How to improve Thai curry?

10 tips for the perfect Thai curry: Homemade paste for the best taste. Fresh Thai ingredients for vibrancy. Toast the spices to wake them up. Turmeric for colour and seasoning. Pound the paste to release its flavour. Fry the paste in coconut oil. Caramel adds sweetness and depth. Choose your protein. More items...

What to serve with Thai green curry?

The best side dishes to serve with Thai curry are jasmine rice, zucchini noodles, roasted potatoes, spring rolls, cucumber salad, mango kani salad, brown rice with vegetables, steamed dumplings, bok choy, grilled pineapple, thai peanut noodles, papaya salad, coconut rice, sautéed green beans, and stir-fried morning ...

What are the secret ingredients to a good curry?

Indian chef Maunika Gowardhan suggests using tomato purée, coconut milk or yoghurt as natural thickening agents to achieve the perfect consistency. Adding ground nuts such as almonds or peanuts can also be a great way to ensure your curry is a knockout.

What is the most popular Thai curry dish?

Green curry is considered the most popular curry. With coconut milk as one of the main ingredients, there is a hint of sweet flavoring as well. Because the green curry paste is made with green chilis, it is far hotter than other curries.

Should Thai curry be eaten with rice?

It is the foundation of the meal - everything is to be eaten with rice in the same bite. If there's soup on the table you'll be given a little bowl for your soup, but you will not be given a separate bowl for curry. Curries can get spooned straight onto your rice .

What kind of bread do they eat in Thailand?

Roti, a tasty pan-fried bread , is a popular snack.

How can I improve my shop bought Thai curry paste?

You can also boost the flavor of a store-bought paste that you consider a bit “weak” by adding more of the spices and herbs it already contains . For example, I find store-bought massaman curry paste to be a bit light on the spices, so I add some extra.

How do you fix bland Thai curry?

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric .

How do you make store-bought curry better?

Add more spices : Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.

How do you give Thai curry depth?

As well as heat, you need something salty – shrimp paste, or fish sauce – and some aromatics, like lemongrass and galangal, as well as the shallots and garlic which give the curry pungency and depth.

Thai Kabocha Squash Curry Recipe from OhMyVeggies.com (2024)

Published: Oct 2, 2014 · by Lindsey · Updated: Mar 4, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Ah, curry. I could probably write sonnets about curry and how much I love it. You might love curry, too—but you don't love it the way I do. (Or maybe you do. Let's be friends and share a curry!). Thai curry paste is a staple cooking item at my house. We have an entire shelf in the fridge dedicated to curry pastes, pickles and other spicy condiments to accompany curry.I eat it several times a week, sometimes daily whenpossible.

Curry is tasty especially when it's loaded up with fresh seasonal veggies. This onefeatures kabocha, an Asian variety of winter squash, along with cauliflower, kale and tofu. Friends, you need more curry in your life and this is one you definitely want to add toyour menu this week.

Kabocha squash has a mild, sweet flavor like all winter squashes. I can usually find kabocha in my Asian market. It may be labeled as Thai or Japanese Pumpkin,Danhobak (Korean), orFak Thong (Thai). This time of year, they are also usually available atWhole Foods and other well-stocked grocery stores. Hit up the farmers market and I'll bet you'll see them there, too. The shell or skin is a little tough, but not quite as tough asbutternut squash. I typically cut the kabocha in half lengthwise and then cut and peel it like I would an apple -- into wedges, cutting away the seeds, and running the knife around the edge to separate the flesh from the shell.

If you can't find kabocha, you can substitute banana squash, which has a very similar flavor and texture, or butternut squash.It cooks quickly and absorbs flavors really well. Its mild flavor is a good match for the spicy yellow curry, cauliflower and kale. Also, this recipe makes a lot, and that's on purpose: you're going to want leftovers. I always make curry with leftovers in mind!

Recipe

Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

Kabocha, cauliflower, tofu and kale simmer in Thai yellow curry sauce for a scrumptious and satisfying meal. This recipe makes a large amount, and that's intentional--because the only thing better than curry is even more curry for lunch the next day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Course: Main Course

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large onion diced
4-6 tablespoons vegetarian yellow curry paste I use Mae Ploy brand; start with less and add more as needed
28 ounces light coconut milk 2 14-ounce cans
1 to 2 teaspoons coconut or palm sugar optional
2 cups peeled and diced kabocha squash*
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and pressed, and cut into ¾-inch cubes
4 cups chopped kale
Salt to taste

For serving:

3-4 cups hot cooked rice or quinoa
Thai basil leaves for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the coconut oil to a large sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Heat until melted and hot, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring constantly to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the coconut milk and the sugar, if using, and stir until smooth.
Add the kabocha squash and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kabocha is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower and tofu. Cover again and cook, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 5 minutes. Gently stir in the kale, being careful not to break up the tofu. Simmer uncovered until kale has wilted, about 3 minutes, then season with salt to taste.
Serve over rice or quinoa and garnish with Thai basil leaves, if desired.

Notes

*Kabocha squash may also be labeled as Thai pumpkin, Japanese pumpkin, Danhobak (Korean) or Fak Thong (Thai). You may also substitute banana squash or butternut squash.

Nutrition

Calories: 882kcalCarbohydrates: 138gProtein: 24gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 222mgPotassium: 881mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 9849IUVitamin C: 115mgCalcium: 318mgIron: 4mg

Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!

« Vegetarian Posole with Pinto Beans and Poblano Peppers

About Lindsey

Lindsey Rose Johnson is a food stylist + photographer based in Boise, Idaho. She is a reformed picky eater and lover of whole foods. Lindsey blogs at CafeJohnsonia.com where she shares healthy gluten-free recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
October 02, 2014 at 10:41 am

I, too, eat curry with an alarming regularity. And mmm, I'm now excited about kabocha squash!
Reply
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
October 02, 2014 at 11:58 am

I still haven't tried kaboucha squash, but seeing this recipe makes me want to!!
Reply
- Lindsey Johnson says
  October 02, 2014 at 8:18 pm
  
  Let me know how you like it if you do!
  Reply
Ordinary Blogger (Rivki Locker) says
October 02, 2014 at 8:15 pm

I use so much butternut and acorn squash during this season but I think I've only used kabocha once. This looks like a great way to enjoy it.
Reply
Joanne says
October 04, 2014 at 11:22 am

Kabocha is my absolute FAVORITE type of winter squash and I think it is especially perfect for curries. Which are also one of my favorite things to eat. Getting this on the table in the next few weeks for sure!
Reply
Kate @ Babaganosh.org says
October 12, 2014 at 6:10 pm

Mmm Kabocha is my favorite squash/pumpkin. It's a shame it's such a pain to cut up - it is so hard! But so worth it. This looks delicious, and what a great idea to eat quinoa with the curry instead of rice - add some protein and nutrition to a delicious meal.
Reply
ab says
November 08, 2014 at 12:30 am

Appreciate any advice: What is shelflife of steamed kabocha in the fridge? Is it okay to cut a little slimy mold off of it and cook it into Curry soup? It said somewhere that cooked pumpkin will last seven days in the fridge which is about how long this is…. Nice recipe can't wait to try it.
Reply
Nicole says
January 14, 2015 at 3:58 pm

I made this for dinner two nights ago and I FREAKING LOVED IT! It was so tasty, easy to make (well, chopping the squash required some muscle but they always do) and my partner loved it! I will definitely be adding this to my top recipes to make during the winter. And I ate all the leftovers lol Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Nicole
Reply