How To Make Restaurant-Style Yellow Curry At Home
If you've ever ordered yellow curry at a Thai restaurant, you likely fell in love with this warm and comforting dish. The unique, spicy and slightly sweet sauce that envelops the vegetables and meats makes for an excellent dining experience. The secret to a great yellow curry lies in the ingredients and in the long, slow cooking method. To create restaurant-style yellow curry at home, follow these instructions:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons high-quality yellow curry powder
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups sliced chicken, beef or pork
- 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
- 1 summer squash, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 cup red bell peppers, sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
Directions:
Make sure you shop for your ingredients at an Asian market, rather than at the local grocery store. An Asian market will have fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and curry powder made by authentic Asian brands, so you'll get a more authentic flavor.
Heat the corn oil in a large Dutch oven or another style of large pot. Add the meat, and saute until it is evenly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and curry powder to the pot, and saute for 2 minutes to bring out the flavors in these ingredients. Then, pour the coconut milk and stock into the pan. Add the bamboo shoots, carrots, onion, summer squash, and bell peppers. Stir in the soy sauce and fish sauce, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, place a lid on the pot, and simmer for 1 hour. Then, stir in the snow peas, and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the curry from the heat, and stir in the sesame oil.
Serve this curry with a side of white rice. You can substitute your own favorite vegetables for those called for in the ingredients list if you prefer. To make a lower-fat version, use low-fat coconut milk. The resulting curry won't be as creamy, but it will still have plenty of flavor.
To make a vegetarian version, simply leave out the meat and replace the beef or chicken stock with vegetable stock. You can add 2 cups of diced tofu if you prefer.
If you're in the mood to eat out, try authentic Thai cuisine at a local restaurant like The Thai D'or Restaurant.