Thai wok with coconut milk

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 400 g chicken breast or pork schnitzel
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sambal oelek
• 2 tbsp Thai curry paste, red, yellow or green as desired
• ½ bunch Thai basil or regular basil
• 2 carrots
• 300 g bush beans, fresh
• 300 g mushrooms of your choice (e.g. shiitake and mushrooms)
• 1 can coconut milk

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Cut the meat into bite-sized strips or pieces and marinate with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, the soy sauce, and the sambal. Set aside and let it sit. In the meantime, clean and finely chop the vegetables and mushrooms (if you’re lazy, you can also use frozen vegetables; broccoli and cauliflower are also good options). Pick the basil leaves, rinse them, and shake them dry. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a wok and do the “skewer test”: Place a wooden skewer into the hot oil. The oil should start to boil on the skewer; only then has the oil reached the right temperature. Now add the basil leaves to the hot oil and fry briefly. Remove them with a ladle and let them drain on kitchen paper. Now add the meat and marinade to the oil and sear all over. Then add the vegetables and sear briefly until crisp. Stir in the curry paste and deglaze with the coconut milk. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes; the vegetables should remain firm to the bite. Authentic Thai fragrant rice or basmati rice goes best with this dish. Serve the rice and coconut sauce in portions on plates and sprinkle with the fried basil. Notes: This recipe can be varied in many ways, depending on the type of meat, vegetables, and curry paste you choose (caution! The red curry paste is the hottest!!!). Just mix and match! The Thai ingredients (sesame oil, Thai basil, curry paste) can be found at Asian stores. Coconut milk and sambal are also available at regular supermarkets. If you don’t like it too spicy, you should use a little less sambal and curry paste, or omit the sambal altogether. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, simply mix cornstarch with a little water in a cup until smooth, carefully add it to the boiling sauce, and stir vigorously. Don’t add too much, or the sauce will thicken immediately! Always dilute with water only, not with milk or cream!