I am a HUGE fan of curry. If I could eat it every day, I might just die and go to heaven. Dramatic, yes, but it’s super tasty and there are so many different types (red, green, yellow, panang, etc.) and the flavor really depends a lot on the quality of the curry paste that you buy.
I’ve tried a handful of curry pastes here in Belgium and found that if you’re gonna go mainstream, aka not shopping at an Asian market, the Delhaize brand is quite yummy and easy to find, even at Proxy stores. Same goes for the Delhaize coconut milk too.
I love the versatility of cooking this dish, meaning that I could make red curry every night and use a different protein or vary the veggies and still end up with a new meal each time.
I try to keep the two main ingredients on-hand at all times: coconut milk and curry paste and then when I need a quick and easy meal I just throw in whatever vegetables and protein I have, and call it a night. Sometimes I make it 2x a week!
SO, Step 1: Choose your protein, this time we had it with scampi or shrimp, but other times I make it with chicken, minced meat, or even boulettes (tiny meatballs, often found in soups in Belgium).
Step 2: Choose and prep your veggies. I normally choose 3-4 of the following:
- Bell peppers (I prefer red or yellow);
- Mushrooms, chopped;
- Fresh pea pods or sugar snap peas;
- Bamboo shoots or sprouts, if I have on hand;
- Canned corn;
- Pineapple chunks;
- Broccoli;
- Canned lychees;
- Shredded carrots, I often buy the pre-shredded bags to save time;
- Shredded leeks;
- Green onion slices;
- Red or white onions, chopped; and
- Zucchini.
Specialty ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp. sesame oil;
- Fish sauce (to taste);
- A dash of red pepper flakes (this can be adjusted based on your ability to handle spicy);
- 3 TB red curry paste;
- 1-can of coconut milk;
- 1-tsp curcuma (turmeric powder); and
- Quinoa or rice to serve with the curry.
Method:
Step 1: Turn the heat on low and pour in the sesame oil, fish paste, red pepper flakes, curry paste, coconut milk, and curcuma and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: While all that goodness is cooking, take another pan and cook your chosen protein. I always do this separately because I find it easier to get juicy meat and creamy sauces when cooked separately, but if you prefer to throw it all in together to cook…you should go for that.
Step 3:
Ta-da! Here’s some pictures of the finished products:
Whole30 Rebel 