If I will think of one Filipino dish that can’t be eaten without a lot of rice, I think it is Chicken Curry. The coconut-curry sauce is just perfect for white steamy rice. Though not originally Pinoy, I believe we just adapted this dish from
our Indian brethren, chicken curry is still Pinoy na pinoy and swak na swak sa ating panlasa. How could Filipinos not love something with coconut? Unlikely. This dish is rich, creamy and fragrant but not as spicy as its origin. Tamang kick lang. Oh well, enjoy the dish.
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs chicken thigh
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, thinly chopped
- 1 can (14 oz/400ml) coconut milk
- 1 chicken bouillon
- 4 tablespoons curry powder (madras)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 1 green bell pepper, in small squares
- 1 red bell pepper, in small squares
- 6 stalks of green onion, chopped, for garnish
Cook it:
Heat the oil on a large sauce pan on medium h
eat. Sauté onion and celery until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and carrots; then, sauté for 2 more minutes. Add chicken, coconut milk, bouillon, curry, salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil. Then, cover and lower heat to medium. Cook for 35 mins.
Remove the chicken, and put on a baking sheet. Put under a broiler on High for 3 minutes on each side. This is to get a good char and brown color. Set aside.
While the chicken is broiling, put the potatoes and bell peppers to the sauce pan. Bring heat to High and cook for 10 more minutes, uncovered. Let the liquid reduce and thicken.
Put the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with green onions on top. Serve hot with rice.
Alternatively, if you don’t have an oven/broiler, you can pan fry the chicken at the beginning and set aside the chicken. Then, use the same pan to continue the cooking process.
The proportion in this recipe is good for a family of 5-7. I prefer cooking in big batches even if I just cook for myself. You can always store, refrigerate the leftovers and just re-heat later on. You can also freeze it to last for a few weeks longer.