This totally didn't work. We wanted the mild yellow coconut curry that you can get at restaurants around here, and this was far too spicy and far too salty. I think next time, I'll try cutting down the curry paste and fish sauce. I assume, too, that I'll end up having to make my own curry paste to avoid some of the salt, but packaged curry paste is going to be my training wheels.
We used this recipe from GroupRecipes.com:
(This is listed as I plan to try it the next time I make it. I will be cutting back on curry paste and fish sauce. I did use "real" coconut milk, as stated, but might try light next time.)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil (360 calories)
- 10 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cut into chunks (we used three breasts = about 20 ounces = 600 calories)
- 1 large onion, cut in chunks (60 calories)
- 2 ounces yellow curry paste(about 300 calories) ***I used 4 ounces, which was too much.
- 1 tsp. curry powder (negligible calories)
- 1 13 oz. can coconut milk (900 calories) (***400 calories for light.)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (20 calories) ***I used 1 cup.
- 3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut in small chunks (500 calories)
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce(10 calories) ***I used 2 tablespoons.
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice(5 calories)
- 1 tbsp. palm sugar (you can substitute brown*) (60 calories)
- Fresh green beans, washed and snapped (smallish handful = 60 calories)
How to make it
- In a wok or large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until starting to turn golden.
- Add onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add curry paste and curry powder and mash curry paste to soften, then stir to coat the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk and stock. Bring to a gentle boil. Add potato chunks and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.
Calories in sauce: 1345
Total calories: 2870
Calories per half-cup of sauce: About 225
Calories per half-cup of sauce plus 3 ounces chicken, 2 ounces potato, 1 ounce green beans = 460
Plus a half cup of rice = 460 + 110 = 570
We used Mae Ploy yellow curry paste, which we had to get at a Chinese supermarket because our regular shops--and even a couple of international markets--didn't have any yellow curry paste. I think it must be a lot more concentrated that whatever the GroupRecipes lady used, because ours was much spicier and saltier than any yellow curry I've ever before encountered. We finally helped it by stirring in large plops of Greek yogurt. It wasn't bad, but it was more like Indian food in flavor and intensity, and it wasn't what we wanted. I like Indian food, but not when I'm in the mood for Thai.
Next time, though, I'm using far less curry paste and fish sauce, and I'm going to try light coconut milk.
*We went ahead and got palm sugar since we were at the Chinese grocery. Personally, I don't think it tastes anything like brown sugar and you'd be just as well off using a smaller amount of white sugar. Palm sugar is sweet but the flavor is very delicate and a bit like vanilla.
Total calories: 2870
Calories per half-cup of sauce: About 225
Calories per half-cup of sauce plus 3 ounces chicken, 2 ounces potato, 1 ounce green beans = 460
Plus a half cup of rice = 460 + 110 = 570
We used Mae Ploy yellow curry paste, which we had to get at a Chinese supermarket because our regular shops--and even a couple of international markets--didn't have any yellow curry paste. I think it must be a lot more concentrated that whatever the GroupRecipes lady used, because ours was much spicier and saltier than any yellow curry I've ever before encountered. We finally helped it by stirring in large plops of Greek yogurt. It wasn't bad, but it was more like Indian food in flavor and intensity, and it wasn't what we wanted. I like Indian food, but not when I'm in the mood for Thai.
Next time, though, I'm using far less curry paste and fish sauce, and I'm going to try light coconut milk.
*We went ahead and got palm sugar since we were at the Chinese grocery. Personally, I don't think it tastes anything like brown sugar and you'd be just as well off using a smaller amount of white sugar. Palm sugar is sweet but the flavor is very delicate and a bit like vanilla.
Comments