Thai coconut and mint dish?

Versions of red curry abound in Thailand, but most are flavored with a paste of red chiles, garlic, shallots, galangal (similar to ginger), and shrimp paste, and have coconut milk as their base. Light coconut milk works well in this stew, and prepared Thai red curry paste, found in most supermarkets, makes it a snap to put together. Prep and Cook Time: about 45 minutes. Notes: The spice level in prepared red curry pastes varies depending on the brand, so taste before using. Start with 2 tbsp., then increase it if you like. For a more authentic flavor, add 1 tbsp. minced lemon grass and 2 makrut (Kaffir) lime leaves instead of the grated lime zest in step 4, and use Thai basil instead of regular. Find these ingredients at Asian markets and in specialty-produce departments.

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Ingredients

3 cups jasmine rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large sweet potato (often labeled â????yamâ????)

2 cans (13 1/2 oz. each) light coconut milk, divided

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (see Notes)

2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest (green part only; see Notes)

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2 pounds firm fish fillets, such as halibut or tilapia

6 ounces fresh whole spinach leaves

1 cup loosely packed basil

1 cup loosely packed mint leaves

Lime wedges

Preparation

1. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15 minutes, then turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

2. Meanwhile, bring 1 in. of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Peel sweet potato and cut into 1/2-in. cubes. Put in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

3. While sweet potato is cooking, spoon about 1/4 cup from top of coconut milk in each can (the thick opaque layer) and put in a 4- to 5-qt. pot or deep sauté pan. Add curry paste and whisk until smoothly blended. Stir mixture over medium heat until nearly dry, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining coconut milk, lime zest, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cut fish into 1 1/2-in. cubes. Increase heat to medium; add fish and spinach. Cover and cook until fish is no longer translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

6. Chop basil and mint and stir into stew along with sweet potato cubes. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Variations:

Chicken: Substitute boned, skinned breast for the fish. Cut into 1/4- by 1/2- by 2-in. strips to ensure quick cooking.

Pork: Use tenderloin in place of the fish, trimming fat and cutting meat into 1/4-in.-thick strips.

I really like a dish called Chicken Panang. Penang Chicken Curry, "Penang Gai" Ingredients: 1 cup chicken, cut into bite sized pieces 1/2 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 2 to 3 tablespoons Penang curry paste 2 tablespoons fish sauce sugar to taste 3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded 10-15 Thai basil leaves, finely shredded Method: Place a wok over medium high heat, and warm the coconut milk, but don't let it boil. Add the curry paste, and stir it until the oil begins to separate out and form a thin film, to bring out the maximum flavor. Add the remaining ingredients except the lime leaves and basil leaves, and simmer until the sauce is absorbed and thickened. Add the lime leaves and basil leaves and stir fry briefly before serving. Garnish with julienned red chili, with Thai jasmine rice, and the usual Thai table condiments. Note if you particularly like your curries hot, then replace the fish sauce in the cooking with nam pla prik (chillies marinated in fish sauce), that has had at least a week to mature.

I made this coconut curry dish before and it was really good. and im not a big curry fan either! i think adding some mint to the dish would be even tastier. i cant remember the recipe but u can look it up on epicuriuos.com. thats where i believe i got the one i made. just add the mint towards the end or substitute it for another ingredient.

THAI CHICKEN WITH MINT (you can substitute with shrimp or make it both chicken & shrimp)

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into thin bite-sized pieces)

2 tbsp peanut oil (Asian brands like Lion and Globe are best for flavor)

12 Small Thai chiles, finely minced (to taste)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, julienned

2 tbsp Nam Pla (fish sauce)

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 can of good quality coconut milk

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tbsp palm sugar (or regular sugar)

1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

1 cup fresh mint leaves

METHOD:

Heat a wok until very hot. Add peanut oil and swirl. Add chiles and garlic, and stir fry them for about 30 seconds (do not let them turn brown).

Add the chicken and continue to stir fry for about 1 minute, or until the chicken has all turned opaque.

Add the Nam Pla, coconut milk and soy sauce, lime juice and continue stirring for another minute.

Add the sugar and julienned red pepper and mix for another 30 seconds.

Note that all these times are based on having a high heat wok. If your stove is not very strong, you will need to extend the cooking times a bit or stir fry in stages.

Finally, add the mint leaves and the basil leaves, mix and remove from the heat. Serve immediately with rice.