Mushroom and broccolini curry

The Goods:

1 cup jasmin rice

1/2 dozen crimini mushrooms

1 bunch broccolini

2/3 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup fresh lemongrass

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp sriracha sauce

1/4 tsp dried thai chili peppers*

1 tsp chopped galangal

1 tsp shredded kaffir lime leaves

1 black cardamom pod**

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp peanut or sunflower oil

Set the rice to cook in a rice cooker (or a pan). Thinly slice the lemongrass. Add the lemongrass to a mortar along with the coriander, turmeric, chili powder, sriracha, chili peppers, galangal, and lime leaves. Grind these ingredients together. Quarter the mushrooms. Trim off the stems (or not, if stems are your jam) from the broccolini and slice the remaining stalks. Add the oil to a wok and set to medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms to the wok. The oil is hot enough when it thins out in the pan and begins to show ripples, but before smoking. Cook the mushrooms for a few minutes, then add the broccolini. After another few minutes (the vegetables should not take long to cook on high heat), add the spice mixture from the mortar, a bit of ground black pepper, the soy sauce, and the fish sauce. After yet a few more minutes, the bottom of the wok will begin to brown. Finally, add the coconut milk. The milk is thin enough to crudely deglaze the bottom of the wok. Cook until the coconut milk has thickened a bit. Serve over jasmin rice.

*Christina's in Inman Square boasts an incredible selection of dried chili peppers (and everything else). These thai chilis are definitely toward the hotter end (8 out of 10, per Christina's internal rating system).

**Also obtained from Christina's.