Thai Green Vegetable Curry

Cape Town is hot in Febuary and this is the type of food I crave when its too hot to eat or I have been working in the kitchen all day.

A quick fresh tasting curry that can be ready in just over 30 minutes thanks to the addition of store bought curry paste. Fresh & Fragrant & Vibrant Food – I love that!

In this recipe coconut milk is whizzed up with loads of fresh herbs and I have roasted some butternut, cashews & aubergines to layer some flavours and textures.

For those that know me, my food and my kitchen know that I love to make most things from scratch. That way I know exactly what goes into my food. BUT there are a few handy cupboard things I like to use to speed up or ramp up some flavour – a good green Thai curry paste is one of them. (I make my own red one, here).

Please read ingredients as most Thai curry pastes have fish sauce in them. I do make my own vegan fish sauce – here.

I love the flexibility of a curry, the kinda ‘throw whatever you have in the fridge’ food I love.

I love the curry with some noodles on the side and prefer rice noodles or ramen noodles but off course some steamed rice would be lovely too.

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large bunch leeks, white & light green parts only, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed (opt)
• 80g vegan friendly Thai green curry paste
• 2 lemongrass sticks, thick outer part removed, bashed until split open
• 2 x 400ml coconut milk
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce (or 1 tablespoon tamari & 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce)
• 150ml veggie stock
• 2 limes, zest & juice of 1/2 lime
• handful chopped coriander to garnish
• 1 cup cashew nuts, toasted to garnish
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds to garnish
• toasted sesame oil to flavour

Vegetables: any 6 cups of the following:

• 1 large aubergine, cut into cubes, salted and roasted 180c for 20 minutes
• 1 small butternut, peeled, cut into cubes, salted and roasted 180c for 10 minutes
• 1 cup baby corn, halved
• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup mushrooms, I love the mixed exotic pack
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup mangetout

1. Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan, add the leeks and coriander seeds and cook, covered for 10 minutes until the leeks are soft.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whizz one can of coconut milk with the coriander and basil, season with 3 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce, or 1 tablespoon tamari & 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce, set aside.
3. Add the Thai paste to the leeks and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes, adding a little more oil if the leeks seems dry. Taste and season with 1 teaspoon fine salt.
4. Add the whizzed up coconut and herb mixture and the other tin coconut milk, followed by the veg stock and lemongrass, bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the veg in order of longest cooking, in my case that was the broccoli, cauliflower and baby corn. I cooked them for about 7 minutes before I added the mange tout and mushrooms which I cooked for about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and add those veggies that really only need a very quick cooking time, like peas in my case. Add the roasted aubergines and butternut and stir to heat through. Taste and season with lime zest & juice. Remove the lemongrass stalks.
7. When you are ready to serve, top with chopped coriander, cashews, black sesame seeds and beans sprouts if using. Drizzle over the toasted sesame oil. Serve alongside noodles or steamed rice. Enjoy!