Make It At Home: Thai Green Curry with Vegetables

Don't blink or you might miss this recipe! Basic Thai curries such as this require little time or effort and are far superior to the sweet, viscous standard takeout version. Start by heating 2 T. vegetable oil in a deep skillet. When the oil is hot, over a medium flame, stir fry for a few minutes 1 small red onion (sliced), 2 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 hot green chilies of choice and 1/2 each of a green and orange (or red or yellow) bell pepper (cut into thin slivers). Add 3 T. green curry paste and saute for 1 minute before pouring in 1 can of coconut milk and 1 cup of vegetable stock or water. Stir in 2 T. brown sugar or honey. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes over a low flame. Add 1 peeled and very thinly sliced sweet potato. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft. Remove lid and throw in a handful of spinach leaves. Simmer for another 5 minutes, uncovered, then season to taste with salt. IF you have lime leaves in the freezer, add them with the coconut milk and stock; they add incomparable, authentic flavor and keep for a year at least tightly selaed in the freezer. No need to thaw before using.

Summer cries out for chilled, custardy tofu drizzled with soy sauce and lime juice, sprinkled with chives and scallions.

Brown rice festooned with shiso shards.

Garnish the green curry with an abundance of cilantro or rau ram leaves and sliced scallions.

Our green curry is the backbone of Leftovers Lunch (with brown rice, chilled tofu and braised cabbage).