Hi there! Monday's bento features a spicy Thai curry tucked into a golden pepper, sugar snap peas, and baby carrots, cress and tender lettuce from my garden. I was so delighted a couple of days ago to notice the tiny hot pink hearts dangling delicately from this dicentra, planted as a bareroot two months ago. I was not expecting bloom until March or April! Learning the new calendar of growth here in Northern California is full of sweet surprises like this...
King's Nursery, just a few blocks from my house, was alive with color in the middle of January:
For Monday's bento. something spicy-sweet-savory: ground beef with Massaman curry, peppers and potatoes. Easy and fun to make:
Massaman Curry with Beef and Peppers
Fresh ginger to taste, minced (I love lots)
one shallot, chopped
one or more garlic cloves. chopped fine
one pound ground beef
five smallish potatoes, pre-boiled and quartered
one yellow bell pepper, one half orange bell pepper, both seeded and chopped
one half large red onion
one tin Maesri Massaman curry paste
one can coconut milk
In one saute pan, saute onion and garlic over a gentle flame until aromatic, add shallot and peppers. Cook, turning, until peppers are glossy and tender. In another pan, saute beef, salt and pepper until sizzling and lightly browned. Add all of curry paste and stir well to blend with beef, and then potatoes. Add peppers mixture, cook together a couple of minutes, then pour in coconut milk. Simmer for about ten minutes, taste and correct seasonings. I added cayenne for extra heat!
Have a lovely week...
