So I’ve got a thing for purple yams. They are believed responsible for a large population of centenarians in Okinawa. Anthocyanins, the compounds responsible for their purple hue are known to support your cardiovascular system, fight cancer, enhance cognition, fight inflammation, increase insulin resistance and reverse UV damage! Combined with purple cabbage and kale they create a sweet, velvety purple curry. I made and included the recipe for my own Thai red curry paste as a base however; you can also buy a prepared Thai red curry paste. If you are using a store bought curry you will most likely need less and it is a little spicier!
Thai Red Curry Paste:
Ingredients:
- 4 Thai red chili peppers
- 1 peeled shallot, minced
- 4 cloves peeled garlic
- 1 Tbsp. fresh or frozen galangal, grated
- 1 stalk chopped fresh lemongrass, outer husk removed, bottom 4 in. chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. tamari
- 1 Tbsp. miso
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Blend all ingredients together in a blender or with a pestle and mortar. After using what you need, freeze the rest for future use.
Purple Curry Ingredients:
serves 4
- one red shallot, peeled and minced
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2-3 Tbsp. of prepared Thai red curry paste
- 2 cups of purple yams, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups of purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch of purple kale (green will do just fine if you can’t find purple)
- 2 cans of full fat coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp. tamari or vegan “fish sauce”
- salt to taste
- juice of one lime
- one recipe of “dry fried tofu”, recipe follows
- fresh chopped cilantro
- a big pot of steamed black forbidden rice
Get your rice going before you make the curry. Black forbidden rice takes a good 40 min. to cook. Just like brown rice you steam it with 2 parts water to one part rice.
In a medium sized saucepan saute the chopped shallot with a few tbsp. of coconut oil until translucent. Add the curry paste, perhaps one tbsp. to start knowing that you can always add more to your liking once you have added the coconut oil. Saute until fragrant.
Add the two cans of coconut milk along with 11/2 cups of water.
Stir over medium heat until the coconut milk and curry paste have dissolved into the water.
Add the chopped purple yams and cabbage to the broth.
Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until the cabbage and yams are tender and the broth has turned a vivid purple! Add tamari or vegan “fish sauce”, lime and salt to taste. Add more red curry paste if you want it spicier. I usually add 2-3 Tbsp. Add the chopped kale and continue to simmer until the kale is tender.
While the kale cooks, prepare the tofu.
Dry Fried Tofu:
- one block of Organic extra firm tofu
- sea salt
Cut the tofu into 1/4 in. thick rectangles. Heat a large non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat. (No oil required!) Add the tofu. Sprinkle the exposed sides with sea salt. Press down on the tofu with a spatula as it cooks until it is lightly browned and crisped on the underside. Flip it, sprinkle browned sides with salt and again, press down with a spatula to brown the other sides. Remove from the pan.
To serve, reheat the curry.
Pack some steamed black forbidden rice firmly into a small bowl, about 1/2 cup. Invert the bowl into a large soup bowl. Repeat with remaining servings. Ladle the curry around the mound of rice. Garnish with tofu, fresh cilantro, and extra lime wedges.
This looks amazing Mystee!!