Serves 5-6
Ingredients:
½ lb immature squash or regular squash (cut into 1/4˝ slices)
note: if using immature squash, leave the skin on, it’s very tender; if using regular squash, remove outer skin before slicing
½ lb mixed or green beans (cut off ends)
1 lb cauliflower (1 medium-sized head – cut florets from stalks)
½ lb round Thai eggplant (cut off tops and slice in half)
1 large white onion (chopped)
1 small piece of fresh ginger (sliced); or ½ tsp. of ground ginger
5 shallots (thin-sliced) – optional
2 stalks of fresh lemongrass (crush and cut into 2˝-3˝ lengths)
5 large cloves of garlic (crushed and chopped)
1 cup of fresh Thai basil leaves
½ cup oil
1½ tsp of salt
1 14 oz can coconut cream
1 Tbsp Penzey’s Hot Curry Powder spice mix
Preparation:
- Put 1½ quarts of water on to boil and start preparing the vegetables (begin with squash and lemongrass)
- When water is boiling, add squash and lemongrass and boil until squash is tender but firm (approx 10-15 minutes)
- When squash is ready, remove from heat but don’t discard the water; instead, remove lemongrass and squash from water, discard lemongrass, set squash aside
- Now, put the cut cauliflower in the pot and heat again until boiling; boil briefly (approx 2-3 minutes) until cauliflower is blanched – this will soften it slightly so it cooks quicker in the wok or pan; remove cauliflower from heat and strain
- In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil
- When oil is hot, sauté ginger, onions, garlic and shallots together for 1 minute (until fragrant)
- Add Thai eggplant and beans, stirring together until green beans are bright green (approx 2-3 minutes)
- Add squash, stir briefly
- Add salt
- Add blanched cauliflower and mix together
- Add spices and blend
- Add coconut cream (this will thicken the sauce) and stir until thoroughly mixed in
- Mix in Thai basil and stir until blended
Remove from heat – serve with rice!
Chopped onions and garlic
Chopped squash
Tammy made this curry August 7 in preparation for her Mpls. Farmer Market demonstration on August 29. Most of the vegetable ingredients were purchased at the Farmers Market that morning: immature squash, mixed beans, thai basil, shallots, round thai eggplant, cauliflower, carrots – fresh and local stuff! However, if you’re not able to find all of these vegetable ingredients when you’re ready to prepare this dish, don’t be afraid to use other seasonal vegetables that are available.
Summer Vegetables from August 7, 2009
