Quick Weeknight Red Thai Curry Recipe


Quick Weeknight Red Thai CurryRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink Prep time 25 mins Cook time 20 mins Ready in 45 mins Yield Serves 4 to 6 This delicious recipe uses supermarket ingredients with appropriate technique to produce restaurant-level flavour in your home kitchen! Ingredients Curry Sauce 30 ml (2 Tb) vegetable oil 3 to 6 Tb red curry paste 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced Optional - 15 ml (1 Tb) minced galangal OR 5 ml (1 tsp) minced fresh ginger Optional - 15 to 30 ml (1 to 2 Tb) minced fresh lemongrass (remove core and top, cut only from the "belly") 1 can (400 ml) good quality coconut milk 45 ml (3 Tb) fish sauce OR 3/4 tsp salt 15 ml (1 Tb) palm sugar OR light brown sugar Optional - 3 fresh lime leaves, torn Thai Curry curry sauce (above) 680 g (1-1/2 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast OR medium-soft tofu 3 cups chopped soft vegetables of your choice (bell peppers, bok choi, Asian eggplant, kale, broccoli, snow peas, etc) 60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped fresh Thai basil (sub regular basil or omit if you can't find Thai) Directions Curry Sauce Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking. If you are using the optional lemongrass and galangal (or ginger), have those ready as well. Open the can of coconut milk. It should have separated into a thick spoonable coconut “cream” at the top of the can and a thinner coconut water underneath. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the thick cream into a small bowl and put by the stove. This will be your cooking medium. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the curry paste and all the garlic, as well as the lemongrass and galangal (or ginger), if using. Sauté, stirring constantly, for about 20 seconds, then add the 2 tablespoons of thick coconut cream that you scooped out of the can. Cook, stirring, until the oil separates from the coconut milk and most of the liquid has evaporated. The curry paste should smell fragrant, but not burnt. Now add the rest of the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the fish sauce (OR SALT), brown sugar and lime leaves (if using). Simmer gently for a few minutes. The sauce can me made up to this point and refrigerated or frozen for later use. Thai Curry *If using tofu, make sure to cut into medium-sized cubes, place on a parchemnt-lined tray, drizzle with a bit of oil and salt, and roast in a 375 F oven for 20 minutes before proceeding. If using chicken, no special preparation needed. Bring the curry sauce to a gentle simmer. CHICKEN:* Add the prepared chicken to the pot and bring to a gentle boil, It will seem very thick at first, but the chicken will give off juice as it cooks. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vegetables, simmer about 5 to 10 minutes more, until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. TOFU: Add the roasted tofu, and the raw vegetables at the same time. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through. To finish the curry: add the basil and remove from heat. Stir well to combine everything. Taste for seasoning; adjust with more salt or fish sauce, as necessry. Serve immediately, on top of steamed jasmine rice.

Directions

Curry Sauce
Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking. If you are using the optional lemongrass and galangal (or ginger), have those ready as well.
Open the can of coconut milk. It should have separated into a thick spoonable coconut “cream” at the top of the can and a thinner coconut water underneath. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the thick cream into a small bowl and put by the stove. This will be your cooking medium.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add the curry paste and all the garlic, as well as the lemongrass and galangal (or ginger), if using. Sauté, stirring constantly, for about 20 seconds, then add the 2 tablespoons of thick coconut cream that you scooped out of the can. Cook, stirring, until the oil separates from the coconut milk and most of the liquid has evaporated. The curry paste should smell fragrant, but not burnt.
Now add the rest of the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the fish sauce (OR SALT), brown sugar and lime leaves (if using). Simmer gently for a few minutes. The sauce can me made up to this point and refrigerated or frozen for later use.
Thai Curry
*If using tofu, make sure to cut into medium-sized cubes, place on a parchemnt-lined tray, drizzle with a bit of oil and salt, and roast in a 375 F oven for 20 minutes before proceeding.
*If using chicken, no special preparation needed.
Bring the curry sauce to a gentle simmer. CHICKEN: Add the prepared chicken to the pot and bring to a gentle boil, It will seem very thick at first, but the chicken will give off juice as it cooks. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vegetables, simmer about 5 to 10 minutes more, until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. TOFU: Add the roasted tofu, and the raw vegetables at the same time. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are cooked through.
To finish the curry: add the basil and remove from heat. Stir well to combine everything. Taste for seasoning; adjust with more salt or fish sauce, as necessry. Serve immediately, on top of steamed jasmine rice.

Quick Weeknight Red Thai CurryRecipe by Chef Heidi Fink

Ingredients

Directions