Laotian Curry Chicken

The best part of my family's weekly get-togethers, next to seeing each other, is the call that comes when Sunday rolls around and my mother issues an invite for one of mine or my brothers' favourite dinners. The best meals are the ones someone else prepares, am I right?

Curry is not typically Laotian, but since the country borders Thailand and Vietnam, among others, flavours and recipes are carried across borders and adapted with easily found ingredients. My grandparents travelled extensively before retiring back to Paris, and my grandmother incorporated tastes, spices, and cooking traditions she learned from different countries into her Laotian repertoire. She was the best cook and everything she made ranks as my favourite food. My mom now passes on her recipes to us and my children and nieces get a taste of Laos, down through three generations.

An easy, Laotian curry chicken recipe that will please the entire family and is perfect for Sunday dinner.

Laotian Curry Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, 8 boneless chicken thighs, 4 drumsticks, all skinless

1 large sweet onion, chopped

10 Yukon gold potatoes (or 1 potato per person)

1 large head of broccoli

1 400mL can of coconut milk, use the cream on top to cook the chicken (I like Aroyo-D or other brands with a lot of heavy coconut cream.)

2-3 teaspoons of sea salt

4-5 turns of pepper mill

4-5 tablespoons Madras curry powder, enough to coat the chicken

1-2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nampa)

4 cans water (using coconut milk can)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

Heat half the coconut cream (scooped from the top of the can) over medium heat. Place the chicken on the cream and coat chicken with 2 tablespoons curry powder, turning the meat over and sprinkling more curry to coat all sides.

Begin cooking onion by placing it along the edges so onion becomes glazed. Add 1/2 the salt and pepper.

Sear the chicken in the coconut using a large wok or pan until the chicken is slightly cooked - approximately 20 minutes - turning chicken over so both sides are lightly seared and combining it with the onions.

Place potatoes over the chicken, cover with the remainder of the salt and curry, the rest of the coconut milk, and 4 cans (size of coconut milk can) of water to cover the potatoes and chicken. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes at medium-low heat.

Add the fish sauce and stir lightly. Place brocoli on top, add a few pinches of salt over vegetable, and cook for another 15 minutes.

To thicken the sauce, add cornstarch diluted in 1 1/4 tablespoons water in the last 5 minutes before serving. Adjust water and fish sauce to taste.

Serve over plain or coconut-soaked jasmine rice and rougaille de légumes - a spicy stewed vegetable side dish that resembles ratatouille or stick with the brocoli.

Makes enough for a family of 8 with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Bon Appétit!

An easy, Laotian curry chicken recipe that will please the entire family and is perfect for Sunday dinner.