For my very first Thankful post in 2019 I wanted to write about someone who has been very dear to me ever since I started my blog. Kim at Later Levels was one of the first people to follow, comment on, and give advice about my blog. She is one of the most supportive and kind people I have had contact with in recent years. Her dedication to staying positive in the confusing and sometimes toxic world of gaming is an inspiration. She regularly volunteers her time and runs charity streams on Twitch to support good causes (like Game Blast). And her creation and maintenance of a wonderfully accepting community within gaming bloggers has been extraordinary.
But more recently, Kim has become a real friend. I don’t have many friends who want to sit around and talk about gaming, even fewer who are women. But I have one in Kim. And we can not only chat about games, but we talk about baking, politics, culture, and understanding the different lives we lead across a wide ocean. And that is why she’s getting a highlight this month! If you don’t already follow her blog, make sure you go check it out. You’ll probably find something worth reading within a few minutes.
Kim’s Thai Red Curry
When I asked Kim what her favorite food was, something she could eat forever, of course she would pick something I’ve never even had in a restaurant, let along something I’ve never made. So with all my guessing, scouring the web for the similarities between recipes, and begging Mr. Sheikah Plate to tell me EXACTLY what he thought, this could be the first recipe I’m 100% unsure of. So Kim/anyone else, if you give this a go – please let me know how it tastes and if it’s even remotely similar to a Thai Red Curry.
If it happens to be right, the logistics of this recipe are pretty simple. Start by getting the rice going. This recipe doesn’t actually take that long, so we want the rice to be done when we finish! Simply rinse the rice (as we’ve done MANY times before!), add water to the first knuckle of your finger when it rests on top of the rice, and turn on the rice cooker. I promise guys, one day I’ll make rice in a pot for those of you without a rice cooker… I’m just not brave enough!
Then move on to the chopping by dicing the peppers and broccoli into bite-size pieces. Then slice the green onions into 1/4 inch pieces, much smaller than we usually do. Mince the garlic and ginger (if you’re using fresh garlic and ginger). You can then use the same cutting board to dice the chicken. Now, for food safety, it’s very important that you do the chicken last. Otherwise you should dice the chicken, wash the cutting board and knife, and then cut the veggies. We don’t to cross contaminate anything.
Heat some oil into a heavy bottom pot/dutch oven on medium. When the oil is nice and hot add the chicken. Cook the chicken until there’s no more pink showing on the outside, about 3 minutes. The inside, however, should still be raw. Add all the salt and pepper and stir it around a bit. Then add the garlic, ginger, half the green onions, and red curry powder or paste. Stir that around until everything is coated in the seasonings.
Add the coconut milk. Sometimes coconut milk separates in the can and you may need to whisk it together in a separate bowl to get it combined first. Stir the chicken, soy sauce, and coconut milk until combined. Then bring it to a nice simmer and turn down the heat slightly so it’s just barely simmering. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
At this point add all the veggies and stir them around until everything is coated. Bring back up to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until everything is soft and the chicken is cooked through.
Add the remaining green onions and, if desired, lime juice at this point and stir briefly. Serve over (or next to) rice!
Kim's Thai Red Curry
A spicy, savory Thai Red Curry sauce with rice
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 large crown of broccoli
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon dried garlic)
- 2-3 tablespoons red curry powder (2 for mild, 3 for medium) or 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
- 1.5 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1.5 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 2.5 cups rice
- enough water to rinse and cover the rice
Directions
- Rinse the rice several times, add water up to your first knuckle of your finger when it rests on top of the rice, and press start on your rice cooker. Or cook according the manufacturer’s directions.
- Dice the red and green peppers into bite-size pieces. Chop the broccoli into small pieces, with most of the stalk removed.
- Slice the green onions into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Mince the fresh garlic and ginger.
- Dice the chicken into 1 inch pieces.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven on medium.
- When the oil is hot add the chicken and cook until there’s no more pink showing on the outside, about 3 minutes. The inside should still be raw.
- Add all the salt and pepper and stir to coat the chicken.
- Add the garlic, ginger, half the green onions, and red curry powder or paste. Stir until everything is coated in the seasonings.
- Add all the coconut milk, which may need to be whisked to combine in a separate bowl.
- Stir the chicken, soy sauce, and coconut milk until combined. Bring to a simmer and turn down the heat slightly so it’s just barely simmering. Allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add all the vegetables and stir until combined. Bring back up to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until everything is soft and the chicken is cooked through
- Add the remaining green onions and lime juice and stir briefly. Serve over rice!
Start the rice while the steak is warming up. It’ll take the longest to cook and you want it to be ready and hot when your steak is done! Definitely only use traditional Asian sticky rice. I only use sticky rice exclusively for everything because it’s legitimately the only rice worth knowing. I use Calrose Botan rice, but you can use any sticky rice in your market. If you choose to use a rice cooker a nice trick to using sticky rice is to wash it several times before you cook it. Rinse it under warm water, drain the water, and repeat until the drained water starts to look a little more clear. Add water to the rice cooker until it comes up to the first knuckle joint of your index finger when your finger is resting on top of the rice… does that make sense? If not, here’s a photo:
Sheikah Plate 