Red Curry Chicken with Lotus Root

I was requested by my hubby for red curry chicken for dinner, so I decided to make it with poached lotus root I brought a package home from Asian supermarket another day.  So, his wish was granted!

Chicken red curry is a typical Thai food selling by the street food vendors all over in Thailand.  Normally, the vegetables using in Thai red curry are bamboo shoots, kabocha squash, winter melon, and Thai eggplants depending on what is available, but you can use any vegetables you like.   Why limited...right?

Lotus root is starch vegetable…like potato.  It is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol, a good source of Fiber, load with Vitamin C, B6, and potassium. I remembered having them as a dessert in Thailand by cut them up and cooked them with sugar, added some crushed ice and drizzled with a little bit of coconut milk on top…hmmm….perfect for a hot weather in Thailand.   Though I’ve never used lotus root in the curry before, the result was amazingly delicious.    You’ve gotta try cooking with lotus root sometime.  It can be use in cooking for all kind of things like soup or stir-fried or bake it like potato chips.  if you like potato, you will like lotus root.  Have fun! 

What you need:

1 can (13.5 fl.oz.) coconut milk

2 cups water

2 cup chopped boneless chicken breast or tight as you prefer 

1 cup poached lotus roots

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 tbsp Thai red chili curry paste (I use the Mae Anong brand)

3-4 tbsp fish sauce (or salt but do not use soy sauce)

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup Thai basil leaves

3-4 Kaffir lime leaves – thinly sliced crosswise

How to:

- add about 1/4 of coconut milk into a heavy bottom pan or a sauté pan over medium high heat until it gets to bubble a little

- add red curry paste and stir until its incorporate well with the coconut milk

- add chicken and stir, then add 1 cup of water and let’s its simmer to cook the chicken for about 3-5 minutes

- add the rest of coconut milk, 1 cup of water, lotus roots, red bell pepper,  and kaffir lime leaves, stir

- season with fish sauce and sugar and adjust for your desire taste, you can give it a pinch of salt if you like, but not necessary since the fish sauce is already salty

- let it continue to simmering for another 7-10 minutes

- turn off the heat and add Thai basil leaves.  Serve while it’s still hot with steamed Jasmine rice!

Enjoy!

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