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1
Place tamarind square in small bowl.
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2
Cover with boiling water and let stand until pulp softens, breaking apart occasionally with fork, about 45 minutes.
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3
Using slotted spoon, transfer tamarind pulp with seeds to strainer set over medium bowl.
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4
Press pulp through sieve, leaving seeds behind.
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5
Measure 2 teaspoons pulp for sauce (discard remaining pulp).
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6
Cook squash in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes.
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7
Drain squash.
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8
Return to same saucepan and mash to smooth puree.
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9
Cook guajillo chiles in medium saucepan of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.
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10
Drain, cool, stem, and seed chiles.
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11
Place chiles in blender.
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12
Add 1/2 cup water, lemongrass, shallot, ginger, garlic, and lime peel.
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13
Puree until chile paste is smooth.
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14
Transfer paste to medium saucepan.
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15
Whisk in coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp.
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16
Add kabocha squash puree and bring to simmer, whisking often.
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17
Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors blend, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes.
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18
Season sauce to taste with salt.
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19
(Can be made 3 days ahead.
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20
Cover and chill.)
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21
Bring medium pot of water to boil; salt generously.
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22
Add snow peas and cook just until crisp-tender, about 15 seconds.
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23
Using large slotted spoon, transfer peas to colander.
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24
Rinse with cold water and drain well.
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25
Repeat cooking, rinsing, and draining with each remaining vegetable in separate batches in same pot of boiling salted water until vegetables are just crisp-tender, about 1 minute for asparagus, about 3 minutes for eggplant and zucchini, and about 1 minute for bok choy leaves.
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26
Pat snow peas dry; cut on diagonal into thin strips.
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27
(Vegetables can be made 2 hours ahead.
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28
Let stand at room temperature.)
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29
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat.
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30
Add vegetables and toss until heated through, about 4 minutes.
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31
Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
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32
Bring sauce to simmer.
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33
Spoon 1/3 cup in center of each of 6 plates.
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34
Mound 1/16 of vegetables on each plate and serve.
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35
*Tamarind is a legume with large brown seedpods.
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36
The pulp is used in Indian, Thai, Caribbean, and Latin American cooking.
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37
The pulp is sold in block form and is available at Indian markets.
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38
**Guajillo chiles are maroon-colored, fairly hot dried chiles up to 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
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39
Available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets.
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40
Guajillo chiles are maroon-colored, fairly hot dried chiles up to 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide.
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41
Available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets.
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42
*Found at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.
