Foodie Weekend - Thai Chicken Red Curry

Oh, how I love Thai food!  Just thinking about it makes my mouth watery. There is no other just like it. I am Malaysian and Malaysian food is great but Thai food is another whole level, on its own, up there! The harmonious sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors are just right for my palate. Another great thing about Thai food for me is that the whole household of mine loves it and at least once  a week we would have Thai food at home.  

Thai Curry is one dish that we all love.  Over some steamed white rice it is just heavenly.  There are 2 types of curries in Thai cuisine - the red and the green curry.  Well, one might ask "What's the difference?" Well, actually there are not much differences between the 2 besides the color that comes from green chilis and thai basil (green curry) and dry red chilis with red bird's eye chilis (red curry). The rest of the ingredients to make these 2 types of paste are pretty much the same.  

But if you don't want to be complicated in the kitchen, there are many food brands that sell the pre-made paste for both curries.  This is especially convenient for those who live in the areas where ingredients like galangal, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves are not easy to come by. Here in Dubai, it is pretty much easy to get these ingredients, some I even plant in my back yard but still I always have a tub of the ready made paste I bought from the supermarket just in case.

So, this week, it is my pleasure to share with you my favorite, easy to make and super delicious Thai red curry.  This dish is perfect with some steamed rice and you can choose to use either chicken or shrimps/prawns. You may also add some vegetables like eggplant. For this post I used chicken, baby-corn and snow peas, in order to appeal to the boys who do not fancy eggplant.

:: Ingredients ::

(serves 4)

3 chicken breasts cut into chunks
1/2 a pack of  baby corns halves
1/2 a pack of snow peas
1 can of coconut cream or 1.5 cans of coconut milk
2 pieces of kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1 stalk of lemon grass (optional)
2 tablespoons of ready made red curry paste or if you are feeling adventurous and would
like to make your own paste you can get a step by step recipe here
Fish sauce to taste
Some coconut oil or vegetable oil (canola, sunflower) but NOT olive oil

:: Method ::

Heat some vegetable oil in a pot or wok
Add in the red curry paste and stir fry until fragrant.
Add in kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the coconut milk or cream.  If you use coconut cream, add in 1/2 a can of water
Add in chicken and cook until bubbling, stirring occasionally.
Once the sauce starts boiling, add in the vegetable and season with fish sauce.
Reduce heat and cook until a glossy sheen of natural oil is produced on the surface.
Remove from heat and serve.

:: Tips ::

No salt is used in this recipe as the fish sauce has already given the dish the salty taste. 

Add fish sauce gradually and keep tasting.

If the sauce is a bit too spicy for you, add some sugar and balance out with more fish sauce.

It is important to keep stirring to avoid the coconut milk from separating or curdling.