Mmm... Meatless Monday!

Serve this mild curry with steamed Jasmine rice and quinoa.

Mild Coconut Vegetables withTofu

1 teaspoon vegetarian red curry paste (recipe below)
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and cubed
250 grams pumpkin, peeled and diced
2 cups broccoli, beans, bok choy, peas, snow peas (to taste)
handful of button mushrooms, wiped clean
3 cups water
1 tin coconut milk
1/2 packet puffy tofu, cut in half (cooked chick peas also work well)
coriander/ kaffir lime leaves to garnish
mushroom soy sauce, to taste
Squeeze lemon or lime juice to finish

Method
1. Heat 1/2 cup of coconut milk till boiling, gently fry off the onion and garlic for 3 minutes
2. Add water and all the hard vegetables (potato, carrot, pumpkin)
3. Simmer for 10 minutes till vegetables have softened
4. Add the tofu (or chick peas), mushrooms and bring to the boil
5. Add the green vegetables and cook till tender
6. Add the remaining coconut milk and simmer for 1 minute
7. Taste and adjust seasoning adding mushroom soy sauce for saltiness, lime/ lemon juice for sourness.

Serve over steamed jasmine rice and a lemon or lime wedge

Thai Red Curry Paste (Vegetarian)

2 tablespoons coriander seed
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon whole peppercorn

7 large red chillies, de-seeded
10 small dry red chillies
5 red shallot
7 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped coriander root
2 inch piece galangal
2 lemongrass stalk
2 teaspoons kaffir lime rind
1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons black soybean paste (or miso paste)
¼ cup coconut milk

Vegetable oil for storing in jar
1. Dry roast coriander, cumin and peppercorns in a frypan until fragrant.
2. Pound the the roasted seeds in mortar and pestle until they are powdered.
3. Place the next set of ingredients in the food processor with the pounded spices and pulse.
4. When all are combined add the soybean and coconut milk and blend till smooth.
5. Spoon into a sterile jar, top with vegetable oil and refrigerate till use.
6. Keeps a minimum of two months.
7. Always fry/ cook paste before use.