ cup Sake

¼ cup Mirin

4 Cloves Garlic (Sliced)

1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp White Granulated Sugar

12 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

2 tsp Bonito Flakes (Optional)

Ingredients for Ramen

2 cups Broth – Chicken, Pork, Beef, Veggie (That’s the amount per person)

1 Medium-Boiled Egg (6 minutes in boiling water, then cooled down)

⅓ lb Protein – Ground pork, sliced chicken, fried chicken (boneless), salmon, shrimp, tofu

½ cup Cooked veggies (Bok Choy, Mushrooms, Broccoli)

¼ cup Cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped

1 Green Onion, sliced

½ tsp Aroma Oil for the top – I recommend chili oilOne of the final touches of a ramen is to put some kind of oil on the top that the eater will smell mixing in with all of the other flavors. It's why ramens may seem a little fatty, but it's just a little bit for flavor on the surface. My favorite is chili oil, but you can also use some rendered chicken fat, or anything else you would like.

Directions

Making the Men-Dare

The key to all of this is the Men-Dare – a secret sauce that you store like a sourdough starter in your refrigerator. Make it once, and it will last you for a while. I think there’s enough in this recipe for 25-30 servings of Ramen.

Mix all of the ingredients together, and let them sit for a while. (1 hour, 6 hours, or best, up to 24 hours)

Then slowly bring the mixture to a boil for, turning off the heat once it has reached boiling point.

Let cool, then strain liquids into a jar. Seal and store in the refrigerator until you ready to use it. You will use about 1/8 cup per serving. The Men-Dare will last a long time. I plan to either use mine in a year or get rid of it and make a new batch. I will be disappointed if I don’t use it all!

Assembling the Ramen

Ramen can be anything. What’s in your pantry? What’s in your refrigerator? The main thing you have to figure out is the broth. True ramen-makers spend three full days making the broth. I spend three full seconds opening a box of it. Sorry, purists.

Our go-to broth these days is Organic Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth. We use it for everything. Find (or make) a broth you love.

Next – Figure out your noodles. They can be anything. Our current noodle of choice is Trader Joe’s Thai Wheat Noodles. They are precooked and vacuum sealed in single serving pouches. Super easy! But anything will do. I loved the udo noodles in Japan – big thick chewy noodles. And I have some frozen ones, but so far, I don’t like them as much as the ones from TJs.

Preparing Ingredients

Ramen can be simple – just noodles and broth, or it can be an artistic masterpiece full of ingredients. My favorite ingredients are:
Medium Boiled Egg cut in half (The recommended eggs are cooked, peeled, placed in a bowl with hot Men-Dare mixture poured over them, refrigerated for 24 hours, then served. I haven’t done that yet, but I will!)
Ground Pork – cooked and seasoned with soy sauce, black pepper, and garlic. Though I must say – we had fried chicken thighs in our cooking class, and it was outstanding.
Bok Choy – Cooked
Cilantro – chopped and de-stemmed
Green Onions – Chopped

Assembling the Ramen

Place 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp) of Men-Dare in Bowl

Add 1.5 to 2 cups of broth to Bowl

Lay in cooked noodles

Sprinkle the aroma oil (chili oil or other) on top of the broth.

Place other ingredients on top, as artistically as possible!

Eating the Ramen!

I was told the proper ramen etiquette is to first smell the ramen, then taste one spoonful of both, then go to town with chopsticks, and slurping the noodles in considered a sign of respect. I wish I had known that as a kid – I could have corrected my mom when she told me to stop slurping my spaghetti!

Alternative Quantity

One last note – if you wanted to make a Men-Dare for just one meal – you could use these proportions for two servings
– 1.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
– 1.5 Tbsp Water
– 1 tsp Sake
– 1 tsp Mirin
– 1 Garlic Clove, Sliced
– A little ginger, sliced
– 1/2 tsp white granulated sugar
– 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Fried Rice

I love fried rice. For us, it’s not a side dish. It’s a one bowl meal. The key is thinking a little bit ahead and having some one to three-day old rice in the fridge. If you keep some shrimp (Trader Joe’s Argentinian) in your freezer, or if you have some crab (Costco) in your fridge, you are ready. Take stuff that’s already in your fridge, freezer, and pantry, add some cooked rice from the night before, and go out there and be a fried rice hero!

Ingredients

3 cups White Rice, Leftover and Chilled

1 Onion, diced

6 Garlic Cloves

2 tsp Ginger, Minced(I usually don't have ginger, or ginger paste, but it's nice when I do)

2 cups Diced Vegetables (Peas, Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Anything you like!)

2 Eggs, beaten

⅓ cup Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce for less sodium

2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 tbsp Black Pepper(That's not a typo – Black Pepper is KEY for this dish!)

2 Green onions, for garnish

3 tbsp Cooking Oil – Canola or Peanut

1 lb Cooked Crab/Shrimp/Sausage/Pulled Pork/Chicken/Tofu or anything leftover that’s tasty!

Directions

I start by making a super thin omelette, taking it off the heat, and slicing into 1/4″ slivers to mix in the fried rice later. Set aside or refrigerate.

Chop your vegetables!

Create your mixture – Soy Sauce, Pepper, Sesame Oil

Add 1 Tbsp Canola oil to wok or pan. Sauté Onions for five minutes, then vegetables for 5 more, or until they’re just the way you like them. Take out of wok or pan and set aside.

Put 2 Tbsp Canola Oil in wok/pan with heat on high. Add rice and let it sizzle for 4-5 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to make sure it does not stick, but do not stir. You’re trying to make it a little crispy. Add soy mixture, stir, and mix well.

Add everything except the egg. Stir in and heat. Again, let sit instead of constantly stirring.

Blend in the cooked egg at the very end and serve! Have extra soy sauce and some Thai Chili Garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce for those who like it hot.

Cambodia Yellow Curry Sauce

In December of 2018, Jill, Dawson, and I took a big trip to Cambodia. Jill’s sister was living there at the time, and we took the opportunity visit their family, and travel with them around Cambodia. It was amazing! The sites, the brutal and beautiful history, and the food all made an impact.

My favorite foods there were Crab Fried Rice, Fish Amok, and Kep Fish. This mild Cambodian curry dish is a my combination of Fish Amok and Kep Fish, except that there is no fish. You choose what to serve it with – fish, shrimp, tofu, and chicken all work well. Serve over jasmine rice and you have a full one-dish meal!

Ingredients

3 tbsp Yellow Curry Paste

2 Cans, Coconut Milk

1 Sweet Onion, Diced

2 Red Bell Peppers, Diced

2 Green Bell Peppers, Diced

1 Bunch of Celery, Diced

1 tbsp Tamari or Fish Sauce*(Add more to bring out more umami taste)

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp Corn Starch

4 Cloves, Garlic, Minced

2 cups Vegetable Broth

Directions

Sauté onions, garlic, and celery in a little vegetable or olive oil.

Add bell peppers, and sauté until a little softened.

In a separate pot, heat 1 Tbsp Olive Oil, mix in curry paste.

Mix in coconut milk with a whisk.

Taste for spice. You can add curry paste, red chili pepper flakes, or chili garlic sauce if you want more heat. Add vegetable broth and re-taste for heat.

In a separate bowl, mix a small amount of the curry with the cornstarch. Mix back into the curry to thicken.

Add vegetable mixture to curry sauce.

Thai Red Curry

I love Thai Gang Ped (Red Curry). When you go to Thai restaurants and order this, all you do is pick what protein to go with it. Tofu is my favorite, but you can’t go wrong with shrimp or chicken. If you can learn to make the sauce, you have a ready made meal sitting in your pantry at all times.

Ingredients

The Curry

2 oz Red Curry Paste. Start with half of the can – you can add more later if you want.I have been using the 4 oz cans of Maesri curry paste.

2 14.5 oz. cans, Coconut Milk

2.50 tbsp Brown Sugar

Optional Ingredients (Choose any or all!)

1.50 lbs Protein, Tofu, Cooked Chicken, Any other cooked meat

1 Can, Bamboo Shoots

1 Can, Water Chestunuts

0.50 lb Spinach Leaves

2 Bell Peppers, Cut into thin 1″ strips

4 Carrots, peeled and cut into rounds or 1″ thin strips

1 cup Broccoli and/or Cauliflower Florets

1 cup Green Beans

1 Bunch, Basil or Cilantro leaves for garnish on top

4 Green Onions, Sliced Thin, for garnish

1 Jalapeño, sliced very thin, for garnish

2 Jasmine Rice

Directions

Whisk in 2 ounces of curry paste with 1 can Coconut Milk over low heat. Stir until mixed.

Add 2nd can of Coconut Milk and 2.5 Tbsp Brown Sugar.

I think this is a pretty good mix, but this is where you taste, and add additional curry (it will get spicer) and/or any of the other suggested ingredients below. You won’t get another chance to make this right after you add the protein and vegetable ingredients.

You can set the curry aside, even refrigerate it, until you are ready to do the cooking.

Make the rice according to directions. Use my foolproof rice recipe if you don’t have a favorite.

Heat the curry sauce until simmering. Add protein and all vegetables and cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

Serve over rice. Add parsley/basil/cilantro/green onions or other fine toppings.

Chicken Wings

Wings are something I’ve always enjoyed, but I’ve never made them until recently. I’m a fried chicken lover, but it’s so much work, and until I get an outdoor fryer, I’m steering clear. When I do, chickens and catfish beware! These wings are not too hard to make, and the results are fantastic.

Ingredients

1.50 lbs Chicken Wings, per person

BBQ Rub or Marinade*

¾ cup Cholula Hot Sauce Or Your Favorite Hot Sauce

8 oz Butter (1 stick)

⅛ cup White Vinegar

½ tsp Garlic Salt

Directions

Sprinkle some Arkibu Rub or Salt and Pepper on the wings at least one hour before cooking. Doing it overnight is even better. You can also marinate it in Hot Sauce or Teriyaki sauce or Korean Marinade. I recommend the rub before and the sauce after.

Preheat oven to 350 and get a grill or your Big Green Egg going at about 400 degrees.

Put seasoned wings on a rimmed baking sheet or in a 9×13 pan and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and head outside.

Put the wings over direct heat for about 5 minutes, then turn and heat for another 5 minutes. They should be beautifully crisped up by now. You don’t need to sauce them up on the grill.

Make the sauce. Melt the butter, and add hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic salt.

Put wings in a big stainless steel bowl, pour sauce over them, and move the bowl around so that the wings spin around until they are coated and ready to go. (This is what restaurants call the “hand spun” wings. Such a crazy way to describe a simple process.)

Add some green onions or blue cheese sauce if you like. I like having celery too, as it turns this into a health food dish.

Korean Marinade

Every year, we go “glamping” (glamour camping) at El Capitan Canyon above Santa Barbara with four other families. Jill’s friend Shari and I love cooking for the group. Shari is an outstanding cook who carries a tackle box of cooking tools on every trip. It’s a good look. I’ve learned a lot from Shari over the years, and I’m happy to share one of her recipes here.

This Korean marinade is so easy, and it’s perfect with any beef, pork, or chicken. And I always reserve one half cup (at least) to spoon over the dishes as I serve them.

Ingredients

1 cup Soy Sauce

4 tsp Sesame Oil

4 tbsp Sugar

2 tsp Crushed Hot Red Peppers

2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, gratedI often don't have fresh ginger, so I'll use 2 tsp of ground ginger instead.

2 Bunch Green Onions, Chopped

Directions

Uh . . . Mix it Together!