Thai Curry Chicken

Adapted from the label of Maesri brand Masaman Curry Paste

This can easily be adjusted for 'hotness' by changing to ratio of curry paste to coconut milk.  Although regular coconut milk is high in fat, a chef at Herbal Thai in Silver Spring taught a great trick during a cooking class. If you open the bottom of the can instead of the top, much of the fat will remain on the top (which is now the bottom).  The milk is much richer than the low fat variety, which is diluted with water.  The choice is your's, depending on your priorities.  The recipe makes enough to go with at least two pounds of chicken or tofu.  If you are using tofu, I would try to marinate it in the sauce first, to allow it to take up the flavors.  Leftover sauce can be kept for 4 days and used for another meal.

This is not a low calorie or low sodium recipe, but can be adapted by using very little sauce relative to the other ingredients.

Ingredients:

4 oz Masaman Curry Paste (of course)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 more cup of coconut milk, to add as needed
1 - 2 lb chicken, cut into small chunks
1 sweet potato cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 Vidalia onion, cut up
1/4 cup shredded Thai basil leaves
1 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (I use an old coffee grinder)


Directions:

1) Heat 1 1/2 cups coconut mild with the curry paste for about 5 minutes over medium heat.

2) Add chicken then add more coconut milk as needed to adjust for taste.

3) Add potato and onion and heat until the chicken is tender.

4) Add basil toward the end of preparation.

5) Sprinkle top with roasted nuts.