Chan Dara Comes to the Aid With Vegetable Curry

DEAR SOS: I have recently been experimenting with Thai cooking. We have tried in vain to duplicate the vegetable curry at Chan Dara restaurant in Los Angeles. Any help would be appreciated.

--DEBORAH

DEAR DEBORAH: Chan Dara came through with their recipe, which we found to be excellent and worth the bother of making your own Coconut Milk from scratch.

CHAN DARA’S VEGETABLE CURRY

6 tablespoons red curry paste or to taste

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

6 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

6 cups Coconut Milk

2 carrots, sliced

1 potato, diced

6 leaves napa cabbage

1 onion, sliced

1 cup snow peas

2 cups broccoli spears

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

6 baby corn

1/2 cup bamboo shoots

Heat chili paste in hot oil in skillet. Stir in curry powder, fish sauce and sugar. Cook over medium high heat until flavors blend, about 2 minutes. Gradually add Coconut Milk, blending well. Bring to simmer. Add carrots and potato.

Simmer 10 minutes. Add cabbage, onion, snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn and bamboo shoots. Simmer until broccoli is just tender, about 10 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Coconut Milk

2 pounds grated coconut

12 cups hot water

Blend grated coconut and water. Using cheesecloth, squeeze out cream to make about 6 cups coconut milk.

DEAR SOS: Do you have a recipe for Irish Whiskey Cake? It would be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

--PHYLLIS

DEAR PHYLLIS: Certainly, m’dear. The leprechauns materialized this modern day cake mix version, which I hope you will approve.

IRISH WHISKEY CAKE

1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 (4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Irish whiskey

1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur

4 eggs

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, whiskey, liqueur and eggs in bowl. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased and floured 10-inch bundt pan or angel food cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until wood pick inserted near center comes out clean. Makes 10 servings.

DEAR SOS: My husband and I used to dine at the North Woods Inn in Rosemead, but since moving we seldom go. I would love the recipe for the North Woods Inn red cabbage salad.

--JANE

DEAR JANE: You’re not alone. We’ve gotten more requests for the North Woods Inn red cabbage than almost anything else. However, the Inn regards the recipe as a trade secret, so we developed our own facsimile.

PRETENDING-TO-BE RED CABBAGE FROM NORTH WOOD’S INN

1/2 head red cabbage

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Shred cabbage irregularly, with some fine and some coarse shreds, into bowl. Add oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, pepper and onion powder. Mix well.

Let stand several hours or overnight to allow flavors to mellow and slaw to achieve deep red color. Makes 6 to 8 servings.