Thai Green Curry with Beef and Eggplant
Serve this authentic curry with jasmine rice. It’s very easy to make a vegetarian version by substituting the beef for firm, cubed tofu that’s been patted dry, and then following the recipe as directed. Simply omit the fish sauce.
Thai Green Curry with Beef and Eggplant
This fantastic Thai green curry recipe features tender, thinly sliced pieces of beef or bison simmered together with eggplant and red pepper; these can be replaced with your choice of vegetables, depending on what is fresh and available where you live. This curry is sumptuous – wonderful on a chilly night! The homemade green curry paste is what makes this dish sing, so don't be tempted to substitute the store-bought variety. Top the curry with fresh basil, then sit back and savor the wonderful Thai flavors and aroma this dish brings
Ingredients
- 1-2 medium size steak
- 1 can good-quality coconut milk
- ½ eggplant (cut into bite-size chunks)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into bite-size pieces)
- ⅓ cup fresh Tahi Basil (or sweet basil)
- ½ cup good-tasting chicken (or beefstock)
For the Green CurryPaste:
- 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass (minced, or 3 tablespoons frozen prepared lemongrass)
- 1-3 green chilis (sliced)
- 1 shallot (sliced, or 1/4 cup dicedpurple onion)
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 piece thumbed-size galangal (or ginger, sliced)
- 1 cup fresh coriander/cilantro, (chopped,leaves & stems)
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 3 tbsp fiash sauce
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (availableby the jar at Asian food stores)
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Place all 'Green Curry Paste' ingredients together in afood processor, blender, chopper, or pestle & mortar. Add up to 1/4 can ofthe coconut milk, enough to help blend ingredients (reserve the rest forlater).
- Process (or pound) well to create an aromatic Thai green curry paste. If youdo not have a food processor or chopper, try using a blender, or finely minceall ingredients by hand and stir together well.
- Heat a wok or deep-frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil and swirl around, then add thegreen curry paste. Stir-fry briefly to release the fragrance (1 minute), thenadd the beef.
- Stir-fry briefly to cover the meat in spices (1 to 2minutes).
- Add the stock and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heatto medium or medium-low. Simmer 6 to 10 minutes.
- Set aside 1/4 cup coconut milk, reserving it for uselater (the thick cream is best). Add the rest of the coconut milk to the curry,plus the eggplant (if using).
- Stir everything together, cover, and simmer 7 to 8minutes, or until eggplant is tender enough to pierce with a fork.
- Add the bell pepper. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, oruntil everything is well cooked.
- Remove from heat and gently stir in the 1/4 cup reserved coconut milk. Taste-test, addingmore fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough.
- Add more lime juice if too salty or sweet for your taste.Add more sugar if not sweet enough. More chili can also be added.
- Portion out the green curry onto serving plates or bowls.
- Sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh basil and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice.