Chicken Curry

Mysterious spices traded amongst explorers and natives have long been the subject of legend and history. Fennel, tamarind, mustard seed, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, and many, many more varieties of spices were carried throughout the East and into far off magical worlds.  

With a mortar and pestle, the blending of these spices led to various curries. Some are wet while others are dry, and colors heightened by the various chilies continue to criss cross the world.  

The madras style yellow powder hails from the Tamil Nadu region of South India and includes an array of spices including turmeric (which gives the yellow color), fenugreek, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, tamarind, garlic, ginger, coriander, mustard seed, among others. Below is my version of a wonderful chicken curry in the Vietnamese style which includes plenty of french bread for sopping up liquid and on a bed of vermicelli.  Spicy, tart, sweet, and wonderfully rich, this is a mainstay of any Vietnamese household.  ENJOY!!!!



Ca Ri Ga- Chicken Curry

2 lbs. chicken thighs (bone in)

Rub

1 Thai Chili minced

2 tbsp curry powder

1 piece lemongrass- white part minced

2 cloves garlic minced

grind together in a mortar and pestle until it becomes a paste

2 tbsp canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 piece lemongrass, white parts minced

1 piece ginger, 2 inches long, minced

1 lb fingerling potatoes, quartered

1/2 lb roma tomatoes, quartered

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 can coconut milk

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp sugar

1 lime
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

garnish with Vietnamese coriander, cilantro, green onions, and lime

serve over vermicelli with plenty of French bread for dipping!!

Thoroughly coat the chicken thighs with the rub.  In a heavy bottomed pot, heat up the oil, and sear the chicken on all sides until nicely browned.  Removed the thighs from the heat and add onions, carrots, lemongrass, and ginger.  Sweat until tender and aromatic.  Add the potatoes.  Coat the potatoes in the oil and seasoning, then season with the curry powder and fish sauce.  Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock.  Bring to a simmer and add the chicken, tomatoes, sugar, and juice of a lime.  Cook for about 25-30 minutes until chicken is done but tender.   Adjust seasoning if necessary.  A dash of fish sauce or sugar might be the trick!  

Lemongrass Mackerel

I love roasting whole fish.  Super fresh fish on the bone with a simple sauce brings out amazing aromas and satiating goodness!!  

Whole fish with lemongrass and Thai chilies requires very little work but brings out wonderful flavors.   Mackerel is my personal favorite, and for this recipe, I was able to find some beautiful Indian mackerel which are usually about 10 inches long, but these were about 7 inches.  Very popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, the Indian mackerel has a rich flavor resulting from their diet of shrimp and fish larvae.  

Ca Uop Xa- Lemongrass Fish

2 Whole Fish (about 1-1 ½ pound fish)
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup water

Marinade
2 pieces lemongrass minced-*

3 cloves garlic minced

2 Thai chili peppers minced-*

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp fish sauce-*

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp turmeric-*

cilantro

Vietnamese coriander

Make sure the fish are cleaned and gutted with the fins cut off and put three slits in each side.  Mix the marinade ingredients and rub on fish.  Let them sit in the refrigerator for about 3-4 hours.   

In a hot skillet, add the canola oil and gently lay the fish in and let the skin crisp and pull away from the pan.  Gently place a spatula under the fish and release while lightly shaking the skillet.  Carefully flip the fish and cook through on the other side.  When fully cooked, remove fish to a plate and pour water into the pan to deglaze the seasonings.  Scrape up all the bits and reduce to a nice thickened consistency and pour over the fish.  A nice Vietnamese cabbage salad is refreshing as a side dish.

Today's tunes were a mix of 80's New Wave artists on Pandora!  Easy listening to the sounds of yesteryear.  Memories of my youth were carried through the airwaves including Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, the Cure, the Psychedelic Furs and many others.  Funny how tastes change, but we seem to go back to our old habits.  I went through a major metal phase and still love punk rock, but I find my music to just chill out and enjoy is that English 80's sound.