This is the one Thai recipe I've cooked at home that I like enough to put on repeat. It's especially good with summer vegetables. There are a lot of notes because I have strayed significantly from the original recipe to make it fit my tastes better and cook it in one pan.
Notes:
- I serve this with jasmine rice.
- I like to use full fat coconut milk because "light" coconut milk is just full fat coconut milk diluted with water (and light vs. regular usually cost the same). If you want to lighten it up, you can add some extra water or stock to the broth when you add the coconut milk -- and then make a larger portion! I tend to add too many vegetables anyway so it's a good failsafe to not dilute it too much.
- You can make it vegetarian if you use tofu (or another vegetarian
protein) and vegetable broth, though I usually make it with chicken. If
you do use tofu, I highly recommend dry frying it first.
- You can use a total of 2.5 cups of whatever vegetables you like. In the batch pictured I used carrot, bell peppers, and broccoli. Additional suggestions: zucchini, eggplant, pea pods, winter squash (already cooked), white/button mushrooms (or any other mild flavored mushroom), tomato, canned bamboo shoots or baby corn. Start by adding the vegetables that will take the longest to cook first (like carrots) then after a few minutes add the softer ones. For delicate vegetables like pea pods that you *could* eat fresh, you can add them while it simmers, or to each portion immediately before serving.
- I use regular fresh basil or regular dried basil (about 1 tbsp) when I can't find fresh Thai basil.
- I use less curry paste than it calls for because I like mildly spicy food (1 tbsp instead of 2 tbsp). I use Maesri brand curry paste that you can buy in a 4 oz can; you may need to adjust the amount based on the brand of curry paste you use and how spicy you like your food.
- Leftover curry paste can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Because of all the capsaicin in it, it will keep for a long time (though over time it will become less spicy).
- I like to squeeze lime juice in just before serving.
- The leftovers seem significantly less spicy the next day/after being allowed to stand overnight in the fridge.
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RECIPE:
Thai Style Red Curry
adapted from Food.com
Serves 3-4
1 1/2 cups (dry) jasmine rice
2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil or regular basil leaves, torn
1/2 large (about 4-5 oz/175 g) yellow or white onion
2.5 cups vegetables of your choice (suggestions: carrot, bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn)
1-2 tbsp red curry paste, such as Maesri
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk, shaken well
2-3 tbsp fish sauce (I recommend Squid brand)
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 large (about 9 oz) chicken breast, raw, sliced thinly (or another protein of your choice)
Lime wedges, for garnish (optional)
Cook rice according to package directions on the stove or in a rice cooker.
While rice is cooking, prepare curry. Chop vegetables into bite size pieces. Heat oil in a large skillet until hot. Add onion and vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Push vegetables to one side so there's an area of bare pan, and add the curry paste and brown sugar, and stir them together to combine. Add a little bit of the coconut milk, just enough to break up and dissolve the curry paste and sugar. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the fish sauce, and then chicken stock, then add basil and stir everything (including the vegetables) to combine.
Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine and let the vegetables finish cooking. Uncover the pan and add the raw slices of chicken one at a time so that they do not stick together. Raise heat to medium and allow to cook for several minutes, stirring once or twice. Once the chicken is cooked through and the curry begins to simmer again, it's ready. Remove from heat. Divide rice among serving dishes, then ladle curry onto the side or over the top. Serve with wedges of fresh lime, if desired.
