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February 20, 2013

Kitchen Sink "Thai" Curry



What You'll Need:

  • 1 tbsp. peanut oil
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 5 tbsp. commercial Thai Red Curry Paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand myself, but there are lots of good ones out there--or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can make your own!. FYI, the amount is subjective depending on how spicy you like your Thai food. This amount of curry paste will provide a nice, substantial, full-bodied-but-not-mouth-scorching spice. If you prefer it mild, back it up to 2 tbsp. curry paste)
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable broth (commercial or homemade)
  • 1 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. vegan fish sauce
  • 1 can chick peas, drained
  • 2 small cans crimini mushrooms (though any canned mushrooms will do), drained
  • 1 12-16 oz. package frozen broccoli
  • 1 8-12 oz. package frozen green beans
  • 1 12-16 oz. bag frozen mixed veggies of your choice (there are some great stir-fry mixes available that are particularly fitting for this recipe, but regular old peas-carrots-and greenbeans-mix will do just fine)
  • 2 6-8 0z. cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 cup roasted, salted cashew nuts
  • cooked brown rice to provide a yummy base to soak up all the curry juices
What To Do:

First, dump all of the frozen and canned veggies and beans in a large colander and run warm water over them until they are mostly defrosted. Set aside. Then, heat the peanut oil in a large, nonstick wok or skillet (the bigger, the better--this recipe makes a lot!) over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute, or until fragrant. Add the curry paste and stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes, or until fragrant. Quickly add both cans of coconut milk and veggie broth, and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture just begins to bubble. Add brown sugar and vegan fish sauce; blend well with a whisk.

Add the vegetable and bean mixture to the curry mixture and turn down the heat to medium. Simmer mixture for 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are cooked all the way through and fork-tender. Remove from heat and immediately sprinkle with cashews. Gently fold them in, and spoon curry over bowls of cooked brown rice for a delicious, super-healthy and satisfying meal! Enjoy!



Variation: add crispy tofu to this delectable dish by following the tofu preparation instructions in Crispy Hot Red Chile Tofu with Baby Greens, stopping after the tofu is pan-fried. Stir tofu into curry dish after adding the cashews and serve immediately so the tofu retains maximum crispness! 


2 comments:

  1. Looks fabulously yummy! Love thai food

    ReplyDelete
  2. SO IRONIC!! We had almost nothing edible in the house, and so we were forced to get really creative, and low and behold-- this crazy little curry turned out so fabulous and tasty!! Hooray for little victories!!!

    ReplyDelete