With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, Thai food might be the last thing on your mind. But we think this GREEN curry fits the bill just fine! This flexible recipe by Megan Markey of Whole Family Fare is fresh enough for spring but still gives that winter warmth we’re craving.  Full of really amazing nutrition and just the spicy kick you need, this curry fits the bill for everything we’re craving in the in-between days of March! Here’s Megan…

Thai green curry, or kaeng khiao wan, is by far my favorite of all the curries. As its name implies, it’s chock full of green superfoods – cilantro, Thai basil, green chilies and lime. I love its delicate balance of spicy and sweet. I also love the creaminess that coconut milk lends it. It’s traditionally made with chicken or beef (along with shrimp paste and fish sauce), so eating it out is near impossible for me. Instead, I came up with this vegan version, which stands up really well to the traditional dish. It calls for several ingredients that may not be readily available to you, but seek them out if at all possible; the finished dish is well worth the effort!

• Superfood Thai Green Curry

• Curry Paste Ingredients

  1 cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
  1/4 cup shallots, peeled
  4 cloves garlic
  1 2-inch piece of ginger (or galangal)
  1 stalk lemongrass
  4 small green chilies
  1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  1 tsp. coconut sugar
  1 tablespoon shoyu or tamari
  1/2 tsp. salt
  pinch of white pepper
  juice of 1 lime
  1/4 cup coconut milk (more as needed)

• Curry ingredients

  2 tablespoons coconut oil
  2 zucchini
  2 red bell peppers
  4 kaffir lime leaves
  1 can coconut milk
  Thai basil, for garnish

• Directions

  Begin by making the curry paste. Place all ingredients except for coconut milk in the bowl of a food processor. Process until it forms a paste, adding coconut milk as
  necessary. Set aside, and slice the zucchini diagonally, width wise.

  Slice the bell peppers. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the coconut oil, then add the zucchini and bell pepper. Saute until soft, then add the curry paste and remaining coconut milk.

  Prepare the lime leaves by removing the central stem, and cutting into thin strips. Add to pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender; about 30 minutes. Serve with fresh Thai basil.