Try as I might, there's no use denying it anymore. Summer disappeared pretty rapidly about a week ago and since then Vancouver has descended into near-constant rain. This isn't unusual for the time of year, but we always seem to be unprepared for the shock of cooler weather and the loss of long summer days. I actually enjoy this time of year because I love nesting - being cosy indoors and taking long warm baths. I'm essentially a hibernating creature.
And with cooler weather comes warmer foods like chilis, stews, curries and roasts. This time of year is perfect for these because we're still enjoying plenty of freshly harvested produce. If you have a farmer's market nearby I highly recommend scouting out local fruits and vegetables. They'll invariably taste better than anything you buy in supermarkets.
At the moment I'm a big fan of warming Thai curries. They're quick and easy to make for a mid-week dinner, and are satisfyingly hearty on cold, rainy days. You can buy or make your own curry paste (recipe to make your own coming to the blog soon!) and you can put almost any vegetables in them - meaning they're a great way of using up whatever is in your fridge! This Vibrant Thai Yellow Curry contains chickpeas, sugar snap peas, cabbage, red pepper, bok choi and courgettes/zucchinis, but you're welcome to sub in any other vegetables if you've got some that need using.
A note on ingredients
One note: this Vibrant Thai Yellow Curry is not thick - it's meant to be slightly more 'soup'-like. This is based on some I've had in the past and loved. That said, the liquid should be really flavourful and tasty. If it's not, there are a couple of things you can try.
1) Make sure you have a really high quality full-fat coconut milk - not all coconut milks are created equal! Some are mainly water and will just make your curry watery and bland. When you open the can, the milk should look thick and creamy, not thin and watery. 2) Make sure you drain the water off the chickpeas if you're using canned ones. 3) If you're using stock cubes, try using the same amount in less water - that will cut down on the liquid content of your curry drastically. Enjoy!
Vibrant Thai Yellow Curry (vegan + gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 medium zucchini/courgette, diced
- 2 green/spring onions, sliced thinly
- 1 cup purple cabbage, sliced thinly
- 2 medium heads bok choi, cut into 2cm slices and separated into stalks and leafy bits
- 1 medium red pepper, diced
- ½ cup sugar snap peas, sliced into three pieces and ends trimmed
- 2 cups cooked or tinned chickpeas (drained if tinned)
- 6 tbsp yellow curry paste (use your favourite store-bought or make your own)
- 1 can full fat coconut milk (make sure it’s a high quality, creamy milk)
- 1 cup vegetable stock
To serve (optional)
- Brown rice
- Toasted cashews
- Chopped cilantro/coriander
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients as instructed.
- Add all ingredients except the leafy bits of the bok choi to a large saucepan.
- Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft enough to eat.
- Gently stir in the bok choi leaves and simmer for one more minute.
- Remove from the heat and serve in large bowls with brown rice, toasted cashews and cilantro.
NOTES
If you've enjoyed this recipe, I'd recommend trying my Vegan Butter Spice Tofu, my Warming Bean Chili and my Easy Eggplant & Chickpea Stew.
Comments 6
I saw this recipe in a magazine I bought with a Veganuary meal plan, and I made it tonight. My question is – is the stock really necessary? I made it as written and it turned out extremely watery, to the point I had to drain it before I could eat it. Did I do something wrong?
Author
Hi Victoria,
Thanks so much for your feedback! This Thai curry is naturally supposed to be a bit liquid – this one doesn’t really thicken (you can’t tell from the photos above but there is quite a lot of curry liquid mixed with the rice), but the liquid should be flavourful and not watery in taste. If it’s coming out too watery for your liking, here are a couple of tips:
– try using a stock cube (I assume you’re using cubes) in half or quarter the amount of water suggested in the recipe, that way you’ll still get the flavour but without the extra liquid.
– make sure you’re using a high quality, full fat coconut milk (as lower quality milks can have a high water content).
– make sure you drain the chickpeas before adding them (if using tinned).
I hope these tips help!
My go to Thai curry recipe! I often mix up the vegetables but still keep the ratios. Great recipe!
Author
I’m so glad you love it Alex! I do that too – love being able to customize it depending on what I have in the fridge.
I love making this recipe! I often mix it up with a few different veggies too.
Author
Thank you Stephen! So glad you’re enjoying it. It’s one of my faves too – make it all the time!