***Photo credit: Ann Fitzgerald photography :)
Here is a yummmmm Thai pumpkin curry recipe I learned from a woman at a local (tiny!) Asian grocery in Goleta! If you skip the sugar and rice, it is Whole30 compliant! :)
1 lb Chicken (I use organic boneless skinless chicken breast tenders)
1 Kabocha squash
4-5 other medium veggies (I usually use bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, etc. -- optional)
2-3 large cans of Mae Ploy Coconut Cream, more depending on the size of the kabocha and if you also want to make sticky rice with mango for dessert
1-2 Tbsp Mae Ploy Red Curry Paste
1/2-1 Tbsp Red Boat Fish Sauce (pure anchovy without chemicals)
2-3 Tbsp of veggie oil (I use coconut or sunflower -- avoid olive oil)
1/8-1/4 (palm sugar medallion) or about 1/2-1 Tbsp of palm sugar (you can use more if you like sweeter curry or just stick with kabocha, which is pretty sweet)
4-6 fresh Kaffir lime leaves julienned (remove stem, edges if thick, and any other larger fibers and cut into small strips)- you can find them at Whole Foods in the Bay Area
Thai basil leaves (chopped or whole to add at the very end
3-4 cups of rice for serving (I use basmati, but you can replace with whatever you prefer, and even riced cauliflower)
Directions:
With the pumpkin, it's enough to feed 4 people (at least) or have meals for the whole week. If you want the curry to be less thick, you can also add water. I tend to like it as is, so I don't add any.
If you have left over rice or Thai sweet rice on hand and left over Mae Ploy coconut cream, I usually make "I Learned it from The Internet" fake sticky rice with mango for dessert!
1 cup of left over cooked basmati rice or cooked Thai sweet rice
2/3 cup Mae Ploy coconut cream
1/4 cup (or less) sugar
pinch of salt
Ripe Manila mango or frozen mango
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
3-4 cups of rice for serving (I use basmati, but you can replace with whatever you prefer, and even riced cauliflower)
Directions:
- Peel, clean, and chop the meat of 1 Kabocha squash into ~ 1 inch cubes
- Peel and clean all other vegetables and chop into strips or ~1 inch pieces
- Cut chicken (or veggie substitute) into smaller cubes
- In a wok, sauce pan, or large heavy bottomed pot heat oil
- Add curry paste and heat for 30 seconds
- Add chicken and brown mixing it around so that it gets coated with curry paste (medium-high to high heat for a few minutes)
- Pour half of one can of coconut cream over the meat, reserving the rest, and mix to dissolve curry)
- Bring to a boil
- Add fish sauce and mix (I tend to go conservative with it 1/2 T, but you can put 1T)
- Add kabocha and more coconut cream and cook for 5 minutes or so
- Add palm sugar and mash to dissolve (or crush before putting it in the pot- either way works great) about 5 minutes
- Add the rest of the coconut cream and Kaffir lime leaves
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer
- Pile on other veggies on top
- Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are soft and chicken meat is well done (I've left it for closer to 30 with no issues so don't worry about overcooking).
- When almost done add Thai basil (last couple of minutes)
With the pumpkin, it's enough to feed 4 people (at least) or have meals for the whole week. If you want the curry to be less thick, you can also add water. I tend to like it as is, so I don't add any.
If you have left over rice or Thai sweet rice on hand and left over Mae Ploy coconut cream, I usually make "I Learned it from The Internet" fake sticky rice with mango for dessert!
1 cup of left over cooked basmati rice or cooked Thai sweet rice
2/3 cup Mae Ploy coconut cream
1/4 cup (or less) sugar
pinch of salt
Ripe Manila mango or frozen mango
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- Clean mango and cut into pieces or wash to defrost frozen mango pieces
- In a small bowl whisk coconut cream and sugar or whisk within a pot
- In a small pot, bring cream and sugar mixture to a simmer
- Add cooked rice
- Cover and cook at a low simmer
- When liquid boils down and the rice is a thicker sticky paste consistency turn off heat
- Serve with sliced mango and garnish with toasted sesame seeds
Happy cooking!