With the cold weather coming, there’s nothing more comforting then a warm bowl of delicious curry… and my favourite is the green kind! This simple recipe is inspired by one that I picked up in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with a bit of my own unique flair added in…and it’s meatless, of course!
I used to think dishes like this were intimidating. So many ingredients. So many ingredients I didn’t know!? But I quickly realized how very untrue that is. And not to mention, once you prep all of the ingredients, a lot of Thai dishes are really quick to make. Perfect for a fast, post-work meal! This green curry uses a few staples from the Thai kitchen, including:
- Thai (apple) eggplant
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Red chilis
- Thai basil
- Fish sauce, and
- Coconut milk
BUT! I also have added a few (untraditional) twists of my own in this recipe, like:
- White (or sweet) potatoes [Because potatoes make everything better. Also because, when I first tried authentic green curry, I thought I was eating potatoes, but really I was eating delicious little eggplant gems that are native to Thailand. What a great discovery. Luckily, I found these eggplant at a local Asian grocery store (phew!) but I started thinking that potatoes might pair well with the eggplant]
- Spinach (Healthy AF), and
- Scallions (They’re green)
Let’s talk paste. I have made my own curry paste in the past and it’s a lot of work. It’s basically a substitute for arm day at the gym. But like a good gym sesh, I’ve never regretted it. So if you are up for the challenge, and can find all of the ingredients, grab your mortar and pestle and do it up (or just use a food processor). Otherwise, just go store bought. I’ve used Thai Kitchen and it does the trick!
Now let’s get to it!
Cozy Green Thai Curry
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp green curry paste (store bought or homemade)
- 3 tbsp coconut cream
- 1 medium white (or sweet) potato, small dice
- 2 Thai eggplant, quartered*
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 1-2 kaffir lime leaves (dried or fresh if you can find it)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp raw sugar
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- 10-15 Thai basil leaves
- cooked jasmine or basmati rice (about 1/2 cup dry)
- 1 scallion, sliced
- red chilis (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat a large wok over low heat, and add curry paste and coconut cream. Fry until fragrant, about one minute.
- Add the potato and eggplant, stirring to coat it with the curry paste mixture. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar and continue to boil until potato and eggplant are just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove lime leaves from wok.
- Add in your handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted. Add the Thai basil, stir and turn the heat off.
- Serve with your favourite rice (I like jasmine)
- Garnish with scallions, red chilis and more basil, if you’re into that.
NOTES:
*I find Thai eggplant at my local Asian supermarket, but if you can’t find it, just stick with the potatoes!
Additions: You can also make this recipe with tofu or a protein of your choice (chicken is popular)! For tofu: Cube and crisp on all sides in a pan with some vegetable oil and then add to the wok with the basil. For chicken: Add sliced, raw chicken to wok after curry paste and coconut cream, and fry until meat turns white (it will continue cooking when the coconut milk is boiling).