Stuff My Kid Eats

“Ew, that’s so yucky!” is my toddler’s new favorite phrase. This has been her mantra of late and she uses it in response to pretty much anything she’s offered, be it food, clothes, or a new activity. She turned 2½ a couple weeks ago and has developed an opinion about everything. EVERYTHING! So it was no surprise to me that she turned up her nose at this dinner. “But it’s made with peanut butter,” I told her. She looked at me sideways, calculating her next move. “Peanut butter? Hmm…” She ate a bite, and then another, and another. “It’s very yucky, Mommy,” she said quietly and with much less conviction, then she slurped the last piece of meat out of her bowl and reached across the table to snag more off my husband’s plate.

Broccoli and Basil Panang Curry

This delicious, easy-to-make Thai dish can be adapted to fit any eater and is sure to become a new family favorite! I usually prepare it with beef (pictured above) and serve it over rice noodles, but it can also be made with chicken, shrimp, or tofu and spooned over long-grain white rice or brown rice. 

Broccoli and Basil Panang Curry

Serves 4

For the Panang

• 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (do not stir)
• 2 Tbsp. Panang or red curry paste
• 2 Tbsp. almond butter or extra-crunchy peanut butter
• 5 tsp. fish sauce
• 4 tsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise very thinly
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced lengthwise very thinly
• 1 bunch broccolini, cut into 2-inch long pieces, stems included (regular broccoli would work, too, just cut each floret into quarters)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade (*see How To)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from about 1 medium lime)
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 tsp. hot chili paste, such as sambal or oelek (omit if you don’t like heat)

Choose one of the following proteins:

• 1 lb. ribeye steak (*see Note)
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (*see Note)
• 1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 2 14-oz. packages firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

*Note: Place the steak or chicken in the freezer for 15 minutes to make it easier to cut. With a very sharp knife, slice meat against the grain, no thicker than ⅛-inch.

Choose one of the following for serving:

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white (such as Basmati or Jasmine), cooked per package instructions
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice, cooked per package instructions
• 8 oz. dry rice noodles, cooked per package instructions

Cook rice/rice noodles per package instructions.

While rice/rice noodles are cooking, heat a large, straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top of the can into the skillet. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring until fragrant and beginning to dry, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the remaining coconut milk, almond/peanut butter, fish sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and water and bring to a simmer. Stir in the red pepper, onion, garlic, and broccolini, cover and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the protein of your choice and half of the basil, cook uncovered, stirring often until the protein is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Divide cooked rice/rice noodles among 4 separate plates. Spoon Panang over rice/rice noodles, dividing evenly, and sprinkle with remaining basil chiffonade.

*How To:

Chiffonade Basil

Stack 4-5 leaves on top of each other.

Tightly roll the stack lengthwise (another selfie of my thumb).

With a sharp knife, cut the roll perpendicularly into very thin ribbons.

Repeat with remaining basil leaves.

Sidekick:

• If you choose to add heat (hot chili paste) to this dish, then you’ll want a nice cold beer, either an Ale, Pilsner, Singha, or Weiss; or a glass of Riesling, either an off-dry or Spätlese.
• If you prefer the safer, less spicy version of this dish, add a non-oaky Chardonnay to the beverage list above.