It’s not solitude or low temps that make for the more challenging aspects of year-round living in the Hamptons. It’s cravings for specific dishes from restaurants that shutter in the off-season.
Case in point: Boa Thai-Asian Fusion in Southampton. This family-owned Thai-Asian fusion gem offers a mean green curry, but only in season. Established in 2011 by the four Boahirunya siblings, the restaurant honors a childhood spent watching their parents cook, a devotion that has become a professional legacy. Until their doors at 129 Noyac Road swing open again for the warmer months, locals must find ways to satisfy that specific yearning at home.
Curry settles into the consciousness. Once someone experiences a truly balanced version, the dish rears its head on those lingering cold days when only a meal with significant depth and warmth will do. While winter vegetables usually dominate the local landscape this time of year, this particular recipe looks forward, incorporating the bright crunch of asparagus and the silkiness of fresh spinach and carrots.
This healthy, vegetarian version of the classic Thai staple remains simple enough for a Tuesday night while delivering a flavor profile that feels far more complex. It relies on a few strategic upgrades to bridge the gap between a quick weeknight dinner and the authentic heat of a professional kitchen.
Fresh aromatic ingredients define Southeast Asian cuisine. While pounding your own paste from scratch remains the gold standard, it isn’t always a realistic ambition while stuck driving home in the “trade parade” after a long workday. The trick to a professional-grade sauce is “fortifying” a high-quality jarred base. Sautéing the store-bought paste with fresh garlic, ginger and lemongrass resuscitates the flavors, reclaiming the vibrance often lost in the jar.
The final requirement for success involves the coconut milk. Reach for the full-fat tins. Since fat carries the flavor, low-fat versions result in a sauce that lacks body and richness. For an even more indulgent result, coconut cream provides a velvety texture that stands up beautifully to the heat of the green chilies.
While we eagerly await the lights flickering back on at Boa and the siblings returning to their culinary post, there is a quiet comfort in knowing that a bit of alchemy in your own kitchen can turn a winter evening into a temporary return to your favorite warmer-day cravings.
Tips for the Home Cook
- The “Fry” Method: For the best flavor, don’t just boil your curry paste. Sauté it in the coconut oil first until the oil begins to separate slightly; this “blooms” the spices and releases the essential oils.
- Balancing Act: Thai cooking is a balance of four flavors: salty (soy sauce/fish sauce), sweet (coconut sugar), sour (lime), and spicy (curry paste). Always taste your sauce at the end and add a splash more of whatever is missing.
- Vegetable Versatility: If asparagus isn’t your favorite, snap peas or thinly sliced bell peppers make excellent substitutes. The key is to add them late in the process so they retain their snap.
- Field Trip: Heading up-island? Stop in at Asian One Best Grocery on 1021 Portion Road in Ronkonkoma for all your hard-to-find Asian products.
Thai green curry asparagus, carrots and spinach
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
- 2 tsp coconut or olive oil
- 1 small, white onion, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp high-quality Thai green curry paste
- 1 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp coconut or brown sugar
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (or fresh lime juice)
- 1 1/2 tsp soy or tamari sauce
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 pinch sea salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the basmati rice and boil for 30 minutes. Turn off the burner, drain the rice and return it to the pot on the burner you just used. Cover and let it steam off the heat for at least 10 minutes until ready to serve.
- While the rice boils, warm a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, ginger, garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the sliced carrots and asparagus to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the green curry paste to the center of the pan. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to "bloom" the spices and marry them with the aromatics.
- Pour in the coconut milk, water and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the carrots and asparagus are tender but not mushy.
- Stir in the chopped baby spinach and cook for just 30 seconds until wilted.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the rice vinegar and soy sauce. Taste and add salt or red pepper flakes as needed to achieve a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.
- Divide the steamed rice into bowls, ladle the curry over the top, and garnish generously with fresh cilantro.
