‘Thai’ Coconut Curry
A not-entirely-authentic but tasty way to use leftovers. If you have a can of coconut milk, some kind of fish sauce and some Thai curry paste in your pantry/fridge, you have what you need to make this dish. What you add to it can be bits and pieces that you need to use up.
This is a great way to use either cooked leftover or raw proteins that may be languishing: chicken, turkey, pork, prawns, fish, tempeh or cubed extra firm tofu. Use as little, or as much as you want, up to about 500g. You can also use leftover cooked vegetables like green beans or broccoli.
If you opt for tofu or tempeh, vegetable stock and a vegan "fish" sauce, this dish can be entirely vegan. Check the ingredients on your curry paste though - some have shrimp paste in them, some do not. There are lots of recipes online for making vegan "fish" sauce so if you can't find any to purchase, you can make your own.
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (or more)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 stalk lemongrass (bruised and cut into 1 inch pieces (optional))
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or vegan"fish" sauce)
- cooked or raw protein in bite-sized pieces (see list above for ideas, up to 500g)
- 1 tablespoon coconut or natural veg oil (not olive oil)
- 2-3 tablespoons store-bought Thai curry paste (red, yellow or green, check to see if it contains shrimp paste or fish sauce if you are veg or vegan)
- 1 small onion, peeled and sliced into thick half rings (about 1/2c)
- 1/2 cup green beans, blanched or pre-cooked (sliced into 2.5cm/1" pieces)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (sliced into matchsticks)
- other pre-cooked or quick cooking veg you have around (mushrooms, thinly sliced cabbage or bok choy, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, small broccoli florets, peas, etc)
- 398 milliliters canned coconut milk, full fat or light (about 14oz)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (brown, white, golden)
- 1 cup stock or water (stock can be chicken, fish, or veg)
- 1 fresh lime, juiced
- 12 fresh basil leaves (optional)
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
- fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- cooked Jasmine rice (to serve)
- lime wedges (to serve, optional)
Mix up the aromatics, fish sauce and protein in a bowl and let sit for a minimum of 20 minutes. It's not really saucy enough to be an actual marinade but it has a similar effect. If your proteins are raw (with the exception of tofu), you could marinate this mix up to 24 hours in advance. I think tofu would fall apart if you marinated for too long.
Heat a wok or a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coconut or neutral oil and fry the curry paste, breaking it up and smooshing it a bit. When the paste is heated through and becomes fragrant, add everything in the marinated protein bowl. Toss and cook for a few minutes to fully coat the protein - you're not trying to brown it, just thoroughly mixing. Add the onions, bell pepper, green beans and/or any leftover veggies you might have.
Once it is well-mixed and smelling good, add the stock/water, the coconut milk and the sugar. Stir and heat through. Add the lime juice, taste and adjust seasonings however you see fit (add more lime or sugar or fish sauce).
Serve with steamed Jasmine rice and garnish with basil, cilantro and/or thinly sliced red chili rings.
I forgot to mention in the video that you don't eat the lemongrass because it's too fibrous, people scoot it to the side of their plates as they eat.
