I love Thai food especially the combinations of lemongrass, coconut milk and lime. This is a wonderful quick dish to prepare and has a wonderful aroma especially when you make your own Red Curry Paste. Loaded with veggies and served over rice and/or lentils

Vegetarian Thai Cooking

• 4 tbsp Red Curry Paste (see below)…
• 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 Kaffir lime leaf, mid-rib removed
• 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
• 8 baby corn, halved lengthwise (from a can)
• 1 1/4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 red pepper sliced thinly
• 4 oz green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 15 basil leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp chopped roast peanuts, to garnish

Red Curry Paste

• 1-5 fresh red chilles, halved , deseeded (depending on how hot you prefer your food)
• 3 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 inch piece galangal, peeled and chopped ( if you have trouble finding use ginger root)
  1tsp salt
• grated rind of 1 lime
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 3 shallots chopped
• 2 kiffir lime leaves, mid-rib removed
• 1 tbsp oil to blend

1 To make the curry paste, grind all the ingredients together in a large pestle and mortar, food processor, or spice grinder. The paste will keep for up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.

2 Put a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the red curry
paste and stir until fragrant. Reduce the heat.

3 Add the coconut milk, lime leaf, light soy sauce, baby corn, broccoli, beans, and cashew nuts. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked, but still very firm.

4 Remove the lime leaf and stir in the basil leaves and cilantro. Serve over rice,(lentils) garnish with peanuts.

( You may have to go to an Asian supermarket to find the kiffir lime leaves and baby corn). Well worth the trip though, so many interesting foods and spices available that you may not find elsewhere.)