Malaysian Rendang Curry

When I'm home, I try to cook fresh foods all of the time, when I'm not eating out, that is. This means that I often forget what's in my kitchen cabinets. When I looked in there tonight, I found a jar of World Foods Malaysian Rendang Curry ready to pour sauce that was going to expire this month. I decided to make a quick stir fry using Lightlife Smart Strips Chick'n Style Strips. It is quick, easy, and tasty -- perfect for a work night.

Malaysian Rendang Curry
Serves 3-4
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown jasmine rice
• 1 3/4 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 2 T high heat safflower oil
• 2 cups broccoli
• 2 cups cauliflower
• 3/4 red pepper, sliced thinly
• 1/2 can baby corn
• 10 leaves of fresh basil, whole
• 1 package of Lightlife Smart Strips Chick'n Style Strips
• 1 jar World Foods Rendang Curry sauce

Instructions
Put the jasmine rice, water, and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover partially and cook for 40 minutes, stirring regularly.

Heat a wok (I prefer a cast iron wok, but any wok will do) at medium-high heat. Once it is hot, add the oil along with the broccoli and cauliflower. Allow the broccoli and cauliflower to stir fry and get brown, while stirring regularly for about 4 minutes.

Then add the red pepper, baby corn, chick'n strips, and fresh basil. Continue to stir fry until almost cooked through for another 5 minutes or so.

Then, add the curry sauce. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve the mixed vegetable and chick'n over the jasmine rice.

This dish turned out pretty good. The curry sauce was aromatic and tasty. I would rate it about a 3.75 on a 5-point scale. It had some interesting spices in it such as lemon grass, grass leaf, ginger, coriander, tumeric, fennel, cmin, cardamom, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon.  The base is coconut milk.

The Lightlife Chick'n Style Strips worked well in this dish though they were pretty plain tasting right out of the box. They are made of texturized soy protein concentrate, have a chewy texture and are a good shape, but don't taste like much. They work well in this dish because the curry sauce is thick and flavorful so they just soaked up all the sauce.

As I mentioned, this is a great dish for when you don't have much time to cook. Quick, easy, and tasty!