Go Thai! Mai aow pet (less spicy) Thai Green Pork Curry

Thai food is most commonly eaten with forks and spoons (spoon into your mouth). When cooking Thai food, everything should be cut into small mouth sized chunks. This makes the spoon/fork combo work and also helps with the 'mouth feel' of a dish. Mouth feel contributes a lot to how most people experience the flavour of dish.

Traditional Thai culture is to have a sharing meal.

In Thai eateries you will most often see people eating a salad first as well as small fried finger snacks, then a soup and a main dish together. Its considered rude to eat your food whilst its still steaming - this guideline shows the spirit of Thai dining - its about sharing! Experiencing the food and coming together for a social activity. Eating in a leisurely way shows respect to your dinner companions instead of to your food; which, frankly, doesn't much care for your respect!

This recipe is adapted from Darlene Schmidt's original at about.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• SERVES 4
• 2 lbs or 1 kg. pork ribs or tenderloin (sliced into thin pieces if tenderloin, or chopped into segments if ribs)
• 4 Courgettes or Aubergine sized Marrow
• 1 large sweet potato or 1lb of butternut squash
  
• 1 large cooking onion, chopped
• handful of fresh basil to finish the dish
  
  Optional: 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut milk
  
  CURRY PASTE:
• White or red onion roughly chopped
  
• 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced finely OR 6 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass OR 2 tsps Dried Lemongrass
  
• 6 cloves garlic (OR frozen cubes OR minced in a jar)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped galangal or ginger
• 2 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tsp. dark soy sauce or tamari
  
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce (plus more to taste)
• 2-3 Tbsp. palm or brown sugar (to taste)
• 1/2 Tbsp. tamarind paste or 2-3 small dried pieces soacked in warm water
  
• Paprika for colour (if not using Chilli)
  
  Optional:
  
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder and/or a whole red chilli for flavour
• Fish Paste - if you don't have it use more fish sauce and soy instead
• 1 Tbsp. ground bean sauce (available by the jar at Asian food stores) - more salt!
  
  Traditional Thai curries are full of chilli flavour and usually come with additional chilli to sprinkle on as well. However, I'm allergic so I'll be skipping the chilli.
  

Preparation:

1. Place all Curry Paste ingredients together in a food processor. Process well to create a rich curry paste/sauce.
2. Place pork in a bowl and pour the curry sauce over, stirring it in. Allow the meat to marinate in the sauce while you go on to the next step.
3. Stir-fry the onion in oil until the onion softens.
   
4. Add the pork (along with the curry sauce), and fry gently for a few minutes to make the paste aromatic but not browned (fry in batches if your pan is small to keep the meat & spices dry)
5. Add the Butternut and/or Sweet Potato
   
6. Add 2 cups of water then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer (medium to medium-low heat). Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. After 20 minutes, add the Courgette. Stir it in, and allow to simmer another 8-10 minutes, or until soft and slightly translucent.
8. Do a taste-test, adding 1 Tbsp. (or more) fish sauce if not salty enough (If the curry happens to be too salty, add a squeeze or two of lime juice). If you prefer it spicer, add some freshly chopped or whole chilies, or more cayenne pepper.
   
   
9. Optional:1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut milk, even though it's not strictly authentic to Northern Thai cooking. (Northern curries are quite watery). Try it first without, and see what you prefer (the coconut milk makes for a richer-tasting and thicker curry).
10. To serve, scoop the curry into bowls with rice on the side. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.
11. For a fresher effect serve a plate of coriander, basil, chopped spinach, spring onions and sliced cucumber and diced tomatoes to lighten the meal as a garnish.
    
12. Or eat in the Thai way accompanied by a proper Thai salad and a soup from large sharing dishes served into small bowls.
    
    Salad Ideas: Green Mango Salad
    Soup Ideas: Glass Noodle Soup (Temple of Thai.Com)
    
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    Much tasty love.....