Paige-nang Curry

My very favorite Thai dish to order out at Thai Restaurants is Panang Curry. To me it is absolutely one of THE very BEST comfort foods. It's creamy, thick, spicey, sweet & oh so delightfully addictive! In the past I have made it at home with delicious results. But today I didn't want to waste the time it takes going to the market and get all the special ingredients required. So I just used what I already had, & I am shocked at how this scrumptious concoction completely satisfied my panang hankering!

Ingredients

• Frying pan



• 1 Head Garlic peeled & roughly chopped (Use less if you aren't a garlic lover



• 1 Small Onion (I like Walla Walla Sweet Onions so I actually use a quarter of 1) Slivered



• 1 Red, Yellow, or Green Bell Pepper Slivered



• 2 Chicken Breasts



• 2 Tbl Sesame Oil (optional any oil you usually fry with can be used)



• 1 Tbl Coconut Oil (optional any oil you usually fry with can be used)



• 1 Can Coconut Milk



• Sprinkle of Cayenne pepper to taste



• Sprinkle of Chili Powder to taste



• Sprinkle of Ginger Powder



• Salt to taste



• 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes Cut in half (regular tomato diced)



• 2 Tbl Tomato Paste



• 1/2 cup Fresh Basil or Cilantro roughly chopped



• 1 cup Quinoa - (KEEN-wa) is a food used by the ancient Incas that is similar to rice or couscous, but is not a grain. Surprisingly a relative of spinach, it has a light nutty flavor and can be used in a side or main dish in most any cuisine.
• 2 cups Water

Cooking Instructions

1) Drizzle sesame oil & coconut oil into a frying pan turn on medium heat.

2) Cut Chicken into strips and place into oil.

3) Continually turn over strips until all sides are browned.

4) Add Garlic, Bell Peppers & Onions and cook approx. 1 minute.

5) Add coconut milk, tomato paste, tomatoes, & spices (ginger, cayenne, chili, basil & Salt) & simmer approx. 10 minutes (while it's simmering you can start cooking the quinoa!)

How to cook Quinoa in the Microwave

1) Some quinoa is sold pre-rinsed, and some is not. If you see a white powdery coating on it, it should be rinsed before cooking to avoid a bitter taste. Use a fine mesh colander or just swish it around with water in a bowl. Repeat this until the water is clear.

2) Put the rinsed or pre-rinsed cup of quinoa in your microwave safe dish. The dish should be about quart size because the quinoa will boil up quite high while cooking. Add 2 cups of water and cover loosely with a lid or plastic wrap.

3) Cook in the microwave for about 6 or 7 minutes, let it sit for 1 minute and carefully check it while wearing pot holders. It is done when it begins to stick together and the outer white ring is visible and spiraling apart from many of the grains. If it is not finished cooking, add no more than 2 tablespoons of water if it was all absorbed, and return it to the microwave for 1 minute at a time. Let it sit for 1 minute each time.

4) Once finished, allow the quinoa to sit 1 minute or more to finish cooking and absorb any water that is left.

How to cook Quinoa on the stovetop

1) In a heavy pan, bring 2 cup water to a boil.

2) Add 1 cup dry quinoa.

3) Put on the lid and turn the burner heat to low.

4) Cook for 20 minutes on low heat.
Note: Walk-away Stovetop Method - If you use a heavy pot, you can bring the water to a boil, stir in the dry quinoa, put the lid on, turn the heat off, cover it with a towel, and walk away from it. It will cook slowly by itself and stay warm for a good 3-4 hours. (Just make sure you turn the heat off before you cover the pot with the towel! )