Thai red curry that will be ready and on your table in under 30 minutes is what I present to you today.  Ever since that Thai cooking class I participated in a while back, I’ve been venturing beyond the usual Pad Thai and trying my hand at various other dishes.  With my well-stocked pantry of canned coconut milk, red curry paste, frozen kaffir lime leaves, jasmine rice, and rice noodles, I can whip up a satisfying Thai meal any day of the week.
Today, it’s all about this Thai Red Curry with Shrimp and THE special ingredient – mango.  I’ve been waiting for this big reveal day for quite some time now.  You see, the National Mango Board contacted me several months back wondering if I would be interested in contributing to their new cookbook.  Of course, I said yes, are you kidding me?  I wish all decisions were this easy to make. And now in my hand are two copies of this beautiful cookbook hot off the press…one for me and one for one of you!
I do have to give credit to where it’s due. Â My sister-in-law, recalling her trip to Thailand and the unforgettable chicken curry with pineapples she had, suggested, “Hey! Â Why don’t you make some kind of a curry dish?” Â Thanks Grace unnie! Â Things just kinda took off from there, like the addition of sweet potatoes. Â The Hungryman complains sometimes at my liberal use of the nutrient-rich root vegetable. Â He claims I attempt to “sneak” it into everything we eat. Â It certainly paid off this time, though. Â In his face ;).
Before you start messing around on the stove, prep all the ingredients so that once you get going, you can just boom-boom-boom add things to the pan. Â As for the coconut milk, I talk in detail in this post about the importance of not stirring the can prior to use. Â Super important step! Â Add the ingredients in the order pictured below.
Super simple, right? Â Now I could rave about how the coconut milk makes the curry rich and velvety smooth or go on about how the complexity of the red curry is enhanced by the fragrant Thai basil, but let’s take some time to recognize the mango…the unsung hero in the dish.
 Each pillowy morsel acted like a sponge just soaking up all the different flavors, but at the same time, uniquely contributed to the taste experience.  The mango provided a sweetness that seemed to mellow out the heat of the curry, and added another textural element to the dish.  The Hungryman isn’t a fan of the sweet and savory combination (crazy, I know), but even he found himself intrigued by the marriage of flavors and hunting for the camouflaged golden cubes.
Ingredients
- 1 14 fluid oz can coconut milk (Do not shake!)
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 large sweet potato diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 8 oz. raw shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 2 mangoes peeled, pitted and diced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 3 kaffir lime leaves bruised
- 1 cup jasmine rice prepared according to package directions
Instructions
- Scoop the cream at the top of the can of coconut milk (about halfway down), and add it to a large fry pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and turn heat down to low. Simmer, without stirring, until fragrant and coconut cream starts to release oil, about 3-5 minutes. Add the rest of coconut milk and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add sweet potato cubes. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add shrimp and mango and cook until shrimp turns opaque in the center, about 3 minutes. Stir often.
- Season with fish sauce and sugar (taste curry and add more fish sauce if desired). Add Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves, and remove from heat.
- Allow to sit for at least an hour before serving, as the curry becomes thicker and more flavorful with time. Serve with jasmine rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Now onto the giveaway:
For your chance to win a copy of the National Mango Board Cookbook, containing  40+ recipes that are categorized into breakfast, appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts:
• Leave a comment telling me your favorite ways to enjoy mangoes
• Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (or all 3) and leave a comment telling me you did so
• Follow the Mango Board on Facebook
The giveaway will run until midnight June 15, 2014.
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Congratulations, Liz! You’re the winner. Thank you to everyone who entered.
I try to sneak sweet potatoes into everything also! Great minds. But let’s all just concede that they make everything taste better, so it’s all really for the best. I love the sound of this curry. It sounds so crazy flavorful!
Yes! they’re magical like that ;). Sweet potatoes on everything! I wish I could spoon feed you this hehe
Oh my gosh, I am drooling over that sauce. It looks fantastic. Congrats on being featured in a cook book! How exciting! Can’t wait to make this with some fresh basil leaves from my garden! Pinned!
Thank you, friend! Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
The flavors in this are absolutely amazing. Love this so much!
Favorite way to enjoy mango is in a mango salsa
I absolutely love love mangoes. I just peel them and pit them and enjoy. I follow you on facebook only. That recipe looks fantastic.
Carol! Hi! How have you been? It’s nice to hear from you again ;).
This looks finger lickin’ delicious, Unnie!!!!!! I loooove curry in all forms, and for Selah’s birthday we’re having Thai food catered with curry on the menu. 😀 I love to eat mangoes as a smoothie base! Plain, or even on top of large whole grain crackers, smeared with cream cheese, and some honey. 😉
Wow! Can’t believe her bday is just around the corner! Mmm…that sounds delicious!
My favorite way is eating them out of hand, but I also love mango ice cream!
I just like them pealed and sliced and then eaten like an apple. Thank you Min.
Yay, Min! I was so excited when I received this book in the mail this weekend and saw your recipe. I immediately bookmarked it to make it soon. I can’t get enough of mangos!
This looks amazing Min! Congrats on the cookbook feature! How fun. Seriously I want to eat this so bad and I’m one of those anti shrimp people too (I know, I know). Lovely!
Can you believe I don’t think I ever had a mango!
I follow you on all social media!
I also love mango salsa.
Super YUM!! I pinned this, followed & found you from Creative K Kids blog party 🙂 Michelle
I like mango the best in the simplest way. Straight out of the fridge, ripe, cut open, and bitten into. Delicious.
Am also following you on Twitter!! (@sandyroohoo)
I love Thai dishes and have been trying to duplicate our favorite restaurant’s Panang Curry but haven’t quite got it right yet. This looks so delicious and I love the addition of the sweet potatoes My husband is the same way and can’t figure out why I like to add it to many of the dishes I cook (don’t they know how good it is?). I have one question for you – where do you find kaffir lime leaves? I have looked but can’t seem to find them anywhere. Thanks for sharing on Simple Supper Tuesday.
Thank you, Linda! I found mine at an Asian grocery store. Is there one near you? As I started experimenting more with THai cooking, I realized what a different they make!
This looks drool-worthy!
My favorite way to eat mangos is alone! I love slicing them into cubes and eating them right off the peel. 😛
Love the addition of mangoes! Sounds delightful.
This sounds wonderful! I like mango in pretty much everything, but especially in salads to add a little sweetness.
Very cool that your recipe is in the book! I love mangoes in any and every way…this recipe looks fabulous!
Ahhh, I took a Thai cooking class a few years back and of course have only cooked a few dishes since so totally digging this dish and pinning immediately! Man, I wish I lived next to door to you – I love every single recipe you post! Well, I’ll just have to settle for a weekend in Vermont hanging at Blog Brûlée instead 🙂
Thank you so much, Deanna! We would make great neighbors ;). Ooh! Is it too early to begin the countdown? Vermont, here we come!
Really good in a green salad too.
Curries are my go-to quick meals for weeknights, and I can’t wait to try this combo! I could eat a mango in just about any form (it’s my favorite fruit), but my two favorite ways to prepare it are to broil it with honey or to add it to a green smoothie for sweetness. Thanks for sharing, Min!
Mangoes are my fav too! Ooh broiling it with honey sounds amazing! A must try for sure
Love this! Thai food is my favorite – I love to use Mangoes in a chicken stir-fry I make. YUM!
Mango lassi is my favoritest thing to do with mangos (if I’m not eating it straight and fresh).
I love mango smoothies!
follow you on twitter @squigglemefloey
Mango jam is very good.
Love mangoes in a fruit salad.
I have never tried curry or mangoes, but this dish sounds and looks delicious! Thanks for linking to the Ultimate Linky Party!
A mango chutney is always good on bread and chicken.
Mango salsa is very good with tomatoes.
I just love mangoes fresh, they’re so delicious as is. I’ve never tried them in a curry like this but will definitely be giving it a shot!
Following you on Twitter from @Fiare!
Mangoes with chicken is really good.
I love mangoes with pork chops!
I follow mjandhungryman on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I also follow Mango Board on Facebook.
Twitter: @MataFan8, Facebook @Ashley Buggy and instagram: @ashleybuggy2521
I like mangoes in rice pudding.
They are really good on a toasted bagel.
Mangoes are so good in making a sauce.
Mangoes on sourdough toast.
Mango ice cream is pretty darn good.
Mango pudding is delicious.
This looks so comforting. Love that it’s a make ahead meal. Can’t get enough of those on busy weeks!