It is hard to beat a good curry. Done right, they are flavorful, rich and full of nutrients. They are also easy and flexible, making them an ideal mid week meal. You can easily omit the meat for a vegan/vegetarian and adjust up or down the heat to suit your family. I also love that we can use just about any meat we have and whatever vegetables we have on hand or growing in the garden.
The key to keeping curry easy, is to make the paste ahead of time (or buy it from the store if you don’t have time). I also keep cans of coconut cream in the pantry and use a rice maker to cook the rice.
I make red, yellow and green curry paste from fresh and dried ingredients. I start with a base of lemongrass stalks, shallots, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and chilis pureed in the food processor with some brown sugar and lime juice and/or fish sauce. To make green curry I add cilantro, lime zest, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil. To make yellow curry, I add some curry powder and turmeric. For red curry, I add some tomato paste and tamarind. Sometimes, I make all three at the same time as they all start with the same base. I don’t measure anything, but taste and adjust as needed. My finished curry goes into ice cube trays, is frozen and then popped into freezer bags. For my family, I like to use a curry cube per person. Like it hotter, use more. Like it milder use less.
Once the paste is made and frozen, I will have enough curry for the rest of the year.
So, now, when you want to make a curry dinner, put a cup or two of white rice in the rice maker. For rice, basmati and jasmine are both excellent choices and I cook them using a 1:1 ratio and adding salt to taste. While the rice is cooking, cube the meat and sear in oil over a high heat. For the meat, chicken and pork are great choices, but you can also use lamb, beef, fish or shrimp.
Add your choice of chopped vegetables – onion, peppers, chard, squash – what ever you have on hand and that needs to be used up. Stir fry quickly and then turn the heat down and add one can of coconut cream and your curry paste. Simmer until the meat is cooked and the rice is done.
