Thai Red Curry with Cottage Cheese
Preparation Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Serves 4 to 5
Ingredients
Cottage Cheese, medium diced 450 gms or 2 cups
Coconut Milk 1 can
Lemon Grass, preferably the root end, 1 “ piece, gently crush the stalk in a mortar and pestle
Galangal, sliced, 1” piece
Thai Basil Leaves 6 to 8 Leaves, roughly chopped
Kafir Lime Leaves 3 to 4 Leaves, roughly chopped
Red Curry Paste 2 tsp
Red Bell Pepper, medium diced 1/2 cup
Capsicum, medium diced 1/2 cup
Scallions, julienned 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp for garnish
Bamboo Shoots 1/3 cup (optional)
Cilantro Stalks, roughly chopped 1/3 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Soy Sauce 2 tsp
Fish Sauce 2 tsp (optional)
Brown Sugar 2 tsp
Lemon and Lime Juice 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Method
Heat some oil in a cooking pot, over medium heat and add sliced galangal, lemon grass, kafir lime leaves, red curry paste and cottage cheese. Cook for about 5 minutes while gently mixing all the ingredients.
Add the coconut milk along with soy sauce and fish sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of water. Bring it to a simmer, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the peppers, scallions, Thai basil, sugar and lemon juice. Taste the gravy for sweetness and tanginess while adding some salt to it as well.
Bring it to a boil, and toss in the roughly chopped cilantro.
Serve the curry with some steamed Basmati or Jasmine Rice and lemon wedges.
Notes:
You can purchase Galangal, Lime Leaves, Lemon Grass and Thai Basil at any grocery store selling Asian ingredients or a store like H-Mart.
You can get Cottage Cheese at any Indian Grocery Store or at Costco (Verka Paneer)
A well flavored red curry gravy is usually sweet and tangy with some heat from red chilies.
It should be light and flavorful, and not thick and heavy, even though one uses coconut milk.
You can add chicken, shrimp or beef instead of cottage cheese. However, the cook time may vary depending on the protein.
To make steamed rice, take 1 cup of rice and gently wash it, about 3 to 4 times until water becomes clear. In a pot, cook the rice with about 3 cups of water, about 20 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, drain excess water and wash the rice under cold running water to remove the starch from the rice. Strain the rice.