Green Curry in a hurry

The kids are coming over for lunch. W bought a jar of Trader Joe's green curry and plain paratas. Our d-i-love Melissa dropped off Major Grey chicken curry at the end of the week. Those three items provide my inspiration for Sunday's lunch for 8.

I cook by smell, so after the jar of green curry is open, I pause to sniff the contents. Potatoes. That's what that curry says to me. Potatoes. I snag a few, scrub them, and cut them into 1/2" cubes. I'll need onions, and there's a big half cooling in the conservatory. While I'm out there, I spot a yam. Chop, dice, slice. After I saute the onions in 3 tbsp Asian corn oil, I turn up the heat to medium high, adding the potatoes and yams, and stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Before I add the curry, I think to myself, "This doesn't look like much food!" Ok, what shall I add? I open a new package of Mae Ploy green curry paste and a can of coconut milk. After I fry the curry paste in (Another!) 2 tbsp. of oil, I gradually add coconut milk. Rummaging through my kitchen pantry, I haul out three cans: sliced mushrooms, whole bamboo shoot tips, and sliced water chestnuts. Can opener, please. In they go, with the curry paste and coconut milk. Once they've cooked about 5 minutes, I add back the potatoes and yams. I mix in 2 tbsp of soy sauce and the TJ green curry. Cover it, quick. It simmers 10 minutes while we grill the paratas on the stovetop, and heat the Major Grey curry in another pot.

There's almost nothing left, just enough vegan green curry, for lunch Monday. Wish I'd taken pictures of the table feast. I forgot, and was too busy cooking and chatting with family to snap the meal in process. Instead, I take a photo of Monday's lunch leftovers, colored by veges on the side.

Rating: 5/5
Taste: savory and complex curry with a bit of bite, a fantastic combination of creamy and crunchy (water chestnuts, just-one potatoes, bamboo shoots). It hit the spot for me!
Prep time: 25 minutes (including finding ingredients)
Tea: Irish black, with 1/2 tsp. chai spices, and as much sweetened condensed milk as anyone cared to pour for themselves. Oh yum! peppery and sweet.
Calories: who knows. Rich, rich, rich indulgence.