Weeknight Red Curry Recipes

EASY CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Place oil in a large skillet; turn heat to medium-high. A minute later, add onions, along with a generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and almost falling apart, 15 minutes or more. Stir in curry powder, and cook, stirring, for another minute or so.
• Add coconut milk, and cook until it thickens, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, and stir, then cook until done, 3 to 6 minutes. (If you use shrimp, keep in mind that it cooks a little faster than chicken; if you are in doubt about whether chicken is done, cut into a piece.)
• Add tomato, and cook another minute; adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve over rice, garnished with basil or mint, if desired.

COCONUT RED CURRY WITH TOFU

Steps:

• Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.
• Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.

THAI RED CURRY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add chicken, onion and red curry paste and cook just until chicken is no longer pink. Add bell peppers, zucchini, ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute.
• Add half of the coconut milk. Mix remaining coconut milk with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and add to skillet along with all remaining ingredients (expect Garnishes).
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the vegetables reach desired crisp-tenderness. If you would like a thinner sauce, thin with water (I don't do this). Discard bay leaf.
• Garnish with additional optional fresh basil, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Serve with rice.

WEEKNIGHT RED CURRY

Steps:

• Pulse shallot, garlic, and ginger in a food processor to finely chop. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add shallot mixture and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add curry paste and turmeric; cook, stirring, until paste is darkened in color and mixture starts to stick to pan, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, then juices. Cook, stirring often and scraping up browned bits, until tomatoes start to break down and stick to pot, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until mixture is slightly thickened and flavors meld, 8-10 minutes. Add vegetables and pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8-10 minutes.
• Season fish all over with salt and nestle into curry (add a little more water if it's very thick). Return to a simmer and cook just until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon curry over rice noodles and top with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
• Do Ahead
• Curry base (without vegetables or fish) can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat over medium-low, adding water to thin as needed.

EASY THAI RED CURRY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan of 3 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside. Heat canola oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken, shallots and garlic to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in red curry paste and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in broccolini until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in green onions, cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with rice.

WEEKNIGHT RED CURRY

Steps:

• Pulse shallot, garlic, and ginger in a food processor to finely chop.
• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium. Add shallot mixture and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add curry paste and turmeric; cook, stirring, until paste is darkened in color and mixture starts to stick to pan, about 3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, breaking up, then add juices. Cook stirring often and scraping up browned bits, until tomatoes start to break down and stick to pot, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until mixture is slightly thickened and flavors meld, 8-10 minutes.
• Add vegetables and pout in enough water to cover. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp tender, 8-10 minutes.
• Season fish all over with salt and nestle into curry (add a little more water if it's very thick). Return to a simmer and cook just until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Serve over rice noodles or rice, squeeze lime and top with cilantro.