ANABOLIC EATING สี่ (FOUR)

ANABOLIC EATING สี่ (FOUR)

By Shane Robert

It really bothers me when people think that eating “healthy” or low calorie means eating bad-tasting food. Not only is this not true, it deters people from trying to change the way that they eat. There are tons of ways of making food taste good without adding a lot of calories, which is important for someone who likes to eat a large volume of food. Someone like me.

If you were to ask me, I don’t think I could pin down one favorite type of cuisine. There are too many good dishes from all over the world to limit myself to a specific one. However, Thai food is most definitely high up on my list. The food is so flavorful and intense and offers such a huge variety of options that there is something for everyone, even the pickiest of eaters. I also love spicy food and it certainly has that. Maybe that’s why I married a half Thai woman.  

The problem with most of the Thai food that you get in restaurants is the calories. Heavy curries and oily, pan fried noodles, delicious though they may be, are not the best to meet our criteria above. Fortunately, not all Thai food is like that. There are tasty options that are still low(er) in calories and high in protein.

Gai Pad Ka Phrao

Pad ka phrao signifies any kind of meat sauteed with chilies, garlic, and basil leaves (ka phrao). Gai means chicken and any meat substitution would simply change the meat name. Ground pork, for instance, would make it Moo ka phrao.

This dish is a common street food in Thailand and can be found in any number of food stalls throughout the country. As such, there are likely thousands of variations to this recipe. The one I am sharing is one that I make and think is quite tasty. Since I like spicy, I make it spicy. If you can’t handle the heat, follow the substitution guidelines.

I prefer to use ground turkey in this recipe, instead of chicken, since it is more commonly available as a pre-ground meat and the flavor is a bit richer, in my opinion. Technically, that changes the name slightly, but since the translation of the Thai word for turkey is basically big nosed chicken, I think it’s close enough.

Recipe

Sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

¼ cup chicken stock

Meat  

1 tablespoon oil (I use avocado or coconut oil)

2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

4-8 Thai chilies or other spicy chili (optional - sub for ½ cup diced red bell pepper for spice averse)

1 pound ground turkey or chopped/ground chicken

1-2 whole jalapenos (optional)

½ cup Holy Basil OR mint if you can’t find Thai basil

1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilies or bell peppers, if using, and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the meat and continue cooking, using a spatula to break it up. 

3. Add the sauce to the meat and keep cooking, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink and most of the sauce has cooked off. 

4. Add the basil leaves and jalapenos and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until there is minimal liquid remaining. 

This dish is pretty good by itself, but it really pairs well with some jasmine or other long-grain rice. Throw an easy fried egg on top for real luxury.