Spring into a curry
It feels like spring might finally be here (not just on paper), though I’m not quite ready to break out the barbecue yet. This week I felt like adding a bit of spice and gentle heat to some spring vegetables in a couple of curries. Both are incredibly quick and easy to make, so are suitable for a mid-week dinner with great leftovers for reheating at work. If you usually grab a Friday night takeaway with mates, these make an excellent homemade alternative.
The first curry has a mellow, round heat with the yellow curry paste, sweet red pepper, ku¯ mara and chicken. I love serving this topped with the crunch of fried shallots or roasted peanuts and some fresh, fragrant coriander.
The second curry is even faster to make – packed with bright green snow peas, asparagus, peas and prawns, it gets a lively fresh kick from kaffir lime and a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving. Amp up the heat factor with as much chilli as you want as garnish.
I always serve curries with some kind of bread for soaking up the remnants – naan, paratha or roti – and you can change up the traditional rice with an option of thick noodles. Serves: 3-4 Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 22 minutes
❚ 600g chicken thighs
❚ 1 tablespoon oil
❚ 1 onion, sliced into wedges
❚ 1 tablespoon grated ginger
❚ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
❚ 1⁄4 cup yellow curry paste
❚ 425ml coconut milk
❚ 1⁄3 cup water
❚ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
❚ 2 tablespoons fish sauce
❚ 1 stalk lemongrass
❚ 2 small ku¯ mara, peeled and sliced
❚ 1⁄4 cup fried shallots
❚ ⁄ cup picked coriander leaves
1 4
❚ Noodles or rice to serve
Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut each into three pieces. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot and add the onion. Cook over a medium heat for five minutes then add the ginger, garlic and curry paste. Cook, stirring, for two minutes, then add the coconut milk, water, sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer.
Bang the lemongrass with the end of a rolling pin and add to the curry with the trimmed chicken and sliced kumara. Simmer over a medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes until the chicken and ku¯ mara are cooked through. Serve on noodles or rice, topped with coriander and a sprinkling of fried shallots. Serves: 3-4 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes
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1 tablespoon oil