Cheat's Green Chicken Curry
I am proud to announce that my little kaffir lime tree has FINALLY grown limes. It’s been a long time coming so I’m more than slightly excited by this tiny feat!
To celebrate this giant achievement, sprouted from my tiny city backyard, I am using one of these fabulous limes in a simple green curry. A cheat's green chicken curry, if I may.
Thai food is without a doubt one of my biggest weaknesses, especially as it starts to get a little cooler. Even more so when I can use my own kaffir lime zest and managed to source real Thai basil. How often do the planets align so perfectly in the Inner West? I mean, really!
An all time crowd pleaser, you can add this to your weekly repertoire or create it as part of a Thai dinner party in no time at all.
To have a look at the video clip for this recipe, visit me on Instagram at @tippleandfodder or on my Tipple & Fodder Facebook page.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp peanut oil
3 chicken thigh fillets, diced roughly
1 brown onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp store bought green curry paste
1 zucchini, cut into large diced pieces
1 eggplant, cut into large diced pieces
270ml coconut cream (light or full cream)
½ can water (use coconut cream can)
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
zest of 1 kaffir lime (plain lime if unavailable)
1 handful Thai basil leaves (green basil if unavailable)
1 cup, frozen peas
Steamed jasmine rice to serve
METHOD
TIP Cook rice and thoroughly prepare all ingredients before cooking. This will make cooking quick and ensure you can move swiftly so as not to burn the curry paste while throwing everything together.
1. Heat pot or wok on medium high heat. Add peanut oil. When heated, add onions. Cook until just tender. Add the green curry paste and stir through, watching heat so as not to burn the paste. The oils of the paste may separate during this part of the process, but that's ok, it's simply part of cooking the paste and spices thoroughly.
2. Add zucchini and eggplant, stirring to coat in the curry paste.
3. Shake the coconut cream well, open and pour into the pot. Add half a can of water. Stir together and bring to the boil.
4. Add diced chicken thighs and stir through ensuring all of the chicken is adequately covered in liquid. Bring the liquid back to a boil then return to a simmer for 5-10 minutes, ensuring chicken is thoroughly cooked, stirring occasionally.
5. Add caster sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime zest and Thai basil leaves to the curry. Stir everything together, add the frozen peas and immediately turn heat off. Stir the peas through the curry.
Serve with jasmine rice.
WINE SUGGESTION
Thai food and riesling is always a good idea. I love the Jim Barry Watervale Riesling with spicy food. It is a dry riesling with a hint of lime which works perfectly with this green curry.
You can pick one, or four, bottles up from Dan Murphy’s where it is available at a steal for $14.60 per bottle (prices current as of April 22nd 2016). If you don’t have a Dan Murphy’s near you, most good bottle shops will stock this wine, or you can ask for another dry riesling to match spicy Asian food.
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