I love a good curry! There's just something about a nice, rich gravy, flavorful meat, and a good mix of veggies over rice that's so comforting.
I normally cook a lot of Japanese or Indian curries but not any Thai. Not sure if it's just lack of ingredients or if I just don't think about it, but Thai doesn't come immediately to mind. Since I don't cook that cuisine that much, i decided to stock my pantry with some staples like lemongrass powder and a Thai curry paste.
For tonight's dinner, I wanted to something fairly quick. I found a couple of recipes that I decided to combine and tweak and the results were amazing! Definitely a keeper!
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Thai Coconut Chicken Curry
(Slightly adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen and Salt & Lavender)
2 medium onions or 1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
8 chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 tsp lemon grass powder, divided
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp minced black garlic or regular garlic
2 tbsp Maesri brand Thai red curry paste
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 to 2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 (13.5 fluid ounces) can full-fat coconut milk or cream
1 cup carrot chips, chopped
1 cup green beans, chopped to 1 in
1 red bell pepper, sliced to 1 in
1 tsp lime juice, or to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 bunch spinach
1 small handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small handful fresh basil, chopped
2 stalks scallions, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
In a large saute pan over high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the chicken and season with salt, pepper, and 1/4 tsp lemongrass powder. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Increase heat to high and add remaining 1 tbsp oil. When the pan is hot, add onions and a pinch of salt, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until onions begin to soften and brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, turmeric, curry powder, and curry paste until onions are coated.
Add tomatoes and cook until just soft. Add the remaining vegetables and saute until just tender.
Add the fish sauce, coconut milk, and brown sugar. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened (add water as needed, if too thick).
Add the chicken back to the pan then add garlic powder and remaining 1/4 tsp lemongrass powder. Stir in lime juice and spinach then cook a few more minutes to soften the spinach. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
Finish the curry by adding the cilantro, basil, and scallions just before serving.
