Thai Green Curry with Eggplant for Oahu Fresh

This week for #QuarantineCooking with Oahu Fresh we’re cooking up eggplant, a wild and wonderful food. We’re making an easy weeknight Thai Green Curry recipe, which is a great way to get started with cooking eggplant. Watch the IGTV cooking video here.

See all my other Oahu Fresh recipes here (featuring eggplant, sweet potato, Kabocha pumpkin, and more). For the videos, check out the Oahu Fresh Instagram TV.

When I was teaching cooking classes years ago at Down to Earth, eggplant recipes were one of the most commonly requested. I think it’s because eggplant grows abundantly here in the islands, can be really affordable, and it’s a totally versatile veggie (actually a fruit).

While eggplant originated in India, it’s used extensively around the world in dozens of yummy recipes. Think of creamy Italian Eggplant Parmesan, or smoky Baba Gannoush (common in Middle Eastern cuisines) or rich Baingan Bharta (a fragrant India style curry), or like today’s recipe, a creamy and herbal Thai Green Curry made with creamy coconut, fresh veggies, and a pre-made green curry paste.

Eggplant is a good veggie to add to your diet; it’s not as nutrient dense as other veggies, but it still has vitamins, minerals, fiber, and is host to potent antioxidants. Learn more about eggplant and find some of my other eggplant recipes here.

See my other Oahu Fresh recipes here: quarantine

Thai-style Green Curry

1 (13.5-ounce) can full fat coconut milk (see note below)
4-6 Tablespoons green curry paste
⅔ cup diced Asian eggplant
⅔ cup diced red bell pepper
⅔ cup diced zucchini
⅔ cup sliced carrots
½ cup thinly sliced onion
2-4 Tablespoons vegetable broth or water (optional)
3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 Tablespoon coconut sugar (or honey)
½ cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil, more for garnish

Note about Coconut Milk: coconut milk cans seem to be in high demand during quarantine, so in the video I used a box of heavy coconut cream; this is much thicker and richer than canned coconut milk, so if you use that, opt for ¾ cup coconut cream and ¾ cup water instead of the canned coconut milk.
Warm about half of the coconut milk over medium-low heat and stir in the curry paste, whisking to combine. Let mixture barely simmer for a few minutes.
To the curry mixture, add eggplant, red pepper, zucchini, carrots, and onion. Stir until vegetables are coated in coconut-curry mixture, and then add remaining coconut milk. Simmer until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tablespoons of lime juice, soy sauce, and coconut sugar until sugar has dissolved.
When vegetables are finished cooking, add soy sauce mixture into skillet and stir to combine. Cook uncovered 5 minutes more, adding extra broth or water to thin as needed.
Stir in Thai basil just before serving. Serve curry alongside rice or rice noodles.
This recipe is best fresh, but leftovers will keep for a few days.

Yield: 2-4 servings

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