Thai Green Curry

Dinner was fun last night. One guest brought a Thai Eggplant stir fry as a side dish and another brought dessert, a cream cake topped with fresh strawberries and blackberries and another brought flowers.

The eggplant went so well with the curry. And the left over pieces were thrown into the curry for dinner tonight. And dessert was light and fresh.

Some of us had Chappellet Dry Chenin Blanc and others had Singha Beer to help wash it down. With tonignt's leftovers I had a glass of Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling.

I wasn’t completely pleased with this batch of curry partly because I didn’t try a sample before I served it. I guess that my little pea brain told me that I’ve made it before and it always turned out fine so why bother. Well, my pea brain forgot that I tripled the recipe. I also didn’t let the curry sauce boil down like the recipe called for. It was a bit thin flavor wise and could have used a pinch of salt.

Biscuit Boy cooked down the leftover sauce for tonight and I added some salt and it tasted much better. Here’s the recipe.

Thai style Chicken in Coconut Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 whole chicken legs (about 3 pounds), cut into drumstick and thigh sections
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh gingerroot
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons green curry powder*
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 (8½ -oz.) can coconut milk
1½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup soy sauce
2½ teaspoons minced seeded fresh jalapeño pepper, or to taste (wear rubber gloves), optional
½ red bell peppers, sliced into strips
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
Cooked rice as an accompaniment
Fresh Thai Basil leaves for garnish

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the chicken, patted dry, in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a plate.

To the pot add the gingerroot and garlic and cook the mixture for 1 minute. Add the flour and the curry powder and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the Sherry, the coconut milk, and the broth and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking.

Add the black pepper, chopped cilantro, soy sauce, lalapeño, chicken, and any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooled through.

Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and keep it warm. Boil the liquid until it is thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, skim off the fat, and season the sauce with salt and pepper and the lime juice. Nap the chicken with some of the sauce, garnish it with the basil sprigs, and serve it with the rice.

* I use a canned green curry paste. You can usually find this in Asian or Thai markets