Thai Style Chicken Curry-Well almost

Last time when I was watching Telly in India, one preview of a show caught my attention. Those of you who are in India might have seen or at least heard about it by now. I am talking about a show on cooking and food. And the show will be hosted by a leading Hindi film actor. Initial round of criteria has been set to dial up some phone lines to get, entry into the show. This leading actor himself is known as a good cook. He used to be a chef while living in Bangkok.
My sheer guess is that this is based on a popular cooking show “Top Chef” that is being broadcast in America which has seen Padma Lakshmi as its quite interesting hostesses (I never knew she is interested in cooking up something)
I really don’t think cooking good food will matter on that TV Show. My sheer guess is that, this will again turn out to be a money endorsing, ad featuring reality TV Show.
Personally I am not that comfortable cooking when someone is constantly hovering around you in the kitchen or bombard you with all sorts of questions about ingredients and procedure. But that doesn’t mean I am not that kind enough to answer some queries that may be put at the dining table while eating. Talking food at dining table is a great way to understand the chemistry of that recipe which includes some special procedure or discussion about any special ingredients. Perhaps, that is the best way to get all the things out from me but not at the time of cooking in kitchen.
Whatever little I have seen about food shows with hostesses particularly the regional cooking show, when they invite you for cooking up something, you should be well prepared to face all sort of questions while cooking. These cooking show hostesses ask way too many things while cooking that are mostly meaningless. Sometimes diverting the attention from the procedure of the recipe. I have great interest or rather faith in one man show type of food shows ala –Sanjeev kapoor “Khana Khazana”, Cooking with “Nigella Lawson” and one famous cooking show “Yan Can Cook”. I have thoroughly liked the way they present their shows, so much going on without any disturbances.
There are many Bengali cooking shows on many different channels back home. And people (read ladies here) do come from all walks of life, from remote villages to main city, to show their culinary experience. Some of the recipes do caught my attention like Kasturi Rui (which I will be sharing here soon).
So, when my MIL proposed that I should go to these cooking shows to make some of the good recipes that I have here in spice and curry, I politely refused it. I was too afraid of seeing myself in telly and add to that, I can’t picture myself with those annoying cooking show hostesses. More-over cooking is not a competition but an art which gives you great satisfaction specially seeing so many smiley faces at the dining table. Seeing all those lovely smiling faces is what makes my day.
I, for that matter choose to be a simple everyday cook away from such limelight’s and will continue to do so in future also. I like to cook for my family and friends. I am much satisfied that I have created something which can give me some creative satisfaction and a place which I can call “my small world”.
And top it with, you all nice people who like to come here for recipes or some personal updates. You all are now part of my extended family and friends.
So, here a recipe quite popular recipe.But this time this is little different- as in Hindi filmy style “Zara Hatke”.

Thai style Chicken curry-well almost
I called it almost because the main ingredients like galangal and kafir lime leaves are missing in this curry. Galangal which is a root belongs to ginger family and kafir lime leaves are synonyms with Thai and Malaysian cuisine, is not that readily available here. If you find these two main ingredients near your place of living, do add them in this curry to give it more authenticity.
Serves-3-4
Ingredients
1 chicken breast cut into bite size pieces or approx 250 Gms of boneless chicken meat
2 carrots chopped into half inch pieces
1 green bell pepper
10-15 mange touts
10-15 cashews
1 can of light coconut milk-or almost 400-500 ml of coconut milk
Seasonings
2-4 tsp of all purpose seasoning/meat masala/curry powder
½ tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of red pepper powder
1 bay leaf
2-3 tbs of butter
Method
In a pressure cooker, add 1 tbs of butter, saute chicken pieces for 1-2 mints and then pressure cook the chicken for one whistle. Let it cool for sometime. Alternately you can sauté chicken pieces in a saucepan, and then can cook it in about half cup of water for 15 mints at low and covered.
Meanwhile put a large pot with whole lot of water to boil. When the water starts boiling, add all the vegetables-baby corn, carrots, bell pepper, and mangetout. Let the vegetables cook there for 2-3 mints. Drain the water in colander and take the vegetables out in a separate bowl
Now in a large saucepan/wok/kadai, add 2 tbs of butter
Add in bay leaf, cashews and fry them for 1-2 mints at medium flame.
Now add cooked chicken pieces.
Add all the seasonings-turmeric powder, red pepper powder, all purpose seasoning, and salt. Coat well chicken pieces with spices
Add all the pre-boiled vegetables. Add in 1 can of coconut milk + some half cup of water. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer slowly for 30-35 mints.Serve and enjoy with warm cooked rice.
This turn out a great soup also , completely filling on a rainy day.

Note-
Vegetarians skip chicken pieces and make the rest of the curry as written above.
If you want to make it healthier, skip using butter and use canola/sunflower oil. But adding butter makes this curry more flavourful, trust me on that.

Happy Cooking Friends