Name: Chiang Mai chicken curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil; 700 gm skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into 6cm-8cm pieces; 1 star anise; 60 gm ginger, peeled and cut into julienne, plus extra to serve; 1½ tbsp tamarind extract, or to taste (see note); 1 tbsp crushed light palm sugar, or to taste; 2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste; 65 gm roasted peanuts, plus extra to serve; Steamed jasmine rice and Thai basil, to serve; Chiang Mai curry paste; 12 dried red chillies (10 gm), seeds removed, soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours, drained; 40 gm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 golden shallot, coarsely chopped; 1 lemongrass stalk (white part only); 1 garlic clove, chopped; 1 tsp shrimp paste; 10 gm fresh turmeric, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1cm); ½ tsp cumin seeds

Chiang Mai chicken curry

This northern Thai-style Chiang Mai curry is flavoured with ginger as well as turmeric. It’s slightly sour and deliciously light.

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

40M

Total

55M

This northern Thai-style curry is flavoured with ginger as well as turmeric. It’s slightly sour and deliciously light.

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil

700 gm skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into 6cm-8cm pieces

1 star anise

60 gm ginger, peeled and cut into julienne, plus extra to serve

1½ tbsp tamarind extract, or to taste (see note)

1 tbsp crushed light palm sugar, or to taste

2 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste

65 gm roasted peanuts, plus extra to serve

Steamed jasmine rice and Thai basil, to serve

Chiang Mai curry paste

12 dried red chillies (10 gm), seeds removed, soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours, drained

40 gm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 golden shallot, coarsely chopped

1 lemongrass stalk (white part only)

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tsp shrimp paste

10 gm fresh turmeric, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1cm)

½ tsp cumin seeds

Method

Main

1.For curry paste, chop chillies, then pound with remaining ingredients and 1 tsp salt to a smooth paste with a mortar and pestle (or process in a small food processor).

2.Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add curry paste and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add chicken and star anise, stir to coat, then add 400ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is almost cooked (15-20 minutes). Add ginger, tamarind and palm sugar, season to taste with fish sauce and extra tamarind if necessary; sauce should taste salty and sour. Simmer until chicken is tender and curry is well flavoured, adding peanuts during the last few minutes of cooking (20-25 minutes). Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and tamarind if necessary, then serve on rice and scatter with basil, extra ginger and extra peanuts.

To make tamarind extract, soak 1 tbsp tamarind pulp in 60 ml boiling water in a bowl for 5 minutes, then mix to form a paste and strain.
Drink Suggestion: Perfumed, bitter IPA. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes