Lightning fast Thai yellow curry. From scratch. No joke.

If you have a food processor, you can make this Thai yellow curry from scratch in roughly a half-hour.  It is a great (and delicious) way to use just about any type of vegetables that you happen to have lying around.  Tonight, we made it with Thai eggplant, long-stem green beans, and yellow squash, all from our CSA box (plus a cup of frozen broccoli florets tossed in for good measure).  It is particularly good with a couple cups of baby bok choy thrown in near the end of the cooking time. 

 

Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry
(from About.com, recipe by Darlene Schmidt)

For the sauce:
1-2 cans coconut milk
1/2 tsp. fenugreek
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1-2 yellow chilies (or green or red chilies, either de-seeded or with seeds if you like more heat)
1 tbsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. ground turmeric
3 cloves garlic
1 thumb-sized piece galangal or ginger, peeled and sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced thinly (or 2 tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass)
1/2 onion
3 tbsp. fish sauce or 4 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup cilantro, including the stems
2 tbs. brown sugar
juice of 1/2 lime
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen, cut into strips (or 1/2 tbsp. lime zest)

2 tbs. Canola oil

Vegetables:
Any combo of your choice, in any amount of your choice, but probably at least 6 cups of vegetables and legumes.  Some ideas: 1 can fava beans, broad beans, or chick peas; approximately 2 cups bok choy, baby bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, chopped; 4-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced; 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced; 1 large carrot, sliced; 1 cup broccoli; 1 cup cauliflower.

Plus 1/2 to 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if the leaves are large.

Directions:

Put 1/2 can of coconut milk (reserving the rest for later) with all of the other sauce ingredients in a food processor.  Process well. 

Heat oil in wok or large frying pan over medium to high heat.  Add the curry paste and gently stir-fry for 1 minute, or until fragrant.

Add the reserved 1/2 can of coconut milk and stir.  Then add those vegetables that require the longest cooking time, such as carrots, mushrooms, and cauliflower.  Stir well and bring to a simmering boil.  Turn down heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Depending on how much sauce you prefer, plus how many vegetables you are cooking, add 1/2 to 1 can more of coconut milk.  Then add the rest of the vegetables.  Stir well and cover, allowing to cook for another 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.  (NOTE: Add bok choy/Chinese cabbage last, as these only take a minute or two and you want them still slightly crunchy.)

Remove from heat and do a taste test.  Add more salt or fish sauce/soy sauce if not salty enough.  If too bitter, add 1-2 tbsp. more brown sugar.  If it's too sweet, add more lime juice.

Sprinkle the curry with fresh basil and serve with plenty of rice.*

*We like black forbidden rice, but use whatever you like.  There are no rules here.