Coconut Red Curry Summer Vegetables

The summer crops just keep on rolling in with the waves of heat and moisture. Some of these items, such as the cucumbers patiently awaiting their transformation into canned bread and butter pickles, have been set aside for a specific cooking project. Others, however, are usually prepped and cooked up, on the fly, into a quick and satisfying stir fry, a plate of buttery, sauteed veggies, or a creamy coconut curry. Inspired by a favorite cookbook of mine and a recent evening out, I decided to put almost all of my CSA goodies to use in the following entree-style dish.

Coconut Red Curry
Summer Vegetables

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/4+ cup oil (I used walnut)
• 2-3 Asian eggplants, sliced into thick pieces
• 1 pint okra, sliced lengthwise, OR 1 pint green beans (or a combo!)
• 2-4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely-grated
• 1 medium onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 green or red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 cups green or yellow summer squash(es), sliced into quarter-inch rounds
• 1 tomato, sliced into half-rounds
• 1/2 of 1 jalapeno OR Serrano hot pepper, thinly-sliced (optional)
• 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tbsp red curry paste 
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional if you prefer a sweet sauce)
  
• zest of 1/2 of a lime, finely grated
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, coarsely-chopped (optional, not shown)
• juice of 1 lime
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, finely chopped

Directions:

In a medium frying pan, heat 2+ tablespoons oil over medium-high heat; when hot, carefully add prepped eggplant and okra, and fry for 1-2 minutes or until the veggies have some browning. Quickly remove from the pan and place on a paper napkin or parchment to sop up extra oil; set aside.

Again in a medium pan, heat the other 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and bell pepper, sauteing for about 2-3 minutes. While doing so, whisk together the coconut milk, curry paste, sugar (if using), lime zest, and bay leaf in a small bowl; set aside. Add the carrots to the pan, saute another 2-3 minutes, then add the squash, tomato, and hot pepper, sauteing for another minute or so. Turn up the heat, add the coconut milk mixture to the pan, and bring to a simmer; cook until the carrots are fork-tender, somewhere between 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the eggplant, okra, lime juice, and cashews, if using; gently stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, as needed, garnish with prepped herbs, and serve immediately.

Goes very nicely with quinoa and rice!


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). Recipe inspired by Didi Emmons' "Entertaining for a Veggie Planet."

Napa Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Tuk Trey Dressing

Until a few years ago, I only knew basil as a flavor of the Mediterranean. Now, however, it is a beloved addition to the many Asian-inspired dishes I frequently cook up with my CSA produce. Last summer I discovered my taste for sauteed eggplant and basil; this summer I've fallen in love with this Cambodian-style salad featuring several local crops and tossed in a light but robust-flavored tuk trey dressing.

Napa Cabbage and Carrot Salad
with Tuk Trey Dressing
Makes about 4 small or 2 large salads

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of Napa or Chinese cabbage, shredded
• 2-4 carrots, grated or sliced thin
• handful of fresh mint and basil, chiffonade sliced
• 1 cup peanuts, finely chopped
• Tuk Trey dressing (see below)

Directions:

Prepare ingredients as described. In a large bowl, toss cabbage with carrots. Serve on plates, garnishing with herbs and nuts; drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.


Tuk Trey Dressing
Fills about 1 half-pint jar

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 5 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion or shallot, minced
• salt to taste, if needed

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk ingredients together; taste and add salt, if needed. Use immediately; refrigerate remaining dressing in a non-reactive container.


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). Dressing recipe adapted from the Elephant Walk Cookbook via About.com; salad recipe inspired by the Elephant Walk in Waltham, MA.

Asian Stock & Simple Soup

So it was too good to be true (the incredibly warm weather we just experienced, that is). Like a touch of summer to be relished amidst the transition from winter to spring, the heat came and went, and we are now back to the reality of chilly springtime weather in New England. Which isn't so bad if you have the right supplies on hand.

For me, getting through the cooler, typically-soggier days of March, April, and early May in anticipation of warmer weather means making soup. Meat or vegetable-based, hearty and chunky or light and brothy, I try to do a little bit of everything. With some Napa left over from making kimchi and a bunch of cilantro and Thai basil needing to be used, I set out to create a Asian-inspired stock and a simple, light soup of cabbage, mushrooms, scallions, and noodles. Consider adding little shrimps, cubes of tofu, or shelled edamame for a protein-boost.

Asian Stock
Makes (a little over) 2 quarts

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon of water
• 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 medium onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and crushed
• 6 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 10 oz mushrooms
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 small bunch of cilantro, leaves & stems
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 peppercorns
• salt to taste

Directions:

Throw all of the ingredients into a large pot, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, for about 3 hours; stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. Turn off the heat, allow it to cool for 15 minutes, and then strain out solids using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander. Transfer the stock into airtight containers; store it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Simple Soup

Makes about 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil (I used walnut)
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 cups Asian cabbage, thinly sliced (can substitute cooking greens like kale, tatsoi, or mustard greens)
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced (I used a blend of shiitake & oyster)
• 1 quart Asian stock
• 1 cup al dente soba or cellophane noodles (cooked with whole Thai basil leaves for extra flavor)
• 4 scallions, chopped (can substitute spring onions)
• 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
• soy sauce/salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a pot with oil and garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant. Turn up the heat and add the cabbage; saute for a minute, then add the mushrooms and saute one more minute. Add the stock, noodles, and the white part of the scallions to the pot and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and green parts of the scallions. Serve with fresh Thai basil, sliced lime, sriracha, and fish sauce on the side. Just like the stock, store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.


Rebekah

Image by Rebekah Carter (2012).

Green Vegetable Green Curry

I feel like I'm a day late and a buck short on this post. The idea to cook up a green vegetable green curry dish coincidentally came to mind just prior to March 17. And though I did prepare the meal on Friday and have been enjoying it all weekend long, here I am, telling you about it post-Paddy's Day. But all is not lost, my friends. This entree is quite versatile as far as veggie additions go, and is sure to be a staple in this house when all those summer tenders start to appear at the CSA stand. Though I did not, you can easily incorporate more protein, perhaps in the form of sliced chicken, beef, tofu, or shelled edamame, into this dish; just decrease some of the vegetable amounts to make room in the pan. I recommend serving the curry with brown rice.

Green Vegetable Green Curry
Makes about 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp oil (I used walnut)
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
• 2-4 tbsp green curry paste (use judgement; flavor/sodium depend on brand)
• 2 scant cups asparagus or green beans, chopped
• 2 scant cups Asian (opo, fuzzy melon) or summer squash (zucchini, yellow), sliced
• 2 scant cups Thai eggplant, quartered (can substitute other dense variety)
• 1 cup bamboo shoots
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2-1 hot pepper, sliced (I used a whole jalapeno- pretty SPICY!)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• touch of finely grated lemon and lime zest
• 1 bay leaf
• salt or soy sauce to taste
• 1/4 scant cup Thai or sweet basil, chopped
• 1/4 scant cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high flame. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for a minute or so, and then add the curry, cooking another thirty seconds. Add your vegetables and saute for a few minutes; add the lime juice to deglaze the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, lime and lemon zest; add to the pan along with the bay leaf and turn the heat down to medium-low; allow the curry to simmer for about 15 minutes. Garnish with basil and cilantro.


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012).