Kaeng Kari Gai

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Kaeng Kari Paste

2 heads Garlic

2 Shallot, large

1 inch Ginger, fresh, cubed

1 tbsp Peanut Oil, (or Coconut Oil, melted)

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/2 tsp White Peppercorns, (or Grains of Paradise)

1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

5 Cloves, whole

1/4 tsp Cardamom Seeds, removed from pod

1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 tsps Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Sea Salt, (or Kosher Salt)

10 Thai Bird Chiles, fresh, stemmed

2 stalks Lemongrass

2 inch Turmeric, fresh, peeled, sliced

1 tsp Shrimp Paste, fermented

Kaeng Kari Gai

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

1 Yellow Onion, medium, peeled, sliced thin

2 cans Coconut Milk

1 tbsp Palm Sugar, or Raw Sugar

 Fish Sauce, to taste

3/4 lb New Potatoes, well scrubbed, cut into 4ths

1/2 lb Sweet Potatoes, peeled, 1/2 thick slices

1 Chicken Breast, whole, boneless, skinless, 1/2 inch cubes

1 Mango, fresh, peeled, 1/2 inch cubes

1 Lemon, juiced

1 Basil, fresh

4 Thai Bird Chiles, or 1 green Indian chile

Paste :
While garlic, shallots and ginger are roasting, in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds until they are fragrant. Put into the grinding jar. Do the same with the cumin, the cloves, the fenugreek, fennel seeds and the cardamom. Place all the other ingredients into grinder. When garlic, shallots and ginger are fully roasted, remove from oven and allow to cool until they can be handled safely. Squeeze flesh of garlic and shallots from the papery husks into grinder, and peel ginger and slice into grinder.

Process all together into a thick, brilliant yellow and somewhat fluid paste. Set aside until it is to be used, or seal into a tight-lidded jar and refrigerate for up to a week until it is to be used.

Notes:
For the lemongrass, use the outer leaves. Remove the hard, dried bits and cut into thin slices.
Instead of using fresh turmeric, you can use 2 tsps ground turmeric powder.
If you want to use commercial curry powder instead of all of the spices, leave out the fenugreek, cloves, cardamom, fennel, cinnamon and 2 teaspoons ground turmeric and instead use 1/2-1 tablespoon of curry powder.

Kaeng Kari Gai:
In a heavy-bottomed, wide mouthed pan, heat coconut oil or cream on medium heat. Add yellow onion, and cook, stirring, until it becomes golden brown in color. Add curry paste, and cook, stirring, until it is very fragrant–about two minutes.

Add coconut milk and sugar and stir until well combined. Taste. Add fish sauce to taste, balancing flavor between the spices, the chile heat, sweetness and salt.

When it tastes right, bring to a rapid simmer, and add potatoes. Cover, and cook until potatoes are very nearly done. Add sweet potatoes, stir, and allow to cook for about two more minutes. Add chicken pieces, and stir, then cover.

Cook until the chicken is just done and the sweet potatoes are softened, but still firm enough to hold their shape and the potatoes are done. This should take at the most, ten minutes.

Add the mango, stir in. Add the lemon juice and basil leaves, stir and allow to cook one minute longer to wilt the basil leaves.

If desired, you may sprinkle thinly sliced chiles over the top of the dish–it is a fairly mild curry, so you may want that extra jolt of heat at the end.