pantryraiders

Pad Krapow Moo With Thai Holy Basil

OK,  so for those of us who are linguistically-challenged when it comes to Thai food, I’m pretty sure this is how it breaks down:

Pad=stir fried

Krapow=thai holy basil.

Moo=pork

You and I are probably friends (who else would be reading my blog?) so you probably  already know that I have some Italian in my blood.  This means, I can cook Italian.

I grew up making “little ears” with my grandmother. And if you don’t know what I mean by little ears, well, you aren’t Italian.  So, nevermind.

I love Thai food. I love the liberal use of fresh herbs, like cilantro, lemon grass and Thai basil.  And I mostly love how everything seems to have a kick to it.  Although FYI, if a Thai dish is specified as spicy on a menu, take their word for it.  I recently asked for mine extra spicy.  Holy Inferno!

I also love all the other crazy combinations of flavors that are now making me drool just thinking about them….

Peanuts. Lime. Garlic. Scallions. Fish sauce.

Don’t let that last one scare you.  Fish sauce may not sound appealing (and it sure doesn’t smell all that tempting either)  but, it’s just one of those special somethings that turns an ordinary dish, amazing. It’s lite, and salty, like soy sauce, and surprisingly not fishy. You can buy this at your local grocery store in the ethnic section.

OK, so we all love Thai food.  But, when it comes to cooking it, well, that’s a challenge. Intimidating, even.

As I’ve mentioned in the About Me part of this blog, my goal is to be a better all-around cook, meaning not only Italian food. I want to be able to whip out a fabulous Pad Thai, a mouth-watering quesadilla, a roast chicken so good that Julia herself would be proud.

And of course, have fun doing it.

So, in the spirit of culinary adventure, I’m tip-toeing into the world of Thai cooking.

Friends, I’m here to tell you, I’m finding out that it’s not all that difficult.  In fact, it’s pretty simple once you learn a few things about the (intimidating) ingredients and cooking methods.  The beauty of Thai food seems to be in it’s simplicity.

I’ve had Thai Basil Chicken on my mind for weeks now, ever since I opened my most recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated. This is one of my favorite Thai dishes. For one, I love basil (must be the Italian thing), and so there it was, staring me in the face.

Was I actually going to attempt to make Thai food?  Exciting!  But, scary.

I decided to go for it.  I was going to make it for myself and my darling rosebud on a Thursday night, and nobody else had to know about it!

I imagined that this was going to require numerous trips to exotic locations just to find the right ingredients for this dish. But, I found everything I needed at my local Fresh Market.

It turned out pretty good, for my virgin attempt at Thai cooking.  I really liked it, and rosebud even said ,“it’s not bad” (which is actually a compliment coming from her,and also, she ate something green!)  But still, I felt that it could be better. It wasn’t something I was excited about making again for friends.

I did some research, found some recipes online, and made this dish a few more times, a few different ways, using a few different combinations of ingredients.  And at this point, I’m sorry to say, I am pretty Thai Basil Chickened Out.

I’m still going to work on perfecting this beloved dish, and when I get it right, it will be making a smashing appearance on my blog.  Just not yet.

But, along the way, I stumbled upon a recipe for something called Pad Krapow Moo. Or, Stir-fried pork with basil.

I happen to think pork is one of the tastiest things on the planet.

Although (and I hate to admit this), I’m not much of a pork eater.  Only because my intention of “eating healthy” interferes with, what I really want to be eating.

But, for god’s sake, isn’t pork supposed to be “the other white meat”?

Just between you and me, I really  do want to eat more pork.  Lots more.  I want to eat ham and bacon and oh-so-tasty pork chops. I want to eat pork roast and pulled pork sandwiches and meat-falling-off-the-bone-bbq-pork-ribs.  Moan.

I mean, come on.  What true carnivore can live without bacon?

So, after living without much pork for far too many years, I’ve decided to enjoy all of the above in moderation.

And here’s the good news.  You can actually enjoy pork with a healthy conscience.

I’ve recently learned that pork can be as lean as skinless chicken breast.  Even leaner.  Who knew?

Hallelujah.

So, for us carnivores, let’s celebrate “the other white meat” with a delicious Pad Krapow Moo!

A few weeks ago, my lovely and talented assistant, Casandra, told me about the most amazing Asian market in uptown, called Viet Hoa Plaza,1051 W. Argyle, Chicago. Last Friday I had a day off work and rosebud was in school,  so I took a trip down there.

Wow. I just fell in love with this place!

I spent 1½ hours there. I was amazed by the rows and rows of dried mushrooms, dried noodles, pickled jars of anyone’s guess veggies, spices for a $1, sauces, tofu, fresh produce and shrimp with eyes.  Awesome!

I was pleasantly surprised to find Goji berries here.  My favorite celebrity doctor, Dr. Oz, says that they are an anti aging wonder.  HELLO.  I bought a very large bag of them for $3. I happily purchased everything I needed for my Pad Krapow Moo. I also bought my first wok for $12!

(I did not purchase the ground pork here. I picked that up on my way home at the Evanston Whole Foods.)

So on this Friday night, I decided I was finally going to do it.  I invited my friend Chris over for dinner, grabbed my wok and started cooking.

Upon arrival, I immediately handed Chris a glass of white wine, thinking it might be a good idea to soften the edges.

Chris seemed to be very impressed with my sizzling wok of pork, the way I quickly tossed and doused and made everything fly and fry. It couldn’t be easier, or more fun.

Then, it was ready.

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

This turned out so incredibly delicous, it’s hard to describe.   Sweet, salty and spicy at the same time.  YUM.  The pork was so delicious combined with the saltiness of the fish sauce and the spiciness of the chilies.  The Thai holy basil was not at all like the basil I know. It’s spicier with a hint of mint, perfect with pork.  And the purple leaves make the dish look beautiful.

Chris and I blissfully devoured our dinner without coming up for air. True to form, rosebud, my harshest critic, said it was “OK” and then proceeded to eat her entire plate and ask for more.

Ah, that just makes me happy.

Pad Krapow Moo (Stir-Fried Pork with Thai Holy basil

Adapted from Chez Pim

Ground Pork, 1 pound

Garlic, 6 cloves, chopped

Red Thai Chilies, 3 chopped

Fish sauce, 2 tbsp plus more to taste

Dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp

Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp

Krapow  (Thai Holy Basil), 1 big bunch

Red Bell Pepper, 1 pepper cut into thin strips

Scallions,  1/3 cup chopped

The measurements are only approximate. You don’t have to be exact, just eye-ball it. I’m learning that’s sort of how it’s done. Trust me, go with it and it will be delicious.

Grab your wok, put it over a high flame until it’s smoking.

Add the vegetable oil. Throw in the garlic and red chilies.  Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn, and cook until the garlic is fragrant (about a minute). Don’t let it get brown and crunchy!

Add the ground pork.  Keep stirring.

Add couple of tablespoons of fish sauce.  Add a tablespoon of dark soy sauce.

Add the bell pepper strips and scallions.  Give it a few more stirs.

When the meat is cooked through, take a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  It may need another splash of fish sauce. If it’s not spicy enough, add more chili. Grind it up with a knife and throw it in, seeds and all.

Turn off the heat and add a very big handful of Thai Holy Basil.  Toss and serve over steamed rice.

I know you’re going to love it.

But, it’s January and it’s cold! (in Chicago, anyway).

I mean really cold.

What could be better than a big bowl of yummy goodness that warms the heart, soul and belly?

Friends, I give you….

White Chicken Chili!

The first time I tasted this delicious white chili (we’re calling it “white” because of the white northern beans) was the day after my Dad passed away in March ‘05. My best friend and her Mom brought a big pot of it over to the house for us.  As you can imagine, I was out of sorts at the time, but I was also comforted by the thought, the effort, and the food itself.  And damn, it was good!  Low-key, soothing, and restorative. They served it piping hot, topped with chards of creamy monterey jack cheese. It was absolutely comforting and familiar.

I decided to make it today for my Mom and her husband Rich, who are in from Miami for the holidays, to warm them up a bit.

The great thing about this meal is that it’s SO EASY. And if you have a nicely stocked pantry, it’s even easier. I happen to always have on hand cans of white beans, chicken stock, frozen chicken breasts, onions, garlic, and all the spices. All I needed to pick up was the cheese and a fresh, crusty baguette for mopping up our bowls. We Italians use bread as a utensil.

This is how easy it is:  Throw everything in the pot and wait.

OK, you do have to cook the chicken breasts first. Other than that, it’s a meal that makes itself. (But, don’t tell your guests that!)

After about 2 hours of simmering, my house smelled heavenly.  It was time to toast the bread so we could eat!  I cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and then took a garlic clove which I also halved and rubbed all over the bread.

Next, I drizzled olive oil (lightly) over both pieces, and popped them in the broiler. They are ready in seconds, so don’t leave them alone. I’ve burned many a baguette by small distractions.

We sat down to deep, wide bowlfuls of chili goodness. Talking between big slurpy mouthfuls, we scraped our bowls clean. We couldn’t get enough of it. (I added some extra cayenne to mine because I always like that extra kick!).

I’m not sure if they’ll be making it themselves any time soon considering the 90 degree heat down there, but after coping with our single digit chill for a week, they were most thankful for it today.

This is something that I will make forever.  It truly does comfort the heart and soul, whatever that means for you.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped  (I prefer large white onions)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cooked, boneless chicken breasts, shredded
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (4 oz) cans green chili peppers, chopped
2 teasp ground cumin
2 teasp oregano
1 ½ teasp cayenne pepper
5 (14.5 oz) cans white northern beans, undrained
1 cup Montery Jack cheese, shredded.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat oil in a large pot, medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until fragrant and translucent (about 10 minutes). Add chicken, broth, green chilis, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, add beans (undrained). Simmer at least 1 hour, preferably up to 3 or more to let the flavors really blend.  Add to individual bowls and top with cheese. Serve with garlic bread.

Enjoy!