Thai Shrimp with Red Curry

A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for Kaeng Kiao Wan Kung  or Thai Shrimp in Green Curry.  In that post, I noted my many efforts to make the dish, all of which technically failed due to my failure to procure one of the most vital ingredients of the dish ... green curry paste.  Whenever I was at the store, the shelves were stocked with red curry paste, but no green curry paste.  I would inevitably leave with a jar of red curry paste.  However, red curry paste does not make for a good Thai Shrimp in Green Curry.

Nevertheless, I used that paste and made Thai Shrimp in Red Curry.  This dish most resembled the curry dishes that I would order whenever we went out to eat at a Thai restaurant.  The aromas were very similar, as were the tastes.  The combination of the red curry paste, coconut milk, brown sugar, and, the fish sauce work very well with this dish.  This curry dish was a good consolation for all those times that I failed to find the green curry paste.

This leaves the question of the moment: which is better ... Thai Shrimp with Green Curry or Thai Shrimp with Red Curry?  I think it is a draw.  I have to admit that I just about love any curry that I eat.

THAI SHRIMP WITH RED CURRY

Recipe adopted from from Whats4Eats

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut cream
2-3 tablespoons of red curry paste
3 cups of coconut milk
1/4 cup of fish sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Shrimp, peeled and deveined -- 1 pound
1/2 cup of basil
3 kaffir lime leaves
2-3 serrano chiles, sliced into thin rounds

Directions:
1.  Simmer the cream and paste.  In a large saucepan or wok, simmer the coconut cream over low heat until most of the moisture boils away and the oil separates out. Stir in the curry paste and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes. Do not allow to burn.

2.  Add the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.  Add the shrimp. Stir in the shrimp and simmer another 5 or 6 minutes, or until the shrimp is just cooked through. Adjust seasoning adding more fish sauce or sugar if you like and stir in the basil and lime leaves.

4.  Plate the dish.  Serve in individual bowls with steamed rice or rice noodles and garnish with the sliced chile pepper.

 ENJOY!