Every now and then, I’m at a loss re: dinner.
So then I turn to Charlie...
Now, just so you understand, Charlie does NOT like being put in that spot. But we’ve come up with a pretty workable solution: he free-associates. I listen. And almost always, an idea presents itself. The other night was no different.
He said, "Thai..." but I didn’t want rice. He said, "hot..." and I had both cayenne and jalapeños in the garden. I also had Thai basil. He said, "It's too bad we don't have any rice noodles..." and the light bulb appeared!!!
I sautéed some chopped garlic. Then I added an entire chopped jalapeño, and an entire chopped cayenne... seeds and all. Next came a whole bunch of scallions, sliced thin.
In went a can of coconut milk... minus the can, of course! I turned this mixture down to low heat and let it gently simmer while I boiled some thin linguine until not quite done. I added the noodles to the sauce to finish cooking. I added little splashes of soy and fish sauces and a pinch of brown sugar. Then, just before serving, I added a large handful of Thai basil that I had cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Topped it all with some chopped peanuts.
Let me warn you: this is not a remotely timid dish. Yes, you can use fewer chilis, or remove the seeds and membranes. BUT...
The heat truly is balanced by the saltiness of the soy and fish sauces... the sweetness of the sugar... the brilliant flavor of the Thai basil... and it's softened by the coconut milk. And, like anyone who has ever lived in or visited the countries where cool temperatures are a luxury, the joy of very very hot food... besides the taste... comes from sweating!
So get ready to sweat, because I think this is a great (though not traditional) dish!!!
PS. Charlie took this for lunch the next day and says it's just as delicious served cold...
