Red Curry Salmon

There's a Thai restaurant near my work and I've just been absolutely addicted to their Red Curry Salmon. There was one week I ate it twice that same week for lunch. Talk about addiction!

Well, since I seem to be spending too much at the restaurant, I decided to see how difficult it was to make the dish. To my surprise, it's quite simple!

I have to admit, the restaurant's had a more distinct flavor--probably from having the curry "sit" or "cure" for a while. Nonetheless, what follows is delicious and most of all, so simple to make and takes no more than half hour and it's ready!

Needed:
1 T canola oil
1 - 2 T Thai red curry paste
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can coconut milk
1 lb salmon fillets, cut into chunks
7 - 8 basil leaves
salt to taste
Thai fish sauce, optional
1/2 T white sugar
Sliced vegetables: your choice of asparagus, baby corn, green beans, red pepper, green pepper, yellow squash, or all! Maximum of 4 cups vegetables combined as a ratio for the sauce and salmon

How to make:
1. Heat oil in a large pot with lid. Saute the curry paste first, then the chopped onion. Cook until onion is transparent.

2. Add coconut milk and allow to boil softly. Continue to let boil and add vegetables--place the harder-to-cook vegetables in first and cook (for example, put in green beans first as they are firmer in texture and will require longer to cook). Then, add the other vegetables gauging which ones will need to cook longer and putting those in the pot before the others that will take lesser time to cook. Let simmer to let the vegetables cook, until crispy (not mushy).

3. When the vegetables are cooked, add the salmon. Do not stir and just allow the salmon to cook in the sauce. Stirring will cause the salmon to break up.

4. Season with salt or Thai fish sauce according to your liking. Add a bit more red curry, for desired spiciness. Add sugar to enhance flavor. Cook for another 5 minutes. Salmon does not take very long to cook and if left too long, will become chewy and dry.

5. When ready to serve, ladle salmon, vegetables and sauce in a bowl. Stir in basil leaves.

6. Best served with warm white or brown rice. Or even Thai sticky rice (I'm sorry, I don't know how to make. LOL!)