'KAENG KIEW WAN KAI'

'Chicken in Green Curry' is yet another world renowned dish, and we were privileged to be taught Wandee's interpretation. If you follow my blog, you should be familier with 'kaeng' or curry by now. The color green is 'kiew' and 'wan' means sweet, 'kai' is of course chicken. Nothing in red in the ingredients which means no red spur peppers or red chilies. Instead they are replaced with lots of green objects like regular green eggplants, green baby eggplants looking like giant Skittles, green chilies that are just as potent, green kiffir lime leaves etc. The definitive color agent, however, comes from coriander leaves and collective they give the curry its color, and hence its name. Apparently beef or pork are sometimes used, but the classic way is chicken. Unlike the other curries, this must be in fluid mode, almost watery. I know I am on the right track when I took that first sip, I am there.

This is the last curry course taught in the Basic Course and by now everyone seems to have grasped the essence of steps. We need to memorize the sequence, and make it second nature as we cook. It reminds me of procedures for making sauces after roasting, or preparing puff pastries or creme patisseri .... the principles are the same. In cooking Thai curry we do the following ..... pound the ingredients in sequence to a paste with the right texture and consistency, boil coconut cream until oil surfaces, add the paste, wait for oil to resurface a second time, add meats, wait for boil, dilute with coconut milk ie coconut cream mixed with water and so on. It is all about discipline, and it is so rewarding to witness the formula working, the end product being a curry that looks and tastes like the real thing.

KAENG KIEW WAN KAI : Chicken Green Curry
KAI PAD MED MA MUANG : Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts
PEEK KAI SOD SAI : Stuffed Chicken Wings
KLOUY BOUD CHEE : Steamed Banana with Coconut Milk
NAM MA KARM : Tamarind Juice