Red Curry Recipe
adapted from Thai Kitchen
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
2 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 lb chicken breast
1 cup (or more if you're feeling super healthy) assorted vegetables
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp fish sauce
1. Put the olive oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cut the chicken into strips or small chunks. Once the oil is hot enough (when you flick water into the oil and it sizzles) place chicken in pan and cover. Cook chicken for 7-9 minutes on each side, or until mostly cooked through. Set chicken aside.
2. Cut up assorted vegetables into large bite-size pieces and place in skillet. Cover, and cook vegetables for 7-9 minutes. Set vegetables aside, and dispose of leftover oil.
3. Bring coconut milk to simmer in large skillet (or wok) on medium heat. Stir in curry paste and sugar until well blended; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in chicken and vegetables. Cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir in basil leaves and fish sauce.
5. Serve with rice (Jasmin or long grain white rice). Garnish with additional basil, and add Sriracha for heat (if so desired... I always desire it).
Although I realize this recipe is the opposite of summer since it's curry, this recipe is so darn easy and delicious to make that you won't really care. As long as you have an air-conditioner unit or a fan blowing, you'll be able to enjoy this curry sans heat exhaustion. The difference between my curry and the Thai Kitchen recipe is that I enjoy using red, orange, and yellow peppers as the "assorted vegetables." Also, you don't need to cook the whole dish for 15-20 minutes, I just like the chicken and veggies to soak up all the coconut milky flavor and turn into kind of a curry stew. The longer you keep the dish simmering, the richer the flavors will become, and the more tender the chicken. This dish reminds me of the shining sun in the summertime. Now that it's hot out, we can all enjoy the delightful weather and the NYC garbage smell emanating from the sidewalks.
Happy (almost) summer everyone. Here's to the last summer before the world ends... apparently.