Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Thai Vegetable Curry


RECIPE

Green curry paste can be pretty fiery. If that's appealing to you, lay it on! If not, use just a little, or try red or yellow curry paste instead. These are somewhat milder--though in no way bland--and they're becoming more and more available in the Asian section of supermarkets. Serve the curry with steamed jasmine or regular white rice.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
1 2/3 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk (one 15-ounce can)
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup drained canned bamboo shoots, halved
1 pound boiling potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound broccoli, thick stems removed, tops cut into small florets (1 quart)
1 tomato, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
1/3 cup thin-sliced basil leaves

Preparation
1. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Add the coconut milk and broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, bamboo shoots, potatoes, and broccoli. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato and heat through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and basil.

Variations
Other vegetables that would taste good in place of the broccoli include carrots, eggplant, cauliflower, snow peas, cabbage, green beans, and canned baby corn. Try your favorite, or use a combination of vegetables.

Wine Recommendation: An off-dry gewürztraminer from the Pacific Northwest is a good choice to both accentuate the curry spice flavors and tame their heat.

Thai cooking@home
by cooking lover