Thai Shrimp Curry

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Lois the cooking chick and the many other readers who sent
me this:

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet
table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see
carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum
balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine
single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than
single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now.
So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip?
It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or
something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two.
It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of
gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out
of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano.
Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk
or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a
sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to
control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is
to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.
This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of
eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them
again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of
each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one
pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than
one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean,
have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the
party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.
Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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As with many Thai dishes, this one combines strong, distinctive
flavors in a symphony of contrasts.

Thai Shrimp Curry

2 cans (14 oz, 392 g each) coconut milk
2-3 Tbs (30-45 ml) red curry paste*
2 Tbs (30 ml) fish sauce*
2 Tbs (30 ml) brown sugar
1-2 lbs (450-900 g) medium shrimp, peeled
2-3 cups (500-750 ml) pineapple chunks
4 oz (125 g) snow peas (mangetouts), trimmed
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and
cut into thin strips
1 hot red or green chile pepper, seeded and
chopped (optional)
1 Tbs (30 ml) lime juice
Salt to taste
Whole fresh basil leaves, whole fresh mint leaves,
and chopped dry-roasted peanuts for garnish
Cooked white rice

* Available in finer supermarkets and Asian specialty shops

Carefully remove the lids from the cans of coconut milk without
shaking them. Spoon about 1 cup of the thick (or even solid) "cream"
from the tops of the cans and place in a large, heavy pot with the red
curry paste. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring
frequently, until the cream separates into colored oil and coconut
solids, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining coconut milk,
fish sauce, and brown sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp
and pineapple and bring back to a simmer over moderate heat. Cook
until the shrimp is almost done, 3 to 4 minutes, and add the snow
peas, bell pepper, and optional hot pepper. Cook until the vegetables
are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in
the lime juice and adjust the seasoning with salt if necessary.
Garnish with whole basil leaves, mint leaves, and chopped peanuts and
serve with white rice. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Fri Dec 10 06:17:14 2004