It’s no secret that I love Thai food. I could eat it everyday and likely never tire of it. Being in and out of town and full of obligations lately (not to mention being on the Elimination Diet), I haven’t had a meal at home with my friends for awhile. I wanted to cook but didn’t feel like making a big production or create a large mess so I went for a no-fuss, 1-pot dinner. This Green Curry fed 6 hungry people and there was 1 serving left for me for lunch.

Green Curry with Eggplant, Squash, and Chicken
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
1 4-oz jar of green curry paste*
2 Tablespoons grapeseed, vegetable, or peanut oil
4 small Japanese eggplant (about 2 cups)
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 cups)
1 large piece lemongrass
3-4 keffir lime leaves
1 cup green beans or long beans (optional), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can of coconut milk
2-3 cups chicken stock
3 Tablespoons fish sauce (or more to taste)
1 cup bamboo shoots, rinsed
1-2 Tablespoons palm sugar (optional)
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup Thai Basil

Trim and wash the chicken. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add the curry paste to the chicken and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Slice the eggplant into 1/4-1/2-inch rounds and place in a colander. Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over eggplant and toss. Let the eggplant sit in the colander until ready to use. This salting removes some of the bitterness.

Peel the butternut squash, halve it, and remove the seeds. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the squash and saute for about 10 minutes. While the squash is sauteing, rinse and squeeze out excess moisture from the eggplant. Add to the pot. Saute the 2 veggies for another 10 minutes, until both are pretty tender. Add the lemongrass and the lime leaves. Add the chicken and the green beans and saute together until chicken is just about done, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and 2 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and add the fish sauce and sugar (if using). Simmer for about 20-35 minutes, until the veggies are soft. Add more chicken stock if you like it thinner. About 10-12 minutes before you’re ready to serve, slice the bell peppers and add them to the pot along with the bamboo shoots. Serve with a handful of chopped thai basil.

*I generally use the Maesri brand of curry paste found at Thai Fresh. I was out this week so I bought the commonly found Thai Kitchen brand. I find this to be not as flavorful, but with all of the ingredients and added lemongrass and lime leaves, it worked out well. It’s not as spicy as the Maesri brand, so have some chili paste handy.