stew in the summer? really??

Yes, stew in the summer.  The only resemblance this dish has with a stew is that it is thick and rich with vegetables from the season.  Cooking time is under 30 minutes, it's a one-pot wonder that comes out perfect no matter what veggies you throw in, and it has the heat and sweet of  fabulous summer vegetables.

Two cans of light coconut milk go into a pan.  I chose to use the light version of coconut milk because it has about 70 percent fewer calories and fat than the regular stuff.  Boneless, skinless chicken (one full breast in this case) gets sliced crosswise into thin slices, and simmered in the coconut milk, just until cooked through -- about 15 minutes.  While the meat simmered, I chopped the veggies.

 in this case, I had both hot and sweet pepper, scallions, cilantro,

and two kinds of mushrooms--shitake and something called a bunapi mushroom

 The bunapi mushrooms were a new one on me.  Whole Foods had them, so I gave them a try.  Score!  When cooked, they had a smooth, silky texture and added a creamy earthiness to the dish.  When your grocer has an unusual type of mushroom, don't hesitate to give them a whirl.

I had both lemon grass and galangal root in the freezer

galanal is similar to ginger, just a bit more spicy--they can really be used interchangeably

I know I have mentioned this before, but both lemongrass and ginger (or galangal if you happen upon it) freeze perfectly.  No need to defrost.  Just run the frozen pieces across a microplane grater for lovely ginger and lemongrass snow, then toss the leftover pieces right back in the freezer.  I do remove the tough outer leaves of the lemongrass before freezing, but I never bother to peel ginger.

microplane graters--fantastic for grating ginger, lemongrass, cheese,

nutmeg, citrus zest--no kitchen should be without one (or two, or three)

When the chicken is nearly cooked through, I added the ginger and lemongrass, a pinch of five-spice powder, and a bit of salt.  In went the veggies, just to cook until crisp-tender.  I reserved the cilantro to be added after the stew was off the heat.  I used peppers, scallions, and mushrooms because that's what I had.  Other veggies to consider would be broccoli, very thinly sliced carrots, zucchinis, snow peas, snap peas, and a last minute addition of some mung bean sprouts (they are better if they stay crisp).  If I were adding broccoli or carrots, I would send them into the coconut broth a few minutes before the more delicate veggies.  Once the veggies have become tender, you are ready to serve.

I garnished with cilantro here--if I had them I might have added

a handful of bean sprouts, and perhaps a sprinkling of chopped peanuts

So stew on a hot summer day can be a delicious, simple dish to prepare, loaded with seasonal vegetables and delivering a refreshing crunch, seasonal flavor, and a short stint in front of the stove.