Adre’s Quick Thai(ish) Curry

What’s for dinner, recipe no 3.

Quick and easy vegetable curry that the whole family will enjoy. I love the fact that it’s so versatile using any veggies that you have in the fridge or cupboard. Roast any roots and add any quick cooking veggies.

Yes we are going to make our own curry paste here, but its really simple, you just add a few Thai inspired flavours to a blender and voila, instant flavour.

It’s such a flexible recipe, add more veg, less liquid, more liquid, double up on the paste – you get the idea.

I had mine overlooking a beautiful Autumn sunset in Vredehoek, Cape Town really is full of magic.

Served with steamed basmati rice.

• 4 tablespoon coconut oil
• small aubergine, cubed
• small butternut, cubed
• 2 carrots, cubed
• 1 cup cauliflower florets (small bite sized)
• 1 cup broccoli florets (small bite sized)
• 1 cup pak choy, seperate leaves & stems, leaves torn, stems chopped
• 2 x 400g tins coconut milk
• 1/2 – 1 cup veggies stock IF needed
• 2 handfuls roasted cashew nuts
• chopped spring onions to serve
• chopped coriander to serve
• limes

Paste

• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• 10cm ginger, peeled (about two thumb sized)
• 2 lemongrass, white part (the base) only, peeled until the white part is softish, chopped
• 1 chilli (to taste)
• 2 teaspoons mild curry spice
• 30g coriander, roughly chopped
• zest of 1 lime, juice of 1/2
• a little water if needed to loosen the paste

1. Preheat the oven to 200c, add the root veggies to a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt & pepper, roast until tender and golden, about 30 minutes. Roast the aubergine in a separate tray until golden and soft.
2. Whizz the paste ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and paste like, adding a few tablespoons water at a time if needed. Taste, the paste should be punchy and the perfect combination of salty and garlicky. It should be full of flavour, if not, add more soy or limes.
3. In a saucepan, add a drizzle of oil, add the pak choy stems and fry until tender, now add the paste and cook the paste until fragrant, about 3 minutes, add the tins coconut milk and have a taste, adding a little soy or salt if needed. Let the sauce gently simmer (avoid boiling the sauce), add the cauliflower and broccoli. Simmer for 5/6 minutes or until the veggies start to soften. Add the roasted veggies and pak choy leaves, if you need a little more liquid (we will need liquid to coat the rice) add some stock. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
4. Now it’s time for our final season, taste and add some lime zest, juice, more soy or salt if needed.
5. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle over the cashew nuts, spring onions and chopped coriander. Serve alongside steamed rice and lime wedges. Enjoy!