Chicken Curry

This curry recipe is one of my favorite chicken recipes Filipino database. In my family, chicken curry is a dish that is usually done on birthdays and parties back in the Philippines. But here in Canada, I cook this chicken dish for special occasions, because this is one of my famous Filipino recipes that my family and friends love it. It is said that when they start to eat this chicken curry, they feel a little burning sensation in the mouth and really spicy delicious surprises.

Well, many countries had their own version of chicken curry, but for me, chicken curry filipino is still the best.
Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (or chicken quarters), about 1 kg.

2 to 3 stalks of lemongrass (see entry on how to prepare lemongrass)
2 kaffir lime leaves, dried or fresh
1 onion (or 2 to 3 shallots)
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
a thumb-sized piece of ginger
2 tbsps. of vegetable cooking oil
2 to 3 tbsps. of curry powder
1 c. of coconut cream (see entry on how to extract coconut cream and milk)
patis (fish sauce), to taste............

Procedures:

1. Prepare the herbs and spices.
Finely slice two to three stalks of lemongrass. Finely slice an onion (two to three shallots would be better). Crush and roughly chop two to three cloves of garlic. Peel and slice a thumb-sized piece of ginger. Strip the leaves of a couple of sprigs of Thai basil. Separate the kaffir lime leaves.

2. Heat the cooking oil in a thick-bottomed pot. A pot or pan with a thin bottom will likely cause scorching since you will be simmering the stew in a thick coconut cream.
Saute the onion (or shallots), garlic, lemongrass and ginger until the onions start to turn translucent.

3. Add the curry powder. Now, not later. Spices do have essential oils and you want those oils released for maximum flavor. Stir for about 30 seconds.

4. Add the chicken pieces. Stir to coat each chicken piece with the curry. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken changes color.

5. Pour in the coconut cream. Throw in the finger chilis. Season with patis (fish sauce). Stir, cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Check the liquid after 20 minutes or so. If the mixture appears too dry, add a little water, no more than a quarter of a cup. Too much water and you’ll have a soup instead of a stew.

If you want to add potatoes, add them after the first 20 minutes, bring to a gentle boil then continue simmering.

Before turning off the heat, taste and season with more patis (fish sauce) if necessary.
You’re now ready to serve your chicken curry. Place a chicken (and potato, if using) on top of hot rice, smother with sauce and serve at once.

Alternatively, serve the chicken (and potatoes) in individual bowls with some of the sauce.