So I have been a little addicted to a super simple vegetarian red curry made fresh daily in my kitchen this week. You could also consider it a soup..
I started my love affair with red curry after a visit to the Nan Tien temple in Wollongong, where I ate red curry noodles.
They were stunning. I dreamed of them. I tried to recreate them at home and was vastly unsuccessful. Though I did make a somewhat decent red curry soup which I enjoyed.. it was not the same.
I had to return to the temple to satisfy the craving. This was no great chore as I love the place. It is beautiful and serene.
I’ve made my current obsession 4 times so far, either for lunch or dinner. When I get a bee in my bonnet about a recipe, I might make it over and over until I run out of the ingredients. Or I might make one big batch and then eat the leftovers for days. So satisfying!
The current recipe is this –
Drizzle Olive Oil
Teaspoon Coconut Oil
1 x Teaspoon Minced Garlic
2 x Teaspoon Red Curry Paste
400-500mls Chicken Stock (depends how many veg you are putting in as to how much liquid you need)
1x 50g sachet of Ayam Coconut Milk Powder (alternatively 1x can coconut milk or cream)
Various vegetables.
I would put a little olive oil in a saucepan, then add garlic and red curry paste – I like the Aldi version.
At this time you could add in an onion or a leek or even some carrots and celery. This recipe is endlessly custom-ise-able. :) Today I added in half a leek.
Then you add in about 400mls of chicken stock. While that is bubbling away –
I had a cauliflower in the fridge so I would cut off a few florets and then chop them up small. Throw this in the saucepan.
I would peel 2-3 potatoes and chop them up into tiny little cubes. Add this to the saucepan.
At this time you could maybe add in some pumpkin, broccoli, sweet potato, swedes or turnips, cabbage, silver beet, baby spinach.. you can make this recipe as complicated as you might feel like.
I would make up a packet of the Ayam Coconut Milk Powder. Its 50g of coconut milk powder and 250mls of water, or so. Pour this in and stir together well. You could use a can of coconut milk or cream. Make sure all the veg is covered with liquid, if necessary add in a little more chicken stock or coconut milk.
Let this simmer for 15 minutes.
Then you scoop some into a bowl, and your awesomeness is created.
It might not look like much but it is so flavoursome and tasty. If you have the time you can also let it simmer until the vegetables literally melt in your mouth.
When I get a bee in my bonnet about a recipe, I might make it over and over until I run out of ingredients. There was a two week stint of chicken cacciatore I made, gorgeously salty with anchovies, tangy with olives and mushrooms, scented with Banrock Station Cabernet Merlot and with fresh cooked white or sweet potatoes underneath it, topped with parmesan. This might be my next bee. I’ll let you know if it is. :)
I really, really wanted to like coconut curry. I made a bunch of variations and it just didn’t do it for me. I suspect it was just too much – and if I used just a little to moisten things rather than make a soup I might like it more. Pity because I love curries!
Glad that you’re enjoying it though. As you know, I get obsessed too. Last summer was the summer of chicken salad.
I think the coconut powder makes a difference because it is basically coconut mixed with boiled water from the kettle. What makes coconut stuff tough for me usually is the coconut water aspect of it – just not a big fan of coconut water. If you can source the powder it might be worth another try. :)