Courgette Curry Sauce - Thai Green Style

Like many vegetable growers, we always end up with a glut of courgettes. Far too many than can be used fresh.
This bulk curry sauce is inspired by the flavours of a Thai Green Curry paste that a friend used to bring back from his visits to Singapore.

It's in no way an authentic recipe, and Thai curry aficionados will probably scoff at the ingredients but, it tastes good so I don't give a stuff!

This sauce goes really well with prawns, fish, chicken and vegetables and is perfect for making in large batches and freezing.

If you don't have whole spices, you can substitute similar quantities of ground spices.
While this recipe has come from a lot of experimentation, nothing is set in stone so, if you don't have any of the spices, just replace with something that tastes similar!

This is a batch recipe - the suggested quantities will produce between 8 and 12 generous portions (depending on how 'loose' you make the sauce).

Ingredients

Spice Mix

• Coriander Seed - 3 tablespoons
• Star Anise - 1 star
• Green Cardamom Pods - bruised - 10
• Cumin Seeds - 1.5 Tablespoons
• Cloves - 3
• Black Peppercorns - 1 teaspoon

Sauce

• Grated Courgette (use a food processor) - 1kg
• Coconut Milk - 1 can or equivalent powder
• Lime Pickle - 2 tablespoons (add more to taste)
• Large Onions - Sliced - 3
• Garlic - 3 large chopped cloves or 1 tablespoon of Garlic Paste
• Grated Ginger - 1 tablespoon
• Chili Flakes - 1 teaspoon - Add more if needed or to taste.
• Fish Sauce - to taste (between 3 and 5 tablespoons)

Method

Step 1: Roast & Grind The Spice Mix

Lightly roast whole spices in a dry pan.
Keep them moving and don't allow them to catch!

Allow to cool and whiz in a spice grinder or beat them to death with a pestle and mortar. You want to end up as fine a powder as you can be bothered to create.

Step 2: Blend & Combine

Place two thirds of the grated courgette into a blender and whiz until smooth.
Split into batches if needed.
If your grated courgette was frozen (we freeze it in bags, flattened on a baking tray until solid), there will be a fair bit of 'juice' in the bag. Throw that in as well!

Add the coconut milk, dry spice mix and lime pickle.  

Blend again until smooth.

Step 3: Fry

Pre-heat a decent glug of vegetable/sunflower oil in a large non-stick pan.

Add the sliced onion and fry the until softened (a little browning is fine).

Add the garlic and ginger. Lightly fry for another 5 minutes. 

Add the remainder of the grated courgette, fry for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Do not allow the mix to catch.

Step 4: Add more Courgette!

Add the blended courgette mix, stir through well and bring to a gentle boil.

Step 5: Fish Sauce

Add the Fish Sauce and stir.

Start off with 2 or 3 tablespoons and add more later if necessary. It's easy to add more to adjust the taste. Don't overdo it at this stage!

Step 6: Patience!

Reduce the heat, place a lid on the pan and allow to simmer gently for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

At the end of the hour, the grated courgette should still be holding it's shape but have softened into the sauce.

Step 7: Check & Adjust

Check the sauce for thickness and spice.
If too thin, decant some sauce and mix with cornflour, add the cornflour mix back into the sauce and stir until thickened.

If too thick, add small quantities of water in order to achieve the desired consistency.

Add more chili powder or flakes if more spice is required (allow to cook for a further 10 minutes if adding extra spice).

Add more Fish Sauce at this stage if required. Again, cook for a further 10 minutes to let the flavour infuse.

Step 8: Cool

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

Step 9: Decant & Store

Decant the mix into suitably sized, freezer-safe containers.