What to Buy1. Coconut Milk - 1 liter
2. Potatoes - 3 medium, or 6 small
3. Shallots - 10 pieces, or if you have the tiny 1 cm ones, then 20 pieces
4. Chicken Breast - 500-600 grams
5. Massaman Curry Paste - 2 tablespoons, the paste kind, sold in Asian shops or sometimes at the supermarket; if you can't find Massaman curry, Red Curry paste works too
6. Palm Sugar - 3 discs
7. Kaffir Lime Leaves - 15 pieces, also from an Asian shop; you can use bay leaves instead, then 5 leaves
8. Basil - 4 sprigs, fresh
9. Vegetable Oil - 1 tablespoon, any kind, even olive oil
10. Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
It's a little spicy, but not too much, and really, really tasty!!!
How to Make It1. In a medium pot, a non-stick Teflon-coated one works best but a regular one is fine too, pour in a tablespoon of oil and heat for about a minute, no higher than setting 5
2. Cut the chicken breast into cubes, about 1.5 centimeters
3. Peel the shallots and cut into quarters if large, so each piece is about 1 cm, but if you're using the tiny shallots, just peel them
4. Peel the potatoes, cut into cubes about 1.5 centimeters, and parboil them. To do this, bring the water to a boil, then cook for no more than 10 minutes. Then drain the water.
5. Pour half a package of coconut milk, about 250 grams, into another pot; once it's warm, after about a minute, add two spoons of Massaman curry paste and mix well so there are no lumps - this is called "blooming" the curry :). You can use a wooden spoon, pressing it against the bottom or sides - it takes a couple of minutes but it will dissolve eventually.
6. Raise the heat to 7, add all the coconut milk and let it heat for about two minutes.
7. Add the lime leaves (or bay leaves), the parboiled potatoes, shallots, half a teaspoon of salt and the palm sugar (the sugar will dissolve eventually, so don't worry about it), cook for about 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken and cook for about 20 more minutes - the shallots should become soft, as should the potatoes; you can check by taking one out and biting into it, if it's not done cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Once it's ready, remove from the stove and add the basil leaves, mix well
Serve over cooked white rice! Ladling the sauce on top, about two ladles per portion. Enjoy your meal!
2. Potatoes - 3 medium, or 6 small
3. Shallots - 10 pieces, or if you have the tiny 1 cm ones, then 20 pieces
4. Chicken Breast - 500-600 grams
5. Massaman Curry Paste - 2 tablespoons, the paste kind, sold in Asian shops or sometimes at the supermarket; if you can't find Massaman curry, Red Curry paste works too
6. Palm Sugar - 3 discs
7. Kaffir Lime Leaves - 15 pieces, also from an Asian shop; you can use bay leaves instead, then 5 leaves
8. Basil - 4 sprigs, fresh
9. Vegetable Oil - 1 tablespoon, any kind, even olive oil
10. Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
It's a little spicy, but not too much, and really, really tasty!!!
How to Make It1. In a medium pot, a non-stick Teflon-coated one works best but a regular one is fine too, pour in a tablespoon of oil and heat for about a minute, no higher than setting 5
2. Cut the chicken breast into cubes, about 1.5 centimeters
3. Peel the shallots and cut into quarters if large, so each piece is about 1 cm, but if you're using the tiny shallots, just peel them
4. Peel the potatoes, cut into cubes about 1.5 centimeters, and parboil them. To do this, bring the water to a boil, then cook for no more than 10 minutes. Then drain the water.
5. Pour half a package of coconut milk, about 250 grams, into another pot; once it's warm, after about a minute, add two spoons of Massaman curry paste and mix well so there are no lumps - this is called "blooming" the curry :). You can use a wooden spoon, pressing it against the bottom or sides - it takes a couple of minutes but it will dissolve eventually.
6. Raise the heat to 7, add all the coconut milk and let it heat for about two minutes.
7. Add the lime leaves (or bay leaves), the parboiled potatoes, shallots, half a teaspoon of salt and the palm sugar (the sugar will dissolve eventually, so don't worry about it), cook for about 10 minutes, then add the sliced chicken and cook for about 20 more minutes - the shallots should become soft, as should the potatoes; you can check by taking one out and biting into it, if it's not done cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Once it's ready, remove from the stove and add the basil leaves, mix well
Serve over cooked white rice! Ladling the sauce on top, about two ladles per portion. Enjoy your meal!
