Thai Yellow/Red Curry with Pumpkin and Tofu



Thai Yellow/Red Curry with Pumpkin and Tofu
Adapted from a Nigella Lawon recipe
Serves: serves 4-6

Ingredients

400ml tin coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons yellow (or red) Thai curry paste (most use shrimp paste but some brands don’t – I use Ayam brand)
350ml (vegan) fish stock or veg stock
3 tablespoons (vegan) fish sauce (you can substitute with Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
3 lemongrass stalks, each cut into three and bruised with the flat of a knife (I never add this)
3 lime leaves, de-stalked and cut into strips (I never add this either!)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1kg pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled and cut into large-bite-sized chunks
Pak choi/bok choy or any other green vegetables of your choice  (any asian veg + frozen soy/broad beans will do)
Juice of 1/2-1 lime, to taste (I just use the lime squeeze)
Coriander, to serve


Method

Skim the thick creamy top off the tin of coconut milk and put it, over medium heat, into a large saucepan or casserole with the curry paste.
Let it sizzle and, using a fork, whisk or wooden spoon, beat milk and paste together until combined. Still beating gently, add the rest of the coconut milk, fish stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves and turmeric. Bring to a boil and then add the pumpkin.
Cook on a fast simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes, although different sorts of pumpkins can vary enormously in the time they take to cook; some squash take as little as 5 minutes.
Add Tofu and any frozen veg. Add fresh stuff last. When the pak choi's wilted, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, stir and taste and add the juice of the remaining half if you feel it needs it. Take the pan off the heat or decant the curry into a large bowl, and sprinkle over the coriander; the point is that the coriander goes in just before serving.
Serve with more chopped coriander for people to add to their own bowls as they eat, and some plain Thai or basmati rice.