kaeng mussaman (muslim curry)
categories:  Chicken | International |    

Prepared: 2003-08-03

originally from india, as the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon suggest, and then tailored to tahi tastes, this curry can be made with either chicken or beef, but never pork

Ingredients:

main:

• 5 cardamom seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 lb 2 oz / 500g beef (sirloin or stewing) or chicken, cut into ¾ in / 2cm cubes
• 7oz / 200g potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ in / 2cm cubes
• 1½oz / 40g unsalted peanuts
• 10 shallots
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp palm sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp tamarind sauce

chili paste:

• 2oz / 50g shallots, chopped
• 10 small garlic cloves, chopped roughly
• 6 dried red chillies, seeded and chopped roughly
• 5 white peppercorns
• 1 tbsp chopped lemon grass
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chopped galangal (ka)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1/2 tsp cloves

Preparation:

• mix all the ingredients for the chilli paste together and fry in a dry pan until fragrant. then pound them with a mortar and pestle or process in a blender until fine. put to one side
• dry-fry the cardamom seeds and cinnamon stick or dry-roast in a 350oF / 180oC/gas 4 oven, for 8 minutes until fragrant.
• heat the chilli paste with 2 cups of the coconut milk in a wok or pan for about 5 minutes
• add the meat and fry until cooked, about 8-10 minutes
• add the rest of the coconut milk, bring to a boil and simmer lightly for 10 minutes.
• add all the remaining ingredients and cook until the potatoes and meat are tender, about 15 minutes

serve accompanied by sliced pickled ginger, pickled vegetables and rice