If you love the curry at your local Thai restaurant, learning to make a similar dish at home will allow you to enjoy that spicy flavor and smooth, coconut milk sauce any time. This dish does take about two hours to come together, so if you're in a hurry, you might want to order takeout Thai food and wait until another day to experiment. However, when you have an afternoon to experiment in the kitchen, there's nothing better than smelling the spiciness of curry wafting through your home as it simmers away.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound sliced beef, chicken, or pork
• 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup snap peas
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass, chopped
• 1 cup button mushrooms, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
• 3 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

1. Heat the peanut oil in a Dutch oven or stove-safe clay pot with a lid.
2. Add the meat to the pan, and saute until it is browned.
3. Add the onions and peppers to the pan, and saute gently.
4. Pour the chicken stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, curry paste, and Sriracha into the pot.
5. Add the carrots and mushrooms, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat, and then add the beans, peas, lemongrass, and coconut milk to the pan.
7. Cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
8. Remove the lid from the pan, and give the curry a good stir. Adjust the heat so that it continues to simmer with the lid off.
9. Simmer without the lid for an additional 15 - 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
10. Stir in the sesame oil, and serve over white rice.

To make this into a yellow curry dish, omit the red curry paste, and instead use 1 tablespoon of yellow curry powder plus an additional tablespoon of soy sauce. You can also substitute your own favorite vegetables for the ones called for by this recipe. Bean sprouts and sliced bok choy both work well and are commonly found in restaurant curries.

If you have any leftover curry, store it in a glass container in the refrigerator. The curry tends to stain plastic containers. It will stay fresh for up to five days and can be reheated gently on the stove or in the microwave.