February 26                 #636            Thailand Signature Dish

   One of our favorite things to do is to visit a restaurant, try the most appealing dish on the menu, and then go home and try to figure out how it was made.  So if you go into any Thai restaurant and chances are you can find Massaman Chicken on the menu.  This spicy yellow curry is almost a signature dish of Thai cuisine, and not that hard to make at home.  As Jerry pointed out, to make a thoroughly authentic Massaman Chicken, you need to round up some pretty obscure and exotic ingredients.  But Al has come up with a simplified recipe that is fairly compatible with the American pantry.  One principal ingredient is the coconut milk, which you can buy in the can.  But here's how to make your own.  It's easy, if a bit messy.  Here's the full recipe.

                                                Al’s American Massaman Chicken
For coconut milk:
One fresh coconut
Boiling water

For the curry paste:
Peanut oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbs cumin seeds
½ tsp hot red pepper
1 tbs turmeric
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds,
the inner green parts of one stalk of lemongrass
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp white pepper

For the stew:
2 small baking potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled, and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut up into ¾” chunks
2 boneless chicken breasts, but into 1” cubes
¼ cup peanuts
1 small can shredded pineapple, with juice
chopped cilantro for garnish

1.  Drain the coconut of its juice and bake in a 325 oven for about 20-25 minutes.  Remove it, and let it cool.  Wrap in a kitchen towel, and smack with a hammer.  The white flesh should come away clean.
2.  Break the coconut meat into chunks, and grate in a food processor.  Pour enough boiling water to cover the coconut, and then process at high speed for about 10 seconds.  The coconut will produce a rich white cream.
3.  Allow the coconut cream to cool.  Place a large sieve in a large ceramic bowl, and line the sieve with cheesecloth.  Pour the coconut cream mixture into the cheesecloth, allowing the free run cream to drain, then squeeze the cheese cloth to extract the remaining cream.
4.  Repeat the process by returning the shredded coconut to the processor, add more boiling water and carry on as before.  You should have 2-3 cups of coconut milk.
5.  In a deep-sided skillet, heat about 3 tbs peanut oil, and add the shallots.  Cook until tender, then add the garlic, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat.
6.  Meanwhile, place the spices in a grinder, and grind until they are a fine powder.  Add the powder to the skillet, and cook with the shallots and garlic.  At first, the spice powder will absorb the excess oil.  Cook until the oil is released from the mixture.
7.  Scape the shallot/spice mixture into the food processor, and process briefly, forming a thick curry paste.  Scrape out the paste into the skillet.
8.  Add 1 ½ cups of  the coconut milk to the curry paste and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and add the carrots and potatoes.  Cook until they begin to become tender.  Add the chicken, peppers, and peanuts.  Cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the pineapple and some of the juice and stir in.
9.  You can either add more coconut milk to the curry to make a soupier sauce, or reduce the curry over medium heat until the sauce thickens.  When you have it how you want it, garnish with the cilantro and serve with basmati rice.

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