Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

Thai Red Curry recipe in a bowl — Thai Red Curry

This month we are traveling to Thailand. Land of curries, coconut milk, and limes. Have you noticed that almost every town in America has a Thai restaurant? That's because the Thai government invested A LOT of money into gastrodiplomacy.

Here is a map of Thailand on a map — Where is Thailand, exactly?

gas-troh-di-ploh-muh-see: (noun) the strategic promotion of a nation's cuisine to build diplomatic connections and favorable public relations for that nation, such as by funding grants to open restaurants, create food-oriented workshops, publish cookbooks, etc.

A village in Thailand — Listen to Sounds of Wild Thailand on SoundCloud

"In 2002, the Thai government launched the Global Thai Initiative to increase interest in Thai cuisine, cast a positive light on Thailand, generate tourism, and scale up the country's food and labor exports." The Thai government actually financed thousands of Thai restaurants worldwide. They created three different prototypes: Elephant Jump for fast food, Cool Basil formed-priced casual cuisine, and Golden Leaf for high-end meals - they even go so far as demand certain decor be present like authentic fabrics and Thai objects of art. It is interesting, but...what about the recipe, guys? Well, I attempted to recreate one of their signature dishes "Thai Red Curry" and I think we did it! The "key" to Thai dishes is the cut the vegetables very thinly - that's what I've noticed over and over again. And of course we use coconut milk and curry paste for flavoring, if the recipe calls for it.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Equipment Needed: Deep Skillet, Measuring Utensils, Knife, Can Opener

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 Cups Brown Jasmine Rice OR Long-grain Brown Rice, rinsed

1 Tablespoon Coconut OR Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced (1 inch)

1 Onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon Brown Sugar OR Coconut Sugar

1 Tablespoon Liquid Aminos OR Coconut Aminos

1 Can Coconut Milk, 14 ounces

2 teaspoons Lime Juice, fresh

1/2 Cup Water

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch strips

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch strips

3 Carrots, peeled, sliced on the bias, 1/4-inch thick (diagonally)

1 1/2 Cup Kale, any variety, ribs removed, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

Ingredients needed to create Thai Red Curry with vegetables — I used Brown Sugar, but after research we found it is considered "minimally processed". To make "Natural" Brown Sugar, mix 1 teaspoon Cane Sugar + 1/2 teaspoon Molasses.

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the Rice and set it aside. Warm a large skillet with deep sides on medium heat and add the oil. Once it’s hot, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and salt, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

Pro tip: Wash all fruits & vegetables before cutting. The USDA's Food and Safety and Inspection Service explains "washing produce helps remove any dirt or bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria (which) can lead to illness including symptoms including fever, headaches, and more".

A Red Curry dish combines red curry paste, red and orange bell peppers, and carrots — Red Curry uses Thai Red Curry Paste

2. Add the Coconut Milk, Water, Lime Juice, Sugar, Bell Peppers, and Carrots. Cook until the Bell Peppers and Carrots are fork-tender, about 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

For this dish, we used Thai Kitchen red curry paste, which is vegetarian — I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste because it is vegetarian.

We are adding the kale to this dish for a "pop" of color and to add some chlorophyll. — There are 7 common types of kale: Curly, Lacinto (Dinosaur & Tuscan), Ornamental (Savoy), Siberian, Red Russian, Chinese, and Redbor. It does not matter which you choose, they are all a tasty delight. Pictured is the Curly Kale.

3. Add the Kale and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reducing heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer until everything is softened to your liking, about 5-10 minutes.

YUMMY! Just look at how the kale melts into the dish! — See how the Curly Kale maintains its shape during heating. It also great raw in salads (we will share that one later).

4. Remove from heat. Divide rice and curry into bowls, salt as needed.

5. Eat and Enjoy!

Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Equipment Needed: Deep Skillet, Measuring Utensils, Knife, Can Opener

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Brown Jasmine Rice OR Long-grain Brown Rice, rinsed

1 Tablespoon Coconut OR Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced (1 inch)

1 Onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon Brown Sugar OR Coconut Sugar OR Cane Sugar + Molasses

1 Tablespoon Liquid Aminos OR Coconut Aminos

1 Can Coconut Milk, 14 ounces

2 teaspoons Lime Juice, fresh

1/2 Cup Water

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch strips

1 Yellow Bell Pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch strips

3 Carrots, peeled, sliced on the bias, 1/4-inch thick (diagonally)

1 1/2 Cup Kale, any variety, ribs removed, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the Rice and set it aside. Warm a large skillet with deep sides on medium heat and add the oil. Once it’s hot, add the onion, ginger, garlic, and salt, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the Coconut Milk, Water, Lime Juice, Sugar, Bell Peppers, and Carrots. Cook until the Bell Peppers and Carrots are fork-tender, about 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

3. Add the Kale and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reducing heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer until everything is softened to your liking, about 5-10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat. Divide rice and curry into bowls, salt as needed.

5. Eat and Enjoy!