Spence's Secret Thai Red Shrimp Curry

After traveling through Thailand for the first time over 10 years ago, I became enamored with the cuisine. This curry recipe is the result of many years of subtle refinements and fine tuning with an interesting Canadian twist! It's worth the effort to find fresh lemon grass and either fresh or freshly frozen lime leaves. Serve hot with basmati or jasmine rice.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 633 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ tablespoons red curry paste, or more to taste
• 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 large bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 3 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 stalks lemon grass, bruised and chopped
• 4 makrut lime leaves, torn in half
• ¼ cup packed chopped fresh basil

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat; stir in curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir onion into curry paste; cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in peppers; cook and stir for 3 more minutes.

Step 2

Stir coconut milk, chicken broth, maple syrup, fish sauce, lemon grass, and lime leaves into vegetable mixture. Bring curry to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook until shrimp is pink at the center, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Remove wok from heat; stir basil and cilantro into curry. Serve hot.