I think we have a few breakthroughs with this one.
1. This was the first Thai dish I’ve made at home that really tastes authentic. And by authentic, I mean what you would get at a Thai restaurant in the US. (Like most ethnic food, it probably pales in comparison to eating it in its homeland.) I will stand by this until I take a trip to Thailand. Sometime in my 60s.
2. This recipe was adapted from a couple of recipes in Vegetable Harvest
3. After a few bites of this my oldest said, “Mommy, I want you to make this again!” I can count on one hand how many times she has said this with complete spontaneity. I wanted to hug her. And high-five my husband. And dance around the kitchen table.
4. This recipe has made me a convert to Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate. (This isn’t a sponsored post, I promise.) It’s like…coconut milk concentrate. And it’s really good. REALLY good.
This is such a versatile and easy recipe. Don’t like squash? Swap it out for something else. Does shrimp make you cringe? Throw in some chicken instead. Yes, there is a fair amount of chopping, but it comes together really easily and would be a great low-stress meal to serve some guests.
More Favorite Thai Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love the other Thai-inspired recipes on my site! Here are a few of our favorites:
Easy Paleo Pad Thai – ALWAYS a favorite. Like, the kids jump up and down and cheer when I make it.
Thai Chicken Curry for Instant Pot – We all loved this one! It’s easy and a good way to introduce ethnic flavors to kids (or picky adults).
Thai Chicken Spring Rolls with “Peanut” Sauce – The kids loved assembling their own spring rolls! And that sauce is good enough to drink with a straw.
Thai Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Coconut and Lime – Who knew sweet potatoes could play with Thai spices so well?
If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
Thai Shrimp Curry with Summer Squash
This Thai Shrimp curry has amazing homemade curry paste and is a great use for summer squash fresh from the garden.
Ingredients
For the dish:
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 medium yellow squash, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups seafood, vegetable, or chicken broth
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled with tails on
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 2-3 Tablespoons Thai curry paste (recipe below)
- 1 cup cashews (toasting optional)
For the homemade curry paste:
- 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/2 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves
- Two 1/4-inch slices fresh ginger, peeled
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped
- 4 plump garlic cloves, peeled & halved
- Grated zest from 2 limes
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
Instructions
- In a large, heavy skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the ginger, onion and salt to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes. Onions should be translucent and soft, but not brown. Add all of the vegetables and the chicken broth (the next 7 ingredients).
- Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are fork tender.
- Meanwhile, pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it is reduced by about half. (See note)
- When the vegetables are done, add the reduced coconut milk, shrimp, lime juice, cilantro, and curry paste to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook another 5 minutes over medium heat until shrimp are pink and no longer translucent.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings (salt & curry paste) to suit your taste. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and a handful of cashews.
To prepare the curry paste:
- Combine the coriander, cumin, fennel, and peppercorns in a small dry skillet.
- Toast over medium heat for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan often, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let them cool for several minutes.
- Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee mill and grind to a fine powder.
- In a blender or a food processor, combine the cilantro, ginger, peppers, shallots, garlic, lime zest, salt and nutmeg until very finely chopped. Add the toasted spices and while the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Paste will keep, covered and chilled, for up to one week.
Notes
Nat's Notes:
1. If you have access to lemongrass, you can substitute 1 stalk for one of the limes. Chop the bottom third and add it to the recipe where the lime zest is used in the recipe.
2. The original recipe called for 1 whole tablespoon of ground chili peppers. That's way too spicy for the little mouths I feed, so I played it safe with just over a pinch.
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Shelby
Sunday 3rd of June 2012
I'm confused on what kind of curry this is. Is this a green curry? Typically only yellow curry has potatoes, but I can't really tell the color of the curry based on the pictures. I'm a green curry addict but not a big fan of yellow, which I why I ask!!
John Huntsman
Friday 16th of December 2011
Looks delicious. I like the Thai curry paste recipe. I must try this with a rice meal.thailand villas
Stephanie and Matt
Monday 7th of November 2011
Natalie, I LOVE this recipe! I had to post because I've made it several times now and my hubby and I both really enjoy it for dinner and leftovers the next day.
I also wanted to mention that the curry paste freezes really well. I dropped tablespoon portions into a silicone ice cube mold and just popped them out into a Ziploc bag when they were frozen. Works great to just throw the frozen chunks into the mix in the last 5 minutes of cooking!
Natalie
Saturday 27th of August 2011
abby - I'm so glad you came back to tell me! This was one of those recipes where I was thinking, "Wow, this has a lot of prep work. I wonder if anyone will even make it?" I'm so glad you tried it, too! It's probably my most favorite curry to date. Glad I'm helping to keep your husband happy!
abby
Saturday 27th of August 2011
Wow...just made this tonight and it was fabulous! I am always a little scared of curry, but this was just the right amount. I didn't make my own curry paste, maybe next time! I love the blog and cook at least one-two recipes off here a week! Keep the good food rollin...my husband is loving it!