Thai Green Curry

This is the first curry paste I've made from scratch and now I'm hooked. Thanks to my dear food processor, I didn't need to finely chop the curry paste ingredients or painstakingly pound them in a mortar and pestle. Nope, I basically dropped everything in the processor, gave it a long whizzzzzz and out came the most fragrant, fresh, bright green curry paste I've seen. Delicious. I'm sure you could make this curry with only vegetables but chicken, shrimp, and tofu are great additions. Filled with power vegetables and herbs like garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and chiles, this dish will taste great and make you feel great.

Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Shrimp, or Tofu

1 bunch of asparagus, stemmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1  red chile, thinly sliced
1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb large shrimp, raw, peeled (or chicken/tofu diced)
1 14 oz can of coconut milk
1 cup of snow/snap peas
1 lime

2 stalks of lemongrass
4 scallions (I just use whatever's included in a small bunch)
3 green chiles, seeded
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 large thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped into pieces
1 bunch of cilantro, reserve a few leaves for garnish
1 tsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce

- Remove the tough outer leaves of the lemongrass stalks, pound the base end of the lemongrass with the back of a large knife, and slice into thin rounds. Place the coriander seeds, garlic, and lemongrass in the food processor and blend until chopped, you may have to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the processor occasionally.

- Add the scallions, green chiles, ginger, and cilantro to the food processor and blend. While pulsing, add soy sauce and fish sauce. Process the curry for about a minute longer. 

- Heat your wok or skillet over high heat and add the sesame and vegetable oil. When the oil is very hot add the chicken and toss to coat with the oil. Cook, turning frequently, until the chicken is almost cooked, about 5 minutes (this will depend on  the size of your chicken pieces). Add the asparagus and green curry paste from the food processor. Stir for about 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and snow peas. Bring to a boil. Cook for another 5 minutes. Garnish with lime juice, cilantro leaves, and red chile. Serve with steamed rice.

*- If using shrimp, add the asparagus and curry to the hot oil and add the shrimp once the coconut milk/curry mix has started to boil. Only cook the shrimp for a few minutes so they won't be overdone. 

Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Book- Jamie's Food Revolution