Panang Curry with Halibut!

#easyweeknightdinners @ mellelovesfood

Panang Curry with Halibut
Ingredients: 

• about 4-5 oz of halibut, cut into small pieces (no bigger than 1")
• 2-3 tbsp of Panang Curry Paste (I use Mae Ploy but there's also Mae Anong and Maesri)
• 1 can (13.5oz) of coconut milk (I use Chaokoh, just make sure its not the fat free kind, does not come out the same!) 
•  1 bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 cups of green beans, cut to about 1-2 inch pieces 
• 1 (8oz) bag of spinach 
• 2-3 tbsp of thai basil (regular sweet basil works too but so much better with Thai basil, especially fresh)  *** if you want to grow your own, next time you go to a Vietnamese restaurant and order Pho, when they give you the herbs, pluck off all the leaves, take the stem home and literally stick it in dirt. In about 2-3 weeks, it will root and BAM, home grown Thai Basil!***
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp of sugar
• salt/pepper to taste
• optional to add*: pumpkin puree, eggplant, potatoes. I try to limit 2-3 type of veggies so it doesn't become overbearing but its all up to preference. 

Procedures: 

1. In a mixing bowl or Pyrex measuring cup: mix 1/2 can of the coconut milk and curry paste together until well combined, set aside. 
2. For quicker cooking: microwave green beans for 2 minutes. Set aside. I do this for any vegetables that usually take longer to cook (i.e green beans, potatoes, etc) to precook it so it finishes faster.
3. In a medium sized sauce pan, over medium high heat, heat up some olive oil and toss in garlic and bell peppers. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the peppers start to tenderize. Add in precooked green beans and bag of spinach. Cook until spinach is cooked down. Season with salt and pepper. Add in about 1 tbsp of basil and saute with the rest of the veggies for about a minute.
4. Pour in curry coconut milk mixture and stir until just about to boil then add in the rest of the coconut milk. Stir in halibut pieces and basil. Cover for a few minutes until its about to boil and then give it another good stir. Add in sugar one tbsp at a time, mix, and taste in between to make sure its not too sweet. You don't want to add too much sugar. 
5. Turn off heat and cover. The halibut should be done cooking, if not it will finish with residue heat. Let it sit for about 3-5 minutes.
6. Serve curry with rice!