Kaeng Paa Kai (jungle Curry With Chicken

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

From: "Colonel I.F.K. Philpott" <colonel@korat1.vu-korat.ac.th>  Date:
Mon, 19 Aug 1996 11:38:46 -0700 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.  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).  CHILE-HEADS DIGEST V3 #077  From the Chile-Heads recipe
list.  Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe  Archive,
http://www.erols.com/hosey.

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 240
Calories From Fat: 21
Total Fat: 2.3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 1445.4mg
Potassium: 1510.3mg
Carbohydrates: 47.5g
Fiber: 6.5g
Sugar: 29.5g
Protein: 10.2g