Midsummer harvest curry

I credit my neighbor J.'s influence for this dish today. When I stopped by early this afternoon, she was making a mouthwateringly aromatic fish curry. Back home, I noticed that the green and purple string beans she'd given me the other day from her garden were starting to look a little limp. Could I do something with those and curry? There was a whole package of carrots wilting down in the crisper drawer. Zucchini.

Here's what happens when you forget to check the zucchini plants for a week

So this dish, an easy way to use up garden veggies at a time of year when the kitchen counter seems to be always overflowing with them.

Look at those colors!

Midsummer Harvest Curry

This is such a simple, throw-it-together thing that it seems almost silly to write it down. But it was fresh, and tasty, and not flavors I normally use in the summer. You could use any vegetables (squash would be great instead of the potatoes) but the string beans add a lot.

Steamed rice (1 to 1 1/2 cups dry)

Oil for sauteing

About 1 or 1.5 cups of string beans (green, yellow, purple - whatever you've got), cut into pieces

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces (small enough to cook quickly)

2 medium-large potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces (use a waxy style that will hold its shape after cooking)

Purple onion, about one large (or any sweet onion.), chopped
2 medium zucchini, cut into smallish pieces

1 small/med. green or other bell pepper or mild chile pepper, chopped. (I actually used a long-green pepper - slightly spicy and and sweet in flavor)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt, pepper 

Sauce:

1 can coconut milk (not coconut cream - save that for pina colada)

canned Thai red curry paste (we had Maesri brand)

1 T. sugar

soy sauce or oyster or fish sauce

Start the rice.

In a large (12") non-stick skillet, add some oil and the longer-cooking vegetables: string beans, carrots, and potatoes. Add about 1/5 of the onion now for flavor. Cook until the harder vegetables are starting to soften but not completely done (I covered the pan, stirring occasionally). Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and zucchini and continue cooking, uncovered, until all vegetables are cooked. 

While the vegetables are finishing, start the curry sauce in a small saucepan. Whisk about 2 Tablespoons of the red curry paste into the coconut milk. Add the sugar, and a couple of dollops of soy sauce (or oyster or fish sauce). Bring to a simmer over low/medium heat. Taste the sauce and add more of the red curry paste if needed. Bring back to a simmer, taste and remove from heat.

Add the sauce to the pan with the vegetables. Cook, uncovered, about 2-3 minutes to combine flavors and allow sauce to thicken slightly.

Serve with steamed rice. We also had pan-fried tofu (marinate extra-firm tofu with sesame oil and soy sauce, pan fry until golden.)

 Serves about 6 (or my 4 with leftovers)


James (10) gave this 2 thumbs up. Milo (6) was not fooled by the tasty sauce hiding all those healthy veggies! but he ate some.