This colorful vegan green curry has become my favorite for hosting gatherings due to its appealing appearance and delightful taste. The recipe calls for a homemade curry paste, which can include blanched spinach for added vibrancy, but store-bought paste works well too if you’re short on time. You have the flexibility to swap out the vegetables with what you have available, blanching them beforehand to expedite the curry preparation.
**Ingredients:**
**Green curry paste:**
– 1 cup cilantro, including stems, washed and chopped
– 2 lemongrass stalks, outer layers removed (or 1 tsp lemongrass paste)
– 2 shallots, peeled and halved
– 1 (2-inch) piece ginger (or galangal, if accessible), peeled and roughly chopped
– 6 garlic cloves, peeled
– Zest of 1 lime
– 2 Thai green chilies, stems removed (adjust for heat preference)
– 1 tsp ground coriander
– ½ tsp cumin
– ½ tsp white pepper
– ¼ cup water
– 10 Thai basil leaves (optional)
– 1 cup blanched spinach (optional)
**Curry:**
– 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
– 1 medium zucchini, sliced into ½-inch pieces
– 1 (350 g) block extra-firm tofu, drained, dried, and cut into bite-sized pieces
– 4 scallions, finely chopped
– 2–3 tbsp homemade green curry paste (or store-bought green curry paste)
– 2 (400 ml) cans full-fat coconut milk
– 1 cup water
– ½ tsp turmeric
– 1 tbsp sugar
– 1 tsp kosher salt
– 1½ tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
– ½ tsp vegan fish sauce (optional)
– 1 cup green beans, sliced into ½-inch pieces and blanched, if desired
– 2 cups broccoli florets, blanched, if desired
– 1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch sticks and blanched, if desired
– 1 cup snow peas, blanched, if desired
– Juice of ½ lime
**To serve (optional):**
– 2 or 3 scallion greens, finely chopped
– 10–12 Thai basil leaves, roughly torn
– 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced
**Preparation:**
To create the homemade curry paste, blend all ingredients until thick and smooth. Set aside 2 to 3 tablespoons of the paste, refrigerating or freezing the remainder for future use.
For the curry, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook zucchini until tender, then set aside. In the same pan, cook tofu until golden, and remove. Sauté scallions and curry paste in oil, add coconut milk, water, and seasonings. Incorporate vegetables, tofu, and zucchini, then simmer. Finish with lime juice and serve hot with rice, garnishing with scallion greens, Thai basil, and Thai chilies if desired.
**Serves 6**