Thai Red Curry with Chicken

 Printable Recipe

I can't help myself. I keep craving super spicy foods and then regretting it later from all the heartburn I get. But it's all I really want to eat! What kind of cruel trick is this that this baby wants to play on me!! Please don't let this be a sign of behaviors to come!

Daddy F and I both LOVE spicy food. There is this little Thai place by our house and we love to go there and sit quietly by candlelight, enjoying each others company on date night. Of course, date night hardly ever happens so we usually end up sharing our romantic spot with the two little ones. But the staff at this place are so sweet, and they love our kids so they let them run around with them and keep them occupied so we can have some alone time (yeah, we give them an AMAZING tip!). The only thing that took forever to perfect at this place was them believing us when we said we wanted our food "Thai hot". They look at us as if to say *okcrazywhitepeoplethinkyouwantitspicyyoumakeourfoodcostsgoupcausewehavetoremakeit* whoa, that was a mouthful. But I swear that is what they are thinking and they never make it as spicy as we want it! So I had to learn how to make it at home!

It can be hard to find some of the ingredients, even at an Asian market sometimes (the lime leaves especially) so we have taken to growing our own on our back patio.  Again, I can not wait until we get into our new house (we close March 24 WAHOOO!) and I can have a REAL garden. Bliss.......

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup red curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 fresh kaffir lime leave, torn
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/3 cup thai basil leaves
• 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced 
• 1/2 Japanese eggplant, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 can bamboo shoots, sliced water chestnuts, and bean sprouts
• 3 Thai chillies, thinly sliced (this makes it hot, so more or less according to your heat preference)

Directions:

Place curry paste in large saucepan, stir over med heat until fragrant.  Add coconut milk, chicken stock, lime leaves, fish sauce, and lime juice.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins, stirring constantly to blend ingredients.  Reserve some basil leaves for garnish (about 8) and mix the rest in to the curry with the chicken and vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 5 mins. Serve over jasmine rice.

Our Ratings: 

Mama F: 10 - I LOVE this dish! We actually added 4 Thai chillies cause we are that crazy for heat. So, so good...... feel the burn!

Daddy F: 10 - Just as good as you would find in any restaurant! Heat factor was good for me! If only we had someone here to do our dishes afterwards!

Fuller Kids: 0 - No rating. Would be WAAAAAAY to spicy for their tastes.

Lucky the Dog: 0 - As much as she REALLY wanted some, we all would have regretted the outcome of her consuming this spicy dish.