a kinda Nigella curry

I’ve been making this curry for awhile now and its based on the voluptuous and naughty Nigella Lawson from Nigella Bites.  Of course its morphed since inception into something entirely different now, but hey who doesn’t love a curry you can bang anything into.  I could get all fancy and start spouting off a complex combination of spices to use, but I wont and neither does Nigella, this one pretty much revolves entirely around Thai Curry paste.

Buy a little jar, bung it in the back of your fridge and reach for it every time curry makes the recipe rotation…. it’ll last for ages as you only need 2 tsp per shot.

Your choice Veggie, Fish or Shrimp Curry

1 c coconut milk

2 tsp yellow or red thai curry paste

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 1 2 inch piece ginger cut into thin strips

3 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2 inch pieces and whacked with the back of a knife to release flavor

3 lime leaves cut into strips (these usually show up in asian markets fresh or sometimes frozen)

1/2 butternut squash peeled seeded cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 red and green pepper cut into pieces

1 onion sliced

bok choy or spinach or any other asian type green cut into large shreds

juice of 1 lime and cilantro for garnish

1 1/2 c stock (veggie if you’re not using fish or fish stock if you are and have it)

NOTE: if you want to turn this into a fish or shrimp curry,  you can use 1 lb medium peeled and deveined shrimp or 1 lb cod, haddock, salmon or snapper cut into 1 inch chunks

Take the creamy top of the coconut milk and mix together with the curry paste, in a pot, over low heat to combine until it sizzles, add rest of coconut milk, stock, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger and tumeric.  Bubble away for a few minutes to combine, add pumpkin and cook until tender (about 10 mins), add the peppers and onions and cook until tender, about 5 mins.

Then if you are using fish or shrimp or both (lucky you) add this in now and cook until done, fish will be opaque and shrimp will be bright pink, then add the shredded bok choy, give a big stir and cook until wilted, another 3 mins.  Just before serving give a nice big squeeze of lime juice.  Serve with rice and sprinkle of cilantro, (which I actually forgot to put on, but it does make a nice addition)