Green Curry, Thai Style

America has finally discovered the fiery cuisine of Thailand,
illustrated here in a dish flavored with a pungent green curry paste.
Various Thai curry pastes are available in cans at stores that
specialize in Southeast Asian foods. Freshly made paste has more
exuberant flavor, however, so the recipe includes directions for
making your own curry paste.

This paste keeps well. It is a great addition to grill marinades,
sautéed dishes, pasta sauces, soups-almost any dish you enjoy
on the spicy side. This recipe yields about four times the amount
of paste you'll need for the chicken curry.

Ingredients such as unsweetened coconut milk, galangal root,
lemon grass, shrimp paste, and fish sauce can be found in markets
that specialize in foods from Southeast Asia. Shrimp paste or kapee
comes in two forms: fresh and packaged in jars, which is rosy pink
in color and must be refrigerated after opening, or sun-dried, which
is beige to gray and packaged in slabs; anchovy paste is an adequate
substitute.

Serve the curry with steamed rice, preferably the fragrant jasmine-
infused rice of Thailand.

GREEN CURRY PASTE:
10 fresh small Serrano or other hot green chili peppers
3 medium-sized shallots, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2-inch-piece fresh or thawed frozen galangal root
    or ginger root, chopped
1 stalk fresh or dried lemon grass, bottom part only,
    chopped, or 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon fresh shrimp paste, or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy
    paste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/4 cup peanut oil


1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 boned chicken breast halves or 8 boned thighs,
     cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups coconut milk (see note, page 23)
3 tablespoons fish sauce, or 1 tablespoon low-sodium
     soy sauce
Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves

To make the curry paste, combine the chilies, shallots, garlic,
galangal or ginger, lemon grass or zest, and lime zest in a food
processor or blender and chop until well mixed. Add the shrimp
or anchovy paste, coriander, nutmeg, cumin, black pepper, cloves,
fennel, salt, and cilantro. Purée until well blended. Add the oil, a
little at a time, pureeing until smooth. Transfer to an airtight
container, top with a little peanut oil, and store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 1 cup; keeps 3 to 4 weeks.

To make the chicken curry, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a
skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add the chicken, and sauté
until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken with a
slotted spoon and reserve.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same pan, add about 1/4
cup curry paste, or to taste, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the
coconut milk and cook about 5 minutes. Add reserved chicken and
the fish sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken
is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes for breast meat or 12 to 15 minutes
for thigh meat. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro leaves and
heat briefly.

Serves 6 to 8 as part of a Thai dinner, or 4 as a main course.