Lemongrass Coconut Curry

LEMONGRASS AND GINGER-INFUSED COCONUT CURRY WITH POTATOES, MUSHROOMS, BELL PEPPERS, AND CHERRY TOMATOES. WITH SEARED SALMON FILLET AND LIME.

While we can’t claim this recipe to be authentically Thai, we can say that a fragrant coconut curry is an easy way to get big flavors without too much attention or labor. More accurately, this one’s more a technique than a recipe with specific ingredients for a particular cuisine.

Until recently, we were a bit tentative on using lemongrass, knowing the flavor only from eating out at Thai places. When we finally overcame our lemongrass anxiety, we realized how easy, versatile, and revolutionary it would be to our meal prep for busy weeks! Though there are several ways to use it, we like to chop it up to infuse into a stew or broth-based dish for a few hours before pulling out the fibrous pieces.

For vegetarians and vegans, this can easily be made without fish sauce or the seared salmon. The same technique applies, and remember that the veggie combinations are far beyond the ones we listed here! Enjoy 🙂 – Pea and Boo

Servings: 4 (full courses)
Difficulty: 

Lemongrass curry:

• Curry base
  2 lemongrass stalks
  2 ts ginger, grated
  1 star anise
• Broth
  1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
  1 c vegetable stock
  3 tb soy sauce
  (optional) 1.5 tb fish sauce
  3 garlic cloves, grated
  1 tb sugar
  2 ts turmeric
  1 ts coriander
  1 bay leaf
• Vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces
  8 oz button mushrooms
  2-3 carrots
  8-12 oz potatoes
  1 onion
• 6 oz cherry tomatoes
• Finish
  2 tb corn starch
  1 lime, zested and juiced
  10-20 thai basil leaves

1. For lemongrass, remove out layer, and cut off leaves and tip of bulb. Rinse thoroughly. Slice into 3-inch sticks, and halve lengthwise.
2. In a large sauté pan or pot over high heat, toast lemongrass, ginger, and star anise until lightly charred, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add all broth ingredients, and cover to simmer on medium-low heat, 1.5-2 hours.
4. Add vegetables to simmer until softened, 20-30 minutes.
5. Add cherry tomatoes to cook, 10 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, suspend corn starch in 2-3 tb water. Stir suspension into curry, and simmer until thickened, 2 minutes.
7. Add lime zest/juice and basil leaves to cook until wilted, 1 minute.
8. Serve with rice, or keep warm while preparing seared salmon.

Seared salmon fillet:

• 4 (6 oz) salmon fillets
• salt and black pepper
• vegetable/canola oil

1. Score the skin side of each fillet, and season on both sides.
2. Drizzle and rub oil on both sides of fillets.
3. In a pan over high heat, sear salmon on skin side until cooked pink halfway up, ~4 minutes. Flip over.
4. Sear second side until cooked to desired doneness, ~3 minutes (medium).
5. Remove to a plate to rest, 10 minutes.
6. Stir resting salmon juices into curry, and serve salmon and curry with rice.