Talkin' Thai

I love all types of curry. Indian Curry is delicious with its layers of spices such as cardamom, turmeric, ginger and fenugreek. But lately, I've been wanting to branch out a bit and try something different. I decided to make a Thai Coconut Curry using tempeh and the lonely sweet potato that had been sitting in my pantry for over a week. Tempeh is a great way to get the right type of soy in your diet. It's high in protein and low in fat and is fermented, aiding in the good bacteria you need for proper digestion. The combination of sweet and spicy in this dish is just perfect. You also have wonderful textures from the creamy coconut milk, nutty tempeh and tender chunks of sweet potato. Don't worry about the fat in coconut milk- it won't make you fat. Actually it's very good for you. Here I serve it with steamed brown basmati rice and a wedge of lime. This beats any greasy take out! Thai never tasted so good:)


Thai Coconut Curry
Time: 1 hour Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon expeller-pressed grapeseed or canola oil
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
3 cups chopped peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)
1 cup water
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
8 ounces organic tempeh, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Add ginger and next 5 ingredients (through cinnamon); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, sweet potato, water, coconut milk, and tempeh; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3. Uncover; stir in juice and soy sauce. Simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Discard cinnamon stick.


To prepare rice, cook rice according to package substituting Earth Balance for butter. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Serve with curry and garnish with fresh cilantro and/or toasted cashews.