Classic Red or Yellow Curry

Classic Red or Yellow Curry

Red and Yellow curry is almost similar but I often add a bit more of my own lemongrass paste to it. Fresh kaffir lime leave is very importance when making curry.

 Fresh lemongrass paste help to flavor the curry because store bought curry paste keep so long and the flavor is not as fresh as homemade curry paste. You need 1 T of this paste. Keep the rest in the fridge for later use.

2 stalk of lemongrass white part only thinly sliced

2 to 3 big pieces of galangals thinly sliced

7 Kaffir lime leaves thinly sliced

1 t of salt

7 cloves of garlic

5 shallots

1 big red dried Mexican pepper soaked wash thinly sliced

1/2 t turmeric or fresh turmeric

Blend them in a blender or use mortar pastel pound it to paste.

For the curry you need the following ingredients,

1.8 oz of chicken breast cut to bite size (chicken leg taste better)
1 can of coconut milk
1 T of oil to stir fry the curry paste
2 to 3 T of red or yellow curry of your choice (the amount of curry paste is up to you)
1 T of lemongrass paste
2 cups of water (sometime I add a bit more water to it)
2 cup of potatoes, or yam or sweet potato, or red potato of your choice, cut to bite size
2 cup of long bean, or bamboo shoot cut to 1 inch long
2 cup of carrot cut to bite size
1 onion slice (put it last)
2 T of fresh kaffir lime leave thinly slice
2 to 3 T of sugar (curry need a bit of sugar to keep the spicy flavor down)
2 to 3 T of fish sauce
 4 star aniseeds (this will give curry a better taste)
1 cup of Thai basil leave (this is optional but many Thai people use it.)

In a large soup pot turn the heat to medium high add oil until hot fry 3 T of curry paste, 1 T of lemongrass paste and star aniseeds until fragrant then add ¼ cup of coconut milk  fry until the curry paste bubble then add chicken to it with 1 cup of water first

Cook until the chicken no longer pink then add potato, carrot, long bean or bamboo shoot and the rest of coconut milk and the last 1 cup of water to it.  Stir and cook for 3 minutes then add sugar, fish sauce, continue to cook until the vegetable are tender and the meat is cooked through, now add kaffir lime leaves turn the heat to low and cook for at least 15 minutes to combine all the flavor (curry is almost like stew the longer you cook it will taste batter.  Add white onion cook for 2 minutes, taste and adjust your curry turn the heat off let it cool a bit then add basil leaves.

Note curry will not taste good while it is hot so you have to let it cool a bit the best thing about curry it tastes better the next day just like stew.   In Cambodia we often serve curry with French bread and noodle not much with rice. 

Enjoy!