Herban Garden

Inspired by "sustainability" and, frankly, just being able to make seomthing out of nothing... I planted an HERBan Garden.  It's just basil and oregano.  Now that the sun is out, I turned over an antique box and put some pretty planters on it right in front of a window.  I am hoping that it's not too hot in this loft this summer to cook because fresh herbs taste SO GOOD in ANYTHING. 

Photo of the Day. 05/04/11.

Here is a recipe for Green Thai Curry (with fresh Basil)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: SERVES 3-4

Ingredients:

• GREEN CURRY PASTE:
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, sliced finely and minced OR 3 Tbsp. frozen or bottled lemongrass
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp. brown sugar (to taste)
• 1-3 green chilies, minced (to taste)
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece ginger, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 loose cup chopped fresh coriander leaves and stems
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
• OTHER:
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, OR substitute 1 bay leaf
• 1 can good-quality coconut milk
• 1.5 to 2 cups firm tofu sliced into cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into chunky pieces
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil for frying

Preparation:

1. To make the green curry paste, place all paste ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a few Tbsp. of the coconut milk, enough to blend ingredients. Process well.
2. Place oil in wok or deep frying pan. Turn heat on medium-high and add paste. Stir-fry until fragrant (about 1 minute), then add the coconut milk. Add wheat gluten or tofu and stir to combine.
3. Add lime leaves and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
4. Add yam/sweet potato. (Note: if more sauce is desired, add up to 1 cup good-tasting vegetable stock.) Cover and simmer another 7-10 min, or until yam is soft enough to pierce with a fork.
5. Finally, add bell pepper and snow peas. Stir and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until snow peas are cooked but still retain some of their crispness.
6. Do a taste test for salt and spice. If not salty enough, add up to 2 Tbsp. more vegetarian fish sauce, soy sauce, or sea salt. If too salty, add a little fresh lime or lemon juice. If too spicy, add more coconut milk until desired taste is reached.