Kaeng phak (vegetable curry) pt 1/2

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
15Fresh phrik ki nu (green birdseye chilies) (up to 30)
10Cloves kratiem (garlic), chopped
1tablespoonTakhrai (lemon grass), very thinly sliced
1tablespoonRoasted coriander seeds, ground
1tablespoonCoconut milk (up to 2)
1teaspoonKha (galangal), chopped
1teaspoonRoasted cumin seeds, ground
1teaspoonChopped coriander (cilantro) root (if you can't find the roots, use the white lower stem)
½teaspoonZest of \"kaffir\" lime (ordinary lime will do)
5White pepper corns, toasted and ground
1dashLight soy sauce
2cupsUnpolished (brown) rice
2cupsStock
2cupsWater
2tablespoonsPeanut oil
8teaspoonsHom daeng (shallots/purple onions), thinly sliced
4teaspoonsPrik chi fa daeng (red Thai jalapenos), finely sliced
4teaspoonsKhing (ginger), freshly grated
Curry paste (from above)
1cupCoconut milk
2tablespoonsMaggi sauce
1tablespoonPalm sugar
1tablespoonKratiem (garlic), minced
1tablespoonPrik ki nu (green Thai 'birdseye' chills), finely sliced
1tablespoonKha (galangal), grated
1tablespoonBai chi (coriander / cilantro), finely chopped
1tablespoonNam manao (lime juice)
1tablespoonBai manglaek (sweet basil), finely chopped
1tablespoonPrikthai ong (green peppercorns)
1tablespoonNam prik pao (roasted chills in soy bean oil)
2Bai makrut (kaffir lime leaves), shredded, or half a teaspoon lime zest
Freshly ground prikthai (black pepper) to taste.

Directions

NAM PRIK KAENG KHIAOWAN

GREEN CURRY PASTE

KHAO HOM

AROMATIC BROWN RICE

NAM JIM KAENG KHIAOWAN

GREEN CURRY SAUCE

I have remarked before that truly vegetarian or vegan Thai recipes are rare (at least in Thailand). There are a number of reasons for this, not least the fact that most people find it convenient to buy food from roadside vendors and hawkers rather than cook it themselves, and very little of such food is vegetarian. There are added problems: not only are fish sauce and shrimp paste signature ingredients of much Thai food, they are also present in such key ingredients as curry pastes. Thus a dedicated vegetarian must not only cook for themselves, but nearly always cook from scratch, which is at the very least a time consuming process.

Nor is it always a simple matter of taking an existing recipe containing meat, and making simple substitutions. A curry for example is generally cooked by preparing a sauce and then 'stir-stewing' the main ingredient in the sauce. Whilst meats and fish absorb the flavor readily by this technique, vegetables do not, and so the result is often an unsatisfactory dish, lacking the complexity and maturity of the regular meat based dishes.

Also, whilst in North America or Europe I can visit a supermarket to find a display of vegetables that varies little 365 days of the year, in Thailand I will buy fresh ingredients, and often find that what was on sale last week is no longer available today.

Despite all of these problems it is possible to produce a vegetarian dish, but, as can be expected, the preparation is more complex than for a simple meat based curry.

The vegetables suggested here are those that we purchased from the market on Tuesday last to make this dish to check out the method. You could of course substitute any other vegetables, fungus, or even soy or TVP to your taste. The technique does not however work well with broad leafed vegetables, which tend to 'fall' during cooking.

continued in part 2