Ingredients
For the green curry paste (or use 3–4 tbsp good shop-bought paste)
- 2 lemongrass stalks, outer layers removed, chopped
- 2–4 green chillies
- 4 spring onions or 2 shallots
- 4 garlic cloves
- A thumb-sized piece of ginger or galangal
- A large bunch of coriander, stalks and leaves
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the curry
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 400 ml tin coconut milk
- 200 ml vegetable stock
- 4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
- 400 g mixed vegetables: courgette, green beans, broccoli, peppers, mangetout
- 200 g firm tofu, cubed
- 1 tbsp tamari
- A handful of Thai basil or ordinary basil
Method
- Make the paste: blend all the paste ingredients to a smooth, bright green paste, adding a splash of water if needed.
- Fry the paste: heat the coconut oil in a wok or large pan and fry 4–5 tbsp of the paste for 2 minutes, until fragrant. (Freeze the rest for another day.)
- Simmer: add the coconut milk, stock and lime leaves and bring to a simmer.
- Cook the vegetables: add the harder vegetables first (beans, broccoli), then the softer ones and the tofu, and simmer for 5–7 minutes until just tender but still bright.
- Finish: season with tamari and a squeeze of lime, and stir in the basil.
- Serve: serve with brown jasmine rice or cauliflower rice.
Why it's good for you: A homemade green curry paste is packed with fresh herbs and spices: lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chilli and coriander have all been used for centuries in South-East Asian medicine to warm the body and support digestion and immunity. Using it fresh gives far more flavour and goodness than a jar.
Food is one part of the whole picture
Read the thinking behind these recipes, or get a plan made just for you.