October 24, 2017

Red Curry Veggies

Red curry veggies. Photo by Andrea Zeichner.

Last month I reviewed Celine Steen's newest cookbook,  Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking: Healthy Plant-Based Recipes With a Kick. We had a great time trying out the delicious, intensely-flavored dishes, but at the time I wrote the review, I didn't have permission to post any of the recipes. I'm pleased to be able to share one of our favorites with you now — red curry veggies. (The recipe calls for eggplant, but I used zucchini.) I hope you'll try it and enjoy it as much as we did. If you want to know more about the other recipes we tried from the cookbook, you can read my review, here.

Reprinted with permission by Page Street Publishing Co. Photo by Celine Steen.
Red Curry Veggies
Gluten-Free. In A Hurry. Oil-Free

Have you noticed that different brands of red curry pastes vary wildly in heat and flavor? I bought one to make an earlier version of this curry and kept on havingto add extra paste to get some semblance of flavor. It's like purchasing a small jar of nothingness! That's why I decided to make my own (page 185) for the most reliable results. Note that a few testers made this using the store-bought paste they’re accustomed to. So fear not: it will work if you already have a favorite. You can always add more paste later, even after the coconut milk is added, so start with the lower amount of paste if you’re not familiar with its intensity yet.

Yield: 4 servings
  • 2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 ml) reduced sodium tamari, divided
  • 9 oz (255 g) trimmed and cut green beans (1-inch [2.5-cm])
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion, trimmed and peeled, diced
  • 4 baby eggplants or 1 small eggplant (10 oz [283 g] total), trimmed and cut into thin half moons
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), trimmed and chopped
  • 1 to 3 tbsp (15 to 45 g) Red Curry Paste (page 185) or store-bought, to taste
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
  • 1 tbsp (5 g) dried shiitake powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1⁄2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 (14-oz [414-ml]) can unsweetened coconut milk or coconut cream
  • 1⁄2 tsp coarse kosher salt, or to taste
  • Cooked brown rice, legumes, potatoes, noodles or peas, for serving
  • Fresh basil or cilantro, for serving
  1. Place 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of tamari, the green beans, garlic and onion in a large pot. Heat on medium-high and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the eggplant and sauté until browned, approximately 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the bell pepper, curry paste to taste, lime juice, shiitake powder, ginger, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Sauté 2 minutes to toast and release the flavors, stirring frequently. Add another 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of tamari and sauté for 1 minute.
  3. Add the coconut milk, stir well and simmer until the veggies are tender to taste, about 8 minutes. Have a taste to add the salt if you feel it's needed.
  4. Serve on top of rice or other choice of grain or potatoes. Add a chopped herb of choice, and adjust the amount of tamari to taste.



Reprinted with permission by the publisher, Page Street Publishing Co., from Bold Flavored Vegan Cooking: Healthy Plant-Based Recipes With a Kick, written and photographed by Celine Steen.

    10 comments:

    1. Awesome looking curry! I usually make green curry but now I can make red curry too. It's such a pretty color... :-)

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. The color was beautiful, yes, and the taste was great. I used summer squash instead of eggplant, but the dish was so good I don't think it would matter what veggies you use.

        Delete
    2. I can't believe I flipped past that curry so quickly before! Now that you've featured it in such a flattering, tempting light, I think it's going on the "must make" list.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. It's definitely on my "make again and again" list.

        Delete
    3. Looks absolutely gorgeous. I don't know where I can get shiitake powder, but I'd love to find some and use it liberally!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I didn't actually have shiitake powder when I made it, but I did have, and used, porcini powder, not that that's any easier to find. You might be able to get it at a specialty herb and spice store, but you can always use actual shiitaki mushrooms to jazz up the flavor of the dish.

        Delete
    4. This looks wonderful! And I think I need to get my hands on this book!
      Jennifer @ http://MyBlissfulJourney.com

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Having the book wouldn't be a bad idea. :D You should try a couple of the recipes first, and see what you think!

        Delete
    5. Ah you also are recommending the cookbook, wish our bookshop stocked it as I would like to take a peek at it. I am one of those people that likes to look at a book first, rather than buy them online.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I recommend the cookbook for those who like the kind of food I have described — intensely flavored vegan cooking. We very much enjoyed all the recipes we tried, though usually we opt for more basic cooking. I agree that it's good to be able to look at the book before buying, and Amazon.com will give you a peek into the book with several recipes to sample. We made one of Celine's recipes last night!

        Delete

    Thanks for visiting Andrea's easy vegan cooking. I love, and read, all of your comments! Please share your thoughts.

    There are a few Amazon links in the posts. Thanks in advance if you click on one.

    Note: ALL THE IMAGES FROM THIS BLOG WERE ACCIDENTALLY DELETED ON 1-21-12. I'M RESTORING THEM, POST BY POST, BUT IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME. Recipe pages you visit may be missing photos, but all the text in intact. If you find a post without images, let me know so I can fix it. Thanks!