Recipe Thai Red Curry Chicken

[detroitdad]

Good Morning (or evening )

For dinner tonight I'm going to try my hand at a Thai dish. I'll post the recipe, then the tweaks I plan on making. Feel free to sound off with your thoughts.

Thanks


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 bunch broccolini, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan of 3 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Heat canola oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken, shallots and garlic to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in red curry paste and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Stir in broccolini until just tender, about 3 minutes.
6. Remove from heat; stir in green onions, cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Serve immediately with rice.

Changes

1. Instead of rice, I'm using rice noodles (just because, never cooked with them before).
2. substitute coconut milk with plain yogurt (I don't like coconut)
3. Adding some sliced Red Peppers and Carrots
4. using broccoli instead of broccolini
5. might add a touch of crushed red pepper if I need to up the heat
6. adding fresh basil
7. adding toasted peanuts

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/replies.

Bill

 

[epicuric]

All sounds good Bill! The only change I would make (apart from using coconut milk!) would be to chop the ginger into slivers, and use it as a garnish along with the cilantro, spring onions, chopped red chilli, maybe shredded lemongrass - big flavour explosions to be had there!

Good luck, and look forward to seeing the is later!

 

[detroitdad]

Getting ready to give this a shot. wish me luck

 

[detroitdad]

 

[Elawin]

Sounds good. Of course, I'd have to use a seafood-less curry paste, but it does rather appeal.

 

[Yorky]

A few observations:

Thais don't use Basmati rice but generally Jasmine rice (which is cheaper here).
I agree re: the coconut milk - I prefer yoghurt also.
Thai red curry paste can be anywhere from mild to dangerous. If yours is mild a few chilli peppers may be beneficial.
Galangal and lemon grass (removable and in small quantities) may add something.

And a comment:

Where's the fish sauce?

 

[epicuric]

Looks great! Were you happy with the taste?

 

[Yorky]

Where's the fish sauce?

Just for information, where I live a mandatory inclusion on each restaurant table is the Thai condiment set. This is usually 4 containers which generally contain:

Castor sugar
Chopped chillis in vinegar
Chilli powder
Fish sauce

And it is not unusual for all four to be used to a greater or lesser extent.

 

[detroitdad]

A few observations:

Thais don't use Basmati rice but generally Jasmine rice (which is cheaper here).
I agree re: the coconut milk - I prefer yoghurt also.
Thai red curry paste can be anywhere from mild to dangerous. If yours is mild a few chilli peppers may be beneficial.
Galangal and lemon grass (removable and in small quantities) may add something.

And a comment:

Where's the fish sauce?

I searched high and low and our local market and they didn't have any. I didn't have time to run to a special light store. It's definitely on my list and I will have it soon

 

[Yorky]

I searched high and low and our local market and they didn't have any. I didn't have time to run to a special light store. It's definitely on my list and I will have it soon

You may or may not believe me but our local superstores here have a whole 10 metre long aisle stacked 2 metre high on one side with bottles of fish sauce.

 

[CraigC]

You may or may not believe me but our local superstores here have a whole 10 metre long aisle stacked 2 metre high on one side with bottles of fish sauce.

We also have two really stocked Asian markets that have the same type shelves devoted to fish sauce.

 

[detroitdad]

Looks great! Were you happy with the taste?

Yes I was. I thought it was really good. It wasn't "great". Primarily because I think I messed up with cutting the fresh basil. Some guidance in that department would be helpful.

1. Instead of rice, I'm using rice noodles (just because, never cooked with them before).
2. substitute coconut milk with plain yogurt (I don't like coconut)
3. Adding some sliced Red Peppers and Carrots
4. using broccoli instead of broccolini
5. might add a touch of crushed red pepper if I need to up the heat
6. adding fresh basil
7. adding toasted peanuts

The yogurt for the milk seemed fine. Next time I prepare this dish I will use coconut milk so I have a comparison.
My wife and I liked the rice noodles. My son didn't. I mentioned to her during dinner that I wanted to try a jasmine rice with the next go round.
The red peppers and broccoli were excellent in the dish
The red curry paste that I used I would classify as a mild heat. I think I added the perfect amount of crushed red pepper to balance things out.
I fricken forgot to do the peanuts!!!

I cut the basil about an hour before using it. I think I bruised it all to hell when I did cut it. Then I cooked it in the dish for about five minutes. Changes I'm going to make pertaining to the basil.

Use a sharper knife. Roll it up like a cigar and gently slice it. Cut it immediately before cooking. Add it to the dish after I plate it.

 

[Yorky]

Use a sharper knife. Roll it up like a cigar and gently slice it. Cut it immediately before cooking. Add it to the dish after I plate it.

Personally, I would add the basil about 1 or 2 minutes before the end of the simmer. Throw a little more on as a garnish after you plate it.

Which type of basil did you use?

 

[buckytom]

Sounds really good, tweaks and all.

The only thing I would do differently is the cooking vessel (I'd use a wok or really wide, deep saute pan), and separately brown the chicken first over veey high heat, set aside, then add the aromatics and the rest, and then the chicken.

While the peanuts are optional, they become more and more necessary the hotter the dish. The fat in the nuts helps disperse with the capsaicin. I love that about SE Asian dishes.

And yes, we also have many choices of fish sauce. Maybe not aisles, but I see a business opportunity in Detroit, it seems.


Btw, don't get started about types and brands of soy sauce.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I searched high and low and our local market and they didn't have any.

Kroger has fish sauce in the international section. You can also get a good lemongrass paste in the refrigerated area of produce (usually near the fresh herb packets, like sage and mint). You won't be able to get galangal anywhere else besides an Asian grocery store, however.

What you made does look good (and I really like those plates, too!)