I have been looking forward to this class for weeks and I was, unfortunately, sorely disappointed. The instructor did nothing of the sort and the recipes were so easy, all I really needed to do was pick up the recipe packet and head home to make them myself rather than chop onions and observe others for two hours. Definitely not worth the price of admission.

I took the class because I was hoping for some insight into making a fresh curry powder mix, since the store-bought curry powders always seem to be lacking something. We both love Indian and Thai food and it’s been a personal goal of mine to come up a with a few curry dishes I can make reliably at home. After a quick look through the recipes, I was discouraged by the words “red curry paste” and “curry powder” in all the recipes. It looks like I am still on my own to figure out how to make a curry mix.

I’ve taken two other classes at this place that were fantastic, so my dissatisfaction is probably even more magnified.

However, because I’m all about silver linings, here are two recipes I did like:

Lime and Coconut Shrimp in Red Curry Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tsps vegetable oil
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced
2 stalks lemon grass, bruised
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 can coconut milk
2-3 Tbsps thai red curry paste
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 lb shrimp, uncooked, peeled, and deveined
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 fresh chiles, minced (for garnish)
cilantro (for garnish)

Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the green onions and sauté until softened, about two minutes. Add lemongrass and grated ginger to the pan and fry for about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add the coconut milk, curry paste, lime zest and juice, and fish sauce. Add the shrimp to the pan and simmer until shrimp are cooked, do not boil. Serve over basmati rice; garnish with cilantro and chiles.

Mango-Chicken Pasta Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb chicken breasts
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
2 tsps curry powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 mango, diced
2 Tbsps cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp honey
2 cups orzo, cooked
cilantro (for garnish)

For the dressing:
1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsps curry paste
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces and lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil until shimmering in a large skillet. Cook chicken, onions, and bell pepper over moderately high heat, stirring until chicken is golden, about five minutes. Add the mango, red pepper, curry powder, cayenne pepper, raisins, and honey. Stir to combine. Add chicken stock and simmer a few minutes until mixture is moist. Add salt and pepper and additional spices as needed, to taste.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with chicken and cooked orzo. Chill before serving; garnish with cilantro.