Jungle Curry

Description
This is a nicely spiced vegan curry that one can easily add bean curd or slices of meat or seafood to if they wished. They call this jungle curry because it has no coconut milk, and no coconuts grow in the jungles of northern Thailand. Not every curry needs coconut milk, and this is even great for those on a heart-healthy diet.



For the Curry Paste

 * 4 fresh Thai red chili peppers or serrano chilies
 * 4 cloves garlic
 * 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thin (white part only)
 * 2 inches fresh galangal, peeled and chopped (ginger may also be used)
 * 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
 * 2 teaspoons ground coriander

For the Curry

 * 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
 * 5 ounces baby sweet corn cobs, split lengthwise
 * 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
 * 8 ounces fresh green beans, halved
 * 8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, halved
 * 2 small broccoli, cut into florets
 * 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
 * 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
 * 4 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced
 * 2 teaspoons vegan brown sugar or brown sugar
 * 1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
 * 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
 * 3-4 fresh Thai red chili peppers or serrano chilies, sliced into rings (for garnish)
 * steamed rice or cooked noodles

Directions
Prepare curry paste by mixing in a food processor or blender. Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet and add curry paste, cooking until fragrant. Add vegetables, coating thoroughly with curry paste, and cooking until almost crisp-tender. Add stock, soy sauce, lime leaves, sugar, and salt. Cook until vegetables are done to your liking. Serve garnished with cilantro and sliced chiles, over steamed rice or noodles.