Most of my friends know the one thing they can do for me if they ever make me mad – give me a mango. Mangoes are the sunshine of my life. Eating the ripe flesh of a mango boosts my mood like nothing else in the world can do. I’ll forgive practically anything if someone gives one to me. They just make me so damn happy!

So, obviously, I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate mangoes into my day-to-day life. And mango curry is a great option. I’ve been craving a Thai-style curry for a while, and since I finally got my hands on some red curry paste (why is it so hard to find in Virginia Beach? ugh) I figured today would be a nice opportunity to get my curry fix and try something new.

Here’s my basic recipe for the curry I made tonight. It was good – spicy with a hint of sweetness.

Mango Curry

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 small jalapeno, de-seeded and minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 can full-fat coconut milk, plus 1 can’s worth of water
2 Tbs red curry paste
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs tamari
1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 bunch Thai or regular basil, chopped

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, saute the onion in the oil for 5-7 minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add  the red pepper strips, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, and saute for a few more minutes, until everything is fragrant. Add the coconut milk, additional water, curry paste, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

After the curry is boiling, turn the heat down and bring to a low simmer. Add the tofu and mango. Let simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes for all the flavors to come together. Right before you turn off the heat, add the basil. Serve over jasmine rice, or another grain of choice.

I loved having a curry with fresh fruit in it. I think the next curry I make will have pineapple – I once went to Thai Basil in Asheville and ordered a pineapple curry that was out of this world. Have you ever had a curry made with fruit?