Curry is one of those easy dinners that I’ve come to appreciate lately. During my weekly menu planning, I like to ask Mr. Ganz for special requests, and this is a regular one. Whether it’s an Indian variation with chick peas and potatoes or a spicy Thai curry, we usually have some curry incarnation once a week.

I like a subtly floral jasmine rice to balance the big flavors of this curry. The creaminess of the coconut milk and ample vegetable content make this a full meal with excellent leftovers the next day…because you know I’m a fish-curry-for-breakfast kind of girl. Really.

Thai Fish Curry

Ingredients

1 lb. Tilapia, Boneless, Skinless filets
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 (12 oz.) Can Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
2 Teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 Heaping Tablespoon Green Curry Paste (Make your own! Recipe follows.)
1 Small Bunch Broccoli, Blanched
1 Carrot, Shredded
2 Green Onions, Halved length-wise, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Lime
Cilantro and Basil, Chopped, for garnish

Directions

Season tilapia with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium high heat, and add tilapia. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until the fish is almost cooked through, and remove from pan. Keep warm while you bring the sauce together.

Add another squirt of oil to the pan along with the curry paste, cook for a few seconds, just to loosen it up, and then add coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce, stirring to combine. Break up the tilapia filets with your hands a bit and add them back to the pan with the broccoli, green onion, and carrots. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes, just to let the flavors blend together. Serve with rice.

Green Curry Paste
(I see no harm in using a store-bought curry paste, and I often do, finding the ones I get from Tan A to be pretty much spot on, but since it’s fun to make things and since this IS a recipe blog and not a shopping blog, here’s what you’ll need to make your own green curry paste!)

Ingredients

2 or 3 Small Green Chiles, stems removed
1 Stalk Lemongrass, inner parts chopped
1 Thumb-sized Knob of Ginger, peeled
Several cloves Garlic
Cilantro, a big handful (stems and all!)
Coriander
Cumin
kaffir lime leaves (and/or lime zest)
1 Lime’s Worth of Juice
Fish Sauce

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and blend to combine. I have omitted exact amounts for some of the ingredients; every time I make curry paste it seems to change. Sometimes I want a fiery curry paste with loud ginger flavor; sometimes I want a fruity, lemongrassy curry. Have fun playing around with the ingredients and finding what works for you.
Curry paste can live for about a month, well-wrapped (labeled and dated, of course) in the fridge, so make a big batch and you’ll have it on hand!