mmm . . . a Curry . . .
So, like most people, I have a day job. Wish I didn’t, as we all do, but there we are. I would love for this to be my job, but it’s not.
I can just imagine spending my time in the kitchen, working on and creating / experimenting with dishes with unlimited resources. Teaching The Boy to enjoy exotic foods along the way . . . that would be my dream. Actually, I would love to win the lottery and play in the kitchen of my ‘Summer Home’ in the Mediterranean . . . but you gotta play to win, right?
Anyway, I do work, and I do most of the cooking in my house (about 95%). Unfortunately, like most, I don’t have a lot of time to spend preparing dinner, simply because of a lack of time between meetings to get things set up, even though I do work from home when I don’t travel. On the weekends I get more time to prepare, and I can spend hours doing so in complete bliss.
With the lack of time during the week in mind, we found something while we were living overseas that allows a great amount of flavor, with a minimum of cook time. It keeps us from ordering out, and allows us to spend time in the kitchen, our favorite room in the house, while spending lees time in prep work. The solution . . . Simmer Sauces.
Yeah, I know, it sounds like the Hamburger Helper or the Manwich of the new Millennium but trust me, they have evolved. Seriously, if you have about 45 minutes to prepare dinner they are something to consider. Especially since the come in both Thai and Indian flavors (my favorites), and not only require little effort to prepare, but save you a truckload on ordering in. Plus, its more fun to garnish them, add your own vegetables and tweak them however you want.
The most recent of which is a Red Curry that we found this weekend at New Flowers Farmers Market. Gang Keow Wan is a special brand that I have not encountered before, but for a simmer sauce I have to admit I was impressed. I browned some chicken, added sliced an onion and poured over the sauce. Let it simmer for about 40 minutes to cook and thicken, and it turns out pretty well served over rice. I have found others at Central Market, which are more of a paste, and when combined with some Coconut Milk (Lite Coconut Milk is best) turn out pretty good, but these are a little better.
Although Gang Keow Wan comes from an UK based company, New Flowers Farmers Market is the first place I have found this. Seriously, you gotta consider the Simmer Sauces for something fresh, easy and quick. Not as good as take-away, but saves you about 75% of the cost. Can’t go wrong there.
Enjoy!
