Dumplings in Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

This is something that I found scrolling reels on Instagram, a favorite past time of mine. To me, what makes cooking fun and interesting is experimenting with new recipes. To be honest, this was my first time using curry paste. I’ve used curry powder before which is typically used in Indian cuisine, but I’m a little scared of using too much heat in dishes. Particularly dishes I plan on eating. The red curry paste is make from chilis, is frequently used in Thai dishes, and it’s got a major kick. At least for me. There’s spice that makes your eyes water and takes your breath away, and there’s spice that’s a flavor bomb and enhances the dish. I’d say the red curry paste is in the middle. I need to train my palate. I’m working on it. I did cut the paste in half when I made this recipe. I usually have pot stickers aka dumplings in the freezer. Occasionally we have them for a quick lunch with a dipping sauce. This recipe comes together pretty quickly, and fed two of us plus leftovers. As with most savory recipes it’s a good outline that can be modified based on taste preferences and what you have on hand.

Ingredients:

1 14oz can of full fat coconut milk

2 T red Thai curry paste (I used 1 T, but suit yourself)

2-3 cloves of minced garlic

3 T soy sauce

2 T agave

1 red bell pepper thinly sliced

1-2 cups of broccoli florets

3 cups of chopped bok choy

15 frozen pot stickers/dumplings (flavor of your choice)

1/4 cup green onions chopped for garnish

sesame seeds for garnish

1-2 T chili crisp for more heat (I omitted)

Preheat your oven to 375. Use a 3.5 quart oven safe casserole dish. Put the milk, curry paste, garlic, soy sauce, and agave into the casserole pan and whisk together until everything is incorporated.

Once you’ve whisked the sauce ingredients wash and chop your vegetables.

Toss your vegetables in the sauce to evenly coat them. Nestle in the potstickers.

Spoon some of the sauce over each dumpling. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. The potstickers went in frozen so check for doneness after 30 minutes. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Add chili crisp if you have a notion to. We enjoyed this with a little jasmine rice.

NOTE: Feel free to change out some of the vegetables. Cabbage, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, or sweet onions would be good additions or substitutions. I discovered super easy to use ginger paste at Aldi, and I keep jarred minced garlic in the fridge for a time saver because why not?!

Vegetable and Shrimp Stir Fry

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If you love vegetables, stir fry is the perfect meal. You can use almost  any combination of vegetables you have on hand. I more often than not make stir fry without meat but tonight I added some pre-cooked shrimp. You can also use left over chicken, beef or pork. But the stars of this dish, for me, are the vegetables. There really is no right or wrong combination of ingredients but this is what I used tonight.

Vegetables:

Baby bok choy

Celery

Carrots

Mushrooms

Onion

Red bell pepper

Snow peas

Canola oil and toasted sesame oil

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Sauce Ingredients:

6 T water

3 T catsup

2 T soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp grated garlic

2 tsp honey

1 T cider or rice vinegar

1 T cornstarch

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Cut up all of the vegetables into bite size pieces.

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Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in your wok until it’s very hot. Add the vegetables and drizzle with a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.

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Cook the vegetables until tender crisp stirring frequently. Be careful not to overcook them.

Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. With a microplane grate the ginger and garlic.

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Whisk in the water, catsup, soy sauce, honey, and corn starch.

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Add the shrimp to the wok with the vegetables. They’re already cooked so they just need to be heated.

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Add the sauce, stir and cook over high heat until it thickens a bit. Serve over rice and enjoy!

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Stir fry. It’s what was for dinner tonight.

NOTE:  Shredded green cabbage, summer squash, broccoli, green onions, green beans, baby corn, water chestnuts. Any of these vegetables are great for stir fry.