Kaeng Paa Kai (Jungle Curry With Chicken)
Ingredients
1 curry paste---
2 tbsp takrai (lemon grass) --
1 bruised, and thinly
1 sliced
3 tbsp shallots -- coarsely
1 chopped
2 tbsp kratiem (garlic) -- chopped
1 quarter cup kachai (lesser
1 ginger) -- peeled and
1 chopped
8 prik chee fa daegn haeng
1 (dried red thai -- crushed
1 jalapenas)
1 tsp green peppercorns
1 tsp kapi (fermented shrimp
1 paste)
1 dash of fish sauce
CURRY
4 cup chicken -- cut in 1 pieces
1/4 cup nam pla(fish sauce)
3 cup chicken stock or water
1/2 cup makhua pro(thai eggplant)
1/4 cup prik che fa(thai jalaenas)
1 julienned
1/2 cup bai maenglak(kaffir lime
1 leaves) -- shredded or
1 tsp lime zest
4 coconut
Preparation
FOR THE CURRY method First prepare the curry paste by
grinding the ingredients to a fine paste in a mortar
and pestle or food processor. Pierce the coconuts and
drain the juice into a picher. Then using a machete
chop off the top of each coconut, just above the
mid-point, to leave four serving bowls. Using a spoon
scoop out the coconut 'meat' in leaf shaped pieces
with a spoon (or use a melon baller). Add about half a
cup of coconut to the juice for every two cups of
juice, and refrigerate. Reserve half a cup of coconut
meat, and reserve the rest to make coconut milk for
other recipes. Heat a wok or large sautee pan over
medium high heat, and then add a little oil and stir
fry the curry paste until aromatic. add the chicken,
and stir fry briefly and then add the remaining
ingredients, except the lime leaves and the chicken
stock, and stir fry until the chicken begins to change
colour. Add the stock, and cover, simmering until the
chicken and the eggplant is cooked through. Now serve
the curry in the four large coconut shell bowls,
garnished with the lime leaves, and accompanied by
rice in the tops of the coconut shells, bring the
chilled coconut nectar to the table as a refreshing
cool drink, and don't forget the usual condiments (nam
pla prik (chilis in fish sauce), dried ground chilis,
and sugar). -- Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott
Systems Engineering,
Vongchavalitkul University, Korat 30000, Thailand
A recent trip to Bangkok resulted in our eating at a
nice little restaurant in a back alley near the
airport. This dish is quite common, but both my wife
and I were taken by the presentation described hear
(the rest of the recipe is however my wife's).
Of course before you rush out to try this, I have to
say that you need a heavy, and very sharp knife - a
machete or a survivalist's Bowie might be suitable -
and a degree of skill in its use if you are not to
have a messy accident - spilling the contents of the
coconuts all over the kitchen may well be the least of
your problems. So of course I point out that you can
open the coconuts some other way, and serve the dish
in more conventional tableware!
kachai is a relative of ginger, known as Lesser Ginger
in some parts of the world (though I am reminded that
in other places this appelation is used for galangal).
For those of a botanical bent its latin name is
Kaempferia Panduratum.
The prik chee fa are a mild chili, about 6 centimetres
long and 1 cm thick. They are known as Thai jalapenas,
and if unavailable the Mexican variety could be
substituted. If dried red jalapenas are not available,
deseed, and devein fresh jalapenas, and use them
instead.
Makheua pro are a Thai variety of eggplant, about the
size and shape of a green golfball. If unavailable you
can use normal aubergine, but will need to adjust the
cooking time.
bai maenglak is a sweet Thai basil. If unavailable
normal european basil may be used.
Recipe By : Colonel I.F.K. Philpott
Servings: 1
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