Thai Green Curry

From Mindy B.: 

After our first visit to Thailand, I wanted to try to find a recipe that tasted like something I’d had there and loved! This recipe has done the trick for me. The lemongrass and zucchini are the items that are harder to find in India. You can substitute the zucchini for some other vegetable very easily, but you will have to find a place to get lemongrass. The easiest thing to do is to buy some lemongrass at a nursery and grow it in a pot. It grows like a weed, and you’ll always have it on hand.  When I didn’t grow it, I would order one or two stalks from one of those import groceries and make up a double batch of the green curry paste (and freeze the excess). If you have the paste already made, this is a meal that can be ready in 30 minutes or less!!

Thai Green Coconut Curry

3 T. Green Curry Paste (recipe below)
3 c. coconut milk
8 oz. chicken breast
1 green bell pepper
1 zucchini
1 onion
1 c. frozen peas
1 T. olive oil

Saute chopped up veggies and chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces) in olive oil.  Add coconut milk and curry paste, simmer on medium heat for ten minutes.  Remove from heat.  Serve with brown rice.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Thai Green Curry Paste

1 stalk lemongrass, minced
1-2 green chilies, sliced
4 T. minced purple onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 c. packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 t. ground cumin
1//2 t. white pepper
1/2 t. ground coriander
3 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian option)
1 t. shrimp paste (vegetarian sub 1 t. salt)
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. brown sugar
3-4 T. coconut milk (to blend ingredients together)

Place all ingredients in a food processor, chopped, or blender.  Then simply process well to form the fragrant Thai green curry paste.  It is now ready to be used.  You can bottle up any leftovers and keep them in the fridge for up to one week, or freeze.