August 2: Thai-Style Shrimp and Veggies with Toasted Coconut Rice

2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup long-grain rice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, sliced
8 napa cabbage leaves, thinly shredded
1 cup store-bought shredded carrots, or 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari
5 scallions
20 fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
   Juice of 1 lime

In a sauce pot, combine 1 1/2 cups of the chicken stock with 1 cup of the sweetened shredded coconut; bring the mixture up to a simmer, and add the rice. Return to a simmer over low heat and place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Cook the rice for 18 minutes.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, stir frequently, and toast until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Heads up: Once the coconut starts to brown it will go from golden to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it. Remove the toasted coconut from the pan and reserve.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet.

Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, or until they turn pink but are not yet firm, then remove from the pan to a plate and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, napa cabbage, carrots, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and red bell peppers to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tamari and the remaining cup of stock, then toss the shrimp back into the pan and stir to combine. Cook the shrimp and veggies for 2 more minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.

Add the scallions, basil, half of the cilantro, and lime juice and taste for seasoning, adding more tamari, salt, or pepper to taste.

Add the reserved toasted coconut to the cooked rice. Fluff the rice with a fork to distribute the toasted coconut. Serve the Thai shrimp on top of the toasted coconut rice, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.

4 SERVINGS

The doctor put me on a diet today because I have gestational diabetes. They said I have to eat well balanced meals and keep it at 2000 calories/day. I thought this was a well balanced meal. I had to measure out 2/3 cups of rice (I left the 1 cup of coconut out), and 3 oz of shrimp, and in addition to the veggies I also had to eat a serving of fruit and milk. It is a lot to eat for 1 meal. It really filled me up. This one was very tasty and I liked how colorful it was (I used an orange bell pepper instead of red because I was using up what I had). I didn't change anything in the recipe.