Oyster mushroom Thai red curry recipe

Try this Thai-inspired red curry with coconut, plenty of veggies and crispy oyster mushrooms.

 

This aromatic, rich, creamy dish is easy to make and guaranteed to spice up your life. Extra points if you make it using oyster mushrooms you have grown yourself using a Grow Wild fungus lab or a mushroom growing kit! 

Full of authentic flavours, beautiful colours and packing plenty of zing, the most important component of a Thai curry is the curry paste. You can make your own curry paste at home using our recipe below. You can also find plenty of great red Thai curry pastes readily available in most supermarkets.

If you do buy pre-made, you try to find one that is authentic and uses real, natural ingredients – always check the label!

Feel free to adjust the heat according to your own tastes.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

1 tbsp – Coconut oil or vegetable oil

1 medium – Red onion (finely chopped)

2 cloves – Garlic (minced)

2 tsp – Fresh ginger (grated or minced)

2–3 tbsp – Thai red curry paste (pre-made or homemade – see homemade recipe below!)

400 ml – Coconut milk

125 ml – Water

1 tsp – Fresh red chilli (minced)

50 g – Fresh coriander (roughly chopped)

1–2 tbsp – Soy sauce or tamari

1 – Lime (juice)

40 g – Oyster mushrooms (sliced)

175 g – Baby sweetcorn (sliced in half lengthways)

100 g – Mangetout

300 g – Tenderstem broccoli (sliced in half lengthways)

¼ tsp – Salt (season to taste)

280 g – Brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice (rinsed)

Optional additions/garnishes

A handful of chopped coriander

A couple of pan-fried whole oyster mushrooms

A wedge of lime

An extra couple tsps of minced fresh red chilli – for those who like a little extra heat!

Method

1. To cook the brown rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 mins – reduce heat as necessary to avoid overflow. Then remove from the heat, drain and return the rice to the pot. Cover and let the rice rest until you're ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with a pinch salt and fluff with a fork.
    
2. To make the curry, warm a large skillet or saucepan (with deep sides) over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil. Add your finely chopped red onion and cook until the onion has softened (3–5 minutes). Add the sliced oyster mushrooms and cook until browned and crisp.
    
3. Add the minced garlic, chilli and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 30 secs) while stirring continuously.
    
4. Add the tenderstem broccoli, mangetout and baby sweetcorn and cook until the veggies are fork-tender (roughly 3–5 mins), stirring occasionally. Next, add the red curry paste and cook, stirring often, for another two minutes or so.
    
5. Add the coconut milk and water and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until all the veggies have softened to your liking. Stir occasionally.
    
6. Add lime, soy sauce/tamari and season with salt to taste. Throw in the roughly chopped coriander and stir well. Remove from heat.
    
7. If you feel the curry needs a little extra kick, add a splash more soy sauce or tamari, a little extra lime juice and if you like a little more heat add some extra minced chilli or chilli flakes.
    
8. To serve, divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped coriander, a couple of whole oyster mushrooms (pan-fried in a little oil until crispy), a couple of thin slices of chilli and a wedge of lime.

 

Homemade Thai red curry paste 

Ingredients

4 medium – Red chillies

5 tsp – Coriander seeds

3 tsp – Cumin seeds

2 stems – Lemongrass (trimmed and chopped)

2 tsp – Fresh ginger (grated)

1 small – Red onion (chopped)

6 cloves – Garlic

2 – Limes (zest and juice)

2 tbsp – Hot paprika

3 cm piece – Galangal (peeled and chopped)

2 – kaffir lime leaves (finely shredded)

3 tbsp – Coconut oil

Method

1. Begin by slicing the red chillies in half – remove and discard the seeds.
    
2. Pre-heat a small frying pan over a medium heat then add the coriander and cumin seeds. Toss them lightly to draw out their fragrant flavours.
    
3. After about 3–5 mins, add the toasted seeds into a mortar or pestle and crush them finely to a powder.
    
4. Next, add the chillies, spices and all the other ingredients into a food processor and blitz into to a coarse paste.
    
5. To store, freeze in 2–3 tbsp portions. This mix will keep for up to two months!