Extra Schmaltz!

I love this recipe in late summer, when the farmer's markets are full of Japanese eggplants and Thai basil. It's a sweet, gooey, savory treat that's as spicy as you want to make it and I love eggplant far too much. You can use normal European eggplant too in a pinch.   Serve on white rice.      Ingredients 1-2 eggplants depending on size, in thin slices (Japanese and European work fine, Thai would be weird) 1 red bell pepper (cut into small squares) 4 cloves garlic (smashed and roughly chopped) Thai chilis, to taste (minced) Small quantity of shallots or onions (thin sliced, optional, I like the sweet they provide) Protein of your choice, pre-cooked - I've been liking baked tofu, but chicken or pork work well Thai basil (to taste), remove the bigger stems and chop roughly.  Sauce 4 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp brown sugar (+palm sugar if available) 1 tsp dark vinegar, or white vinegar 2 Tbsp fish sauce  Optional: 1 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 2 Tbsp co...

This is one of those surprise recipes that emerged from what I had on hand and turned out both delicious and beautiful, much to my surprise. It's a hybrid of a few of my favorite Thai recipes. If you're able to find Kaffir lime leaf, you can keep it in the freezer and it still tastes great. In fact, many Asian groceries keep it in the freezer already. Thai basil is optional, but I had some on hand (if you leave it out, use more lime leaf). 1.5-2 lb. ground beef 4 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 hot Thai peppers, sliced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (optional but pretty) 4-6 Kaffir lime leaves, julienned very finely 1 small handful Thai basil leaves, chopped (optional) 1tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. fish sauce a couple of dollops of oyster sauce 4 green onions, cut into 1" pieces oil for cooking Brown the meat in a frying pan and break it up as finely as possible. (OR if you have a pressure cooker, cook it for 12 minutes--this makes it extra tender). Place a colander over a bowl and dump the me...

I came up with this recipe at The Byway, when my roomies and I were famished and didn't have much in the house except some iffy potatoes, some freezer-burned sausage, and some fabulous pesto given to us by a friend. The whole turned out to be far greater than the sum of its parts and now this is one of my standbys. It can be made with either pasta or potatoes, but I think it's best with the more unexpected potatoes. This dish is especially welcome in the dead of winter when basil seems like a miracle. Here it is with pasta, but I assure you it's tastier with potatoes. 3-4 links of Italian sausage, sliced into rounds 2 handfuls of waxy potatoes (~1.5 lbs), cut into large-bite size chunks OR 3/4 box pasta 1 onion, diced into large-ish chunks 2 green peppers, cut the same as the onions (optional) 2-3 spoonfuls pesto Olive oil for frying Boil the potatoes in well-salted water until they're mostly cooked, but not falling apart (or make pasta). Drain well, reserving a cup o...

This is a super easy stir fry with an unforgettable flavor. In Thailand, 'Holy basil' is typically used, but in the US most people make it with 'Thai basil'. (Now that I've tried the holy basil, I think that Thai basil is better.) You can use any mild meat, like chicken or pork, and either chop it small or buy it coarsely ground. It's traditionally served with an egg that's been fried until crisp in a fairly deep pan of oil, though eaten simply with rice it makes a respectable meal. 1-2 bunches Thai (or Holy) basil, stems removed 3-4 Tbsp. stir fry oil (less if using nonstick) 1.5 lbs chicken or pork, ground or chopped finely 3 cloves garlic, minced 2-5 hot chilies (to taste), sliced thin 3 large shallots (or substitute 1 large onion), sliced into thin strips 2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. fish sauce 4 Tbsp. black soy sauce* OR 3 Tbsp. regular soy sauce + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar Heat the stir fry oil in a large pan until it's really hot. Add the garlic and stir, cooking j...