Don't be afraid, it's just Thai green curry

I know, homemade curry sounds really complicated, but I promise you, if you can throw ingredients in a food processor/blender then transfer those ingredients to a pot on the stove, then you can make this dish.

What’ you’ll need: Lots and lots of green stuff. No, really.

Curry:
2 serrano chilies
2 jalapeño peppers
2 teaspoons of coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
teaspoon of pepper (white pepper if you have it)
1 tablespoon of lemongrass (I used dried, but fresh works too)
1 tablespoon of ginger (I used the stuff from the jar, but again, fresh is classy)
3 cloves of garlic
1 cup of cilantro (I often use more so I don’t waste the bundle)
2 teaspoons of lime zest
1 cup of chopped shallots (a restaurant vegetable you should try at home)

More stuff:

Fried tofu or mock duck
Red bell pepper
Red onion
squash
A can of coconut milk
Maple syrup (to taste, but probably a tablespoon or two)
Lime juice
½ cup of basil

Really though, you can use any vegetable you want, and if you don’t like tofu you could probably swap chicken or beef strips or whatever instead. Though it is pictured, you will not need a bottle of tequila.

Chop up the chilies and jalapeños. Seed them if you’re a wuss and are afraid of spiciness. Add them to a half cup of boiling water. Cover and let them sit for fifteen minutes.

With a food processor (or a blender, if you feel lucky) add the spices, the shallots, garlic, zest, and ginger. Give it a twirl. It’s ok if it’s still pretty chunky.

Add the cilantro, pepper mix (with the water) and spin until it’s completely paste.

Meanwhile, at the stove, add your chopped veggies and protein to a pan and cook until just slightly tender. You can also completely skip this step if you’re willing to let the raw veggies stew longer. Sometimes I do this when I plan eating the curry the next day rather than that evening. Your call.

Dump the paste mixture into a pan on low-medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring constantly. No matter how good things might smell right now, don’t stick your head over the pot and inhale. Your eyes will burn with the wrath of the chili pepper.

Add your can of coconut milk and turn up the heat. Stir to incorporate the paste with the milk, and bring to a low boil.

Add lime juice and maple syrup to your sea of green. Sometimes I use a tablespoon of maple syrup, sometimes more. Two squirts tends to be the right amount overall.

Add the veggies and stir everything together, for about five minutes (longer if you went the raw route). Remove from heat and add the basil, and let everything sit for another 5 or so minutes.

Aaaand serve. I often just eat it straight, but naan or rice also make tasty additions. Not too stressful, right? Unless you add chicken to the mix, this dish is vegan, and it tastes even better on the second and third day.