Healthy Eating: Thai Red Curry

Recipe By Russ Crandall Nutritional Information (per serving) Calories: 625 Protein: 54 g Carbs: 18 g Fat: 36 g Ingredients: (Serves 4) Paste: 4 dried red chile peppers 1 jalapeño, seedless 10 cloves garlic 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp shrimp paste 1 tbsp white peppercorns 3 shallots 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled 1 stalk lemongrass, sliced Handful of fresh cilantro stems 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil 2 lbs shrimp, peeled 14 oz coconut milk, divided 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 red bell pepper, sliced Juice of 1/2 lime Small handful of basil leaves Directions: 1. Combine paste ingredients in a blender until smooth, adding water if needed, and set aside. 2. Warm coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add shrimp. 3. Stir-fry until pink and cooked through, in batches if needed, for one minute. 4. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 5. Reduce heat to medium and add 1⁄4 cup of the paste to the skillet. 6. Bring to a simmer and sauté, stirring constantly, about four minutes. 7. Stir in half of the coconut milk and simmer about eight minutes, then add the shrimp. 8. Stir in the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, and bell pepper and cook for another minute. 9. Add the lime juice and basil leaves and serve. Quick Tip: Before you blend the chiles, soak them in warm water for half an hour to ensure you get the right consistency for your paste.