Sunday, March 7, 2010

Thai One On - Red Curry with Chicken & Vegetables

From Thai Red Curry
When my husband and I first started dating, one of the first dinners I ever made for him was Thai Red Curry with Chicken. I was in my mid-twenties and didn’t know much about cooking and certainly nothing about curry. This is a very simple dish and really the only way to go wrong is in the amount of curry paste you add. Mine went wrong. Very wrong. I must have put the entire jar into the pan because with the first bite, he started to sweat. By the third bite, it was running down the poor guy’s forehead! Nevertheless, he was sweet and ate the entire bowl! Now that’s love.

Over the 14 years we’ve been together, I’ve figured out a few more things about cooking and have realized a tablespoon or two of curry paste adds the perfect amount of taste and heat to this recipe without the need for a shower after.

Although this version uses chicken, beef and pork also work well. I especially like the addition of sugar snap peas as they add an amazing freshness and crunch to the dish. The ingredient, however, that MAKES this dish is the pineapple. I highly recommend using fresh pineapple not canned whenever possible – its sweetness adds an amazing depth that also offsets the heat of the curry paste.
This recipe serves 2-3 people with enough for seconds (and you will want seconds) but not enough for leftovers. It is also a good recipe when you have left over chicken or rice to save time in the kitchen.

Ingredients
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas
  • ½ large jalapeno, minced
  • 1 can bamboo shoots
  • ½ fresh pineapple, cored and chopped
  • 1 sweet red pepper, julienned
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • ½ chopped fresh basil
  • 1 can lite coconut milk
  • 1-2 Tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce or 1 Tbsp anchovy paste (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced or diced into large pieces
  • 3-4 cups cooked rice

Wok to do:)
In a wok or large sauté pan, heat oil on medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 minutes or until translucent. Add paste and stir. Add coconut milk. Stir in fish sauce or anchovy paste, brown sugar, and stock. Reduce to medium heat. Add cooked chicken, peas, jalapeno, bamboo shoots, pineapple and red pepper. Heat thoroughly, about ten minutes.

Place ½ cup rice in each bowl and add 1 cup or more curry mixture to each. Garnish with basil. Enjoy!
From Thai Red Curry
From Thai Red Curry
From Thai Red Curry
From Thai Red Curry

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