Purple Cauliflower Thai Green Coconut Curry with Carrot Noodles
Try this Purple Cauliflower Thai Green Coconut Curry with Carrot Noodles recipe.
Try this Purple Cauliflower Thai Green Coconut Curry with Carrot Noodles recipe.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- juice of half a lime
- florets from 1 head of purple cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon virgin unrefined coconut oil
- â¾ cup diced white onion
- 1/2 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 2.5 tablespoons thai green curry paste
- 1 14oz can coconut milk
- 1 large carrot peeled, blade c
- 1.5 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Carbohydrate 10.9056033333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.319743333333333 g
- Fiber 2.97136661597093 g
- Protein 1.28829666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0439146666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (113g)
- Sodium 44.2175243055556 mg
- Sugar 7.9342367173624 g
- Trans Fat 0.151621 g
- Calories 38 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a medium saucepan halfway full of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the cauliflower florets and cook for 2-3 minutes or until more easily pierced with a fork, but still slightly tender. Drain into a colander, pat dry and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil heats, add in the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Then, add in the curry paste and stir continuously until paste covers the onions. Then, add in the coconut solids from the first half of the coconut milk can. Season with salt and pepper and cook about 2 minutes until bubbling.
- Then, add in the rest of the coconut milk (the oil). Lower to a simmer and add in the cauliflower. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes and then add in the lime juice and carrot noodles and cook for another 5 minutes or until carrot noodles soften to al dente.
- Serve garnished with parsley.
Vibrant green chili heat collides with the rich, lauric acid-heavy fats of coconut milk, coating purple cauliflower florets that retain their anthocyanin pigments when only briefly parboiled. Green curry paste relies heavily on fresh aromatics like galangal, lemongrass, and green bird's eye chilis, providing a volatile aromatic profile that blooms rapidly when fried in coconut oil over medium heat. Frying the paste drives off excess water, concentrating the capsaicin and essential oils before the liquid components enter the pan.
Balancing Fat and Acid in Thai Curry
Coconut milk behaves as an emulsion of water, plant proteins, and medium-chain triglycerides. Separating the thick coconut solids from the watery portion allows the aromatics to fry directly in the natural fats rather than boiling in moisture. Adding fresh lime juice at the final five-minute mark introduces citric acid, which lowers the pH of the sauce and sharpens the perception of the spices without dulling the fresh bite of the carrot noodles.
- If the curry breaks and releases too much oil, whisk in two tablespoons of warm water to re-emulsify the sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to three days; freezing is not recommended because thawed coconut milk tends to grain and separate.
- Parboil the cauliflower for precisely two to three minutes to prevent the cell walls from collapsing entirely before simmering.
