You know you have a great friend when she offers to drive over four hours (each way) to stay at your house and take care of your animals, so you can get away for a few days. When that same friend also brings you a couple cans of the best green curry sauce this side of Thailand, you wish you could clone her.

Incredible but true, my friend Sam did both of these amazing things recently. I came home to an immaculate house, three spoiled but happy cats, and 16 well-fed ducks. Now about that green curry…

I love a good Thai green curry, but because it’s made with fresh and hard-to-find (for me, anyway) ingredients and with no Thai restaurant nearby, I rarely have a chance to enjoy it. Moreover, I had never found a commercial green curry sauce that had a “wow” effect, until Sam turned me onto a brand she found in Guam — Aroy-D. Although I’ve seen it online ($5.99 shipping for a $2 can of sauce?), neither of us have been able to find it at our regional Asian markets, so the last time Sam went to Guam, she brought home a case of the stuff. And, generous soul that she is, she gave me a couple of cans from her private stash. That stuff is fantastic — as good as any I’ve had in a Thai restaurant. And it's makes a quick and easy meal that tastes like it took forever to prepare.

For the dish you see in the top photo, I stir-fried extra-firm tofu with sliced onion, bok choy, green peas, and a red chile. Once everything was cooked, I simply added the green curry sauce and simmered it for a few minutes, then served it over some brown rice. Mmmm. Thanks again, Sam!

Labels: thai green curry