Thai Green Curry with Spring Vegetables

Ingredients (16)

• 1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger, peeled and chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed and sliced into 2-inch long pieces (to yield about 2 cups prepared asparagus)
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1/4-inch wide rounds (to yield about 1 cup sliced carrots)
• 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste*
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk (I used full-fat coconut milk for a richer curry)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut sugar or turbinado (raw) sugar or brown sugar
• 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce** (I used reduced-sodium tamari)
• Garnishes: handful of chopped fresh cilantro and red pepper flakes, to taste