Love,
S :)
I am back...!! After only a fortnight but what certainly seems like ages to me..!! Is it just me or have you been missing me too?? Go on... tell me you have.. make my day ;)
As you all know I have been away for my sis in law's wedding bash...a two week long festive celebration straight out of the movie Band Bajaa Baraat...yes it had everything a girl ever dreamt of .. fabulous music, designer lehngas, a super awesome spinning dais for the Jai-maal and a sumptuous feast for the loving guests, not to mention a dapper groom in complete wedding regalia.
I wore Ritu Kumar & Satyapaul (in one evening), I danced to "London Thumakda" more number of times than I care to remember, I wore sparkly gold and diamonds...and the mehendi on my palms proved to all how much P was still enamoured by me (apparently, or so they said) :P
And the bride...well.... thats a story best saved for a separate post. However, let me just say that everything was dreamy..the venue, the flower shower...the songs in the backdrop..even the sword that the groom carried in true blue Rajput fashion..Oh and it was cold, which meant the groom and bride got to hold hands without anyone raising brows ;)
As much as I enjoyed playing the role of the good elder bahu (daughter in law) and Bhabhi,I loved the food even more.
Every day was a feast... From regional delights and staples like Litti chokha chutney baked on a goitha ( clay oven) and cracked open to a warm spoonful of ghee (clarified butter), mutton curries and rice...chicken makhnis and naans...stir fired rice and every kind of paneer preparation known... from delish pakoras to hot crispy fried bhajis, raitas to cold meetha dahi , I relished it all... and last but not the least... the mithai!!!
Man.... I think I have gained about 5 kgs in two weeks!!! Sooooo much of gorging I had to do... I tried not to, but its hard to refuse elderly aunts and cute uncles who implore you with just one more gulab jamun or laddoo..!! I mean...come on, I am a good lil girl after all ;)
So anyways, I got home.As I promptly shed the nine yards of sari for my usual jeans, I found I had trouble buttoning them!! I groaned and grimaced my way into it, saw my belly and promptly decided enough is enough. Time to cut ties with every makhni (butter) and mithai (sweet) known to the world...atleast for a short while.
And thats when I decided I would instead make something light and yet, ridiculously tasty for me and an equally over indulged hubby... Thai Green chicken curry to the rescue!!
The result: Chicken thats absolutely tender and moist, and gravy thats just perfect for the much needed break from desi curries we have been longing for.
Its delicately flavored, fragrant and perfectly balanced ...All one needs is some good hot jasmine /basil rice to go with it, and there...your perfect lunch is served!
Here's how you can make this on your own.
Even though most people buy store bought curry pastes, nothing compares to the scent of the curry paste being made. It perfumes the whole kitchen. The arduous process, from sourcing the ingredients to pounding out the paste, is daunting but the reward is grand. When you make it yourself, you will be able to control the heat in your own curry paste by adjusting the amount of green chili peppers you add. Green curry paste's ingredients are the same as red curry paste, except for the chilies.The red in red curry paste comes from dried chili peppers, while the green in green curry paste comes from fresh green chili peppers. Green chilies turn from red when ripe. In this case, I also added some red chillies to the paste as I am rather fond of the red chillie flavor, hence you can see that the curry looks reddish...but the taste is simply fabulous.Don't worry about making too much: you can store excess in your freezer for up to a year and in the fridge for two weeks in an airtight jar.
Ingredients:
For the curry: - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, cut in 8 wedges
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut in 8 wedges
- 1/2 Red and Yellow bell pepper cut into long strips
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white bulb only
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, recipe follows
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch strips
- Sea salt
- 1 lime, juiced
- Fresh Thai basil leaves
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges, for garnish
For the Green Curry Paste:
Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil.
Heat the coriander, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a small dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Put the spice blend and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine.
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 8 fresh Thai green chillies/ 3 red chillies
- 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- Small handful of fresh cilantro sprigs
- cilantro stems a handful
- 2 -inch piece galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 lemon grass stalks, white part only, coarsely chopped
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
For the Curry:
Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil.
Stir fry the chicken pieces in a little bit of salt, red chillie flakes and garlic salt to lightly brown them.
Keep aside. In the same oil, Saute the onion and green,red and yellow peppers for 3 minutes to soften.
Split the piece of lemongrass down the middle and whack it with the flat side of a knife to open the
flavor.
Add the lemongrass, ginger, curry paste and 2 lime leaves to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth.
Lay the chicken pieces in the mixture to poach; add a pinch of salt.
Stir together and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Squeeze in the lime juice and shower with basil,cilantro and the remaining one lime leaf; serve in
dinner bowls with lime wedges.
For the Thai Green Curry Paste:
Heat the coriander, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a small dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Put the seeds in a clean grinder or spice mill and buzz the spices to a powder.
Put the spice blend and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine.
Pour in the water to help grind everything down into a paste.
Notes:
Whack the shrimp paste in foil. Place it in a hot oven for 5 mins or on a dry wok of 2 mins.
Pound all the ingredients first, then add the shrimp paste and blitz till the paste is smooth.
Traditionally, a mortar and pestle is used...It took me almost 20 minutes to make a smooth paste using the mortar. So, you can use the processor when you don't have enough time.