Thai Red Curry Recipe

Nom, nom!

So, this post is for my friend, Emily, requesting the recipe I follow for Thai Red Curry, and some pointers. I actually follow a pretty basic recipe, the one found on the back of the red curry paste I buy, with a few tweaks. 

However, first off, rice. It seems so many of my friends have no clue how to properly make rice (no judgment, I never had instant rice until I was like 15). And, when I say "properly" make rice, I don't mean buy an expensive rice cooker, what I really mean is buying, washing, soaking, cooking.

I was raised on Jasmine Rice, and honestly I had no clue there was anything else other than that until I was much older. My dad says that I am exaggerating when I say that one of my daily chores from seven on was washing rice, and as I got older I would have notes; "Sarah, wash some rice-- have that done by _____ time." Always allowing for a soaking period before cooking it for supper.

Whenever I am cooking something for dinner that also requires rice I always start the cooking venture off by washing my rice in cold water; repeatedly rinsing the rice until the water is clear, and no longer murky. Once the rice has been washed, I let it soak for at least one hour (if not longer) before cooking.

As far as a "followed recipe" while rice cooking, in my world there is no such thing-- I eye-ball it, and have never had any troubles. I imagine there is a recipe online that you can follow, but here are my tips; use cold water, let it soak, Jasmine rice takes only about eighteen/twenty minutes to cook to perfection, the ratio of rice: water is about 1: 1.5, bring your rice to a boil at first then give it a stir turn it down to medium-low/low and cover the remainder of the cooking time.

Now, Red Thai Curry goodness:

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 Tablespoon Red Curry Past (use more for spicier flavor, but not too much)
1 can Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos
ginger, garlic, cayenne-- to taste
1 to 3 Chicken Boobs (I usually grill the chicken, and then add it at the very end)
1 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 cup sugar snap peas (trimmed)
1/2 cup fresh steamed broccoli (I steam mine before cooking since I have a sensitive stomach)
1 carrot cut into strips, finely
4 green onion, julienne
1/4 Basil, ribboned
1 lime
kosher salt

Directions: HEAT 1/2 oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add curry paste; stir fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until fragrant. Add coconut milk and bring to simmer on medium-high heat. Stir in Bragg's, and if you desire some ginger, garlic and cayenne-- I usually do tons of garlic and ginger, but haven't been using cayenne, because my stomach has been sensitive to too much spice. I usually turn down the heat on this, and let it simmer for some time-- this does cause some of a reduction, but this curry isn't particularly soupy (if you want a soupier curry add in 1/2 cup chicken stock). I sometimes forget about it for even an hour...It's fine, just stir the sauce from time to time.

When you're getting hungry start your rice, and get a medium pan out, add the other 1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil, and start stir-frying the veggies. Add your grilled chicken to the vegetables; simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add in the curry sauce, and stir in basil. I then usually juice half a lime over the curry, and give it another good stir before topping with fresh green onions and lime slices and turning off the heat.

I serve the deliciousness over Jasmine rice, obviously. :)