Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce

Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce

Yup, we’re here again. That time where we look at our calendars and think, “is it REALLY almost Rosh Hashanah? Where did this YEAR go?!” That’s what we’re all thinking, especially with the last year and a half in a total time warp.

Well, for this year’s Rosh Hashanah menu, I’ll be making Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce.

Not So Tradish

Wait, what? Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce…for a the Jewish New Year?!

Okay, hear me out.

What are we all eating on Rosh Hashanah? Well, if my mom is reading this, then she’ll remember when I was 4 years old and I would reply, “Tzicken”! LOL Yup, that was back when I ate chicken!

But in reality, we’re devouring apples, honey, pomegranate, maybe some starfruit or dragonfruit – all the new fruits we can get our hands on. We’re consuming a lot of fruit and its sweet accompaniments. So, I made this Baked Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce dish to counter all of the honey and sweetness in our palates in our upcoming yom tov meals. And since honey and chilies pair so well together, it felt like a match made in heaven.

It’s okay to lick your bowl

I first created this recipe several months ago just out of a craving of something spicy, with my red curry powder from The Spice House and creamy coconut milk. Plus adding in some salmon for protein and tomatoes and green beans makes this a complete dish.

What developed that day was a sauce that was truly irresistible and fulfilled every craving. For real. Ask my husband. He’ll tell you that he’s seen me lick my bowl clean. The sauce is so versatile, you can make it to go on just about everything – it would be delish with some roasted or grilled veggies! And I served it with some fish patties for a Shabbat appetizer that were a bit hit! I’ve even dipped tortilla chips in it (it’s no joke how much I love it). My sister-in-law’s mother immediately asked me how I made this, after I shared a “preview” in our family WhatsApp group. And like usual I just made up the recipe, so I needed to finally write something down. This is for you, Levana!!

So I finally wrote down the recipe, albeit with a few tweaks because I KNOW I’m making this again and again and again. Because it’s THAT good. It’s so warm and satisfying. Perfectly spicy, creamy and tangy from the lemongrass and a perfect dish to make on a cool autumn night.

Though it may not be your traditional Rosh Hashanah appetizer, I say “why not”? Why not “spice” (with Thai chilies?) things up and add some flavorful traditions to your yom tov seder meals. Who says you can’t have delicious food at any holiday meal?

Wishing you all a Shana Tova! Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year!

Click here to get lots more Rosh Hashanah recipes!

 

5 from 1 vote
Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce
Course: Fish
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves, diced
  • 1-2 Thai Chiles, finely diced I like things HOT, so sometimes I use 3-4 chilies, because I'm crazy. Feel free to remove as many of the seeds as possible to reduce the heat
  • 1 tsp Red Curry Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1 15 oz. can Coconut Milk (full fat, NOT the light version)
  • 1/2 Stalk of lemongrass, finely diced (or zest and juice of half a lemon) Remove the outer tough layers, take a chef's knife and pound the lemongrass to release the oils and finely dice the mid-section of the stalk. Feel free to use fresh lemon juice & zest instead
  • 1/2 tsp Tomato Paste I don't measure, I just do 1 big squeeze (from the tube), much easier than using a can
  • 2 4 oz. Salmon fillets Season with salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425F for the salmon. Meanwhile, start making the sauce

  2. In a large, deep skillet, add 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic, red curry powder, diced chilies and diced lemongrass (if using)

  3. Cook for about 1 minute on medium heat - be careful not to burn the garlic

  4. Add the canned coconut milk and tomato paste and whisk until smooth

  5. Season with salt and pepper and adjust as needed

  6. If you're not using lemongrass, add in the lemon juice here

  7. Add your cherry tomatoes and green beans (if using)

  8. Meanwhile, add salt and pepper to the salmon filets and bake the salmon at 425F for 10 minutes

  9. Cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until the sauce has thickened

  10. Add your salmon to a big plate or bowl and top with the sauce, garnish with chopped cilantro or green onion and a squeeze of lemon!

Cabbage Pancakes (for Passover!)

Cabbage Pancakes

Lately, I’ve been a little preoccupied, with the move just a few weeks ago and setting up our new condo. Things are definitely in good shape here, but since Passover is HERE, I had to bring you all at least 1 new recipe – and this one came out of sheer necessity to clean our our fridge. I had a bag of coleslaw mix that I didn’t know what to do with. Sure, I could make the standard mayo or vinegar-based coleslaw, but I was bored of that. I needed something new and exciting. And then, BOOM. My Pizza Latke recipe uses sauerkraut as the base (because cabbage gets crunchy when you fry it)! So off I went, transforming the humble bag of coleslaw mix into crunchy, savory cabbage pancakes. The perfect pre-seder (or anytime) snack for Passover!

These savory pancakes are my spin on Japanese street food called okonomiyaki – made with flour, eggs, cabbage and a protein. This recipe is great for using up leftovers in your fridge. Although I didn’t use protein in my version, go ahead and add some canned tuna or salmon, ground beef or maybe cubed salami! It’s a perfect base for a savory pancake.

If you’re not planning on making this for Passover, feel free to garnish with sesame seeds (unless you eat Kitniyot) or add in coconut aminos or soy sauce. And play around with the spice level too! Maybe you have some gochujang in your fridge (okay, well that’s Korean, but hey, I did say this was my spin), or pickled jalapenos. You can even add in shredded cheese (similar to my pizza latkes) with an Asian twist.

There ya have it.

Even though I’m still trying to figure out where I put most of my kitchen stuff, I managed to give ya’ll a new recipe.

Happy Passover – Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

0 from 0 votes
Cabbage Pancakes
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 bag Coleslaw mix I mean, you CAN shred your own cabbage and carrot, but why not go for a shortcut and make your life easier?
  • 1 tbsp. Avocado oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher-for-Passover soy sauce or Teriyaki sauce
  • 1 cup Almond Flour
  • 2 tbsp. Olive or Avocado oil, for frying
  • 1 tbsp. Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) Optional
Toppings
  • 1/4 cup Mayo
  • 2 tbsp. Sriracha
  • 2 Green onions, sliced I didn't have any when I made this, so I topped mine with a drizzle of sriracha (I skipped the mayo), dried parsley and chives!
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients (except the extra 2 tbsp. of oil) in a large bowl and mix well until all ingredients are combined

  2. Heat the oven in a large skillet or cast iron pan

  3. Once the oil is hot, add a spoonful of the pancake batter, making a 4-6" circle and about 1/2 in thick

  4. If you have a lid handy, this is the time to use it - it will help cook the cabbage instead of just crisping up the outside of the pancake. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown then flip and cook on the other side

  5. Add the cooked pancakes to a plate and cover (to keep warm) with foil until ready to eat.

  6. Garnish the pancakes with mayo, sriracha mayo, sliced green onions, sesame seeds (kitniyot), or any other dried or fresh herbs you might have lying around!

Pho gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup

POP-UP NIGHT

Before we get to the pho, some exciting news. On Sunday November 17th we are doing another pop up night at Congregation Ezras Israel. Last time we did a pop up night it was sold out, so make sure and get your reservations in ASAP. The menu this time is Vietnamese (hence the pho recipe, which will also be served at the pop up). I love the super bright flavors used in Vietnamese cooking. Your taste buds will be rocked by anise, lemongrass and ginger. See below for the full details. Make sure you register for the event before registration closes this Sunday, November 10th!

 

PHO

PhoPho, pronounced fuh, is a Vietnamese street food staple soup that is influenced by Chinese immigrants and French settlers and was later made popular across the world after the Vietnam war by refugees. It is usually made with boiling beef stock poured over thinly sliced raw beef. If you go that route, make sure to slice the beef super thin (partially freezing it first helps) and make sure the stock is boiling so the beef cooks., You can make pho with chicken as in this recipe, pork, or even vegetables. If you make a version with chicken (or pork for our non-kosher friends) I recommend precooking the protein. Unlike beef, you never want to serve rare chicken or pork.

What makes pho different than your Bubby’s chicken soup? It is seasoned with aggressive spices such as ginger, clove, and star anise.  Pho is almost always served with rice noodles, and usually comes with a series of accompaniments such as chilies, cilantro, Thai basil, lime, bean sprouts, and scallions. I recommend just giving everyone a bowl with only broth and noodles and putting all the extras on a big platter in the middle of the table so your guests can choose what they want. I think people enjoy what I like to call “interactive eating”. Who says you can’t play with your food??

CHICKEN PHO RECIPE

Pho

5 from 1 vote
Pho
phở gà-Vietnamese Spiced Chicken Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 

A little Jewish penicillin with some Asian flare

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword: Pho
Servings: 8 Bowls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Broth
  • 1/2 Gallon Chicken Stock See recipe for chicken soup below or use store bought in a pinch
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Peeled and smashed
  • 1 Large Onion Peeled and quartered
  • 2 inch Piece of Fresh Ginger Peeled
  • 2 Sticks Cinnamon
  • 3 Star Anise Pods
  • 6 Cloves Cloves
  • 1 tbsp (Vegan) Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce See my recipe for vegan fish sauce below
Add Ins
  • Rice Noodles Cooked per the directions on the package
  • Fresh Chili Peppers Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Scallions Sliced thinly on a bias
  • Cilantro Stems removed
  • Lime Cut into wedges
  • Thai Basil Stems removed
  • Bean Sprouts
  • Shredded Roast Chicken This is a great way to use up leftovers or you can you use grocery store rotisserie chicken in a pinch.
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the garlic, onion, and ginger on the sheet pan. Roast until the aromatics begin to brown.

  2. Add the roasted aromatics, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and chicken stock to a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes and strain out the solids.

  3. Add the noodles to the bowl and cover with the broth. Top with your favorite add ins and squeeze in some lime juice for some brightness.

5 from 1 vote
Pho
Chicken Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A classic kosher comfort dish.  It's good for what ails you, they don't call it Jewish penicillin for nothing. I don't like anything too fancy in my chicken soup so I stay away from things like zucchini and tomatoes, but if you like them feel free to add them, it won't hurt anything.  

One final note, your soup will never taste as good as your mother's for 2 reasons:

1. Memories are a strong force

2. She probably added some soup mix with MSG to give it that little something extra.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Jewish
Servings: 1 Large Pot
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 4 Medium Carrots Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 4 Ribs Celery Rinsed, tops and bottoms cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Large Sweet Potato Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Turnip Peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 Parsnip Peeled and cut into 1 inch rounds
  • 1 Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • 1 Handful Dill
  • 1 Handful Parsley
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Chicken Leg Quarters Remove and save the fat and skin to make schmaltz
Instructions
  1. Put all the ingredients in your largest pot and fill with enough water to cover everything, making sure not to fill too high in order to prevent it from boiling over.

  2. Cover the pot and put over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is at a boil remove the lid and turn the heat down to a simmer.

  3. Let the soup simmer for about four hours or until the soup reduces by about 15%.

  4. Remove chicken from the bones, adding the chicken back in to the soup and discarding the bones.  Serve within a week or freeze for up to six months. 

0 from 0 votes
Pho
Vegan "Fish" Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Fish sauce is a sauce used to add a little funk to a dish.  Fish sauce is usually made by fermenting small fish such as anchovies in salt and then pressing out the liquid from it. While kosher fish sauce is available, I chose to make my own vegan fish sauce as many people who eat strictly kosher do not mix fish with meat or fowl. To create the requisite funk I used a quartet of fermented products, some of which can be hard to find. For that reason, even though I usually shy away from recommending specific brands, I make an exception here. I ended up buying much of what I needed at Whole Foods, but most they can of course be found on Amazon.com.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Fish Sauce
Servings: 1 Cup
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until all the solids are dissolved. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe contains affiliate links. We at MYV earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s pop up preview recipe: Vietnamese Coconut Lime Rice Pudding with Mango (Xôi xoài)

Barbecue Chicken Hamantashen

In honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday of  Purim I challenged Rachel to hamantaschen throw down.  I figure I should be able to best her easily, as they are usually high in sugar and carbs which are Kryptonite  to my compadre.

While hamantaschen usually take the form of a sweet triangular cookie, I went in a completely different direction creating a savory appetizer version.  For the BBQ sauce I recommend my Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce .

5 from 1 vote
Barbecue Chicken Hamantaschen
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 
A great a savory twist on a traditionally sweet cookie. It makes a great appetizer.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, BBQ
Servings: 4
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 Round Won-ton skins Thawed
  • 1/2 Chicken Chopped (Roasted, Grilled, or Smoked Store bought rotisserie or leftover chick works great for this
  • 2 Cups BBQ Sauce
  • 1 Whole Egg Beaten
  • Vegetable Oil for Frying
Instructions
  1. Add the chicken and BBQ sauce to a pot and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add a teaspoon of the chicken to the center of the won-ton skin, brush egg on the edges, and fold the edges to make a triangle with an open center. Repeat for all 12 won-tons.
  3. Fill a heavy frying pan with about a 1/2" of oil and place over medium heat. Fry over until golden brown on each side and serve immediately.

Please let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments. Also let me know if you liked my hamantaschen recipe or Rachel’s better.  Her’s can be found here: Not one, but TWO healthy Hamantaschen!