Thai food features on our menu at least a couple of times a month, especially when the weather turns cool. The combination of the fiery Thai chilli paste and sweet creamy coconut milk is irresistible. Over the years, I’ve managed to grow the ingredients needed to make this flavourful paste in my own garden. Lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime (from my mother’s farm) add the distinct taste to a typical Thai curry. The colours vary depending on the chilli used — red , green or yellow.
Usually I make it with chicken and also have a vegetarian version for some friends. One day, I was thinking aloud about not having the tiny eggplants that is such a unique part of an authentic Thai Red Curry. My sister-in-law suggested, “Why not try using our sundakkai ?” It was the perfect substitute. To add to the joy, I actually had sundakkai growing wild in my vegetable patch.
The most common use for this is the dried sundakkai in the delicious vathakozhambhu . It is less commonly used in its green form. I have used it in a moru kozhambhu and a simple poriyal before and was pleased with the results. Now I was going to use it in a different cuisine. In my head, the flavours of the green sundakkai seemed perfect for a Thai Curry.
I pounded the bright red chillies in my pestle and mortar and watched that glorious red spread to the small onions, garlic, ginger and other ingredients. Once the array of veggies were sautéed in the vibrant curry paste and the coconut milk had mellowed it down, it was time for my star ingredient. Along with the final garnish of bright red chillies and tulsi leaves, in went the sundakkai .
The tiny berry cooks quickly. It is soft but retains a bite. As I took my pan off the fire, I knew it would continue to cook in the residual heat for some more time.
To think we have been sourcing these from special grocers across the country when it was sitting right here in our very gardens.
