Easy Thai Curry

Maybe twenty years ago, I took a Thai cooking class in Austin, Texas. The woman who taught the class was a Thai woman who reminded me of my mother. She was a no nonsense kind of cook. Although she might have been a bit formidable to some of the other people in the class, I felt incredibly comfortable with her. She taught us traditional Thai dishes and wrinkled up her nose at the way many restaurants made them. Most of the dishes were too spicy for all but me and one other guy. He and I loved how very spicy the food was. Unfortunately, I can no longer make them in the traditional way. I make them much less spicy for my family. Since my MS diagnosis, I have had to simplify the ingredients and methods. Thus, Easy Thai Curry was born.

I don’t saute the curry paste first, and I have taken out the galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves from the original recipe. Instead, I rely on a good quality curry paste to impart the same flavors. Either the canned Maesri brand or the refrigerated tubs of Mae Ploy are good. I made a red curry this time, but I’ve made this recipe with green curry. I use chicken or shrimp with the green version, and it is also delicious. Also, I change out the vegetables depending on what I have in my pantry. Eggplant goes well with green curry. Although I didn’t do it this time, sometimes I throw in a heavy handful of Thai or regular basil from the garden.

We eat the Easy Thai Curry with jasmine rice. I try to make sure I add enough vegetables to the recipe to make it a fairly balanced meal. I have added lightly blanched fresh green beans to the curry before as well as canned straw mushrooms, zucchini and summer squash. Whatever I add, it all gets eaten because of the delicious coconut milk and curry sauce that it is all simmered in. Easy Thai Curry has solved our Thai food cravings!