Chicken Curry by Mama Oui

Meal Type: ​Main Dish
Servings: ​2-5
Cook Time: 45 min

---

Ingredients
- 3 red chili peppers
​- 2 lbs of chicken breast (or other protein)
- 5 long stem lemon grass
- 5 shallots
- 8 garlic cloves
- 3 pieces of lemon leaves
- 1/2 tbsp of turmeric powder
- 16 0z coconut milk
- 2 tbsp of cooking oil (e.g. olive, canola)
- 2 tbsp of sea salt
- 4 tbsp of sugar
​- 1 tbsp of shrimp paste
​- 2 tbsp of fish sauce
​- 1 tbsp of chicken paste powder
- 1/2 cup curry paste
- 16 cups or 1 gallon of water
- 1 pound of baby carrots
- 10 long string beans
- 4 eggplants
- 8 red potatoes
- Handful of roasted peanuts
- Green herbs

---

Directions
1. Cut the stems of the three dry red chili peppers and throw away the insides (seeds, little strings).

2. Place the chili peppers in a small bowl of warm water and soak for 15 min.

3. Meanwhile, "chop, chop, chop" the chicken breast into bite size pieces (Size is up to you).

4. After 15 min of soaking, chop the chili peppers into small pieces. Put the chili peppers and the chili sauce water into a blender and blend until combined. Pour contents into a small bowl. 

5. Prepare your fragrant mixture by cutting your lemon grass stems into thin slices and mincing shallots, garlic, and lemon leaves into small pieces.

6. Roast the fragrant mixture by turning your flat pan on to medium-high with NO oil. Put your lemon grass, shallots, garlic, and lemon leaves onto the flat pan and roast until golden brown.

7. Place the roasted fragrant mixture into a blender with a little bit of water and blend until combined.

8. ​Into the blender, pour your chili pepper mixture from Step 4 and add 1/2 tbsp of turmeric powder. Blend until combined. 

9. Place a big pot on your stove, turn it on to medium high, and add 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Pour the contents in your blender into the pot. Stir for about 5min and then add 8oz of coconut milk. 

10. In your pot, add 2 tbsp sea salt, 4 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp shrimp paste, 2 tbsp fish sauce, and 1 tbsp chicken paste powder. Stir ingredients together for five min. 

11. Turn your heat to high and add your chicken pieces into the pot and stir for 5 min.

12. Once the curry soup is boiling, add 16 cups of water and boil for 25min.

13. After 25 min of boiling, add all of your desired vegetables - carrots, long string beans, eggplants, potatoes. Let the vegetables simmer for 20min. 

14. Once the chicken is cooked through, add your remaining 8oz of coconut milk. You can taste and add any seasonings as needed.
​
15. Sprinkle roasted peanuts and herbs on top. You can enjoy this dish with toasted bread and/or rice. Done! 

This recipe was brought to you by...
Mama Oui (pronounced "Wee")
1st Generation Khmer-American