Thai Summer Garden Curry

I made this with eggplant, basil, green sweet pepper, green beans and cherry tomatoes from our family’s garden. It went over big with the family, though my 5 year old–who is in a picky stage–denounced it as ‘sour.’ One of the things I like about this dish is that it brings together the foods we have plenty of right now–local–fusing them with flavors and techniques that are, well, global. It’s a dish where meat is more of a flavoring than a center-of-the plate item, and it relies on rice to ‘stretch’ it. Eat it, and savor each bite, allowing its flavors to remind you of the bounty of God’s creation and of people whose lives are flavored differently than yours.

Here’s how to make your own!

First get some of this good stuff–

And set aside.

Process in food processor or blender until smooth:

• 1 lb. ground beef (or make it vegetarian/vegan by leaving out the beef and adding extra veg.)

• 3 cups eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 green pepper, diced

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the meat is well-browned and the pepper is starting to caramelize. Then add the curry mixture and stir until very fragrant. Add:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup green beans, snipped into pea-sized bits
• salt & freshly ground pepper (preferably white) to taste

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into slivers

Serve immediately with plain steamed rice.