Many of us grow at least a few herbs in the garden, in pots or on the window sill. Supermarkets sell us instant herb gardens: parsley, basil, chives and coriander in luxuriant profusion are available for the snipping. But they're not cheap if you have to keep replacing them. For something more sustainable, if you have the space, grow on your herbs in the ground or in larger pots. And be more adventurous. Did you know that you can grow almost all you need to make Thai curry paste? You don't need a tropical climate or even a greenhouse, a sunny window will do.
Lemongrass - otherwise known as Citronella - is an essential ingredient in Thai food. Dried or processed lemongrass is sold but neither the flavour nor the texture is right (dried is useful for soups or syrups when it is strained out before eating). Unless you have an Asian grocery store or a really big supermarket on your doorstep, you will struggle to find good fresh lemongrass at a reasonable price. However you can grow it from seed ( fine, if you don't mind waiting a couple of years for usable stalks) or you can buy a plant from a nursery (www.victoriananursery.co.u
Chillies - you can grow all sorts of chillies in the UK in much the same way that you might grow tomatoes. If your garden is sheltered and warm you can grow them outside otherwise they are best in a pot or growbag inside or on the patio with a bit of protection. Thai chillies are often very small - in Thailand the literal translation is "mouse shit" whereas we more coyly call them "bird's eye".www.chileseeds.co.uk have a huge range so you can choose your varieties for next season's growing. For already established plants for this summer, visit your local nursery or the diy store, B&Q, have organic chilli plants for sale. They say that the cooler the weather, the milder your chillies will be. Keep picking to keep your chillies coming. You can freeze or dry any gluts. Feed plants with a seaweed based fertiliser.
Ginger - you can grow your own by potting a nice plump fresh looking rhizome (this is the pale brown root-looking thing you will find at the supermarket or greengrocer) in a large pot of well-drained multipurpose compost. Fill three-quarters of the pot, put the rhizome onto the compost with any pinkish nodes facing upwards. You can cover with soil or not. Water regularly and keep in a warm sunny place. Bring inside before the frosts. Ginger kept on damp sand will also sprout nice nodes of delicious pink ginger which you can cut off to eat.
Coriander - you use the roots, leaves and seeds of this easily grown annual herb in Thai cooking. To get an early crop, sow the first seeds in a trough indoors then sow again in the garden at regular intervals to get a constant supply. Place a cloche over the coriander in September to prolong the crop.
Basil - Thai basil is horapha which has a slightly liquorice flavour and they also use kraphao (holy basil). www.nickys-nursery.co.uk have seeds for Queen of Siam, Holy Red, Holy Green plus another 32 more basils...
Makrut (formerly Kaffir) Lime - citrus hystrix - both the glossy leaves and the knobbly fruit are used.www.crosscommonnursery.co.
Garlic and Shallots - both of these alliums are easily grown in the UK. If you don't have a garden you can even grow them in pots from seed or sets. It is said that you plant on the shortest day (December 21st) to harvest on the longest day (June 21st).
Yellow Thai Curry
400ml coconut milk
3 tbs yellow curry paste (see yesterday's Red paste, just add 1 tbs mild Madras Curry Powder to the paste)
350ml vegetable stock
150g carrots, sliced
225g oyster mushrooms, sliced
250g beancurd, drained and cubed
handful of spinach, washed and dried
3 tbs light soy
1 tbs palm sugar
Spoon off the top of the coconut milk and put into a hot wok. Bring to the boil. Add the curry paste. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining coconut milk, stock, carrots and mushrooms. Cook 2 minutes. Add the beancurd, spinach, soy and sugar. Cook another 4 minutes. Serve."
Lemongrass - otherwise known as Citronella - is an essential ingredient in Thai food. Dried or processed lemongrass is sold but neither the flavour nor the texture is right (dried is useful for soups or syrups when it is strained out before eating). Unless you have an Asian grocery store or a really big supermarket on your doorstep, you will struggle to find good fresh lemongrass at a reasonable price. However you can grow it from seed ( fine, if you don't mind waiting a couple of years for usable stalks) or you can buy a plant from a nursery (www.victoriananursery.co.u
Chillies - you can grow all sorts of chillies in the UK in much the same way that you might grow tomatoes. If your garden is sheltered and warm you can grow them outside otherwise they are best in a pot or growbag inside or on the patio with a bit of protection. Thai chillies are often very small - in Thailand the literal translation is "mouse shit" whereas we more coyly call them "bird's eye".www.chileseeds.co.uk have a huge range so you can choose your varieties for next season's growing. For already established plants for this summer, visit your local nursery or the diy store, B&Q, have organic chilli plants for sale. They say that the cooler the weather, the milder your chillies will be. Keep picking to keep your chillies coming. You can freeze or dry any gluts. Feed plants with a seaweed based fertiliser.
Ginger - you can grow your own by potting a nice plump fresh looking rhizome (this is the pale brown root-looking thing you will find at the supermarket or greengrocer) in a large pot of well-drained multipurpose compost. Fill three-quarters of the pot, put the rhizome onto the compost with any pinkish nodes facing upwards. You can cover with soil or not. Water regularly and keep in a warm sunny place. Bring inside before the frosts. Ginger kept on damp sand will also sprout nice nodes of delicious pink ginger which you can cut off to eat.
Coriander - you use the roots, leaves and seeds of this easily grown annual herb in Thai cooking. To get an early crop, sow the first seeds in a trough indoors then sow again in the garden at regular intervals to get a constant supply. Place a cloche over the coriander in September to prolong the crop.
Basil - Thai basil is horapha which has a slightly liquorice flavour and they also use kraphao (holy basil). www.nickys-nursery.co.uk have seeds for Queen of Siam, Holy Red, Holy Green plus another 32 more basils...
Makrut (formerly Kaffir) Lime - citrus hystrix - both the glossy leaves and the knobbly fruit are used.www.crosscommonnursery.co.
Garlic and Shallots - both of these alliums are easily grown in the UK. If you don't have a garden you can even grow them in pots from seed or sets. It is said that you plant on the shortest day (December 21st) to harvest on the longest day (June 21st).
Yellow Thai Curry
400ml coconut milk
3 tbs yellow curry paste (see yesterday's Red paste, just add 1 tbs mild Madras Curry Powder to the paste)
350ml vegetable stock
150g carrots, sliced
225g oyster mushrooms, sliced
250g beancurd, drained and cubed
handful of spinach, washed and dried
3 tbs light soy
1 tbs palm sugar
Spoon off the top of the coconut milk and put into a hot wok. Bring to the boil. Add the curry paste. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add the remaining coconut milk, stock, carrots and mushrooms. Cook 2 minutes. Add the beancurd, spinach, soy and sugar. Cook another 4 minutes. Serve."
