Red Curry Beef and Vegetable Stirfry

Tonight I really wanted a big serve of vegetables - haven't quite felt that I have eaten enough of them lately and was really fancying the vitamin hit!! But at the same time wanted lots of flavour.

Many years ago I used to make a beef red curry but of course then it was full fat coconut milk, oil and lots of noodles. Needless to say once the thought of this dish was in my head I just couldn't get rid of it and set about recreating it to fit in with my Weight Watchers lifestyle, but not as a curry rather a stirfry. Using Red Curry Paste made it a quick meal to prepare and it also wasn't overly spicy but still had a little kick.

Thankfully the kids are great at experimenting with new flavours and are also getting better at handling a little more spice in their meals so naturally they enjoyed this dish not to mention Noel and I did too. In fact there was a little bit of disappointment when I packed the leftovers up for Noel's lunch - I think the kids wanted to eat it after school tomorrow!!

Red Curry Beef and Vegetable Stirfry

Serves: 4
Points per serve: 6.5

60 grams raw cashews
cooking spray
500g lean beef strips
1 brown onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced on diagonal
3 tablespoons red curry paste
375ml can Carnation Light and Creamy Coconut Evaporated Milk
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 red capsicum, sliced
2 bunches bok choy, roughly chopped
200 grams snowpeas
100 grams bean sprouts
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander

Preheat grill on high. Place cashews on a baking tray and grill for several minutes to roast. Set aside.

Spray a wok or large frying pan with cooking spray and cook beef in batches for 2 - 3 minutes until browned but not overcooked. Remove from the pan. Add the onion, carrots and 1 tablespoon water and stirfry for 2 - 3 minutes or until carrots are softened and water evaporated. Remove from the pan also.

To the same wok or frying pan add the red curry paste and the evaporated milk. Bring to the boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and fish sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Add the capsicum and cook for a further 2 minutes. Return the beef, onions and carrots to the pan and add the bok choy and snow peas. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Mix together the water and cornflour. Stir through the cornflour mixture until it thickens. Add the bean sprouts, mixing to combine. Serve immediately scattered with the cashews and coriander.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)