Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Vegan Thai Curry Sauce with Bok Choy


Bok Choy, I was scared to work with you. You seemed so foreign; I did not know what I was getting into. But as it turns out, you’re a pretty easy fella, you cook in minutes, can be sautéed, steamed or even boiled in this delicious Thai curry sauce.
Here’s a recipe I tried last night, which proved a great success and it will be a staple at our home. Sweet and spicy, just what you need to spice up a  Wednesday night… I borrowed it from All Recipes but modified it a little bit by adding carrots and jalapenos, because, well, I just like a little bit of spice! Here’s the ingredients that I have used:

1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk  
1/4 cup soy sauce, divided  
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar  
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder  
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger  
2 teaspoons chile paste  
2 carrots, sliced  
2 bunches green onions  
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped  
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced  
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped  
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil  
4 cups chopped bok choy  
salt to taste
I used a cast iron pot, since it keeps the heat in so nicely. I mixed the coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste, brought it to boil and then simmered for about 7 minutes so that the carrots can soften. I added tomatoes, green pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions. Covered, and cooked 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixed in basil and bok choy. The basil I used was freeze dried and not fresh, as I couldn’t find any at the store, but it worked just fine! Then I added the remaining soy sauce and cooked for about 7 more minutes. And voila!