I once stayed on Koh Samui for about 4 days, which is an island off the coast of Thailand.
It was one of those places where I felt an immediate connection.
I considered finding a job there until I realized there wasn’t much of a need for a brand/marketing manager on a tiny island.
This was also one of the places I cried when I left (yes I sometimes cry when vacation is over).
There was a tiny restaurant across the street from our bungalow, where I ate curry every single night on the island.
It was so hot during the day, and that carried into the night because my skin was on fire (really, will I ever figure out how to use sunscreen). Even though I was radiating heat and sweating through my clothes, I couldn’t help myself from ordering a different curry every night.
It was just so fucking good.
And though there’s nothing like eating a local dish in a specific place at a specific time in your life….I’ve found a pretty close replica. It’s also so GD hot outside so it’s like being in Thailand. Except at a much higher elevation, no beach and lots of traffic.
This Green Curry with Thai Eggplants is SPICY like a green curry should be.
The flavor of the broth is crazy complex and I’m following Leela’s advice and buying store-bought curry paste.
I don’t have access to all the ingredients needed and buying store-bought curry paste of those smart egoless decisions I’m making. Just buy the real thing rather than try to fake it yourself. I’ve listed out the best Thai brands to look for here.
Thai eggplants are not like regular eggplants. They’re cool eggplants.
This is a weird description but they are kind of like a really underripe tomato with a ton of seeds.
But like it tastes delicious and isn’t bitter like some eggplants can be. These are likely hard to find unless you have an Asian grocery store, so feel free to substitute if needed.
THE SAUCE IS EVERYTHING.
Serve this saucy number with rice and get ready for the best curry of your life.
This recipe is adapted from Simple Thai Food.
Green Curry with Thai Eggplants
(Start making 30 minutes before you want Green Curry with Thai Eggplants)
*If you cannot find Thai Eggplants, I see no reason why you couldn’t use Japanese eggplants or another veggie that suits you. Just make sure you cut a Japanese eggplant small enough so the chunks can cook in about 7 minutes (1-inch chunks).
Quarter your Thai eggplants and let them soak in water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
In the meantime, press water out of your tofu with a paper towel. Cut these into 1-inch pieces and fry in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil on medium-high heat on a non-stick pan. Turn every so often, until each side is browned. Remove from pan.
With your pan on medium-high, add the rest of the coconut oil, coconut cream and curry paste. Careful as this will likely splatter. Cook for about 2 minutes until you see the coconut start to separate.
Add coconut milk to the pan. Then add the tofu, and let simmer on medium-low for 4 minutes, covered. Then add the Thai eggplants, fish sauce, sugar, and chiles. Cover, let simmer on medium-low for 7 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid and sprinkle on the sliced Kaffir lime leaves.
Danielle
