Thai Red Curry with Vegetables:
This Thai red curry recipe is so easy to make at home! It’s much tastier than takeout and healthier, too. Feel free to change up the vegetables (you’ll need about 3 cups total) and skip the kale if you want a more traditional Thai curry. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy. Recipe yields 4 servings.
You know dinner was good when you want to eat it for breakfast. Speaking of, it’s 10 am and I’m writing with a happy belly. This Thai red curry made a fantastic meal last night and perhaps an even better breakfast this morning. It’s warm and comforting, just perfect for cool days. It’s a little rich, too, but so full of vegetables that it doesn’t feel too indulgent.
he secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics (like onion, ginger and garlic), full-fat coconut milk for richness (you won’t regret it!), and just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar, which add loads of complexity. Readily available store-bought Thai red curry paste adds characteristic Thai flavor and, bonus, it’s vegetarian, too. You can make your own if you’re so inclined, though.
- 1.25 Cups Long-Grain Brown Rice Rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon Ekin Olive Oil
- 1 Small White Onion Chopped (About 1 Cup)
- Pinch salt More to Taste
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger Finely Grated
- 2 Cloves garlic Pressed or Minced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper Sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 1 Yellow, Orange or Green Bell Pepper sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 3 Carrots Peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1 Can Regular Coconut Milk** (14 Ounces)
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1.5 Cups Thinly Sliced Kale (tough ribs removed first)
- 1.5 Teaspoons Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Tamari Sauce or Soy Sauce***
- 2 Teaspoons Rice Vinegar or Fresh Lime Juice
- Garnishes handful of chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional red pepper flakes, optional sriracha or chili garlic sauce
- To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
- To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while stirring continuously.
- Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are fork-tender, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, water, kale and sugar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers, carrots and kale have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and season with tamari and rice vinegar. Add salt (I added ¼ teaspoon for optimal flavor), to taste. If the curry needs a little more punch, add ½ teaspoon more tamari, or for more acidity, add ½ teaspoon more rice vinegar. Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you’d like. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.
**COCONUT MILK: For rich and creamy curry, you need to use regular (not light/reduced fat) coconut milk that contains guar gum. My favorite is Native Forest Classic. The varieties without guar gum (which are becoming more widely available) aren’t nearly as creamy, even though their fat content is the same.
***MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
