Did someone say curry?

In honor of my lunch with my dear friend Patrica this week (don't know if you read this or not but thanks for the yummy food and conversation this week) I though t that I would push you all to try some Thai cooking this week. Curry is one of my favorite seasonings for food on the planet. I just love the spice and punch that nothing else can create like a good curry dish. I especially love a good Thai curry dish with the coconut flavor mixed with that blend of sweet and hot loveliness. So if you enjoy Asian cuisine and curry doesn't send you running try this simple yet oh so yummy treat! Red Chicken Curry
Gaeng Daeng Gai

Ingredients
1 lb boneless chicken breast
1 can bamboo shoots, sliced
3 tbsp red curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
2 fresh red chili, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup Thai sweet basil leaves (bai horapah) or just sweet basil, torn
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
Thai sweet basil leaves (bai horapah) for garnish

Directions
Preparation: Wash the chicken, slice diagonally into 1/2 cm thick, 3cm wide and 3 cm long pieces. Thinly slice the bamboo shoots (if not already sliced).
Pour 1 cup of coconut milk into a wok. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the curry paste, stir until red oil comes to the surface. Add the chicken and sauté until it turns white and is cooked through.

Add the remaining coconut milk, follow with the bamboo shoots. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and salt and bring back to a boil. Sprinkle with chilies and sweet basil leaves. Turn off the heat. Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with sweet basil leaves before serving. Sauce will not be thick so serve with Jasmin or white rice on the side. Mix a little rice in with each couple of bites to absorb the yummy sauce.

And for those of you how like curry but just not as the main attraction give this little ditty a try.

Chicken in Peanut Sauce
(Gai Pad Nam Tua)

Ingredients
1 lb Chicken breasts 1/2" x 1/2" strips
1/4 cup Green onions chop coarse
2 tbsp Curry powder/paste (Thai Red)
1 tbsp Garlic chop fine
1 tbsp Ginger chop fine
1 tbsp Lemon grass chop fine
1 tsp Chili paste (produce section by refrigerated salad dressings, usually)
Peanut oil
1 cup Coconut milk
2 tbsp Peanut butter
2 tbsp Roasted peanuts crushed
1 tbsp Fish sauce
1/2 tbsp Palm sugar or brown sugar
2 cups Snow peas or Broccoli florets

Directions
Cut chicken into strips
Mix green onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, curry powder and chili paste. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

If using broccoli, blanch 2 minutes.

Heat wok. Add peanut oil, chicken mixture. Stir fry 3 minutes until chicken loses pink color.

Add coconut milk, peanut butter, crushed peanuts, fish sauce and palm sugar. Cook 3 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

If using snow peas, add and simmer until color changes.
If using broccoli, add and simmer until heated through.

Serve over rice.