A delicious curry recipe with healthy bamboo shoots and asparagus, this green curry tends to be a bit spicier because of the green chiles. Pair it with rice noodles for a satisfyingly warm dish on cool autumn nights. An added bonus: if you’re trying to drop some weight for the holiday season, some studies suggest that eating spicy foods improves digestion and increases the metabolic rate helping you in your weight-loss goal. Add chicken or tofu for a protein boost and enjoy!
Ingredients for Bamboo & Basil curry:
- 1 can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ c. vegetable stock
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium zucchinis, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 c. fresh basil leaves, cut into large pieces
- ½ c. fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce, reduced-sodium
- ¼ c. cashews, crushed
Ingredients for green curry paste:
- 5 fresh green Serrano chiles or 10 fresh green thai chiles
- 3 stalks lemongrass
- ¼ c. fresh cilantro leaves & stems, chopped
- ¼ c. shallots, coarsely chopped
- 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
- 5 black peppercorns or ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp. lime peel, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
To make the Green Curry paste:
- Stem the green chiles, chop coarsely and set aside.
- Over medium heat, dry-fry the coriander seeds until they darken, stirring often for 2-3 minutes. Put aside.
- Using the same pan, dry-fry the cumin seeds for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Place the coriander, cumin and pepper into a small food processor and grind to a fine powder.
- Trim the lemongrass by discarding the root sections below the bulb. Cut off the tops leaving the stalk at six inches. Remove the dry leaves and finely chop the stalk.
- Combine the lemongrass, chopped chiles, ground spices and remaining ingredients for the green curry paste in the food processor. Grind to a smooth puree making sure to scrape the sides. Add a few tbsp. of water if needed to get a smoother paste.
- Place in airtight container and store at room temperature until use. (Any leftover curry paste can be stored in the fridge for up to a month.)
To make the Bamboo & Basil curry:
- Shake the coconut milk well and pour 1/3 of it into a wok. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Cool until it thickens, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 – 2 tbsp. of the green curry paste and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring the paste to avoid clumping.
- Add the bamboo shoots and chopped onion. Stir gently to cover them up with the curry paste.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, vegetable stock, sugar, soy sauce and stir well.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender and the curry thickens, roughly 15 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini and basil leaves and cook for another minute.
- Switch off the heat and add the cashews.
- Let the curry stand for 5 minutes and serve with sprinkled cilantro leaves on top.
For more delicious bamboo recipes, be sure to visit Green Earth News Bamboo Flavors section!
