Yellow Curry

Continuing on my Thai streak with a delicious yellow curry recipe. This is sweeter and less tangy than my red curry. Thai curries are my favorite thing to throw together when all I have is a random assortment of vegetables around the kitchen. The base of yellow curry paste uses a lot of staple ingredients, which is perfect when nothing else in your kitchen can work together for a meal.

After making several pots of curry over the past month, it all boils down to the following steps.

1. Pick your vegetables: bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, potatoes - just about anything goes! Start prepping these right away and get them cooking while you prep the rest.

2. Pick your protein: I usually go for tofu but use scrambled eggs when I'm out. Cut the tofu into thin slices, press it thoroughly using paper towels, cube, and lightly fry till golden.

3. Make the paste: I played around until I created a recipe that delivered on flavor with ingredients that I usually have at home. To save even more time, make double and save for later.

4. Put it all together! Add some extra spices and coconut milk and you're set! Taste the curry to see if you have the right acidity (adjust lime/lemon), spice (add sriracha or red chili paste), or sweetness (add brown sugar or agave).

Adapted from The Spruce Eats.

Paste

• 1/4 onion, roughly chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, roughly minced

• 1/2 T ginger, roughly minced

• 1/2 tomato, roughly chopped

• 2 small chilies (use 3 for extra spice)

• 3/4 t ground coriander

• 3/4 t cumin

• 3/4 t turmeric

• 1/4 t cinnamon

• 1/4 t black pepper

• 1/4 c hoisin sauce (use 2 1/2 T if thick hoisin sauce)

• 1 T lime juice (sub lemon juice)

• 1/4 c water

Curry

• 2 carrots

• 2 potatoes

• 1 zucchini

• Sesame oil

• Salt

• 7 oz. tofu

• 14 oz. coconut milk

• 1/2 c water

• 2 eggs (optional, good to replace tofu)

• Cilantro (for garnish)

Directions

1. Chop and cook carrots, potatoes, and zucchini in that order in a large frying pan in sesame oil with a pinch of salt. To cook potatoes, peel, poke holes, and microwave for 3 minutes before cooking further in pan. Set aside when cooked.

2. Slice tofu in 1/2 inch slices. Fold a paper towel in thirds, stack tofu on top, and continue until all tofu pieces are sandwiched between paper towels. Once tofu is pressed, cut into cubes and lightly fry until golden. Thoroughly pressing the tofu will allow you to create a crisp crust. Set aside when cooked. If using egg, lightly scramble and set aside.

3. Blend all paste ingredients.

4. Cook the paste until bubbling. Add coconut milk and ~1/2 cup of water to adjust curry to desired spice level and thickness. Add vegetables and tofu back in and allow to soak flavors of curry for a few minutes on low heat. Garnish with cilantro.