Muoi Khuntilanont's Kitchen

kaeng paa kai

Jungle curry with chicken

Before you rush out to try this, you need a heavy and very sharp knife 
and a degree of skill if you are not to have a messy accident - spilling 
the contents of the coconuts all over the kitchen may well be the least 
of your problems. You can open the coconuts some other  way, and serve 
the dish in more conventional tableware!

For the curry paste

2 T. takrai (lemon grass), bruised, thinly sliced
3 T. shallots, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons kratiem (garlic), chopped
1/4 kachai (lesser ginger), peeled and chopped
8 prik chee fa daegn haeng (dried red jalapenos), crushed
1 teaspoon green peppercorns
1 teaspoon kapi (fermented shrimp paste)
a dash of fish sauce

For the curry

4 cups chicken, cut into bite sized pieces.
quarter cup of nam pla (fish sauce)
3 cups of chicken stock (or water)
½ c. makhua pro (Thai Eggplant), quartered
½ c.  prik che fa (green Thai jalapenos), julienned
half a cup of bai maenglak
10 bai makrut (kaffir lime leaves), shredded
4 coconuts.
 
Prepare the curry paste by grinding everything to a paste. Pierce the 
coconuts and reserve the juice. Using a machete chop off the top of each, 
just above the mid-point. Scoop out the coconut 'meat' with a spoon (or 
a melon baller). Mix about 1/2 c. coconut for every 2 c. of juice and 
refrigerate. Reserve ½ c. of coconut meat. Heat a wok over medium high 
heat, and then add a little oil and stir fry the curry paste until 
aromatic. Add the chicken, fry briefly and add the remaining ingredients, 
except the lime leaves and the chicken stock. Stir fry until the chicken 
begins to change colour. Add the stock, cover, and  simmer until the 
chicken and the eggplant are cooked. Serve in coconut shell bowls, 
garnished with the lime leaves, and accompanied by rice in the tops of 
the coconut shells along with the chilled coconut nectar as a refreshing 
cool drink.