A thai curry is a great way to make use of fresh vegetables and impress people with an exotic dish. Although curries may sound daunting, they are no more difficult than a standard stew. Coconut milk is a rich, dairy-free and forgiving backdrop to a spectrum of flavors. I cut its richness with lime juice, contrast the heat of the red curry paste with some light brown sugar and use turmeric and curry powder for a warm, yellow color. Since the vegetables are pre-steamed, you can spend more time eating than cooking!
Ingredients:
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
- 2 handfuls of diced carrots
- 3 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled
- 2-3 large rotisserie/leftover chicken breasts (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 large red or white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 15.5 oz. can of garbanzos/chickpeas, washed well
- 2 13.5 oz. cans of coconut milk
- 2 limes, rolled and halved
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon thai seasoning mix (includes things like dried lemongrass, garlic, ginger and mint)
Directions:
1. Steam broccoli and carrots until tender, keeping in mind that they will cook longer in the sauce. Steam potatoes or poke them with a fork and microwave until tender. With leftover rotisserie chicken, take off the skin and bones and chop into cubes.
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2. Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in a pan and sauté onion and garlic with salt until translucent. Add chickpeas, steamed broccoli, carrots potatoes and chicken.
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3. Stir in red curry paste until dissolved and add yellow curry powder, ground cumin, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, salt, light brown sugar and thai seasoning mix. Add the juice of two limes and the peas.
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4. Simmer for a bit and turn the heat off. Allow to rest for about 1 hour in order to marry the flavors. Reheat and serve over your favorite rice.
