Thai Seafood Recipes

If you enjoy seafood, you'll love this sumptuous curry. The recipe starts with a healthy homemade, rather tart curry sauce that marries beautifully with fish & seafood. The sauce is heated in a wok or deep frying pan, to which an assortment of seafood and nutritious vegetables are added, plus cubes of pineapple. It's a healthy, one-pot gourmet delight that will impress your friends and family. Make it as the main course for your next potluck or dinner party!

INGREDIENTS

An assortment of fish & seafood - see my suggestion below recipe

2 whole kaffir lime leaves (available fresh or frozen at Asian grocers)

1 small Japanese eggplant, or 1/2 Chinese eggplant, cut into bite-size chunks (be sure to leave nutritious skin on)

1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-size pieces

1 cup cherry tomatoes, OR 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 can pineapple chunks, drained (OR 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into cubes)

approx. 1/2 cup fresh basil

THAI CURRY SAUCE:

1 can good-quality coconut milk

1 tsp. tamarind paste (OR substitute juice of 3/4 lime)

1 shallot OR 1/4 cup purple onion, sliced

3-4 cloves garlic

1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass (available at Asian grocers), OR 1 stalk fresh lemongrass (instructions below)

1-2 green chilies (jalapeno work fine)

1/2 tsp. fenugreek (seeds)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons ground coriander

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. fish sauce

PREPARATION

·         Make the curry sauce by placing all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process well to create a fragrant Thai green curry sauce.

·         Pour sauce into a wok or deep frying pan and add the kaffir lime leaves. Set over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce begins to bubble.

·  Add all the vegetables except the basil, and stir well. Reduce heat to medium-low (so curry is gently simmering). Simmer 5-7 minutes, or until the eggplant has softened. Stir occasionally.

·       While vegetables are simmering, rinse and cut the fish into smaller segments (e.g. 2-3 inches long). Rinse the shellfish in cold water, and remove the shells from prawns. Scrub and remove beards from mussels if necessary.

·         Add the segments of fish, stirring well to incorporate into the sauce. Cook approximately 2 minutes.

·         Add remaining seafood plus the pineapple, stirring gently to incorporate. Cover and continue simmering until the seafood finishes cooking (about 2 more minutes, or until prawns have turned pink and plump and the shellfish have opened).

·         Do a taste-test. Note that Thai curries usually require more fish sauce (instead of salt) to arrive at their peak of flavor. Add 1-3 more Tbsp. fish sauce according to your taste. If it turns out too salty, add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice. Add more sugar if too tart, or more fresh green chili (or a sprinkling of dried crushed red chili) if not spicy enough.

·         Ladle the curry into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the fresh basil over, and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice. Enjoy!