Don’t get me wrong. I love it when my man is around in the evenings. It’s just that… well, when he’s out of town, I pull out the big guns. My spice tolerance is just a little higher than his, so my date tonight is Thai Kitchen’s Green Curry Paste, baby. Bring it.
Carrie’s Thai Curry with Extra Sparkle
peanut or canola oil
1/2 onion, diced (I used one of these beauties from this week’s farmers market)
1 bunch or so green onions, thinly sliced (ditto)
2 Tbsp green curry paste (y’all go easy here. Start with 1/2 Tbsp and build up. Don’t be a hero.)
1 zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces
4-5 stems chard, stems separated and chopped, leaves coarsely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
a generous splash fish sauce
a handful of cilantro, chopped for garnish (my garden cilantro is still a bit new, so I had to be a bit stingy with the soapy stuff)
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the green onions and curry paste, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Experiment with the curry paste here – you’ll know you have enough when you stick your nose in the pan and immediately have to cough. Now that’s good.
Add the zucchini and chard stems and cook until almost soft. Add the chard leaves, tomato, coconut milk and fish sauce and stir to blend. Cook until the chard is wilted and ready to eat. Serve over brown rice, and garnish with cilantro. Crack a beer and dig in.
Feel the spice. My mouth is burning in such a good way. At the same time, I’m looking forward to some blander meals this week, because it means that Chris will be back at home. How could I not miss a man who, among other things, got my knives sharpened for my birthday…
Looove Thai food, the spicier the better. You know, I’ve not tried the green curry, only the red. I’m thinking maybe the green is more flavorful, not just “hot”…??
I haven’t tried the green either. My husband and I are the opposite, he likes the hotter, and my tolerance is not quite so high, although, when I go on a hot binge, the tolerance fades quickly. I love that this recipe has chard in it. I heart chard.
Light coconut milk is, I think, just regular coconut milk with water added, so I always buy the regular stuff, and dilute it with an equal amount of water. What I don’t use, I freeze in ye olde ice cube tray, so I can have little bits to add to saag paneer, or soup, or whatever.
And I’m sure you know this, but once your cilantro goes to seed and gets bitter, just leave it alone and it will reseed all over the place. Next year, you’ll have little shoots in about a 4 foot radius, and you can use up the tiny ones on the outside while letting the middle ones get bigger. Then you don’t have to wait so long.
Ooh, good tip on the coconut milk – I’m going to have to find some more room in my freezer for that one!
I’m just the opposite – I love the green so much that I haven’t tried the red! We’ll have to swap.
I love your blog! Your mom sent me an email with your blog. Who would of thought that cute little girl would turn out to be a gardener and great cook. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! I’m going to try some of your recipes–I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Thanks, Andrea! I think of you often in the garden, because some of my earliest childhood memories are of your backyard tomato plants. I used to just love the smell, and it transports me back there when I smell them today.