Versions of red curry abound in Thailand, but most are flavored with a paste of red chiles, garlic, shallots, galangal (similar to ginger), and shrimp paste, and have coconut milk as their base.
Light coconut milk works well in this stew, and prepared Thai red curry paste, found in most supermarkets, makes it a snap to put together.
VARIATIONS
Chicken Substitute boned, skinned breast for the fish. Cut into ¼- by ½- by 2-in. strips to ensure quick cooking.
Pork Use tenderloin in place of the fish, trimming fat and cutting meat into ¼-in.-thick strips.
Swap the greens Try green Swiss chard instead of spinach: Thinly slice stems and steam with sweet potato in step 2; thinly slice the leaves and add with fish in step 5.
Make it bountiful Add chopped zucchini or other summer squash, green beans, thinly sliced red pepper, or slivered sweet onion to the sweet potato for the last 5 minutes of steaming time.
Switch the starch Yukon Gold potatoes work nicely in place of sweet potato and have a similar cooking time.