Alegría & Green Thai Curry Recipes
By: Tristan Guilbeault
Instagram: @tristangcooks
“Alegría” Spanish for “joy,” puffed amaranth with chocolate is a traditional Mexican treat that can be found on the street and in high-end artisan shops. These bars are gluten-free, sugar-free and they can be combined with many nuts and seeds to make a superpowered protein bar. Using heirloom Mexican ingredients such as cacao butter, amaranth, ancho chile and canela, this recipe is simple, delicious and healthy. Pack it in your children's lunch box or take it on a hike, these versatile bars will help you power through your day.
Amaranth is a unique heirloom grain, worshipped by the Aztecs and nearly wiped off the planet by the Spanish. Cultivation began in the areas of Mexico and further south to Columbia 6000-8000 years ago. The Aztecs built statues out of the Amaranth grain mixed with honey as a form of tribute to the deity Huītzilōpōchtli; a festival was held and a procession was had, afterwards the statues of Amaranth were divided among the people. Amaranth is largely drough resistant, thrives in high temperatures and is considered to be more nutritious than corn. Today in our current society, Amaranth is used as a cereal grain, as it is technically a seed, however, it is gluten-free and contains twice the amount of crude fibre of wheat and corn, as well as being high in fibre, lysine, iron, magnesium and calcium.
Alegría
Recipe from Tristan Guilbeault
Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, dairy-free
Total Time: 2.75-3hrs | (Resting/Cooling): 2.5 hours to 3 hours (Preparation): 10 minutes | (Cooking): 10 minutes
Feeds: 5-6 people
Ingredients
● 1 1⁄2 cup puffed Amaranth (6-7 tbsp Raw Amaranth Grains)
● 1 tsp vanilla extract (we recommend Simply Organic, Orchids Organic, Bakers Organic)
● 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
● 1⁄4 cup toasted nuts
● 1⁄3 cup Almond Butter (we recommend Nuts to You)
● 1⁄3 cup dried fruit
● 1⁄4 cup raw honey (we recommend Mackenzie’s Country Farm, Peace River, Golden Acres, Gramma Bees)
● 1 tsp kosher salt (we recommend Redmond Real Salt Kosher Salt)
● 2 tbsps cacao butter
Chocolate Chili Coating
● 5 tbsp cacao powder (we recommend Organic Traditions)
● 70g cacao butter
● 2 tbsp honey
● 1 tsp Ancho Chile (optional; we recommend Spice Merchant)
Garnish
● 1 tbsp Bee pollen (we recommend Harmonic Arts)
● Flaky salt (Vancouver Island Hand Harvested)
Instructions
1. Begin by puffing the amaranth. Heat a saucepan to medium or medium-high heat, ensure it has a matching lid. Add a couple of grains to the pan and see if they burn or pop. If they burn the temperature is too high, if they take a while to pop it is too cold. If they begin to pop almost immediately the temperature is correct. Discard the testers and add the grains in a tablespoon at a time, covering immediately with the lid. Move the pot around on the stovetop until all grains are popped, about 15 seconds. If the grains begin to burn they are no good. This process from start to finish took me about 2 minutes.
2. Measure out 1 1⁄2 cups of the puffed amaranth and set aside in abowl.
3. Now using the same pot, turn down the heat to medium-low and toast the nuts, for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Add to the bowl with amaranth. Now add the dried fruit, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract and salt.
4. Take a small saucepan and add cacao butter, honey and almond butter. Melt on low heat until all is combined. Add to the amaranth bowl and mix with your hands until all is combined. Grease a small 6x6 pan and add the mix. Pushing down until it is even.
5. Now make the chocolate topping. Prepare a bain-marie (double boiler). Use a small pot filled partially with water and a small metal or glass bowl. Ensure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Set the stove to medium-low as the water just needs to be gently boiling. Add the cacao butter to the bowl and let it melt. Once melted the cacao powder and honey can be added. Whisk together until there are no lumps and remove from the heat. Now add the ancho chile (if you’re using it), stirring until smooth. Slowly pour over the set amaranth mix ensuring it is even. Garnish with bee pollen and flaky salt.
6. Let the alegría rest on the countertop for 30 minutes to 1 hour to ensure the chocolate sets and does not crack. Add to the fridge. After 2 hours the alegría can be cut into squares using a hot knife and stored as need be.
Substitutions
This is a very healthy versatile recipe that can be easily adjusted based on your and your family's preferences. For example, I have used black currants from Amaranth, other dried fruit may be used; raisins, cranberries, apricots, plums, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, figs, sea buckthorn berries, golden berries and even goji berries. Various nuts and seeds can be added as well; almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds and even hemp hearts. Amaranth carries many high-quality protein powders like Garden of Life, Whey Factors, Vega and more. Add 3 tablespoons of your preferred protein powder to this recipe to bump up the protein content for an even more nutritious and filling snack. For a sweet, crunchy, coconut addition, try adding a tablespoon or two of coconut ribbons from Amaranth. For sweeteners I used honey, but pitted dates, date syrup, agave syrup, monk fruit sugar, coconut sugar and pretty much any sweetener could work.
Tips
This recipe can be done with a microwave for steps 4 and 5. Simply add ingredients to a glass bowl and add to the microwave in 20-second increments until ingredients are melted and can be mixed to combine. Before the alegría is added to the pan, it can be greased with a neutral oil or parchment paper may be used to make it easier to remove and cut later. When cutting a sharp knife is helpful, but it's important to run the knife under hot water for around 10 seconds so it will cut smoothly through the alegría as well as the chocolate layer on top.
Storage
The alegría can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Considered to be one of the national dishes of Thailand behind the famous Pad Thai, Green Thai Curry is flavourful, aromatic, spicy and oh-so-delicious. They say that Thai food is one of the only cuisines in the world where all of the five tastes are represented. The shrimp paste and fish sauce provide saltiness, jalapenos provide spice, the garlic and spices bring umami, the bitterness is provided by the kaffir lime leaves, sweetness is brought by the coconut milk and the sourness from the lemongrass and lime juice. This is a fantastic recipe to have under your belt, the paste can be made or bought, and the dish comes together in under 40 minutes. The flavours are out of this world!
Thailand is famous for its curries; a subgenre of the Indian curry. As settlers and traders came across the ocean during the spice trade, spices and culinary ideas were transferred and found new homes in Asian countries. “Curry” in the Thai language is known as, “Gaeng” meaning any wet or savoury dish that has been enhanced and thickened with a paste. There are many different regional varieties of curry in Thailand, and nearly all curry pastes have the same base of ingredients; they only differ in the chili’s that have been added. Portugal was the first European country to make contact with Thailand in the early 16th century, and with them, they brought the chili pepper. Portugal's influence in Thailand was brief but the use of the chili pepper stayed. Cementing the “gaeng” in Thai cuisine forever.
Green Thai Curry
Recipe from Tristan Guilbeault
Dietary Restrictions: Gluten-free, nut-free, can be made vegan, dairy-free
Total Time: 50 minutes | (Preparation): 10 minutes | (Cooking): 40 minutes
Feeds: 4-5 people
Ingredients
Green Curry
● 4 chicken thighs, deboned and diced (we recommend Bowden Chicken or Sunworks Farm)
● 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
● 3 tbsp fish sauce (we recommend Thai Kitchen)
● 14oz can coconut whipping cream (we recommend Cha’s Organics or Earth’s Choice)
● 6 kaffir lime leaves (we recommend Spice Merchant)
● 1 can sliced bamboo shoots (we recommend Asian Family)
● 1 red pepper, large dice
● 1 tbsp sugar (we recommend Wholesome Cane Sugar & Wild Tusker Coconut Sugar)
Homemade Green Curry Paste
● 2 jalapenos (in place of Thai green chiles)
● 1 lime, zested and juiced
● 1 bundle of cilantro, all the stems and half the leaves
● 1⁄2 shallot, chopped
● 2 cloves garlic, chopped
● 14g basil (we recommend Rafferty Farms)
● 30g lemongrass stir-fry paste (we recommend SIAM)
● 15g galangal seasoning paste (we recommend SIAM)
● 1⁄2 tsp black peppercorns
● 1 tsp whole cumin
● 1 tsp fermented shrimp paste (optional)
● 1 tsp coriander seeds
Garnish
● Fresh cilantro
● Steamed jasmine rice (we recommend Lundberg Family Farms)
Instructions
1. Begin by toasting the whole spices for the curry paste, using a pan on low heat, for 3-5 minutes until the spices are fragrant and the colour of the cumin has darkened. Roughly chop the rest of the ingredients and add to a blender. Blend until smooth, it should blend easily, if not add 1 tablespoon of water.
2. Heat half a can of coconut cream in a pot on medium heat, let it thicken for 5 minutes then add the green curry paste, and let this mix cook until it becomes dry, about 10 minutes. Ensure to stir as it will sputter, the house will smell amazing! Season the chicken with salt, toss with the curry paste, then deglaze the pan with the coconut cream and the broth, add the lime leaves. Bring the pot to a quick boil then lower the heat to medium-low.
3. After 10 minutes, add the red peppers and bamboo shoots. Cover and cook for a further 15 minutes.
4. Add the fish sauce, sugar and basil leaves.
5. Turn the heat off and serve immediately with steamed rice and garnish with fresh herbs!
substitutions
Thailand has many people that are vegetarians, traditionally eggplant is added to Thai Green Curry which works great instead of chicken. Amaranth carries all the fresh herbs as well as Thai ingredients required for this recipe. They also carry fantastic organic produce such as cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, squash, frozen peas and bok choy all of which will work well in this recipe. For the coconut whipping cream portion of the dish, I recommend sticking with cream due to the fat content, coconut milk will thin out the curry. The fish sauce can be substituted with Naked Oyster Sauce if vegan. The shrimp paste is optional, it can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores; it brings a sweet, funky, umami flavour to the curry paste. The spice level of this curry is a solid medium, if you or your family are sensitive to spice I would use only one jalapeno or remove the seeds and ribs instead. If you want to elevate the heat, consider using real Thai green chiles from an Asian grocer!
Storage
The Thai green curry paste can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 10 days or 6 months in the freezer. The curry itself can be made and kept in the fridge for up to one week, or frozen for up to 6 months.