Sweet and Spicy Green Thai Coconut Sauce

Long name I know, but this Thai sauce I completely made up, so I tried to name it based on what is in it. There is a lot of spicy green curry paste and coconut milk. This one has a real sweet taste at first, but the spice creeps up on you!

When I set out to make this sauce, I had the sauce that Surin uses in their Eggplant Noodle dish in mind. However, as any creative process might go, the end result was far from the inspiration. But it is still delicious, sweet and spicy! All you have to do is saute the first three ingredients together for about 10 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes (if you have been reading my other sauce recipes I have been posting this week, you are probably noticing a pattern here). Then, take it off of the heat. After you put the sauce in your heated and sterilized jars, process in your hot water bath/canner for 35 minutes. Let cool on top of towel on counter top for 12 hours, screw lids tight, label, and put on the shelf for a rainy day! This recipe should make about 2-3 pints of sauce.

* I picked up both of the curry pastes at my local Asian market. The ones I got come in 4 ounce cans and are made by the brand "Maesri." I got this one and this one.

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil, enough to coat the pan
• 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped onions or shallots (or a combo of both!)
• 1/2 of a 4 oz can of green curry paste (see note above)
• 1/2 of a 4 oz can of sweet thai noodle sauce (see note above)
• 1 shoot of lemongrass, chopped (watch this video if you don't know how)
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups coconut cream (use mostly the solid stuff that rises to top of can)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar (palm sugar if you happen to have it)
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• Add vegetable stock or water as needed to thin sauce to desired consistency

My serving suggestions would be to saute some sliced eggplant with some vegetable oil in a wok for 3-4 minutes until seared and tender. Serve with rice or noodles. Garnish with fresh torn basil.

*Dont' forget to place your chopped eggplant on a paper towel and salt both sides, letting it sit for 30 minutes. This will take some of the unnecessarily moisture out of them so they will cook better and get rid some of the natural bitterness of the eggplant.