Lunch Box Surprise: Vegetarian Thai Green Curry

Thai Curry is a great dinner dish. It’s something different and exotic, coming from the central part of Thailand or close to Bangkok. It’s so flavoursome, combining umami, spicy and savoury, with a hint of sweetness.

In fact, the native word for this curry, which is “Kheong Gow Wan”, means “sweet curry”, indicating that the colour given off by this curry is a sweet and pastel green. This is made completely vegetarian as it’s not always easily available. 

To learn how to make it, watch the video on the link below: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZh5Fzfu6YY  

VEGETARIAN THAI GREEN CURRY

Ingredients:
Curry Paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ cup coriander leaves and roots mixed, chopped roughly
3 green chillies, chopped roughly
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut roughly
3 shallots, peeled and cut roughly
½ inch galangal, peeled and cut roughly
½ stalk lemongrass, peeled and cut roughly
1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
½ tsp palm sugar
3-4 tbsp water

Main Curry
3 tbsp oil
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup or so water to thin
2 kaffir lime leaves
½ carrot, peeled, sliced and parboiled
2 small potatoes, peeled, sliced and boiled
4 French beans, cut lengthwise and parboiled
½ small eggplant, sliced
¼ cup capsicum, julienned
A small bunch of white fungus
Salt to taste
1 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
Pinch of red chillies, chopped
3-4 leaves Thai basil or sweet basil

METHOD

1.      Prepare paste by adding the following to a blender or food processor: cumin seeds, garlic, shallots, galangal, lemongrass, coriander leaves and roots and green chillies. Add vegetarian oyster sauce, palm sugar and enough water to make a smooth paste.

2.      Sauté your eggplant in very little oil till soft. Add capsicum and only cook for few seconds till nice and crunchy.

3.      Heat oil, add paste and fry till fragrant and till the mixture becomes homogenous. Add coconut milk and all the vegetables. Season with salt and add in Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves. Cover it up and cook on a slow flame for at least 10 mins, so flavours get infused.

4.      Garnish with red chillies, and a little bit of coriander leaves and basil. Serve with steamed or fried rice. 

Tips:

1)      If you can’t find vegetarian oyster sauce easily, then just use soy sauce.

2)      You can change the vegetables to whichever ones you like, but please note if you have to parboil or cook it first to suit your preferences.

3)      Garlic and shallot (small onion) can be omitted, and instead you can add more chilli or coconut milk to suit your preferences.