Green Curry Kitchen

Since this blog is called Sarah Jeanne's Kitchen, it seems only appropriate to post a recipe today.  For dinner I made one of my favorite meals - Green Curry Chicken.  I make it for two reasons:  one because it's delicious and two it's a great recipe to clean out your vegetable drawer.  I usually make it when I'm down to the last few veggies that need to be used up.

I need to get better at taking more pictures during the process... but here's the end result!

Recipe for Green Curry Chicken
Serves 4

2 large chicken breast, cut into bite sized chunks

3-4 types of vegetables, about 3 cups raw, medium dice
Use up whatever you have - tonight was onion, red bell pepper, celery, and swiss chard

1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken stock, I make a big batch once in a while and freeze it in ice cube trays
3 TB green curry paste **see note below
2 TB fish sauce
1 1/2 TB lime juice
2 TB fresh herbs - I used some from my garden! Mint, Oregano, Chives, and Lemon Balm

Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper.
Brown the chicken in a hot pan with oil.  No need to cook all the way as you want to finish it in the sauce.  Remove the chicken and set aside.
Saute the vegetables in some oil with salt and pepper.  If you're using a leafy veggie, like my swiss chard, leave it to the end.
Once all the veggies are soft, add 1 can coconut milk and chicken stock
Add green curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice.  You can add more or less of each ingredient according to your taste.  I like lots of seasoning.
Add the seared chicken and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Finish with chopped herbs and serve with white rice.

Somehow I always end up cooking enough for 4 people, although there's just two of us eating.  I'm a big fan of leftovers in the freezer.  Because of this I am a hoarder of containers.  Tonight it's going in an old sauerkraut jar!  I always write the name of the dish and date it was made in good old Sharpie.  Makes organizing the freezer much easier and the marker comes off most containers during a good wash.

**Green Curry Paste
Here's a recipes for green curry paste, although I will admit, I often by it in a jar.  Most stores have it in the Asian section.

10 Serrano Chilis
1 Onion (or 3 shallots)
2" piece of Ginger  (Galangal if you can get it)
6 Garlic Cloves
1 Bunch Cilantro
2 TB Lime Juice
2 Stalks Lemon Grass
1TB Corrindar Seeds
2 TB Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Black Peppercorns
2 TB fish sauce

Grind it all together with a mortar and pestle, blender, or food processor.  Keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for 3 months.