Healthy Red Thai Beef Curry

Now Thai cooking is flavoursome yet due to the use of coconut milk and oil tends to be a meal high in fat, but with the gorgeous fragrant flavour and use of great herbs and vegetables its a shame to miss it off the menu.

Inspired by a recipe using Kara milk on Slimming Eats, plus my Taste Team challenge to cook around Asia and then adapting  my own Thai recipes, and making new slimming world beef recipes.This meal uses a few less fattening ingredients to make a dish that still gives a flavour of Thailand. My low fat Thai curry gives me yet another fast and easy Slimming World recipe,that the whole family love.

 This will suit those on a low fat diet,  people who have a dairy free diet and great for Slimming World members too.

I replaced the coconut milk in tins for Kara Low Fat Dairy Free Coconut milk found in Tesco Extra.

If you follow Slimming World you can have 400ml of Kara for 1 HEXa, so a serving of this Slimming World Red Thai curry would be quarter of a HExA (100ml of Kara), the dish I cooked served four. So make sure you get the rest of your HEXa

While on the subject of values for Slimming World various Thai curry pastes carry different syn values so please check. I used Thai Taste red curry paste as its 1/2 syn per 60g , chosen  also as it's a good flavoured, authentic spicy paste.
 

My tip is get to the Asian grocers if you have one locally and buy a pack of fresh Kaffir Lime leaves, I got a big bag for 99p and they are in the freezer to just pop into any Asian dish. They really  give a citrus zest to the dish and make it a little more authentic.

I still aim to make the Thai paste myself soon but for now I am rather pleased with the result.

 I cooked with beef to allow for the need to reduce the liquid that comes as a result of using Kara, I am sure chicken would suit, however it will be a more soupy affair.

I was concerned the final dish would be a little too liquid when first cooking, I made sure it had a long time simmering until it was reduced. Its a dish to leave to bubble and fill the house with fragrance.
 

 

400g lean stir fry beef or frying steak

Frylight spray

1 whole green pepper finely sliced

250 Fine green beans

150g mushrooms sliced

60g Thai Taste red paste (1/2 syn) or 3 tablespoons of any Red Thai curry paste (3 syns)

1 tin tomato puree

400- 600 ml of So delicious or Kara Coconut Milk

5 Fresh Kaffir Lime leaves bruised with back of a knife.
 2 stalks of galangal julienned

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

2 sticks of lemon grass

1 large red chiili, greens good too or omit if a milder dish is desired.

Spray a heavy pan or wok with Frylight spray and lightly brown the beef

 add the Red Thai Curry Paste and tomato puree and continue to fry on a low heat for a minute to allow the pastes to infuse with the meat.

Add the pepper strips,  emongrass, fish sauce, chillis if using and stir.

 
Finally add 400 ml of Kara milk, mushrooms, fine green beans and  kaffir lime leaves.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is thoroughly cooked through and sauce has reduced and thickened. If you find you need more Kara milk add accordingly.

The first attempt I used all 600ml, the second I used 400ml and added a splash in the middle of cooking.


About 20-40 minutes dependant on meat used and sauce thickness you wish.

Serve topped with fresh coriander.