This recipe is based on Cookie and Kate’s recipe for Thai red curry. I’ve made some tweaks and made it freezer meal friendly. Having a few of these in the freezer was a life saver when D was born and we wanted something easy but healthy. They’re also great to make for friends (new moms etc.) if you’re dropping off meals. 

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Recipe:

1 cup brown rice or Basmati rice
~ 4 chicken thighs or a large chicken breast (optional)
1 tbsp coconut oil or peanut oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (about 1 inch)
2 cloves garlic, pressed
~ 2 cups of vegetables sliced (I usually use red and yellow peppers and carrots and/or asparagus. Broccoli and peas are also good)
3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste (I use 4 if adding chicken)
1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
1 cup sliced kale (I use frozen kale)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
~ 1/2 cup cilantro

Cook rice as instructed on package. (Only if eating now. If freezing cook rice when eating meal.) 

If using chicken: Poach chicken. (Cover chicken with water in a pot. Put lid on. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 -12 minutes.) Slice chicken and set aside. Or slice chicken first and saute in additional peanut or coconut oil until lightly brown. Set aside.

Add oil to a large pot (I use my Dutch oven). Saute onion on medium heat until soft and translucent. Add ginger and garlic and saute for about 1 minute until fragrant.

If freezing: Add vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes stirring regularly. Add chicken (if using) and red curry paste. Cook and stir for about 1 minute.

Add coconut milk, kale and sugar. Put in a freezer safe container and freeze.

To serve. Defrost in fridge and warm in pot or put frozen curry in pot and defrost and warm. Vegetables should be tender but if not cook until tender. Remove from heat. Add rice vinegar and soy sauce and serve over rice with cilantro on top. 

If eating now: Add vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes stirring regularly. Add chicken (if using) and red curry paste. Cook and stir for about 1 minute.

Add coconut milk, kale and sugar. Simmer until vegetables are at your preferred tenderness.

Remove from heat. Add rice vinegar and soy sauce and serve over rice with cilantro on top. 

Meal prep: You can also cook the chicken and rice ahead of time and chop all of the vegetables. Then it’s just a case of tossing it together for dinner. 

Miscellaneous notes

I love this recipe for serving some vegetarians and some meat eaters. You can just add the chicken at the end to the bowls of the meat eaters and it doesn’t have fish sauce like many Thai curries. 

You can double the recipe which works especially well if you want to batch cook for freezer meals.