Red Curry Chicken Express

I posted this food shot on Facebook and Instagram the other day and asked friends and readers to guess what this dish is.  I'm really impressed that two of them guessed correctly (check FB and IG links to see who got it right)!  Yes, this is a curry dish. =)

Aside from the staple stew, adobo (which I plan to blog about soon), this fragrant curry dish is also very quick and simple to prepare.  Since this is spicy, only J and I get to savor this at home.  We prefer this red curry for chicken, and the yellow curry for beef.  It does look very much like chicken afritada, which has a tomato-based sauce and the same mix of veggies.

I have to admit, the star of this dish is really the Pantai Red Curry Paste which lends the exotic flavor to the meat and veggies.  I usually buy 2 packs of red and yellow paste at the supermarket, among other instant sauces I stock in the pantry.

RED CURRY CHICKEN EXPRESS

1 kilo chicken thigh fillets (about 10-12) , cut into bite-size pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

red onion, chopped

1 cup hot water

1/2 pack Pantai Red Curry Paste

potatoes, cubed

carrots, cubed

bell pepper, chopped

125ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk

2 tablespoon cooking oil

To prepare:
Gauge how much potatoes and carrots you want to cook for this serving.
Cut/chop all veggies and chicken fillets.
(You may opt for breast fillet if preferred. I just like the thighs better - more flavor and more juicy.)
Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.

To cook:

Sauté garlic and onion and let it sweat. (I was out of red onion when I cooked this, so I used white instead, and that's fine.)

Set heat on high, add in chicken cut-ups and sear.

Cover pot and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Let it simmer then lower heat.

Pour hot water and red curry paste.  Mix well.  Taste and add more curry paste if desired.

Add the rest of the veggies and leave for another 20 minutes.

Pour coconut milk and mix.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust level of heat to your liking - add more curry paste or more coconut milk to temper the heat/spice.

Feel free to use chopped whole chicken, bone in.  It's actually more flavorful.  I used fillets since it cooks faster.  And if you want more veggies, you can also throw in some sweet peas to the mix.

For me, curried dishes are best eaten with roti.  This ready-to-toast Spring Home Roti Paratha, which I also featured here long ago, is our favorite.  Aside from having roti for breakfast or snack with just butter and sugar, I always prepare this to match our chicken curry.  I make sure to have a side of curry dipping sauce for the roti too.  Yum-yum!!!

Do try this easy red curry dish if you like some heat in your meal.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
Get instant updates:
My Mom-Friday on Facebook
Follow @mymomfriday on Twitter and Instagram
Also on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email.
I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. Thank you and do visit again!
(Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)

read more

Roti Paratha, Yum!

This is a food find I've been holding off for months now.  I almost forgot about it until yesterday, while planning for our dinner.  I saw two packs sitting in the freezer (which I bought a few weeks ago) and got inspired so I thought I'd finally share this with you today.

Ever since I tried Spring Home's Roti Paratha late last year, purchased from Unimart (supermarket in Greenhills shopping center), I've been craving for it from time to time. Since it is not commonly served in our favorite Asian restos, I consider this a treat. And to my surprise, even my picky-eater of a son loved it too!

Among Asian breads, roti and naan breads are two I've tasted and really enjoyed eating.  Though I can't recall when and where I first had them, I've learned there are many variations to these Indian flatbreads, specifically roti, which is made from unleavened whole wheat.  It is usually cooked on a cast iron griddle and puffed up over a flame.  It is also popularly know as roti canai in Malaysia and Singapore. Paratha is a flaky version traditionally mixed with ghee (clarified butter), and is fried flat to a crisp.

Honestly, I became more confused with the names since this pack says ROTI PARATHA, and technically, these are two slightly different flatbreads. I'd be happy if anyone can enlighten me about these breads. For this post, let's just call it roti, plain and simple.

This frozen roti comes in Plain, Wholemeal, and Onion variants. I only had the chance to buy this Onion flavor and it's simply delicious!  I lost the receipt but as I recall, a pack costs a little below P100 (roughly $2), with 5 pancakes per pack that are ready to cook straight from the freezer, anytime of the day.

To cook:
Take out frozen roti disc (do not thaw), remove plastic sheets, and fry directly on a hot non-stick pan. No oil needed since the roti already contains vegetable margarine. The manufacturer replaced the ghee with margarine so it is cholesterol-free. Fry for a few minutes on each side until light brown. It may puff up while cooking, but will deflate once it's off the heat. Serve immediately.

Imagine a crunchy, flaky crust...soft and chewy inside, all the same time. And fragrant too! Munch, munch...yum-yum!

I'll get the the Plain or Wholemeal variants next time, and will add butter for more flavor and sprinkle with sugar before serving. Great for breakfast or snack. I once made chicken curry and it's a perfect match to our onion roti.

I have not seen any other brand, aside from Spring Home, that sells 'instant' roti, and I've only been able to buy this at Unimart, Savemore and SM supermarket. They are not always in stock.

If you love roti and similar flatbreads, you can now have this at home anytime, and I guarantee you will like this too!

Price update as of July 2011:
Unimart = P87.75 per pack

read more