24/03/2003 11:54:24

Thai Curry Chicken

Most Thai cooking is made up of a combination of hot, sour and sweet tastes. The measurements for the curry paste (hot), fish sauce (sour) and the sugar (sweet) are just a rough guide. The peanut butter acts as a thickener. Taste the curry and adjust these ingredients as desired.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. Thai curry paste*
1 boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 10 oz. can of coconut milk*
1-2 tbsp. peanut butter (unsweetened if possible)
1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce*
1 tbsp. sugar
1 potato, cubed
2 carrots, cubed
any vegetables available (broccoli and cauliflower are good)
3 Kaffir lime leaves* (optional)
· · · · Method
Put potatoes, carrots, and veggies in a pot, add enough water to cover, and boil until soft. Drain and set aside. In a wok or large frypan, heat oil and add curry paste. Fry for about 1 minute until it's well mixed with the oil and then add the chicken. Stir fry chicken until no longer pink and then add onion, cooking until onion is soft. Reduce heat to low and add coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Blend in peanut butter until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust as desired. Add vegetables and lime leaves to wok. Stir and simmer for 5 to 15 minutes (depending on how much time you have!) Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.
* Canned coconut milk can be found in most supermarkets. The curry paste and fish sauce are available in Asian grocery stores. Kaffir lime leaves are harder to find, but don't worry the recipe doesn't suffer without them. If you do find fresh ones, you can dry them by putting in a 200° oven for 10-15 minutes. Store them in the refrigerator until needed.