Thai Green Curry Broccoli

Tuesday 7 May

Our friend Katharine just sent us Yoram Ottolenghi's new cookbook Plenty, and it is full of vegetable wonders (thanks, Katharine!).  Our first foray was his recipe for purple-sprouting broccoli with rice noodles, but we had to make many adaptations, as we had lots of things that were close to his ingredients, rather than the exact ingredients.

So, take a regular broccoli, trimmed, stems peeled and chopped, florets separated

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 Tbsps. green curry paste (he made his, but we used Mae Ploy)

1½ tsp brown sugar

7 kaffir lime leaves

1 can coconut milk

ca. 4 oz. thin rice noodles (he used thick)

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. lime juice, plus more to finish

2 Tbsp. cilantro (or basil), torn

Heat a tablespoon of the top coconut milk in a pan and sauté the onion for two to three minutes until translucent. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for two minutes. Add half a teaspoon of salt, the sugar, lime leaves, and coconut milk, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer.

Have a pot of boiling salted water ready. First cook the broccoli pieces (florets first, then stems) for a minute or two; fish them out with a sieve, shake in a colander, and toss into the pan with the green curry mix, cooking until tender, about 5 mins.

Cook noodles in the same water, as instructed on the packet; drain, toss with a Tbsp. or two of sesame oil and lime juice, and divide into two bowls.  Top with the broccoli and sauce, and finish with cilantro and a squirt more of lime.

This was toothsome and exotic, but you wouldn't want it any spicier unless you were Thai (or using all the right ingredients).