Thai red vegetable curry

Ingredients:

2tbsp red curry paste
1tbsp vegetable oil
400ml coconut milk
500ml vegetable stock
½tsp salt
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp tamarind concentrate
2 shallots(Oninons), peeled
2 lemongrass stalks
1 orange sweet potato, peeled
2 parsnips, peeled
300g broccoli
100g tinned bamboo shoots, sliced
100g green beans
100g peas, frozen
1tbsp fish sauce
2tbsp coriander leaves
1 lime, quartered

METHOD:

Heat the oil and fry the curry paste over gentle heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Add the salt, sugar and tamarind concentrate and simmer for five minutes. Thickly slice the shallots (Oninons), and bruise the white part of the lemongrass. Cut the sweet potato, parsnip and broccoli into bite-sized chunks and add to the curry with the shallots and lemongrass.

Simmer gently for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Lightly cook the beans and peas in salted water, drain and add to the curry. Add the fish sauce to taste. Scatter with coriander and serve with steamed rice and wedges of lime.

Note: Vegetarians should substitute soy or just sea salt for the fish sauce


Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe
INGREDIENTS:

3 shallots(Onions), sliced
1 stalk lemongrass
1-3 red chillies (depending on desired spiciness) or 1-3 teaspoons Thai red chilli sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece galangal, peeled and sliced (may be substituted with ginger)
¼ tsp. white pepper (may be substituted with black pepper)
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds, ground with pestle & mortar (or a coffee grinder)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce (available at Asian grocers), or vegetarian 'fish' sauce (or soy sauce if unavailable)
1 kaffir lime leaf (available in the freezer of your local Asian grocery store)
1 tsp. shrimp paste (optional if vegetarian)
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. regular chilli powder
1/3 cup coconut milk (or more - enough to keep the blades turning)

Mehod:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process well.

To use immediately, fry the paste in some oil to release flavors before adding meat, tofu or wheat gluten, or vegetables.

Add more coconut milk, as desired. Include the leftover pieces of lemongrass in your cooking pot - this will add more flavor to the curry.

Before serving, always do a taste test. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce, or soy sauce). If too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too spicy, add more coconut milk or a little plain yogurt.