Shower Rama

There's a Thai restaurant we go to down from our house that serves a pretty good Thai Rama* (actually they call it Shower Rama)  - my mother normally orders it with chicken) and after the first time we tried it we realized how easy it would be to make at home.

At that's exactly what we had for dinner tonight (although I also cooked up some eggplant to have with mien).

Start with cooking the rice

Chop eggplant - leave on skin

Lightly salt dices

In hot oil - saute onions and garlic

Cook eggplant until soft and translucent. Add soy sauce and more garlic

Saute fresh spinach - sweat down

Cook chicken with a teaspoon for peanut butter sauce**

Happy Eating

*Rama - I don't really use measurements... and I couldn't find an actual recipe I thought was close enough to mine to "promote"

** One cup of creamy peanut butter, tablespoon of honey, dash or two of soy sauce - heat until thin and creamy... add water to make thinner if needed

Steamed Eggplant With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Total Time:
25 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons sambal olek or other chile paste
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
6 Asian or baby eggplant
1/4 cup chopped, roasted peanuts
1/4 cup sliced scallions.

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, 1/3 cup water, soy sauce, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, sambal olek and garlic.

2. Trim the ends of the eggplant. If using baby eggplant, peel them. Place in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, you can wrap the eggplants individually in parchment and microwave until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.) Halve eggplants lengthwise.

3. Transfer eggplants to a platter, cut side up. Spoon peanut sauce over eggplant. Garnish with peanuts and scallions.

Yield: 6 servings as an appetizer; 3 to 4 as a side dish