This dish is so simple…sauteed shallots, garlic, mushrooms and spinach deglazed with white wine, mixed into a heaping pile of delicious, brilliant Israeli couscous. Hellllloooo.

Israeli couscous is much larger than the typical Moroccan style cous. It is a small pasta also known as “pearl couscous.” It cooks super quickly and can be used in a variety of dishes including salads, soups and on it’s own as a side.

To cook the couscous, add to a pot with some olive oil and toast over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add water and salt (don’t skip!) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

For the vegetables, add sliced shallot to a pan with olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften and then add the garlic.

Stir for 30 seconds before adding the sliced mushrooms. Let saute for a few minutes and then pour in the white wine.

Turn the heat to medium-high and saute until the alcohol has been cooked out, about 5 minutes. Add a few handfuls of spinach and cook down until wilted.

Rinse the couscous under cold water and add to the pan with the vegetables. Stir until combined, turn off heat and add a squeeze of lemon. Side dish perfection.

Serve at your holiday dinner…or bring to someone else’s! Double the recipe if you have a large party to feed.

White Wine Israeli Couscous with Spinach and Mushrooms

Serving size: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• olive oil
• 2 cups water
• salt
• pepper
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup good white wine
• 2 handfuls spinach
• squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the couscous and toast over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. It will become fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallot and let cook for a minute in the oil. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, a few grinds of fresh black pepper and a pinch of salt. Saute for another minute and then add the white wine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the alcohol has been cooked out – about five minutes. Add the spinach and continue to cook until it is wilted down.
3. Finally, add the cooked couscous to the pan, tossing with the vegetables. Turn the heat off after a minute, add a squeeze of lemon and a few more grinds of pepper and some salt to taste. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

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I used to think dishes like this were intimidating. So many ingredients. So many ingredients I didn’t know!? But I quickly realized how very untrue that is. And not to mention, once you prep all of the ingredients, a lot of Thai dishes are really quick to make. Perfect for a fast, post-work meal! This green curry uses a few staples from the Thai kitchen, including:

• Thai (apple) eggplant
• Kaffir lime leaves
• Red chilis
• Thai basil
• Fish sauce, and
• Coconut milk

BUT! I also have added a few (untraditional) twists of my own in this recipe, like:

• White (or sweet) potatoes [Because potatoes make everything better. Also because, when I first tried authentic green curry, I thought I was eating potatoes, but really I was eating delicious little eggplant gems that are native to Thailand. What a great discovery. Luckily, I found these eggplant at a local Asian grocery store (phew!) but I started thinking that potatoes might pair well with the eggplant]
• Spinach (Healthy AF), and
• Scallions (They’re green)

Let’s talk paste. I have made my own curry paste in the past and it’s a lot of work. It’s basically a substitute for arm day at the gym. But like a good gym sesh, I’ve never regretted it. So if you are up for the challenge, and can find all of the ingredients, grab your mortar and pestle and do it up (or just use a food processor). Otherwise, just go store bought. I’ve used Thai Kitchen and it does the trick!

Now let’s get to it! 

Cozy Green Thai Curry

Servings: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp green curry paste (store bought or homemade)
• 3 tbsp coconut cream
• 1 medium white (or sweet) potato, small dice
• 2 Thai eggplant, quartered*
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1-2 kaffir lime leaves (dried or fresh if you can find it)
• 2 tsp fish sauce 
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach 
• 10-15 Thai basil leaves 
• cooked jasmine or basmati rice (about 1/2 cup dry)
• 1 scallion, sliced
• red chilis (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat a large wok over low heat, and add curry paste and coconut cream. Fry until fragrant, about one minute. 
2. Add the potato and eggplant, stirring to coat it with the curry paste mixture. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar and continue to boil until potato and eggplant are just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove lime leaves from wok.
3. Add in your handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted. Add the Thai basil, stir and turn the heat off. 
4. Serve with your favourite rice (I like jasmine).
5. Garnish with scallions, red chilis and more basil, if you’re into that. 

NOTES:

*I find Thai eggplant at my local Asian supermarket, but if you can’t find it, just stick with whichever type of eggplant you can find, or just the potatoes!

Additions: You can also make this recipe with tofu or a protein of your choice (chicken is popular)! For tofu: Cube and crisp on all sides in a pan with some vegetable oil and then add to the wok with the basil. For chicken: Add sliced, raw chicken to wok after curry paste and coconut cream, and fry until meat turns white (it will continue cooking when the coconut milk is boiling). 

The post Cozy Thai Green Curry appeared first on Never. Not. Eating..