Thai Curry

From Ars Cookbook

Submitted by -c-

A somewhat detailed Thai curry, that can be easily simplified/altered depending upon the contents of your kitchen cupboard. I've starred the bare essentials for reference, though. In essence you just need some spice paste, coconut milk, and something to currify (meat, vegetables etc). This makes enough for two hungry people.

Ingredients

• 2" piece peeled ginger root, cut into thick slices
• 2-3 cloves garlic, halved
• 3" piece lemongrass, tough outer leaf removed
• Fresh chilli (I omit this, paste is plenty hot enough for me)
• 1 Kaffir lime leaf
• **1 can coconut milk (I like Chaokoh)
• Tom Ka soup paste (Oriental Gourmet is MSG etc free)
• **Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/12ths (from tip to root)
• **Chicken breast, cubed (I used half a one, increase if you're a meat lover)
• 1 small sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 aubergine, cubed (aka eggplant, I use the large purple ones)
• 1 green (bell) pepper, cubed
• Fresh lime, 1/8th
• Palm sugar (similar to brown/demerara sugar)
• Fish sauce, 1-2 tsp
• Fresh coriander, torn/chopped a little (half a dozen sprigs works for me)

Preparation

1. Set out all ingredients on kitchen counter. This dish can be made by preparing and adding things as you go along, though.

Directions

1. Put a medium-large pan on medium heat, and add 2" or so of water (use coconut milk or even stock if you prefer). Heat to just-above-simmering point - you don't want the cold ingredients knocking down the temp too much as you add things.
2. Add ginger, garlic and lemongrass to water, along with Kaffir lime leaf. Leave to simmer whilst preparing other ingredients
3. Remove above flavourings if desired (usually I just fish out the lime leaf to stop it overpowering everything), and add half of the coconut milk. Heat through
4. Stir in 1 heaped tsp of Tom Ka paste, and 1-2 tsp curry paste. Let dissolve and simmer for 5 minutes. Add more if the flavour is a bit weak (or to preferred heat of the chilli)
5. Add onion to pan, simmer for few more minutes
6. Add pieces of chicken, stir pan and let gently bubble some more. Stir in another 1/4 can of coconut milk (if you like a very thick curry, now is the time to let it reduce a bit)
7. Add sweet potato, and then after a couple of minutes the aubergine. Let simmer for 5-10mins
8. Add green pepper some 5mins before you want to serve up - else it goes to mush and the flavour changes
9. Couple of minutes before serving, add ~1 tsp fish sauce to start, taste, add more as required (remember this stuff is pungent!)
10. Squeeze in ~1/8th lime and taste. Add a little sugar if required (I usually omit it)
11. Add more water/coconut depending on desired consistency - I like mine quite soupy
12. Serve with some jasmine rice, and sprinkle fresh coriander on top

One delicious Thai curry is served! Enjoy!

Added notes: Green curry paste can be swapped for red, chicken for beef, fish or seafood. Ginger/garlic/lemongrass can be minced to create a paste, but I dislike all the "bits". Vegetables are wholly optional, but I'm more likely to leave out meat. Above ones seem to work well, as do french/dwarf/snake beans. Babycorn too - anything that holds its shape and has a mild flavour without being too "green" (cabbage) or "earthy" (strongly flavoured mushrooms), or otherwise distinctive (um, e.g. beetroot).