THAI GREEN CURRY WITH SHRIMP

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 16

12 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro stems and leaves, plus whole leaves, for serving
4 serrano chiles, seeded and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 shallots, quartered
One 1-inch-piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 stalk lemongrass (tender inner core from the bottom third only), roughly chopped
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, plus more, optional
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
One 13 1/2-ounce can coconut milk
1 pound large head-on shrimp (about 12), peeled and deveined with heads and tails left on
Juice of 1 lime
12 small cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces snow peas, trimmed

Steps:

Put the kaffir lime leaves and 1/3 cup of the oil in a blender. Set at the blender's lowest speed, start the blender and slowly increase the speed to high. Blend for 25 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean small bowl and reserve. Clean the blender carafe.
Put the cilantro, chiles, garlic, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup water in the blender. Set at the blender's lowest speed, start the blender and slowly increase the speed to medium-high. Blend for 40 seconds to make a fine puree, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the carafe.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the cilantro puree. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and olive green, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the fish sauce and brown sugar. Cook 1 minute more, then add the coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups water. Add more salt and fish sauce if desired. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the shrimp and lime juice. Cover and cook until the undersides of the shrimp are beginning to turn pink, about 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp, cover and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and snow peas, cover and cook until the shrimp are pink on both sides and cooked through, about 1 minute more.
Ladle the curry into 4 soup bowls. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and drizzle with some of the kaffir lime oil.