CAMBODIA My Kitchen My World

Thank you to Lauren who chosen Cambodia as our challenge for this week.
Lauren is also our new moderator for MKMW.



Curry Mouan
Recipe Adapted From: The Elephant Walk Cookbook
By: Longtein De Monteiro & Kathereine Neustadt

According to this book, Cambodian consider the look of the curry is very important! They like to see lots of small dark spot of oil - dark red from the chilli peppers pooled on the surface of the sauce.

Serve 8

Paste:
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup sliced lemongrass
3 dried New Mexico chillies, soaked, seeded, and deveined
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
2 slices peeled galangal, about  1½" across & 1/8" thick
1½ cinnamon sticks, cracked
4 whole star anise
9 cardamom seeds
1 small asian nutmeg
16 peppercorns
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp turmeric
2½ tsp shrimp paste
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped cilantro

• Heat oil in a large skillet, fry all of the ingredients above, except water and the cilantro, to release their flavor about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender,  add the water and the chopped cilantro, process until smooth. Set aside while you are preparing the other ingredients.

The curry:
½ cup plus 1 - 2 tbs vegetable oil
3½ cups coconut milk
1½ - 2 pounds chicken pieces (2 - 3 whole legs, cut into 1½"pieces, and 2 wings, severed at the joint with a cleaver)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tbs fish sauce
4 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled, halve and cut into 1" thick-slices

• In a large heavy pot pan, heat the oil over medium heat, add 1 cup coconut milk and cook until the oil begin to separate from the milk. Add 1½ cup of the curry paste (freeze any extra for future use) cook and stirring bout 2 minutes until the flavor develop. If the surface of the sauce is not cover with dark spots, add another tablespoon of oil.


• Add the chicken, stirring well to coat, then add onion, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2½ cups coconut milk, and cook high simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 - 25 minutes.


• While the curry is cooking, heat the remaining ½ cup oil  over medium high heat, add the potatoes, and fry until golden brown.


• Add the fried potato into the chicken curry, and finish cooking until the chicken is done and the potatoes are tender.


• Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steam jasmine rice.

Note:
Since I used rock cornish hen for this recipe, I didn't really bother to cut them into smaller pieces. I also reduced the amount of the coconut milk to only about 1 cup. It was creamy enough to my standard, and I also didn't use potatoes as the recipe stated. Instead, I used winter squash, peeled and cut into chunk then added the curry. It was delicious!

Please visit other MKMW member to see what Cambodian dishes they come up with.

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