Thai Green Curry
I absolutely love Thai food, especially the curries. Besides tasting wonderful, they're full of veggies and lean protein and fresh herbs. But in Manhattan, where there's a Thai restaurant on nearly every corner, really well-prepared dishes made of quality ingredients - and not too much grease - can be hard to find. (If you're in New York, check out Laut on East 17th street near Union Square. The Malaysian and Thai offerings are delicious and beautifully presented.)
I can't pretend to be an expert on authenticity, and I'm sure that most restaurants go light on the hot peppers to cater to Western tastes. I'm OK with that. Back in my wild youth, I got a thrill out of eating the hottest curries I could get my hands on. And I think my dinner companions got a kick out of watching my eyes bug out of my head. But I'm done with late night stomach upsets and searing off the roof of my mouth. I want to experience the delicious flavor of curry without the pain and suffering, and give my delicate Western palate a break. Which brings me to the problem of store-bought curry paste.
Making Thai curry at home is actually quite easy. Most recipes call for the shortcut of imported curry paste, a mix of spices and peppers preserved in salt and oil. But the authentic ones I've tried, all imported from Thailand, are numbingly, blisteringly spicy. By adding enough paste to adequately season your sauce with curry flavor, you render your dish inedible from the heat. So I wondered if I could create my own curry paste from scratch, better control the heat, and eliminate the MSG, oils, and preservatives contained in some prepared brands.
This recipe is for green curry, which is traditionally the spiciest of Thai curries. In my version, the heat level is completely customizable: You can make it super spicy or completely mild. The ingredients are pantry items, or grocery store produce staples. The only unusual ingredient is the Thai fish sauce (nam pla), a pungent brown liquid made from salted, fermented anchovies. Don't be afraid! Without it, your dinner will not have that characteristic umami funk that makes Thai food so special. It's available in Asian supermarkets and in the ethnic section of many regular grocery stores.
For 2 (starving) to 4 (moderately hungry) people, you will need:
GREEN CURRY PASTE
- Three small jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed. All the heat is contained in the ribs and seeds, so throw these parts away if you want a very mild curry. If you want a little spice, add in some ribs (and seeds too, if you wish) to your taste. I used the ribs from one pepper, and it lent a nice, medium level of heat. And if you have sensitive hands like me, wear gloves when you're handling hot peppers!
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- About 1" peeled ginger root, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup packed Thai basil leaves, or about a tight handful. Thai basil, if you can find it at your local farmers' or Asian market, is highly fragrant and holds up better when cooked. If you can't find it, regular basil works, too.
- 2 teaspoons mild curry power. All curry powders are a blend of spices, and each are different, depending on the cuisine and the manufacturer. A regular mild, sweet curry powder, as you would find in the spice section of your supermarket, should be a yellow ocher color and contain most of the following: Turmeric, paprika, fenugreek, coriander, black pepper, cumin, ginger, celery seed, cloves, and red pepper.
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, light or dark. Traditional Thai cooking uses palm sugar, and brown sugar will give you a similar, rich caramel/molasses flavor.
- Zest of 1/2 to 1 lime, grated on a Microplane
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
Directions:
In a food processor, blender, or with a mortar and pestle, mix the above ingredients until they are finely pureed into a paste. You can make this ahead and keep in the fridge, if you like. Makes about 1/2 cup, the perfect amount for 1 pot of curry.
THAI GREEN CURRY
- 1/2 cup green curry paste
- 1 small yellow onion, halved and thickly sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper, halved and thickly sliced
- 2 cups unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes or rounds. Try the long, thin Japanese or small, round Thai varieties if you can find them.
- 7-10 ounces protein. I used tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes. Prawns, calamari rings, firm, white fish fillets, and sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts and boneless pork chops are great, too.
- 1 can coconut milk (the full fat, not the "light" variety), 13.5 ounces
- 1/2 can water (just under 1 cup)
- Olive or other vegetable oil for stir-frying
- Salt
- 1/3 cup packed Thai (or regular) basil leaves
Directions:
In a large, wide-bottomed, lidded pot or wok, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add the onion, red bell pepper, and eggplant, and a pinch of salt and saute until the eggplant is lightly browned and the onions and peppers are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate. (If you season as you go, the finished dish will taste more integrated because the sauce won't have to do all the work.) Return the pan to the stove and add another tablespoon of oil. If you are using tofu or meat, saute until lightly browned, just 2-3 minutes. (If you plan to use seafood, you'll add it later and poach it in the curry.) Sprinkle the meat or tofu with a pinch of salt, remove to a plate, and return the pan to the burner.
Now add the curry paste and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add the coconut milk and water, and whisk together as you bring the liquid to a boil. Return the veggies and tofu or meat to the pan. Lower the heat, put the lid on, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. (Use the eggplant as your guide.) If you are using shrimp, fish, or calamari rings, add these in the last 2 minutes of cooking to gently poach. Remove from heat and stir in the basil leaves.
Serve immediately with steamed Basmati or jasmine rice.