Shawn & I received the most awesome phone call from our friends, Bill & Cheryl of Buncearoo Presents, last week! Their video series Fork Mic Knife shares the stories of touring artists while making a meal together (on camera). It has been postponed, like everything else, because of COVID-19. They innovatively asked us to join them via livestream, and our answer was a resounding “YES!”
I had never cooked on camera before, let alone live on camera, so I had butterflies galore. How fun though, right?!?! Immediately I knew what I wanted to make: a “pantry” style dish that can be improvised from home with ingredients you already have, or that you can easily substitute. I decided on a chickpea curry dish, since meat is getting harder and harder to come by. With some staple ingredients (i.e. curry spices, coconut milk, onion), you can really sub so many things in this recipe and still have a deeply flavored meal!
My favorite curry spices (and these are not sponsored. #goals):
- Anything from Epices de Cru (Spicetrekkers). My #1 choice. Whole spices you will need a spice mill or heavy-duty mortar and pestle for. #worthit
- Arvinda’s Indian spices. Their Butter Chicken Masala is to. die. for. You’ll definitely want to go ahead and order a refill bag.
- Ship Madras Curry Powder. This is the one I used in my dish yesterday. My sweet friend Sazi gave it to me knowing how much I love spices, and it is soooooo goooooood.
- Make it Thai! Maesri Curry Pastes are awesome items to have in your pantry for a spur-of-the-moment curry craving. You can usually find a variety of them in your local Asian market.
Of course, if you want to make this meal stat, and only have some garam masala in your pantry, go for it (as long as it’s still fresh)!
Now that we’re caught up on spices…
Bill & Cheryl loved the idea of a pantry curry, so they came up with two accompanying recipes. I wish we could have teleported their creations to NM when they finished cooking!
Bill concocted a Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (one of my favorite dishes ever), highlighting classic Thai flavors like lemongrass and fresh basil.
Cheryl created a cooling salad of cucumbers in a greek yogurt/sour cream dressing and finished it with julienned fresh mint, all atop red lettuce. Mmmm!
Cooking via livestream was a first for all of us. We had no idea how the transitions between the two kitchens would feel to viewers, but it went as seamlessly as we could have imagined!
Curry is one of my go-to dinners.
I used to be intimidated to make it because it seemed that it never came out with restaurant-quality flavor in my kitchen. Thankfully I didn’t give up. I have collected many tips & techniques from established chefs (& the beer method from this Bon Appetit recipe), and have come up with a way to ensure LOTS of flavor without having to spend all day cooking.
PIN IT FOR LATER:
Let’s begin!!
(condensed recipe below)
First, I always like to prep all of my ingredients before I begin the cooking process. This way, when things are moving, I don’t have to freak out that “I didn’t wash & chop the mushrooms!!” when it’s time to put them in. So… get everything ready.
When you drain & rinse your chickpeas, reserve the chickpea liquid (a.k.a. aquafaba) & store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can use this liquid in place of egg whites in recipes if you’re cooking vegan (or if you’re out of eggs like a lot of people right now). It is also a perfect ingredient for non-dairy buttercream or vegan marshmallow fluff!
Next, you’re going to get your foundation going: the onions, garlic, and ginger. These ingredients are going to sweat in a nice hot bath of ghee (I highly recommend having this amazing item in your cooking arsenal!) or another cooking oil.
Now it’s aroma time! Tomatoes, spices (yum), and tomato paste go into the pan to create a delicious palate-pleasing base.
Now we add… Beer?
YES. Beer.
If you don’t drink alcohol, grab an O’Doul’s for this part. You won’t be disappointed.
Don’t have beer? You can use a white wine instead!
This method brings out so. much. yum. A non-bitter, wheat beer is optimal, so I chose to use a local T or C Brewing Co. Foch Street Wheat. #supportlocal
The beer gets combined with the tasty ingredients in the pan, and is reduced down, creating the best base for your curry.
It’s about to begin looking like curry…
It’s time to add the coconut milk and the broth, stir it all up, and let it simmer. Those spices are going to permeate every bit of that liquid. When it all reduces down, this curry delivers a serious flavor punch.
In go the chickpeas and mushrooms & they will simmer for 15 minutes while the reducing takes place.
You have some time now, so pour yourself a glass of wine (or take a sip of the leftover beer you have sitting there), and make the super simple yogurt sauce.
Stirring in the spinach is the next step. Kale works, too, but takes a little more prep and a little more cook-time than the spinach, which easily gets silky and cooked-through. This step is usually best when you work in batches. The greens like to jump out of the pan, so folding them into the hot liquid gradually helps with that.
We only have one more step until serving: the final flavor points. Coconut (or light brown) sugar and fish sauce. If you don’t like fish sauce, you can use salt to taste, instead. If you’re unsure about fish sauce, or haven’t found one at the store you’ve liked as much as one you’ve had at a restaurant, try Red Boat Fish Sauce. It’s Shawn’s and my favorite.
All that’s left now is a taste-test! You can add anything it needs now: more fish sauce, sugar, or salt.
I love making food an event. Making it pretty, even on a random weeknight does wonders to my psyche. Serve this curry over rice, with potatoes, or with some na’an bread, but go the extra mile and top it with some nice garnishes.
Some suggestions are: thinly sliced red onion, roasted coconut chips (you can get them at Trader Joe’s), fresh cilantro, sliced chili peppers, crushed peanuts, fried shallots… there’s no right or wrong, use what you have, and remember to keep color contrast in mind!
Don’t have everything the recipe calls for? Be creative! Here are some substitution ideas:
You can use pantry ingredients or a mixture of pantry/fresh ingredients. Use what you have. If fresh cilantro isn’t available, use fresh parsley (that’s what I did yesterday)… or use dried cilantro! Same with ginger. Use dried/ground, or leave it out.
Have some leftover rotisserie chicken or another protein that you want to use up? You can easily substitute your meat for the chickpeas or use it in addition!
Don’t have mushrooms? Leave them out.
Don’t have fresh spinach? Try frozen spinach or some fresh kale! If you use kale, remove the ribs (you can save these in the freezer for a future stock!), and tear the leaves into pieces.
If you want to use a Thai curry paste, leave out the tomatoes, bay leaf and tomato paste.
No greek yogurt? You could always make a drizzle out of mayo or sour cream. Or omit it completely.
The main staples in this recipe you need are: a protein, ghee or cooking oil, broth or stock, garlic, curry spices, beer (it can be non-alcoholic!), and coconut milk. Have these and you can create your version of this curry. It will be fun!
Pantry Curry
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed & drained
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes canned or fresh
- 1.5 cups mushrooms sliced
- 4 cups spinach packed
- 1 cup bone broth, vegetable broth, or water
- 1 can coconut milk full fat
- 8 oz. Belgian-style wheat beer (or other low-bitterness beer)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated or finely minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder (or other curry powder, such as garam masala) ground
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric ground
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or salt to taste)
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or other high heat cooking oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Jasmine or Basmati rice, for serving
Garnish
- fresh cilantro chopped
- red onion thinly sliced
- coconut chips
- yogurt sauce
Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons water
- Generous pinch Kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare all of your ingredients.
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee, or other cooking oil over medium heat in a wide saucepan. When hot, about 2 minutes, add onion and let it sweat for 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, careful not to brown.
- Stir in tomatoes, curry spices, turmeric, bay leaf and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes, pushing tomatoes down with the back of your wooden spoon, until mixture begins to look like a paste. Stir in tomato paste. Add beer, and stir to combine. Let simmer until it reduces, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk and broth (or water instead of broth). Simmer for 12 minutes.
- Stir in chickpeas and mushrooms. Simmer for 15 minutes, and let sauce thicken, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, make yogurt sauce, and set aside.
- Stir in spinach, in batches if necessary, and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, and simmer for 1 minute. Taste the curry, and add more salt, fish sauce, and/or sugar to taste.
- Serve curry on top of rice. Drizzle yogurt sauce on top, and garnish with fresh cilantro, sliced red onion, and coconut chips.
Notes
- Want extra protein? Add meat or tofu. Leftovers are great additions to curry!
- Like it spicy? Add red pepper flakes or ground chili, and/or garnish with sliced fresh chili peppers.
- Don’t have spinach? Use kale.
- Have other veggies you want to use up? Do it! Have questions on how to chop them or when to put them in? Comment below & I’ll help!
- Tired of rice? Serve over potatoes or with naan bread.
Cheryl’s Thai Inspired Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Combine
- 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1.5 tablespoons chili oil
- Set aside for garnish
Ingredients
- 1-2 large cucumbers (we like Old English). We prefer to not peel to allow for color variance in the salad, but you can if you so choose. Cut lengthwise and then in ¼ inch slices on the diagonal
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (or 1/4 cup each)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk full fat, cold
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass finely minced. Remove outside layer of stalk. Bend it a bit to release aromatics
- Zest of a whole lime
- Juice of half of a lime
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint roughly chopped
- 1/2 Thai chili pepper seeded & minced
- 6 large mint leaves thin julienned style for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber, set aside
- Mix sour cream or Greek yogurt (or a mixture), coconut milk, lemongrass, salt, lime juice, honey, chopped mint and Thai Chili in a food processor and process until all the ingredients are blended well, scraping down sides as needed. An alternative is to use a handheld immersion blender if you have one.
- In a bowl blend mixture with lime zest and check if additional salt is needed.
- Add in sliced cucumbers, mix well.
- Chill in fridge for 1-2 hours, serve over fresh lettuce.
- Garnish with some of the spicy peanuts and julienned mint Enjoy!!
Bill’s Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast or 2 chicken thighs skinned
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 can chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ stalk celery
- ½ Vidalia onion
- 6 fresh ginger cut in quarter-size slices
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass cut in half
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce optional
Garnish
- 1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and add onion, celery, and lemongrass. Simmer until translucent.
- Add coconut milk, chicken stock and bring to boil over high heat. Add lime juice, fish sauce (if using), ginger, sugar and chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is firm and white, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard lemongrass.
- Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper
- Ladle into bowl and garnish with raw mushrooms slices and cilantro leaves
- Eat It.
Watch “Cooking With Friends”:
I’d like to give a special shout-out to my husband Shawn for helping me clean, setting up the lights for optimal video prettiness, for being a part of something neither of us were used to, but being SO game… for showing the viewers how to make a killer Negroni in the dead time while things were simmering (maybe I’ll have to do another blog post about our favorite Negroni recipes??).
I am so thankful for a partner who supports me in everything I do.
What’s your favorite pantry recipe? Let me know in the comments! And if you make any or all of these recipes, let me know how it goes!
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