2 tablespoons (if you like spicey) jarred or homemade green curry paste
15 ounce can coconut milk
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth, or vegie broth or water
1/2 pound green beans cut in 1-1/2 inch pieces
5 wild lime leaves torn or cut into quarters (optional)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm or light brown sugar
handful of fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves (I used dried)
rice or rice noodles for serving
1 long, slender, fresh red chile(red jalapeno or serrano) thinly sliced on the diagonal (optional)
Directions
Cut the fish into bite-size chunks and set aside.
Heat the oil in a 2-3 quart saucepan over medium heat until a bit of curry paste just sizzles when added to the pan. Add all the curry paste and cook, pressing and stirring with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, to soften the paste and mix it in with the oil, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and broth and bring to a simmer. Add the green beans and half the lime leaves (if using) and stir well. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are almost tender. Add the cod, stir, and cook until the fish is just about done, about 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce and sugar and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Tear the basil leaves in half (or quarters if they are large), and stir them into the curry, along with the remaining lime leaves (if using), Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Serve hot or warm with rice or noodles, garnished with the chile slices (if using).
Comments
Phyllis Watson on Mon Feb 04 20:07:29 UTC 2008:
How hot is this curry? I didn't use all the 2 tablespoons of curry paste. I used about 1 tablespoon and it was pleasant with some heat. John could tolerate it.
The basil I used was dried. It didn't give the intense basil flavor these curries usually have, but it was better than nothing.
You could use other green vegies, like broccoli, but the beans are a nice contrast to the fish.