50 Recipes 2011, #23 & 24: tamarind prawns; Thai beef salad

[nonelvis]

It's been a very busy weekend (tromping around all over town yesterday trying to avoid the Bruins parade; planting yarrow and okra and mulching today), but I managed to find time for two new recipes:

Tamarind prawns, found via Tasteologie. Next time, I'll skip the first step, since I didn't notice I'd purchased tamarind purée instead of pulp; I was just happy I could get it at my usual grocery store. Even with accidentally diluting the tamarind a bit, this was still very good. Served with a savoy cabbage slaw with cider vinegar/ginger/sesame oil dressing.

The second recipe is the Thai beef salad from the latest issue of Cook's Illustrated. It's a little fussy, as are many of Cook's recipes, but the results are delicious. It was also nice that I could just grab the necessary mint from my backyard instead of having to buy it; soon, I'll be able to do the same with the cucumber and hot peppers.

Hey, I'm almost halfway through fifty recipes, right on target! Go me.

Comments

[fonticulus.livejournal.com]

Those tamarind prawns look delicious. I have a jar of tamarind paste that I have almost despaired of finding enough recipes for -- I'll have to try these!

Which reminds me, when I was in Costa Rica, they made juice from strained tamarind, sugar, and water. It was delicious, sort of tangy like lemonade but different. I bet it would make a nice mixer for a summer cocktail.

[nonelvis]

Agua fresca! There's a recipe for a frappéed version on the back of the Goya package of tamarind purée I bought, but since I no longer have a blender, I can't make it. I've been meaning to look up a non-blender version, since it really does sound like the perfect summer drink (or mixer).