Thai Red Chicken Curry

Since my trip to Thailand around 2 years ago, I've been in love with Thai food with its lightly prepared dishes, rich flavors, strong aromatic components, spicy edge and fresh ingredients. Also what I love is the care being given to the food's appearance, smell and context. Simplicity at its best.

Thai cuisine is one of the healthiest foods you can eat as they insure the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits. It's already known that many of the fresh herbs and spices used in Thai cooking—such as turmeric, cumin, ginger, coriander, lemongrass, and fresh chilies —have immune-boosting and disease-fighting power. Several Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum Soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits.

This version of Thai red chicken curry is an easy one-pot curry that’s quick to cook and has so many rich flavors, spicy, nutritious and tastes delicious! It's also so versatile you can add any type of vegetables you like and switch up the protein with shrimps or fish. Just love to garnish it with fresh flavors like fresh coriander leaves, lime and green chilies. It's really up to you how you like it.

I am not a fan of store bought curry paste so I decided to do my own from scratch after researching a few recipes I found the perfect one and it worked, tastes and smells delicious and you can keep it in the fridge for later. Checkout the recipe below for Homemade Red Curry Paste.

Some of the spices used in this recipe are Cumin powder and Coriander seed powder. I just love the products from Changing Habits they are organic, so fragrant and contain only real foods. Store bought spices can contain additives and preservatives and are often irradiated (exposed to radiation) to extend their shelf life, that's not the case with Changing habits products.

Cumin adds an earthy flavour to foods buts its not just used for its aroma and taste, it’s also used for its many medicinal properties. It’s believed cumin can be beneficial for inflammation, heart disease, immunity, digestion, insomnia and to deter viral or bacterial infections. Cumin seeds also contain Vit A, C, E and B, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, magnesium, calcium and manganese.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 medium/large brown onion, diced small

• 1 kg boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces

• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander try Changing Habits Coriander Seed Powder

• 1 can 400 ml coconut milk

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots

• 1 cup diced red capsicum

• 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (See recipe below for Homemade Red Curry Paste)

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• 3 cups fresh spinach leaves

• 1 tablespoon lime juice and wedges for garnish

• 1/4 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped for garnishing

• Thai Jasmine rice or brown rice.

Instructions:

1. To a large skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes.

2. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.

4. Add the coconut milk, carrots, red capsicum, Thai red curry paste, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until liquid thickens slightly.

5. Add the spinach, lime juice, and stir to combine. Cook until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Garnish with the cilantro and lime wedges and serve immediately with steamed Thai Jasmine rice.

homemade red curry paste

Ingredients:

• 10 small dried red chilies

• 1 small red onion coarsely chopped

• 4 cloves coarsely chopped garlic

• 1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh ginger

• 1 tbsp. ground coriander try Changing Habits Coriander Seed Powder

• 1 tsp. ground cumin try Changing Habits Cumin Powder

• 1/2 tsp. pepper

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Use your hands to tear the chilies into small pieces, then soak in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

2. Meanwhile, place your red onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, pepper, and salt into the bowl of a food processor or blender.

3. Once the chilies have finished soaking, drain the water off and add them to the food processor.

4. Use the processor to grind the ingredients into a paste. You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl down as you go.

5. The onions and garlic should express enough liquid to bind the ingredients into a paste. If your ingredients are too dry, just add a little bit of coconut oil.

6. Store in a glass container for up to 1 month in the fridge, or freeze for up to 1 year.

Here is a look at my final dish! Just delicious :)

Recipes inspiration:

https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/easy-homemade-red-curry-paste/ /

https://www.averiecooks.com/thai-chicken-coconut-curry/

Sources:

https://changinghabits.com.au/the-health-benefits-of-cooking-with-cumin/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-food-nutritional-information-3217082