Yes, really. Mashed potatoes.
Not rice.
Not rice noodles.
Mashed potatoes.
Here's how it came about.
Bill was making some sort of red curry dish several weeks ago, and when he was about to get going on the rice, I suggested we use up the leftover mashed potatoes instead. And oh, my goodness, what a fortunate decision that was! The red curry sauce (which results from adding coconut milk at the end of cooking the red curry dish - don't worry, I'll get to the actual recipe eventually) seeped into the mashed potatoes...mmm-mmm! Think about it - what do most people usually have with mashed potatoes? Besides butter, I mean. Right! Gravy! And that's what this is, really. Just a much more exotic gravy than what you'd serve with your fried chicken or roast beef.
We were so pleased with the mashed potatoes with the red curry, that we made it again. Just a few days ago. And I took pictures this time. So here we go.
Red Curry Shrimp and Vegetables Over Mashed Potatoes
(Serves 2-4)
Ingredients
For mashed potatoes
4-6 russett potatoes, boiled with skins on
6 T butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Greek-style yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
For curry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3-4 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
1 stalk of lemon grass, cut into thirds and bruised with the back of a knife or cleaver
3-4 kaffir lime leaves
About a tablespoon of fish sauce (several good shakes from the bottle works)
Half of a squash-like item you've bought at your favorite Asian market without asking what it's called. It looks like it might be this. Peel the skin off and chop into small pieces about a quarter inch thick and roughly an inch and a half long. Zucchini or eggplant or even cucumber (scrape out the seeds) would work, too
1 can bamboo shoots, rinsed, sliced (if not sliced already) and blanched for about 3-4 minutes to eliminate the canned flavor.
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
About 3/4 cup good, thick coconut milk
~~~
Now, I made the mashed potatoes and Bill put the curry together.
The mashed potatoes are pretty basic - and feel free to use your own mashed potato recipe for this, I'm just telling you what I used that night.
Boil the potatoes until fork tender.
Drain water from the pot, and with the heat on low, mash potatoes a bit, add in milk and butter, continue mashing and stirring. Add in the yogurt and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Pour oil (we're making the curry now) into a hot wok or wide frying pan. Add curry paste and stir briefly.
Add squash-like item (or zucchini or eggplant or cuke), stir a bit and cook about two or three minutes.
Add fish sauce. Stir.
Add shrimp. Stir. Let cook another minute or so.
Add bamboo shoots. Stir. Cook for about 30 seconds.
Add lime juice, bruised lemongrass, and lime leaves. Stir.
Add coconut milk and stir.
Shut the heat off and you're done.
Put a generous dollop of mashed potatoes on your plate, make a well in the center, and spoon in some of the curry mixture. Be sure you get some of the curry sauce (i.e. gravy) on there!
Enjoy.
You can thank me later.
