Food for the Soul

Cheat's Quick Thai Green Curry

This is my cheat's Thai Green Curry. I like it because it has a fresh vibrant flavour with lots of impact and it's quick. Also it only uses ingredients you can have in the store cupboard and doesn't rely on hard to get ingredients.

I think the recipe below will make enough for four people but see how you find it. I like to serve with basmati or thai fragrant rice. You can get the water on and cook the rice at the same time.

Ingredients

For the Stir Fry:
Groundnut oil for stir frying
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 Chicken breasts(or whatever protein you fancy)
1 medium onion, cut into biggish stir fryable chunks
1 Green Pepper (capsicums, bell peppers)
1 courgette (zuchinni) cut into chunks or slices
1 can coconut milk

My Green Curry Paste (completely non-authentic):
1-2 cloves garlic 
1-2 inches of root ginger peeled
2 or more green chillies (to taste, I like it hot)
50-100ml light soy sauce or Thai Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
Zest and juice of one lime
About an eighth of the onion you chopped above
About a tablespoonful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Garnish - torn basil leaves

Method

Prepare the paste first. Put all the paste ingredients in a blender or whatever sort of "wizzer" you own. Blend them briefly to a paste. Keep this back to add to the stir fry towards the end.

Heat a wok with enough oil to stir fry and get it really hot (it begins to smoke). Then add the stir fry stuff (except the coconut milk). I add it in the order given above.

Then add the green curry paste. Fry for about 20 seconds then add the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and turn the heat way down.

It's ready. Just add a few torn basil leaves and serve with the rice.

Tips

Do the paste first. Learn what you like about the flavour and adjust the paste to suit. Don't add salt - the Soy or Nam Pla is salty. If you like prawns (and these work well with the chicken) then add some frozen prawns just as you bring it to a simmer. Within about 2 minutes they are heated through and it's ready to go.

Serve in bowls with rice. The sauce is "soup" like.

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