Thai Green Curry

Curry is a favorite dish in Thai restaurants throughout the world. This highly aromatic favorite is loaded with herbs and fresh flavors quite unlike Western cuisines. There are as many versions of curry as chefs but Thai versions are among my favorites. The Thai usually use more cumin than this recipe but cumin is a very powerful flavor and tends to dominate a dish if too heavy handed.

2 stalk lemongrass4, chop the tender bottoms, and retain upper halves 3 cloves peeled garlic

3 tablespoon peanut oil

1 green Serrano chili, chopped

1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (optional –taste sauce first) 2 shallots chopped (substitute 1/3 cup chopped onion) 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon shrimp paste1 (potent ingredient you may start with less to taste) 1 tablespoon brown sugar (adjusts level of sweetness, add more if you prefer) 1 thumb-size piece peeled white ginger (galangal), chopped

2 Keffir lime leaves, stemmed, and chopped

Zest from 1 lime

1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro3

1 teaspoon dark mushroom soy sauce or 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce 

1 cup coconut cream

Half a chicken chopped into pieces

1 each red and green bell peppers cut into bite size pieces

Juice from 1 lime.

3 green scallion whites cut diagonally 1 teaspoon white pepper

GarnishFresh, red bell peppers, and Thai basil leaves Fresh cilantro leaves

3 green scallion tops cut diagonally

Prepare the lemon grass by removing the tough outer leaves, the tough bulbs and cut off any dried out ends. Thinly slice the tenderer lower half of the stalks and put in the food processor bowl. Bruise the upper halves with back of cleaver and cut into long segments and set aside. These will be simmered with the chicken to add more flavor.

Add to the food processor bowl: the garlic, Serrano chili, the chili sauce5, shallots, coriander, cumin, fish sauce, shrimp paste, sugar, galangal, Keffir lime leaf strips, and fresh coriander with their stems, soy sauce, and 1 cup coconut cream. Pulse process into a very fine green curry paste. Set aside. After 10 minutes, taste and adjust salt, spiciness, pepper and sugar. Make adjustments as required: use soy for salt if you like, add more Serrano chili if not spicy enough.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

Heat a Dutch oven2 equipped with a lid until very hot over high heat. Add oil. When smoking, add chicken pieces a few at a time. Turn with thongs as these cook. When the have some color, remove to paper towel to drain. Add next pieces and repeat until all chicken has cooked. Pour out and discard excess oil. Reduce heat to medium. Add curry paste. Add back chicken pieces. Add the whole upper stalks of the lemongrass and two additional whole Keffir lime leaves. Add additional coconut cream if needed but keep in mind the chicken releases broth as it cooks. Stir with a spoon. When boiling, add lid and cook in oven for 40 minutes.

Return very hot pot to stove top with pot holders. Set flame to low. Remove and discard lem- ongrass stalk sections and whole Keffir lime leaves. Add chopped bell peppers and sliced scallion whites. Stir vegetables well into rest of the ingredients. Cover, return to oven and Cook another 20 minutes.

Correct seasoning. Add juice from 1 lime.