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MASSAMAN CURRY CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT, RED PEPPER AND PAK CHOI

Served with Basmati rice and fresh corianderLINE

This is a hearty meal but with an exotic flavor. The vegetables give it substance but also add a unique flavor and interesting textures. It can be varied by using green beans, carrots, or even broccoli.

Massaman chicken curry

2 tablespoons oil
10 chicken drumsticks, boned
4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1-2 red chilies, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml Massaman curry paste (make your own)
1-2 cups/250-500 ml chicken stock (if necessary)
1½ cups/375 ml coconut milk
½ cup/125 ml coconut cream (optional)
4 kaffir lime leaves, dried if fresh is not available
1 tablespoon/15 ml fish sauce
1 tablespoon/15 ml lime juice
2 teaspoons/10 ml palm sugar
fresh coriander leaves

1 butternut, cut into bite size blocks
1-2 red peppers, seeds and ribs removed and cut into bite size squares
6 pak choi, quartered lengthways

In a deep heavy saucepan, heat the oil and over high heat fry the chicken until it starts to caramelize. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the garlic, chilies and onion and fry lightly whilst stirring then add the curry paste. Keep stirring until the paste becomes fragrant, then add the chicken and stir around until or the chicken is covered with the paste. Add the coconut milk and coconut cream (if using) and bring to the boil then add the lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Turn the heat down slightly and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

If you feel you would like it saucier, then add the chicken stock (preheated).

Meanwhile, cook the butternut until just tender, drain and set aside.

After the curry had been cooking for 20 minutes, add the cooked butternut, red pepper and pak choi and check that they are all covered by the sauce. Check the seasoning and if needed add more fish sauce or salt, if preferred.

Serve this curry over Basmati rice, topped with a generous helping of fresh coriander leaves.

STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

4 replies on “MASSAMAN CURRY CHICKEN WITH BUTTERNUT, RED PEPPER AND PAK CHOI”

[…] The distinct characteristic of Massaman curry paste is that all ingredients are roasted before it is ground. This paste is commercially available but making your own is very satisfying and the flavor is so much superior to the store bought paste. The purists prefer that the spices be pounded in a mortar and pestle, but it is really hard work. A processor works just as well for me and I find it difficult to taste the difference between the pounded one and the processed one.  Use this curry paste for Massaman curry chicken with butternut, red pepper and pak choi. […]

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