Maxicat’s Trial and Error Vegan Thai Yellow Curry

So, most curry recipes call for fish sauce or fish oil.  Through trial and error I discovered a way to round out the flavor and texture of a vegan thai curry sans fish by using hoisin sauce.  This is the curry recipe you tried at mi casa:

for this recipe you should either invest in a good curry powder or assemble the following spices: cumin, coriander, mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, paprika, cardamom, fenugreek, and turmeric.

~Maxicat’s Trial and Error Thai Curry~

• 4-5 tbs curry powder (or mix of spices listed above)
• at least 4 hearty cloves of garlic
• 1-2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated or minced ginger
• 1 medium or large onion
• assorted veggies and nuts (i use 2 small golden potatoes, a pasilla pepper, a small crown of broccoli, a handful of slivered almonds, 2-3 carrots, and an italian eggplant).  But TRY ANYTHING.  
• 1 can coconut milk
• heaping spoonful or sriracha or smoked chili paste
• heaping spoonful of hoisin sauce
• dash (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) of brown sugar
• salt, lemon pepper, and cayenne to taste
• 1-2 tbs olive oil

- Prep for your meal by peeling and parboiling the potatoes, as well as chopping up all the vegetables and mincing the ginger.  It’s also a good idea to get some rice going as you will want to eat this over rice.

-Heat a skillet or non-stick pot on medium-medium high heat depending on stove. 

- Once hot, BEFORE you add the oil, add the curry powder or spice to skillet and toast, stirring frequently.  About a minute.  This should release a powerful aroma but be careful not to burn.

-Add olive oil and onions.  Saute about 3-5 minutes until onions are a little carmelised.

-Add other assorted veggies and nuts except garlic and ginger (including potatoes which should be diced after being parboiled and cooled.)  Saute for another 3-5 minutes until everything is looking a bit tender.  You can add more dashes of curry powder or spice mix at this point if you like a bolder taste.  

-Add garlic, minced ginger, a generous spoonful of chili paste, a generous spoonful of hoisin sauce, and a goodly dash of brown sugar.  Also add salt and pepper to taste preference, and cayenne to spiciness preference.  Stir around for about a minute until these are evenly distributed.

-Add coconut milk and turn dial to medium low.  Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes until all veggies are tender and flavors are distributed evenly throughout dish.  Taste often and add salt, cayenne, or sugar as needed to reach your preferred taste.

-Serve over rice and enjoy!