THAI RED CURRY CHICKEN

THAI RED CURRY CHICKEN 

This easy Thai Red Curry is fragrant and sumptuous, and can be made anywhere from mild to red-hot, depending on how much spice you prefer. It's a healthy and hearty curry dish that will awaken your senses and boost your mood. Note that in Thailand this curry would be simmered in a wok over a stovetop, but in this case I have adapted it to suit Western cooking methods so that it can be baked in an oven (easier for most North Americans). This means it can be put together and in the oven in under 20 minutes! ENJOY!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

INGREDIANTS:

1/2 medium chicken, cut into parts (remove as much of the skin as possible)
2-3 kaffir lime leaves (purchased frozen at Asian stores), OR substitute 1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 cinnamon stick (OR substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
fresh basil and coriander/cilantro for garnish

RED CURRY SAUCE:

 1 can coconut milk
2 shallots OR 1/2 cup purple onion, sliced
1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger)
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. tomato ketchup, OR tomato paste + 1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder (North American type)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
2 heaping tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)
1-2 fresh red chilies, minced, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili

VEGTABLES:

1 red bell pepper, chopped
2-3 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
optional: 1-2 cups chopped eggplant (leave skin on), OR 4-5 Thai eggplants

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place chicken pieces in a fairly large casserole dish.
Place all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process well.
Pour the curry sauce over the chicken. Stir well, so that each of the chicken pieces is covered with sauce.
Add the kaffir lime leaves and cinnamon, mixing these into the sauce.
Cover and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove dish from the oven. Add the vegetables and stir them into the sauce. Return the curry to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is well cooked.
Do a taste test. If the sauce isn't salty enough, add more fish sauce (1 Tbsp. at a time). If it's too sour, add a little more brown sugar. If too spicy, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough, add a few fresh-cut chilies or dried crushed chili/cayenne pepper.
Ladle the curry into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle generously with fresh basil and coriander (cilantro), and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice. ENJOY!