The "Not" Thai Chicken Curry

Reading about receipes and visualizing them has a great benefit. I stumbled upon this one when i combined a Thai curry receipe with my limited knowledge of putting ingredients together. Once again its a fairly simple receipe and i hope, you find it similar to a Thai curry,  just like my family did.

Vegetarians - please omit the chicken and add potatoes or mushrooms - without marination and frying - add them along with other vegetables. However, do not forget to use some turmeric powder after adding onions - so that you do not miss out on that Thai Yellow Curry like colour :-)

Although there is no lemon grass nor thai curry paste and no fish sauce neither kaffir lime leaves in it, just the effect of some plain soy sauce, sugar and coconut milk along with half a chicken stock cube seem to have done the trick here.

I am tempted to equate this curry (due to its looks) to the Kerala chicken curry previously posted on this blog. But then the taste of these similar looking curries is very different from each other after all.

Ingredients (Serves 3 generously):

1/2 kg chicken - wash, drain and marinate in salt and turmeric powder. Refrigerate for atleast 1/2 hour (i did an overnight marination)

Broccoli - about 5 big florets - broken into smaller florets

1 Capsicum - any colour - cubed

1 Carrot - cubed

*4 baby corn - rough chunky chops (optional, i did not use - you may add more such vegetables e.g. mushrooms, bean sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, etc.)

1 large tomato - deseeded, cubed

1 large onion - chopped finely - or as finely as possible

6 garlic cloves - julienned (sliced into long slivers)

1 inch ginger - julienned

**Coconut milk (i used freshly made - one can use a store bought ready made pack too)

Oil - 1 tbsp for frying chicken and 1/2 tbsp for rest of the curry

1/2 chicken stock cube / or any other stock cube

1 tbsp soy sauce (please use 1/2 tbsp first and then add more as per your taste) 

2 tsp sugar (optional - however a good balance for the soy and lends authenticity)

Salt to taste

2 tsp lime juice (optional, i did not use)

Note:

*Try using 4 or max. 5 vegetables otherwise pan will be overcrowded with vegetables and overpower the chicken gravy - but then again its your choice.

** If using freshly made coconut milk then use 1 cup grated coconut and 1 cup water - blitz in a food processor / mixie to get 1+ cup of first extract of milk. Strain the milk and use the strained coconut gratings along with one more cup of water to get the 2nd extract of milk. Strain similarly and discard the coconut gratings. 

If using store bought pack then make the second extract by mixing together 2 tbsp of coconut milk from the pack to 1 cup water and use rest of the pack as 1st extract.

Method:

Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan and put the marinated chicken in it. Fry on each side for about 2 minutes. Drain the chicken and keep aside. This process seals the chicken and locks the flavour in it.

Add 1/2 tbsp oil in the same pan (pan will have some chicken juices mixed oil already, please retain it for flavour) and add the julienned ginger and garlic. Fry for 1/2 minute and add the chopped onions. Fry for another 1/2 minute and then add all the chopped vegetables except tomatoes. Fry for a good 1 or 2 minutes and then add the fried chicken. Mix well and add the chicken stock cube, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Mix well again. Now add the second extract of coconut milk. Let the mixture come to a good boil - this means that the mixture should bubble for atleast 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and if using, the lime juice (first add 1 tsp and rest as per taste). Finish off by adding the 1st extract of coconut milk, swirling the pan so that the coconut milk mixes well in the curry and then bring it to a boil and switch off the stove.

Serve with fragrant rice or any rice or as we do in our global fusion style - with chappati (indian flat bread) and bhindi ki sabji (okra vegetable).

Tip: If not used to grating coconut at home, highly recommend buying freshly grated coconut and making your own coconut milk at home since it greatly enhances the flavour of any dish rather than the store bought version.

do write in with your comments and suggestions and keep visiting receipesnmore.blogspot.in for receipes and more........