Thai Red Curry Vegetables

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 3-4 mains servings

2 T peanut, olive, or canola oil
1 stalk lemongrass (if frozen nuke for 45 sec)
1" x 1" x 1/2" of ginger (don't use galangal)
1.5 T Thai red curry paste
1/2 c white wine
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 T fish sauce (nam pla)
1 lime
4 T chopped fresh cilantro (stems & leaves)
4 T chopped Thai basil or Italian basil leaves
1/2 c fresh or frozen peas
3 c of diced vegetables (any combination of potatoes, cauliflower, raw cabbage,
onion, celery, carrots)
Meat, if desired

Vegetables can either be sauteed (potatoes & cauliflower won't saute well) or boiled
ahead of time (and set aside) or cooked in the curry as the curry is being made.
In any case, remember to add faster cooking vegetables later so they all get
cooked to the same degree (firm but easy to bite).

Cut top off lemongrass, remove outer leaf, mince bottom 1/3 & cut rest in >4" strips
Mince ginger

Heat oil in a Dutch oven until shimmering.
If using meat, fry the meat with curry paste (make sure the paste contains oil or
add some) and coconut cream to tenderize it.
Add minced lemongrass, minced ginger, curry paste and stir until consistent mixture

Add strips of lemongrass, wine, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and mix
Bring to a simmer, whisking ocassionally

Let curry simmer at least 5 min. (anything longer is fine)
If curry becomes too dry, add water, not coconut milk, as the coconut milk will make
it too thick.

A few min. before serving, discard lemongrass strips (leave a few for authenticity)
Add cilantro and basil and mix
Add veggie mixture and peas and mix
Bring to simmer

Serve over rice