Thai Shrimp Pad Ped - Eggplant & Shrimp Curry in Red Coconut Sauce

Shrimp Pad Ped

Our favourite item on the Thai menu, often described as

EGGPLANT CURRY - PAD PED: sauteed eggplant, bell peppers and onion in Thai red curry and coconut milk sauce.

• 
  

  Rainbow Peppers

   

  

  Red Curry Paste

Shrimp in this recipe can be replaced with tofu, sliced & blanched chicken or beef. The ingredients were in my pantry, so I recreated it as follows. 

Ingredients:
1 lb. extra-jumbo shell-on shrimp (16-20/lb.), shelled & deveined
2 Japanese eggplant, cut in 2" lengths
8-10 rainbow peppers, deseeded and quartered
1 (14 oz.) can thick coconut milk
2 tsp. (or more according to taste) red curry paste
1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch or paprika
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp. garlic paste
1 large tomato, diced
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1/2 tsp. brown sugar (optional)
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil, pan-fry eggplant and shrimp just until shrimp turn pink and set aside.
2. Stir coconut milk in a small saucepan with red curry paste and rainbow peppers and simmer on low heat until needed.
3. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet and stir-fry onions, garlic, paprika and tomatoes until oil resurfaces.
4. Add fish sauce and brown sugar and stir well.
5. Return eggplant and shrimp to skillet, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Pour coconut milk and rainbow peppers into skillet and stir.
7. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes, adjust salt to taste and serve on a bed of steamed Basmati or jasmine rice.