Thank you all for your concern for Arabella. She has bounced back – bounced right back into the arms of her boyfriend, the one who was the ex-boyfriend for around 16 hours. Yes, it appears ‘the break-up’ was just a slight hiccup on the romantic path to happiness.
Thai Red Curry of Pork with Pineapple and Ginger
When I made the pork satay skewers for my family get-together, I had to marinate them in a sauce that required red curry paste. For a long time now I haven’t been able to find the only brand I’ll buy so when necessity called, I embarked on making my own. I had a lot leftover and so it’s stored in the fridge where it will keep for two to three weeks.
As you know (because I keep going on and on about it), I don’t have a food processor. (I’ve surely dropped enough hints for Santa to put one in my large stocking this year). So, making this red curry paste took considerable elbow grease and therefore I don’t want to waste one skerrick of my precious paste. I’m determined to use every last morsel before the time is up.
Grinding the peppercorns and spices for the curry paste
Last night I made a red curry with pork, pineapple and ginger. Miss Arabella missed out because she went to the movies with her reignited flame. There were leftovers however and so early this morning she bundled them up in a container to take to uni. I’ve just had a message from her saying, ‘The curry was insane. More please. And it’s been the one positive thing in my day at uni’. And I’ve sent a message back saying there will be another red curry on the table for dinner tonight.
If you’d like to turn this into a vegetarian dish, you can substitute the pork for tofu.
Serve with jasmine rice
Thai Red Curry of Pork with Pineapple and Ginger
Serves: 4
Degree of Difficulty: 2/5
Cost: This is a moderately priced family meal
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 3 tbspns red curry paste (recipe to follow)
- 1/4 cup julienned ginger
- 500g (1 lb) pork fillet, cut into strips
- 1 tbspn palm sugar
- 2 tbspns fish sauce (if you don’t like fish sauce you can use soy)
- 2 cups pineapple chunks
- 1 cup Thai basil (or sweet basil leaves if you can’t find Thai basil)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- coriander leaves to garnish
Heat 1/2 cup of coconut milk in a wok and add the curry paste and ginger. Cook until fragrant and the oil is starting to separate from the milk, about 5-10 minutes.
Add pork, palm sugar and fish sauce and stir-fry until pork is sealed, about 3 minutes.
Add remaining coconut milk and simmer until pork is tender, about 3 minutes.
Add pineapple and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in basil and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with kaffir lime leaves and coriander leaves and serve with steamed jasmine rice.
This recipe has been adapted from Spirit House, Thai Cooking
Red curry paste
Red Curry Paste
Makes: 2 cups
Degree of Difficulty: 2/5
Cost: This paste is very inexpensive to make.
- 15 dried red chillies
- 2 tspns white peppercorns
- 2 tspns coriander seeds, roasted
- 1 tspn cumin seeds, roasted
- 2 tbspns coriander root, chopped
- 2 small red onions
- 12 cloves garlic
- 2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced
- 1 tbspn galangal, chopped
- 1 tbspn lime zest
- 2 tspns salt
Soak chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. Remove from water and chop finely. In a mortar or spice grinder, grind the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
In a mortar, bash the coriander root with the onions and garlic. Place in a bowl with the chopped chillies and ground peppercorns and spices. Pound remaining ingredients with a in a mortar then add to the bowl. Mix to a smooth paste.
Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in refrigerator. Keeps for 2-3 weeks.
This recipe has been adapted from Spirit House, Thai Cooking.
Makes approximately 2 cups and will keep in fridge for 2-3 weeks
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Ah the ups and downs of young romance. I thought Arabella was on a vegan/health food diet. She’s eating pork curry? Interesting news.
I hope that Santa takes the hint aka Carl! 😀 I’ve made curry pastes using a food processor and they’re so much easier. Perhaps you could get him to do the pounding (what I get Mr NQN to do and it tends to result in an understanding of why an appliance is needed) ;). Sorry Carl!
Beautiful photographs, delicious recipes… Thank you, love, nia
That is beautiful and sounds fantastic! Good for you working so hard to get your own curry paste. 🙂 I’m glad Arabella is doing so much better. 🙂
I saw your instagram picture and knew you were up to something spicy. Thank goodness you had lessons on the kids texts. Insane means great right…? LOL I would have to agree that looking at this red curry and its spices it just has to be outrageously “insanely great”. Have a super day. BAM
So Miss Arabella missed out on pink champagne and chocolate cake for no good reason?! Shame. I’m pretty sure if Santa knows what’s good for him you’ll be getting a food processor in December 🙂
Even though I have a food processor, I love making my curry paste by hand in a mortar and pestle – that’s how they do it in Thailand 🙂 Ahh young romance. So fickle!
I love all curries and have made more than my fare share with a mortar and pestle, so know the effort that goes into it. I hope Santa will fill that stocking with the right gift this year!
The real question is, when will Arabella invite him to dinner?
I feel like Arabella goes through more relationship drama in a single week than I have in my entire life.
What a great recipe–I can almost taste it. I used to make my own curry pastes, but here in San Miguel, I don’t have access to all the necessary ingredients, alas. Now I just have to purchase it, but have never been completely thrilled with what is available. I may have to try it on this recipe, though.
Looks fantastic Charlie! And I’m so glad Arabella has bounced back. Young people.
I will definitely try your red curry paste, mine was ok but I want to try some others. This looks easy enough…..with a food processor 🙂
Nazneen
I don’t have a food processor either!! I am hoping Santa will drop in a bit early and deliver it on Thanksgiving to me 😛 The red curry paste looks divine. I must make this.
This curry sounds fantastic!
So yummy Charlie- what time do I drop by for dinner? If you get a bit curried out, you can freeze your paste so it doesn’t go to waste.
I’m glad for Arabella, but what would teenage life be without angst? All girls need the chance to be a drama queen from time to time 🙂 xox
So that is how you make red curry paste!! though I don’t have all those ingredients, so I will just have to stop by your kitchen! I had to laugh….on her romantic path to happiness! What a path that is!!
Using a mortar and pestle may take longer and much elbow grease but it is a much better end product than using a food processor.
i think home made curry pastes are much better than store bought! more so because you can control what is in them.. or know what is in them at least
Wow that does look insane. Glad the break up was only temporary, but I’d drop him if I was her. She missed out on the chocolate cake because of him too.
Carolyn
I’m mortally afraid of very hot chillies, but this looks great and I’d like to give it a try – just how hot is it? I do have a processor, but if I was in the market I’d be eyeing off the gorgeous, big, new KitchenAid with the adjustable slice feature. It looks very desirable.
I have a story for you. I’ve always wanted a food processor, dreamt of having one my adult life, then only a month ago all my dreams came true when I opened a box in our spare room and there was a brand spankin new Sunbeam that had never seen the light of day since our Wedding 6 years ago. I have NO idea how or why this gorgeous thing got stored in our spare room in a box, survived 2 house moves and still was uncovered. It even had a bit of wedding wrapping paper still stuck to its underside. What the?!! Woohoo for me!!
Hope you get your baby too, I’ve been making the most of mine these last 4 weeks 🙂
I’m glad Arabella has rebounded and all’s well for the moment. Your red curry sounds great — what a workout on the mortar & pestle, Charlie. I’m very interested in giving it a try but first I’ll need to source a few of the ingredients. It will be another fun day in the Asian markets. 🙂
Glad to hear Arabella and her boyfriend are reunited. Seems being a teenager now days is really complicated.
Fantastic curry paste Charlie and just imagine how much easier it will be when Santa brings your food processor!
Have a lovely day.
🙂 Mandy xo
I would absolutely love this with tofu! I have never made red curry from scratch either, so this is nice inspiration to give it a try (especially as I have a food processor to help!).
with that dish i need 2 bowl of rice.
Hope Santa brings you that food processor. We don’t use ours often, but it’s so nice to have when you need it. Great dish – I love anything spicy. Thanks.
Well, I certainly hope Santa reads your blog! The curry looks delicious and I guess it doesn’t pay for me to get too far behind on your blog. Two minutes ago I was feeling bad for Arabella and rooting for a new boyfriend and here I am now, hearing that she’s back with the text breaker…upper. 😉
Surely you’ve been nice and Santa will be good to you! Lovely recipe xoxo
I’m happy to send an anonymous letter to “Santa.” Just let me know!!! Your curry looks divine….so lovely in that blue and white bowl! And I’m so glad Arabella is back to her blissful self 🙂
I sure wish you were closer. We are having the same trials of young romance in my “all-boy” house. Love the curry though don’t do much with pork.
Awww I’ve missed the story about Arabella’s break up but I’mg lad to know that she’s feeling much better now and I’m sure we’ve all gone through those times when we break up with our partners and get back together ~
The red curry paste looks great and like I said before homemade is always best you can adjust how much chilli you want or don’t want hehe 🙂
More please is right. I don’t remember ever having a pork curry before, so I know I want to give this a try. Looks easy and delicious! I had a food processor once. I ended up giving it away. I discovered that I love chopping a lot more than cleaning and a food processor is a pain to clean, the one I had was anyway. 🙂
I don’t know how I missed this. I’ve been feeling sad for dear Arabella all broken hearted and there she was enjoying a movie. I’m happy that she’s happy.
I don’t know how you manage all you do without a food processor. I should know because you put together the most wonderful meal in a holiday apartment kitchen!
I am really quite happy with this recipe, Charlie. Several of my family members really love pork, and I rarely cook it because I honestly think it’s gone quite flavorless with all the fat bred out of it! The flavors really inspire me. And I really do think Santa owes you a food processor and anything else you would like to outfit your kitchen! 🙂