Recipe 70 - Thai Panang w/Saffron Jasmine Rice

Well hello there.  I'm back again.  I seemed to have been having a rough week last week. 
Maybe it's because I'm aging?  (Yours truly will be 38 on Thursday, folks!)  Maybe it's just because I had some feelings that needed to be dealt with?
Whatever it was - it's slowly passing - and in the interim, I had a really yummy dinner on Saturday night!

So, my conclusion of Thai month wrapped up with Thai Panang (aka - curried pineapple and coconut).
And just like the last two recipes, it was undeniably amazing.  I think I might just have a hand at this Thai thing! 
I had planned to do it on Friday - but I had a willing victim available on Saturday - so, that's when this throwdown happened.   No surprise visitors this time, but yeah there was popcorn (and even tipsy brownie making later on).

So I learned something from this curry - - It needed more spice!  (Well the recipe I veganized it from certainly did anyway).  We ended up tossing some garam masala on it, but I've added it in to the vegan recipe I created so it's there now.  It's surprising the other two were not lacking for spice (even my nose was running at both of those). 
I started out deciding what I wanted to put this on top of.  I chose jasmine rice, but not just any Thai jasmine.. but SAFFRON Thai Jasmine rice.
You may be asking - what is saffron?
It's actually a spice derived from the crocus flower - and it's got many medicinal properties.
Click on the crocus and educate yourself on this amazing plant.

So - fancy me!   I started my curry the way the recipe called for, only I couldn't find curry 'paste' at my store (maybe that's where the spice went wrong?)  I had to use curry sauce - but I can't imagine it was lost on any other flavor.   It started smelling good as it simmered and I chopped up all my goodies that go in it.  The last of which was the 'un-chicken'.  I followed the directions though for real chicken on the length of time to simmer.  I don't know if it really made a difference, but it gave it time for the flavors to meld.

Then it was time to start the rice.   And I was wondering where my victim was at, considering I'd texted her 20 minutes beforehand.   So maybe, maybe that was my surprise when she landed at my doorstep with three bags in her hands?
I haz more groceries!
And popcorn!
And a victim!
(I love victims).

So, everything was on the stove, boiling away.  It smelled good.  We rapped about - shoot I don't know what we rapped about.  Babies maybe? Vegan babies? Babysitting?  Regardless, it made the time go by and the next thing you know, it was time to put the goodness on the plate.


Oh yum.
Once we got over the fact that it needed more spice, and I pulled out the GM, my victim had herself three plates of the stuff.. I only had 2.  ;)  It made plenty, because I had leftovers last night. ;)   And it was even more yummy the day after!

So, having wrapped up Thai month with a wonderful dish, I can only say I'm pretty satisfied.
I suppose though, you want to know what's coming up next?

My birthday!  That means cake and lots of it!!

Oh, silly me.. you meant for the blog!

I'll give you a hint..  44% of Americans do this daily...

Gotcha - you've got no cluhuue.
Stay tuned, you'll find out on Wednesday - (or maybe tomorrow if I'm feeling frisky.)


Music enjoyed while blogging:
Sheri's Shoobop on Pandora

Current Craving:
Nothing for the next few hours.. mommy made me bday cupcakes!

Current Motivation:
Wishing it would stop raining.. I'd love to go for a run OUTside in this warm weather, even late!