Recipe: GREEN THAI CURRY WITH VEGGIES

Green Thai Curry with Veggies (no artificial colour added)

I have fallen in love with the taste of Green Thai Curry over the past few years. A couple of weeks ago, Viggy got the recipe from a friend and that’s when I made the dish at home for the first time. It had turned out well but it was not the best. Later, when I spoke to my sister Lakshmi, she explained to me that I should use thick coconut milk and should not boil it for very long. So, the second time I made Thai Curry on the eve of Vini’s birthday, it turned out just perfect.

INGREDIENTS

French Beans – 100 gm (Stringed and cut into 1” pieces)
Carrots – 150 gm (Peeled and cut into 1” pieces)
Broccoli – 150 gm (Cut into 1” pieces)
Red Pepper – 1 (Cut into medium-sized pieces)
Yellow Pepper – 1 (Cut into medium-sized pieces)
Zucchini – 1 (small) (Cut into medium-sized pieces)
Paneer – 100 gm (Cut into 1” pieces)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coconut Milk – 3 cups (of thick consistency)

Masala

Readymade Green Thai Curry Paste – 50 gm
Garlic – 10-12 cloves
Ginger – 2” piece

METHOD

1. Extract thick coconut milk as mentioned in the note below and keep aside.
2. Grind the three items under ‘Masala’ with a couple of spoons of water. This should be a smooth paste.
3. Take half the masala and marinate the paneer pieces in it and keep aside for 10 minutes.
4. Boil water in a vessel. Add salt and beans to it. Cook for 3-4 minutes before adding the carrots. Cook for 1 minute and switch off gas. Add the zucchini, mix with a ladle and immediately drain the water completely.
5. Heat the oil in a saucepan and shallow fry the marinated paneer. Turn it for a couple of minutes before adding the red and yellow peppers. Add the other half of the masala.
6. Toss for 2-3 minutes before adding the boiled veggies – beans, carrots, broccoli & zucchini.
7. Mix well and add a bit of salt. The readymade Thai Curry paste already has salt in it. So do not add too much.
8. Switch off gas after 2 minutes.
9. You can add the coconut milk and cook on a medium flame for just 2-3 minutes or till the mixture begins to simmer just before serving.

Green Thai Curry with Veggies tastes absolutely delicious with Steamed Rice. Believe me, it was finger-licking good!

Note: Coconut milk is readily available in cans. You can use this. I preferred to make fresh coconut milk at home. For 3 cups of coconut milk, I ground 2 grated coconuts with 3 cups of water and strained the milk. DO NOT add water a second time round to extract thin milk. This is not suitable for making Thai Curry. The leftover coconut can be stored in the freezer and used for garnish in South Indian Curries or for making gravies for Kootu. 

Before adding the coconut milk! Doesn't it look yummy?