Curry and vegetables

I have made this dish a few times now.  A few steps but so good.  The key for me is I am making my own green curry paste.  I am just not a fan of the pre-made curry pasted on the market that is too garlicky for my taste.  You can whip up this paste and keep it in the fridge for weeks too.

2 lemongrass stalks, remove the tough outer layers – cut into pieces

8 jalapenos, seeds removed

1 large shallot, chopped

1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp. dried turmeric

1 kaffir lime leaf (optional but I had it)

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. sugar

Put all of this in a Cuisinart and thoroughly blend.  It is a bit coarse but it works.

What’s nice about this curry is you can add anything you want to it.  I like Asian eggplant, red peppers, and bamboo shoots.  This recipe serves 6 with other things on the side.  I made a chicken larb on the side and some rice.

2 – 13 1/2 ounce cans of coconut milk

1 cup vegetable stock ( or chicken but vegetable keeps the dish vegetarian if you just use vegetables in the dish)

8 tsp. soy sauce

8 tsp. light brown sugar (or palm sugar)

12 tbsp. green curry which is basically the entire green curry above

2 red peppers thinly sliced

4 long Asian eggplants thinly sliced

1 can of bamboo shoots

Fresh lime juice

Basil or cilantro to put on top (optional)

Open the can of coconut milk without shaking and scoop out 12 tbsp of coconut cream from the top of the can and put into a big saucepan.  Put the remaining contents into a big bowl and whisk.  Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce and brown sugar into the bowl and whisk again until completely incorporated and the sugar is dissolved.

Place the big saucepan with the coconut cream over medium heat until it starts to bubble.  Add the curry paste and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Let that mix together for about 3-4 minutes.  Then add the vegetables or whatever it is you want to add.  Stir until the vegetables are hot and covered with the cream.  Then add in the big bowl with the coconut mixture and bring the pot to boil and then reduce to simmer.  Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Now you can play with the taste to your likings including adding some fish sauce, sugar or whatever works for you.  I let this get to room temperature and then reheated to serve.  Right before I served it I added in the soy sauce and fresh lime juice and then served with white rice on the side.  I prefer chopped basil over the top but I only had cilantro this time around.

I am making this again and again and again.