Thank goodness for a well stocked pantry. There a few important things that some would consider exotic, but I consider staples in the kitchen. Keeping A few special ingredients on hand makes it easy to put together a good meal without a trip to the store. Trader Joes' jars of fire roasted bell peppers and jars of Kalamata olives are a couple of these special staples that I always have on hand.
Last night, I was reminded of how useful a container of Thai curry paste can be. I buy the "Mae Ploy" brand. It is inexpensive and will keep for a long time. Don't be fooled into thinking that it can only be used to make curry (although that is just what I did with it last night). Curry paste makes a great rub for chicken wings (you don't need anything else - just rub them down and bake them!). It also spices up peanut sauce to use as a dressing for a noodle and vegetable salad.
Shrimp with Scallions and Mushrooms
adapted from "CURRIES - 40 authentic curry recipes from around the world"
2 tbls vegetable oil
bunch of scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, grated fine
6 ounces coconut milk
2 tbls Thai Red Curry Paste
10 ounces fish or chicken stock
2 tbls fish sauce
2 tbls soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
6 fresh basil sprigs, chopped
2 cups of mushrooms
12 ounces cleaned, shelled large shrimp
for garnish: scallions and a fresh lime
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the curry paste, coconut milk and stock, and stir until well mixed.
Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, basil, and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer. When the mushrooms are soft, add the shrimp. Cook for 4 more minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Garnish with fresh scallions, and a spritz of lime juice. Serve with rice.
NOTE: The original recipe calls for a can of straw mushrooms. I used fresh shiitake mushrooms instead, and you could use regular button mushrooms. I also added a cup of fresh bamboo shoots, cut into matchsticks, which I think was a good addition.