I love South East Asian cuisine.  When I was a student, I used to cook a giant batch of this and eat it over three days. Like many stews, the taste improves after twenty four hours.

 

If you want to make a vegan version try substituting sweet potato, chick peas, or a firm tofu. I also like it because it's a one pot meal; okay a two pot meal, with the rice.

Ingredients

Serves 4

70 ml canola oil
4 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs
6 plum tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
2 inches of fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 carrots, cut into large 4cm chunks
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 red Thai Chiles, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp cinnamon
100 ml fresh lime juice
2 cans of coconut milk
1 big handful cilantro, roughly chopped
400 gr Basmati rice
900 ml water
  salt and pepper

Method

 

For the rice:

Wash rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Soak rice in water for about fifteen minutes. Dry the rice in a colander for ten minutes. Bring 900 ml of water to a boil, add rice and cover with a tightly fitting lid. Reduce to low heat, and cook for fifteen minutes.

 

Let the rice stand for 15 minutes with the lid on. Fluff with a fork before serving.

 

For the stew:

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté all the spices with the chiles, onion, garlic, and ginger, stirring constantly, so you don't burn anything. After about 15 minutes, or when the onions are cooked, add the lime juice, coconut milk, and the chicken. Simmer for about 30 minutes, and serve over rice.

 

Yum! Yum!

 

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