Thai Peanut Coconut Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches - Gluten-Free Version, Too!

Whether you call them hoagies, subs, grinders or any other iteration of the classic, substantial sandwich-on-a-roll most Americans take for granted as a God given right, we gluten-free folk yearn to once again sink our teeth into that long remembered gustatorial delight. Good crusty bread in the form of a roll is something we haven't been able to enjoy in a long, long time. Until. I found Udi's French baguettes and French rolls in the freezer section of Naturally Soergel's. The crunchy exterior-ed, soft interior-ed bread virtually demanded I make a hoagie with it...well, it would have had it spoken to me and frankly, I think it did!

My first hoagie in...well, since I had to go gluten-free nine years ago...HAD to be special. I searched my memory bank for sandwiches I'd lusted over for a while - cheesesteaks with mushrooms, peppers and onions, the classic Italian cold cut with a drizzle of dressing, a good old saucy meatball sub with melted provolone oozing out the ends. Sigh.

While every one of those long lost, delicious pleasures from the past sounded like it would more than fill the bill, the one sandwich I'd not been able to sample - and had been dying to try - was one of Lucy's Banh Mi sandwiches from her stand outside Bar Marco in the Strip District. THAT is what I wanted! So that's exactly what I made at home as I imagined Lucy's to be.

Starting with a sliced-open Udis baguette, I first layered on a couple of thin slices of hot pepper cheese, then a pile of sweet, tart and crunchy Green Curry Broccoli Slaw (the same slaw Kimber posted right here on Dinner Plan-it back in March of 2012), then a couple of grilled Thai Peanut & Coconut Chicken Tenders, a sprinkle of cilantro leaves and voila(!), my long-awaited banh mi masterpiece was a reality. The best part of all? It was everything I'd imagined and MORE!

Break out the grill, bust out the hoagie rolls and get ready to enjoy one of the best sandwiches EVER...gluten-free or not.

Thai Peanut Coconut Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches

 (Gluten-free Version, Too)

• 1 3/4 pounds chicken tenders, raw...not the frozen breaded stuff
• 1/4 C peanut butter
• 1/2 C lite coconut milk
• 1 T Thai red curry paste - I use the roasted kind, feel free to use the regular red or even go wild and use the green!
• 4 cloves garlic - pressed or minced
• 1 t ginger - yep, the powdered stuff in the little bottles
• 1 lime - first zest it and THEN cut it in half and juice it
• 1 T maple syrup - the REAL stuff, not the pancake syrup...or even use agave syrup
• 1 T fish sauce

•  1 Udi's gluten-free French baguette or a regular baguette if you don't have to worry about gluten -- sliced open lengthwise, but not all the way through...leave a hinge at the back!
• broccoli slaw -- see the recipe
• pepperjack cheese slices
• fresh cilantro leaves

In a large zip top plastic bag, put all the marinade ingredients peanut butter through fish sauce, seal and smoosh it all together until the mixture is completely blended. Add the chicken tenders, squeeze out all the air and seal securely. Put the bag into a bowl big enough to catch any drips that might happen and put into the fridge for at least 2 hours4 is better.

While the chicken is marinating, make the broccoli slaw.

Start the grill and when its good and hot, put on the marinated chicken tenders. Grill until beautifully browned and cooked through. Remove.

Now it's time to make the sandwiches! Open the baguette and lay on a few slices of pepperjack cheese in a single layer. Then spoon on some of the broccoli slaw, then the grilled chicken and finally garnish with a few cilantro leaves. Close the baguette, slice into individuals portions and serve.

NOTE: I like to serve these with Japanese Cucumber Salad for a crisp, refreshing, tart and spicy side.

Asian-ish Thai-ish Chicken Lettuce Wraps With Peanut Sauce

Crazy cravings for Thai food and/or Lettuce Wraps at P. F. Chang's...and NO time to get anywhere(!)...led to today's recipe. It's an Asian fusion kinda, Thai kinda...well, I don't know which actual kinda mish mash of Asian culture the rest of the wrap could be ascribed to - all I do know is that the wraps scratched every Asian itch we had. 
 
Despite the fact that there are several parts to this recipe, don't be intimidated by the length of the recipe. Each component is easy to do and can be whipped up ahead of time. When you're ready for dinner, warm the filling and dinner is ready for YOU! 

Asian-ish Thai-ish Chicken Lettuce Wraps 

                                  With Peanut Sauce

 

Filling:

• 2 chicken breasts, minced in the food processor - don't overprocess into a paste! (method: cube still slightly frozen chicken and process in short pulses until it's a coarse, nice sized mince)
• 2 green onions, sliced well into the green
• 1 carrot, peeled, julienned
• 3/4 ounce Mei Fun rice noodles, crushed
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 2 T soy sauce - or wheat free tamari if gluten is an issue
• 1 T chili oil
• 2 t. sesame oil 

 

• 2 T. rice wine vinegar
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 t. grated fresh ginger + the juice that accumulates under the grater
• 3 T. wheat free tamari
• 1 t. chili oil
• 1 t. dark sesame oil

• 1T peanut oil

Salad:

• 6 T. shredded carrot
• 4 T. thinly sliced green onion
• 4 T. finely diced seedless cucumber
• 2 very small cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T. thinly slivered red bell pepper
• 2 T. cilantro, minced
• reserved marinade from above
• 2 (or so - taste before adding more) T water

Sauce:

• 3 T. lime juice
• 2 t. fish sauce
• 2 t. soy sauce or wheat free tamari if gluten is an issue
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 2 t. sugar
• 2 t. water
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 T peanut butter

Garnish:

• finely chopped dry roasted peanuts
• finely chopped cilantro

• Bibb, small Romaine or leaf lettuce leaves - you know, small and flexible lettuce!

Marinade: Make marinade for chicken of rice wine vinegar through dark sesame oil. Stir well. Set aside 2 T. of the marinade and add the minced chicken to the remaining marinade. Refrigerate a couple of hours or so - overnight even.
 
Filling: Heat peanut oil in skillet. When it's good and hot, chicken by batches and brown. Remove each batch to a plate as it's done. When all the chicken is done, return it - and ALL the juices - to the skillet and add water chestnuts, noodles, green onion and carrot. Add the rest of the filling ingredients, stir well and taste - adjust seasonings as necessary. 
 
Salad: In a medium bowl, toss together the shredded carrot, green onion, cucumber, garlic, red pepper and cilantro. Add reserved marinade mixed with water - taste the sauce and adjust as necessary. Set aside.
 
Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients well - taste & adjust. Set aside.
 
To serve: Plate a pile of lettuce leaves, a bowl of chicken, the shredded salad and the sauce. On a lettuce leaf, put a spoon of filling, a spoon of salad, drizzle with sauce and garnish with peanuts and cilantro. Roll and enjoy!

Thai(ish) Coconut Peanut Noodle and Veg Salad with Grilled Steak

Summer pasta salad fatigue setting in yet? Getting tired of the same pasta salads over and over again? You know what I mean...macaroni salad - been there, bow-tie pasta salad - done that, all the mayo-based or Italian-salad-dressing-doused or from-the-box-ala-Suddenly-Salad kinda salads that turn up on every picnic and dinner table in America. Ho hum. What to do...what to do....

Bored and in the mood for a little something different - and just maybe a little exotic - I set about making a Thai-inspired noodle salad with a box of Annie Chun Pad Thai noodles I had on the pantry shelf. The warm salad included lots of bright green basil, broccoli and spinach, crisp sprouts, a little heat of finely slivered jalapeno, freshly squeezed lime juice, sweet and creamy coconut milk accented with umami flavors of peanut butter, fish sauce (don't turn up your nose...it doesn't taste fishy, just adds BIG Thai notes) and tamari.

To serve this one-dish-meal-in-a-salad, we grilled up a cap steak from the rib eye, sliced it into medallions before laying it lovingly atop the salad, scattered crunchy, salty peanuts over all and garnished the whole thing with extra basil and lime to taste. The result? I'm positive our tastebuds gave an appreciative standing ovation to the salad excitement they beheld (and be-tasted?). Vive la summer pasta salad différence! 

Thai(ish) Coconut Peanut Noodle and Veg Salad 

with Grilled Steak

Serves 4

• 2 ribeye cap steaks - or your favorite cut, seasoned and grilled how you like it - 1/2 steak per person

• 8 ounces rice noodles, pad Thai style (I used Annie Chun brand), cooked according to package directions - al dente - drain in a colander and rinse well with cold water - set aside

• 1 cup fresh spinach, julienned
• 6 medium basil leaves, fresh, cut into chiffonade
• 1/2 large jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced thinly into slivers 1/4" long
• 1 cup bean sprouts, fresh, rinsed and dried
• 1 cup peanuts, salted - reserve 1/4 cup for garnish
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

• 3/4 cup lite coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce, wheat-free to make this GF or regular soy sauce if gluten isn't an issue for you
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Make the salad ahead of time and grill the steak the way you like before serving.
 
Mix the dressing ingredients - coconut milk through fish sauce - in a bowl until the peanut butter is thoroughly incorporated and pour over the cooked noodles. Add the spinach, basil, jalapeno, sprouts salt, broccoli and salt. Toss well until all the veggies, noodles and sauce are well-combined. Arrange the salad on a platter and top with sliced steak and garnish with the rest of the peanuts and lime to squeeze as needed.
 
NOTE: Feel free to make this by itself without the steak for a lovely side dish!

Thai Red Curry Coconut Cod - Gluten-Free!

Thai flavors thrill me! The exotic nuances of coconut milk, lemongrass, curry, hot peppers, kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil and even fish sauce tickles my palate like no other cuisine. The big bonus for we celiacs and others with gluten sensitivities is that many Thai foods are naturally gluten free.

Thank you Thailand for giving us rice noodles instead of wheat noodles, rice paper wrappers instead of wonton wrappers made with (what else?) wheat. There are some lovely soups and salads that fit the GF lifestyle to a "T" and even most of the curries are soy sauce and gluten-free. Be sure to check with the restaurant kitchen about hidden gluten or that there aren't cross contamination issues.

Of course, one SURE way to be certain your Thai meal is gluten-free is to make it at home yourself. Difficult? Well, that depends. If you're going to be all strict about authenticity, you might be in for more than I'm willing to deal with for a quick weeknight meal. Then again, if you're not looking for a quick meal or if you're trying to impress company, go whole hog and full on Thai. For me most times, I'm looking for a Thai(ish) treat in a hurry. 

Which brings me to today's recipe. Yep, another fish/seafood dish for Lent or just for your meatless arsenal. Thai Red Curry Coconut Cod came about as a result of watching friends enjoy Friday Fish Frys and missing out on being able to indulge myself. I LOVE Fish Frys! I MISS Fish Frys! I am tired of having a side salad (hold the croutons, please) while tablemates chow down of one of my favorite foods. So I fixed that problem at home.

Instead of wheat flour, I used rice flour for the dredge - you do know that Bobby Flay uses rice flour for his own crispy fried fish, don't you? He doesn't use it because it's gluten-free, he uses it because it makes a light, crispy and crunchy batter. If it's good enough for BF, it's good enough for me...and gluten-free to boot!

Here's what I did. I dipped the pieces of cod in coconut milk and then in coconut accented rice flour to really emphasize the coconut-iness of the finished dish. The sauce used even more coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce and other items I had in the pantry along with green onions and red & yellow peppers for color and more crunch.  

To plate it up, I used a base of brown rice (yep, I used the frozen Trader Joe's again - I told you I was doing a quick meal!), pieces of crispy coconut cod, a glaze of gorgeous red sauce and snappy veggies. 

My Fish Fry friends might even experience feelings of envy over this tantalizing Thai temptation! Fish sandwich? Nice, but run of the mill. Thai Red Curry Coconut Cod? One exotically beautiful, sweet, tangy, zippy, crunchy and absolutely delicious dish!

Thai Red Curry Coconut Cod

 Serves 4

• 2 nice cod fillets, cut across into 3-4" pieces
• 1/2 cup coconut milk, I like the lite version
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• canola oil, to a depth of about 1/2" in your skillet

• 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 cup coconut milk, lite again
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce, be sure it's gluten-free to make this GF
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

•  cooked brown or white rice

Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, combine vinegar, honey, curry paste, ginger, water, salt, granulated garlic and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and whisk until thoroughly combined. 

Mix the cornstarch and 2 T. water into a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the sauce, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer again. Stir until the sauce becomes thickened.  Stir in the veggies, remove from heat and set aside while you make the fish.
 
Mix rice flour, coconut flakes and salt. Transfer the mixture to a plate; add coconut milk to another plate. Dredge the fish pieces first in coconut milk, then in the flour mixture, coating thoroughly over all sides and edges. Set aside.
 
Add the oil to a skillet to the depth of about 1/2". Bring oil to 375 degrees. Once the oil has come to temp, add the fish pieces carefully a few pieces at a time - do in several batches if necessary, just don't crowd the pieces. Brown on all sides and remove to a paper towel covered platter until all pieces are done.
 
To serve: Place the fish pieces on top of brown or regular rice - even rice noodles would be wonderful - then spoon the sauce over the fish being sure to get lots of veggies in each serving.

NOTE: Try using shrimp or scallops instead of cod...or your favorite fish fry variety. For your non-fish eating friends, try using strips of chicken! It's all good.

Japanese Sweet Potato Red Curry Soup with Coconut

How do YOU choose a sweet potato? You know, to be sure you get the sweetest, most flavorful of the bunch?  I was taught that the darker the outside of the sweet potato, richer and sweeter the flavor.  And I've found it to be true over the years.  Which brings me to how I ended up finding a whole new variety I never knew existed...and that I think is even better than all the rest, though decidedly different. 
 
I was stalking the perfect sweet potato in the aisles of Whole Foods just looking for the best ones possible for Christmas dinner. At the top of the display there were some very dark red, almost purple, sweet potatoes...that HAD to be the best ever.  The sign said "Garnet Sweet Potatoes."  Great!
 
Christmas dinner preparations began and the sweet potatoes were tucked into the oven for a good roasting. Later, upon cutting them open at the dinner table, we found not soft, dark orange flesh, but a firmer potato of a soft golden color.  My selection method had failed!  But did it really?  


Once buttered, seasoned and TASTED, we soon found these were no ordinary sweet potatoes.  Both the texture and taste were somewhere between an Idaho baking potato and a sweet potato. And we like them even better! And we wanted more!
 
The next trip to Whole Foods, I headed straight to the same table and found the sign had been changed. The "Garnet" designation now had been moved to another area and a new sign declared my new favorite potato "Japanese Sweet Potatoes."  Aha! So I bought another bunch of them and spread the word to potato pickers next to me.  They bought them, too. Now what to do with them other than a simple baking...not that there's anything wrong with that.
 
And so I adapted the old standard Houlihan's Baked Potato Soup into a whole new recipe.  I used coconut milk in place of milk, I added Thai Red Curry Paste and toasted coconut, a curry hot sauce that I recently got as a gift from a dear, sweet friend ...plain old potato soup was transformed into something a little sweet, a little hot, and just a little exotic.  And totally delicious!

Japanese Sweet Potato Red Curry Soup with Coconut

• 2 med Japanese sweet potatoes, baked, peeled and cubed
• 3 T butter (or even better, coconut oil!)
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup instant potato flakes
• 2 t hot sauce (I used a lovely curry hot sauce, but use your favorite) 
• 2 T Thai red curry paste
• 1 t Thai fish sauce
• 1 cup fat free evaporated milk
• 1 can light coconut milk
• salt and pepper, to taste
• sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

• Melt butter (or coconut oil) in soup pot & add onions. Saute over low heat for 10 minutes or until onions are translucent.
• Add cornstarch and Thai red curry paste to onions and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring well.
• Add potato flakes to a large bowl, gradually add chicken stock stirring to incorporate well. 
• Add slowly to onion mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat and continue cooking to a gentle simmer.
• Add evaporated milk and coconut milk, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Do not boil.
• Add potatoes, hot sauce and fish sauce, simmer gently for another 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat, ladle into bowls, top with sliced green onions and toasted coconut flakes.

Green Curry Broccoli Slaw

It's getting close to that time of year for picnics and fun side dishes. Yay warm weather!!!!

Green Curry Broccoli Slaw is a new favorite of mine (yep, it's Kimber back again!) I am usually not big on coleslaw, so this is a fresh and yummy twist. Colorful veggies that are contrasts of crunchy and tender, spicy and cool, tart and sweet...all at the same time.

Think about making this gorgeous side for your next picnic or for dinner. I love it and if you're a veggie lover, I bet you will, too!

Thai Green Curry Broccoli Slaw

• 1 bag broccoli slaw
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup cashews, chopped


1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 fresh snow peas, slivered
• 2 green onions, sliced thinly well into the green
• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup 0% Greek yogurt (Fage preferred)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or 1 packet Splenda)


1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 teaspoon curry powder
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1/2-1 Tablespoon Siracha hot sauce (start with less - add if you like it HOT!)

Whisk together the coconut milk, yogurt, sugar (or Splenda), green curry paste, curry powder, vinegar, and siracha in a small bowl.

In another bowl put your broccoli slaw and pour the dressing on top and toss until coated. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well. Refrigerate until dinner or eat right away.

Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash

Sometimes we tend to view someone we know one way, one way only.  We don't see other possibilities of their personalities - never see other aspects that may exist in their out-of-office, everyday life. Think of a co-worker you know as a dedicated professional dealing with the ins and outs of the office day after day...dependable, conscientious, dedicated.  Serious.  You have a certain mindset about what and who this person is.  Then, you find out that serious, staid individual performs in musical comedy several times a year. What?!  Well, how interesting!  Who knew?!  A new appreciation develops, a new admiration.

There are foods like that, I think.  Peas comes to mind.  A simple dish of buttered peas is just about how we all enjoy them.  And then there are sweet potatoes.  Oh sure, we jazz those up at the holidays...maybe with brown sugar or marshmallows or we even go wild with a few toasted pecans. There's the standard baked sweet potato with butter, salt and pepper - or even (getting wild again) with cinnamon and brown sugar.  What else can you do with sweet potatoes besides the usual...besides the day-to-day staid, expected?  

Do I have a recipe for you!  An entirely new way to look at AND serve sweet potatoes.  With a little spice, a little tart, a little heat, a touch of sweet....you've got potatoes with pizzazz!  These are sweet potatoes with so much personality that I recommend serving them with a simple protein...grilled steaks, grilled pork chops or broiled chicken because these potatoes shine, folks...they become the star of the show that is dinner.  I'm talking Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash! (Maybe next time we'll take on the humble green pea.)  Oh, and that aforesaid performer?  Real.  Really.  Tax people can be SO surprising sometimes.

Thai Green Curry Sweet Potato Mash

8 servings

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon green curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/3 cup light cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Cook potatoes covered with water until tender.  Drain, return to pan, keep warm.
 

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots, cook until just soft.  Stir in brown sugar, salt, green curry paste, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook a minute, stirring constantly.  

Add mixture to potatoes along with cream and lime juice.  Mash with potato masher and serve.  So pretty!  So good!  So good for you!  1 serving has only 120 calories and is super high in potassium and vitamins C and A.

NOTE:  I like to serve these with a small wedge of lime to squeeze over the top before enjoying!