Thai Style Red Curry with Shrimp, Bell Pepper and Snap Peas Recipe

For a streamlined Thai red curry dish that was scaled down in size but not in flavor, eliminate homemade curry paste and substitute jarred variety – it contains many of the hard-to-find ingredients required for homemade. A little chicken broth cuts through the richness of the coconut milk, while easy-to-find Thai staples such as fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice , and basil offered welcome complexity.

Blooming the curry paste in oil allowed its flavor to fully develop, and stirring in a little extra toward the end of cooking guaranteed deep flavor. Quick-cooking shrimp, red bell pepper , and snap peas pair well with the flavorful sauce. Depending on the freshness and spice level of your curry paste, you may need to add more or less to taste; season the sauce before you add the shrimp to make sure they do not overcook. If you can’t find Thai basil leaves, regular basil will work fine. Serve with rice.

Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Whisk broth and cornstarch together in bowl, then whisk mixture into skillet and bring to simmer.

Stir in bell pepper and snap peas and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with extra curry paste to taste.

Stir in shrimp and simmer until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Thai Style Red Curry with Shrimp, Bell Pepper and Snap Peas Recipe Ingredients

red curry paste
coconut milk
chicken broth
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, plus extra for seasoning
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch-wide strips
4 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut in half on bias
8 ounces extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined and tails removed
1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
2 teaspoons lime juice
Salt and pepper

VARIATION
Thai Style Red Curry with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Carrots

Substitute 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 2 inch lengths, for bell pepper and 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch-long matchsticks, for snap peas.