Turkey curry can conjure up horrible images of a meal designed more to get rid of the turkey than to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. This one is different for a number of reasons. I often make my curry paste from scratch but this evening was able to whiz up a curry really quickly thanks to the use of a curry paste recommended to me recently by a very good Thai chef. When you haven’t been to the shops and the cupboard is bare, this is a paste to keep as it is really delicious and best of all is full of all natural ingredients. The paste is Thai red curry paste and it is by Mae Ploy. Buy this the next time you are in your local Thai market (Asia Market, Drury street if you are in Dublin City Centre) and you will have a great supply of paste for whenever you don’t feel like taking out the pestle and mortar.
Just one warning – it is really hot, as I was making the curry this evening I could hear my other half coughing in the other room!… the mark of a good curry though is despite the heat it is compulsive eating and you cant stop even though you are really feeling it hot… delicious!

Serves 4 – Use a wok preferably but if not a wide frying pan.

Red Curry
1 small onion sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped and mashed
2 red peppers sliced
1 head of broccoli in bite size stems
About 10oz cooked turkey
2 Tbsp red curry paste from Mae Ploy
600mls coconut milk – I used 1 tin of coconut milk and half a block of coconut which I dissolved in 200mls hot water
4 tbsp oil
Fish oil, Light soy sauce and Palm sugar – All three to taste

Stir fry the peppers in 2 tbsl oil until almost cooked
Blanch the broccoli stems for 4 minutes until al dente- plunge in cold water to stop cooking and set the colour. Set aside with the red peppers
Fry the garlic and onion in 2 tbsp oil over a medium heat until golden and almost cooked.
Push up onto the side of your wok to reduce the cooking of them.
Add the curry paste into the wok and cook out stirring constantly for about 4 minutes.
Add about 100mls of the coconut milk into the wok and stir to combine into the curry paste. Cook for another few minute before adding the rest of the coconut milk. (It’s ok to bring the onions & garlic down into the milk).
You really want the milk and paste to cook out before you start adding anything else so continue to cook at a medium heat until the lovely oil from the paste starts separating.
Add in the cooked turkey and cook at medium until it is brought up to temp.
Now ready to add the veggies – since they are already virtually cooked, they don’t need long. Just give them a min or 2 to get hot.
Your curry is now ready for seasoning. This is a vital step and really depends on your own palate and how you like your curry. Right now without palm sugar, fish sauce or soy it won’t be at its best. Start with about 1 tsp of palm sugar, stir in and taste, Add in about 1 dessert spoon of Fish sauce ands some light soy sauce and then taste to see what it needs. I was happy when I had added about 2 dessert spoons of fish and soy sauce and almost 2 tsp of palm sugar.
Finally I stirred in some chopped coriander before serving,
I felt compelled to have this with some left over bubbles – not compulsory but a great accompaniment in my opinion!…

Jasmine Rice and crispy shallots
2 shallots
Oil for frying
1 ½ cups jasmine rice

Soak the jasmine rice in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Gently rinse off until the water runs clear
Place in a pot – taller narrower is better for small amounts and cover with cold water about 1 ½ inches above the level of the rice.
Add ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to very low simmer until rice cooked and has absorbed the water
For crispy shallots peel and slice 2 shallots and shallow fry in oil until crispy.
Drain on kitchen paper.
Portion your rice into a ramekin, tip onto your plate and top with the crispy shallots.