This is adapted from a recipe for chicken green curry by Sonja Eldridge, published in a Waitrose magazine, and also influenced by the fantastic curry Danielle cooked for us when we visited her in London a few months ago. It is fairly lime-flavoured - cut down on the juice or leaves if you are not a big lime fan.
Green curry paste
10-12 | medium green chillies, deseeded |
2 stalks | fresh lemongrass, stalks trimmed and outer layer removed |
4 cm piece | fresh ginger, peeled |
6 cloves | garlic, peeled |
4 | shallots, peeled |
4 | kaffir lime leaves, fresh or freeze-dried |
1 teaspoon | shrimp paste (optional) |
1 teaspoon | ground coriander |
1 teaspoon | ground cumin |
1 teaspoon | paprika |
1 bunch | coriander |
1 small bunch | basil |
2 tablespoons | olive oil |
2 | limes, zest and juice |
1/2 teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper |
Roughly chop the chilies, lemongrass, ginger and shallots. Put all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste, adding a little more oil if necessary.
This paste will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for three months.
Vegetable curry
1 tablespoon | sesame oil |
1 tablespoon | olive oil |
1 | red onion, finely chopped |
10 tablespoons | green curry paste (above), or to taste |
50 g | tamarind paste |
150 ml | boiling water |
2 cm piece | ginger, peeled and finely grated |
400 ml | coconut milk |
3 | kaffir lime leaves |
2 stalks | fresh lemongrass, slightly bruised |
1 tablespoon | fish sauce (optional) |
4 | large flat mushrooms, sliced |
1 | red capsicum, finely sliced |
150 g | green beans, topped, tailed and chopped into three |
2 | medium zucchini, sliced |
250 g | tofu, cubed |
8 | large cherry tomatoes, halved |
| coriander, chopped |
Heat the oils in a large saucepan, then add the onion and fry gently for about 6 minutes, until softening. Add the green curry paste and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. It will darken slightly and become aromatic. Mix together the tamarind paste and boiling water, then add to the saucepan, along with the ginger, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Add the mushrooms, capsicum, beans and zucchini to the sauce, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are close to cooked. Add the tofu and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, until warmed through. Finally, add the tomatoes and stir through, then remove from the heat. Serve at once with steamed rice and chopped coriander.
Serves 4.
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