Lemongrass and Coconut Curry

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients:

🫒  1 tbsp vegetable oil

🥫  2 tbsp (or more) Thai curry paste

🧅  5 scallions, thinly sliced, white and pale-green parts and dark-green parts divided

🧄  3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

🫚  one 1-inch piece peeled ginger, thinly sliced

🌶️🍆🍠🍅 ️ 6 cups mixed ¼-inch-thick sliced vegetables (such as Japanese eggplant, long beans, summer squash, and bell peppers)

🌿  2 lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, tough outer layer removed, bruised with the back of a knife or a rolling pin

🐔  2 cups (or more) chicken broth or vegetable stock

🥥  one 13½-ounce (400 ml) can light unsweetened coconut milk

🌿  2 sprigs basil plus leaves for garnish

🧂  Salt

🍚  Steamed rice as a garnish

------

🐔  2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes (optional)

🥫 🐟  1 tablespoon (or more) fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam; optional)

🍋  Lime wedges (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp. curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add white and pale-green parts of scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often and reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, until softened, about 4 minutes. 

Increase heat to medium; add vegetables and lemongrass. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just beginning to soften, 5–10 minutes. 

Add broth and coconut milk (add additional broth if needed to cover vegetables) and bring to a simmer. 

Add chicken, if desired, and basil sprigs; very gently simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. 

Add 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, if desired. Season to taste with salt or more fish sauce or curry paste for extra flavor and spice, if desired. 

Garnish with dark-green parts of scallions and basil leaves. Serve with rice and lime wedges for squeezing over, if desired.