Gaeng Massaman Gai (Massaman Chicken Curry)

I like curry and if it can be Thai curry, even better. This was my second attempt at making this rich and creamy dish and I have to say, it was a success. My husband took it work and had some for dinner the day after. If seconds and thirds were going, then it must have been a hit with him.

I've taken a couple recipes of how to make this curry. One great resource for Thai food is ImportFood.com. I picked out what I wanted and what I didn't want according to my own tastes and ended up with this concoction. I hope you can try it and see what you think of Massaman Chicken. After you have tried this, you can see for yourself how you would like your own curry the next time you try it again. Will it be a little sweet, sour or salty? I wouldn't know. You decide. Happy eating!

What you will need:

2 lbs of Chicken (we used chicken breasts)
3 Large All-purpose potatoes
2 Large onions
1 Can of Massaman curry paste
4 Cups of Coconut Milk
3 Tablespoons of Fish Sauce (Tiparos brand)
2 Tablespoons of Palm Sugar or White Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Lime juice
3 Kaffir leaves
5 Cardamon seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Tablespoons of roasted peanuts/and then roughly ground
Tamarind Juice (1 Tablespoon of Tamarind concentrate and 2 1/2 Tablespoons of water)

Pots, Pans and Misc:

A large pot with a lid
A pot for partial boiling of potatoes
An enthusiastic potato peeler
Trusty can opener
Measuring glass
Let's get started!

• Prep the potatoes by peeling, cutting them into large 1 inch chunks and partially boiling them. After they are boiled, keep them aside until further instructions.

• Quarter your onions, keeping them large and chunky.

• Roast your peanuts. You may have them whole or grounded. My family likes it grounded.

• Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces.

• In the large pot that has a lid, over high heat, add your can of Massaman curry paste and 1 cup of coconut milk. Stir the combination until the heat has allowed the oils in the paste to become wonderfully fragrant.

• Add the chicken and cook the chicken. When the meat is no longer pink, add onions and stir some more.

• Once the onions are a little heated through, add the rest of the ingredients into the pot. Give it a good stir. Now, it's going to look a bit soupy due to the cups of coconut milk we've used. But not to worry. Bring the curry to a boil and reduce heat about 2 notches. Keep your pot open for about 15 minutes.

• After that, cover pot and let it keep cooking until the coconut milk is reduced to a thicker and creamery consistency. You may think this sounds like an "Old School" way of giving out a recipe. You know, where you never know the precise measurements and exact cooking time? But guess what? You are correct for thinking such a thing. I don't really go by a set time when I make Thai food. I watch my food and when I think it's the right consistency and taste, that's when I am finished and ready to serve the dish. 

• So once again, keep an eye on your curry. Give it a gentle stir because you don't want to hurt the potatoes but you need the spices to distribute evenly. When the curry thickens that's when it is ready.

• Serve with rice and maybe a cool cucumber salad on the side.