Name: Thai Red Curry with Cauliflower
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: ThaiAsia
Ingredients: 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk; 3 tablespoons fish sauce substitute; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice; 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste; 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1 large head cauliflower (3 pounds), cored and cut into 3/4-inch florets; 1/4 cup water; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves , torn into roughly 1/2-inch pieces

Why This Recipe Works

Thai cooking is all about balance, so when we set out to make a red curry with cauliflower, we knew that developing the deep, nutty flavor of the cauliflower was important. Typically we turn to the oven to achieve this, but for a curry dish that could otherwise be on the table in about 15 minutes, this felt like an unnecessary step. Instead, we confined ourselves to the skillet. Achieving tender, golden-brown cauliflower without scorching turned out to be a two-step process that took just about 10 minutes. First, we cooked the cauliflower along with water in a covered skillet for about 5 minutes, steaming it until it was just tender, then we uncovered the skillet to finish the cooking. This final uncovered cooking time drove off any remaining water left in the skillet, tenderized the cauliflower further, and allowed it to develop deep golden browning without any charring. A few minutes in the skillet at the very end of cooking was all the red curry sauce needed to bloom its flavors and thicken enough to coat the cauliflower nicely.

Before You Begin

You will need our vegetarian fish sauce substitute for this recipe. Serve with rice.

Instructions

Whisk coconut milk, fish sauce, lime zest and juice, sugar, curry paste, and pepper flakes together in bowl. In separate bowl, combine 1 teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add cauliflower, water, and salt, cover, and cook until cauliflower is just tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and cauliflower is tender and well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture, and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cauliflower and reduce heat to medium-high. Whisk coconut milk mixture to recombine, add to skillet, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and serve.