I love curries, and I mean all curries. Thai, Indian, Pakistani, Cambodian, you name an ethnic cuisine that boasts a curry and I'm all over it like…..well….
Like curry on rice!
It doesn't matter to me whether the curry is a long braised Indian lamb curry, or a quick to the table Thai version like this one here, there is just something special about the spice blends that define curries that I find very appealing. Some are scorching hot, others not so much, but one thing all curries share is a complexity and depth of flavor that I find absolutely addiciting.
Muppet and I cooked up this particular dish the other night as a means to use up some peeled and deveined shrimp we had in the freezer (yeah, I'm still working on clearing out my %$#@ freezer!). Unlike the first curry I ever cooked, a long braising, and delicious lamb curry, this dish is pulled together more like a stir-fry. As such, being properly prepped and having a well organised mise prior to cranking up the heat is essential.
Curry paste…check, chopped veggies….check, coconut milk….check!
Once you've got everything chopped, diced, measured and ready to go, the actual cooking of the dish takes hardly any time at all. This recipe is one we adapted from an article in the May 2011 issue of Fine Cooking Magazine that was a study in all the different ingredient combinations you can bring to curries….the possibilities are endless.
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce or more as needed
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 3 whole fresh or thawed frozen wild lime leaves (or substitute 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest)
- 1 cup green peas
- 1-1/2 cups quartered crimini mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1/4 cup finely diced red pepper
- 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro, and a thinly sliced red chili for garnish
Instructions
- Shake the can of coconut milk or stir it well. In a wok or large skillet over medium heat, simmer 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the curry paste, whisk well, and cook, continuing to whisk, for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth, sugar, fish sauce, and remaining coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Add the carrots, onions, red pepper, and lime leaves, and continue to simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary. After 5 minutes, add the shrimp, peas and mushrooms and continue to simmer until everything is tender and cooked through, about 3 more minutes.
- Remove the curry from the heat. Season to taste with more sugar and fish sauce, and stir in the cilantro. Remove the lime leaves and serve over steamed white or brown rice.
- Garnish with the sliced red chiles and more fresh cilantro.