I love ordering Thai take-out, but it kills me to know how much sugar is loaded into one curry dish. I started experimenting with natural sweeteners when making Asian food at home. This dish is not too sweet – it only has a couple teaspoons of agave nectar. It is surprisingly easy to make as well. I came up with the recipe when I was starving after a long day and looking for a quick and comforting meal. In all, it look about 30-40 minutes to prepare (including prep). The squid could easily be substituted for shrimp, chicken or tofu. Just be sure to adjust the cooking times accordingly. If using chicken, I would cook it separately, before cooking the vegetables. If using tofu, you can probably just saute it along with the vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
bamboo shoots (julienned)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ginger
¼ – ½ tsp chile flakes, depending on desired heat
1 lb. cleaned squid, cut into rings
2 anchovies
1 can light coconut milk
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
2 tbsp red chile and garlic paste (I like Lan Chi brand because it has no added sugar)
2 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of ½ lime
10-15 basil leaves
Directions:
In a large saucepan, on medium high heat, saute the pepper and onion in the sesame and olive oil until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add the Squid, bamboo shoots, ground ginger and chile flakes and saute until squid is just cooked through, about 5-8 minutes (squid will begin to turn opaque). Remove vegetables and squid to a plate and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the coconut milk, cornstarch or arrowroot, chili paste, agave nectar, salt and lime juice. Heat in the saucepan on medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken and bubble. Add back the squid and vegetables and heat through. Add the basil immediately before serving and allow to slightly wilt. Serve with rice.
