Coconut Red Thai Curry

Photographs by Lea Haas

This simple, yet delicious dish packs a punch of flavor, aroma, a palette of color and health benefits

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Something smells good in the kitchen! This simple, yet delicious dish packs a punch of flavor, aroma, a palette of color and health benefits. It will also garner kudos from anyone fortunate enough to be invited for dinner. Bon Appetit! 

Note: This curry can be served over rice, rice noodles or made as a soup.   

Ingredients: 

• 4 oz. jar Thai red curry paste
• 13.66 oz. can of Native Forest Organic coconut milk unsweetened* [see note below
• 1 small cabbage head or 1/2 of large cabbage, sliced
• 2” peeled ginger, chopped
• 6 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup tamari
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 lime zest & juice
• Coconut oil to sauté

Directions: 

1. In a large pot or pan sauté garlic and ginger in coconut oil until golden. Add in lime zest and squeeze in the juice. 

2. Stir in the cabbage until wilted and tender, add sugar and soy sauce. 

3. Add the Thai curry paste and coconut milk. 

4. Simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes. Taste. You can add water or vegetable stock if wanting it more of a broth.

Suggestions: 

I serve this with zucchini and mixed peppers; red, orange and yellow. I slice the peppers into strips, and quarter and chop the zucchini. When served over noodles, I also like to add asparagus on top (steamed, sauteed or grilled). Experiment and add your favorite vegetables. 

Keep your veggies separate until ready to serve, you can add it to the pot a few minutes before to get warm. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*SPECIAL NOTE:

I am so grateful to a café customer and her vigilant research for bringing to my attention that Thai Kitchen has been under investigation for abusive practices involving monkeys and the procuring of coconuts. There is an ongoing Peta Investigation you can check out here: https://investigations.peta.org/thai-coconut-milk-cruelty/

"Though the Thai government and companies that make coconut products have claimed that monkeys are no longer used in the making of exported products, PETA Asia’s new investigation has confirmed that rampant abuse of primates is still going unchecked — and that Thai coconut industry insiders are deliberately hiding monkey labor in their supply chain."

In addition to this, Thai Kitchen has been purchased by McCormick which also alleges that this practice is no longer occurring. I have written them directly. Until there is proof we will not allow these products to be used in the café and advise you to avoid them as well.

***Update [5/4/26 email response from McCormick & Company headquarters]

"McCormick & Company believes in the fair and humane treatment of animals across our supply chain. As part of our commitment to an ethical supply chain, we are taking definitive actions to monitor and address potential issues. We have partnered with Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) and the Thai government to drive industry-wide change and end Monkey Labor in Thailand. Our suppliers are audited and required to take corrective actions if non-compliances are identified. McCormick & Company is committed to the highest standards of ethical and business conduct. We are against forced labor of any sort.

Our procurement team works closely with suppliers and other stakeholders to uphold our zero-tolerance policy towards forced labor, including monkey labor. We expect our suppliers to adhere to our policies." 

— Lea Haas, Owner, The Garden Cafe Woodstock