Red Curry with Shrimp & Sugar Snap Peas

Serves 4

Zoe

ingredients

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 Tbs. red curry paste, either store-bought or homemade
15-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup low-salt chicken broth, fish broth, or water
1 lb. shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled and deveined
2 cups sugar snap peas (7 to 8 oz.), trimmed
5 wild lime leaves, torn or cut into quarters (optional)
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1 Tbs. palm sugar or light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
A handful of fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves
Hot cooked rice or rice noodles for serving
1 long, slender fresh red chile (such as red jalapeño or serrano), thinly sliced on the diagonal (optional)

1
Heat the oil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until a bit of curry paste just sizzles when added to the pan. Add all the curry paste and cook, pressing and stirring with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to soften the paste and mix it in with the oil, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2
Add the coconut milk and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop.
3
Increase the heat to medium high and let the curry come to a strong boil. Add the shrimp, sugar snap peas, and half the lime leaves (if using), and stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and salt and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
4
Tear the basil leaves in half (or quarters if they are large), and stir them into the curry, along with the remaining lime leaves (if using). Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
5
Serve hot or warm with rice or noodles, garnished with the chile slices (if using).
6
From Fine Cooking 89, pp. 68
7
October 15, 2007