Kaeng pa kai (jungle curry chicken)
this is a very spicy liquid curry. The addition of coconut is not really part of the original recipes as this is predominately a northern Thai dish which barely used coconut as an ingredient.
For the curry paste:
1/4 kachai (galangal), peeled and chopped
8 prik chee fa daegn haeng (dried red chillies), crushed
2 tablespoon takrai (lemon grass), bruised, thinly sliced
3 tablespoon shallots, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon kratiem (garlic), chopped
1 teaspoon green peppercorns
1 teaspoon kapi (fermented shrimp paste)
a dash of fish sauce
for the curry:
4 coconuts
4 cups chicken, cut into bite sized pieces.
1/4 cup nam pla (fish sauce)
1/2 cup makhua pro (thai eggplant), quartered
1/2 cup prik che fa (green thai jalapeños), julienned
1/2 cup bai maenglak (lemon basil)
3 cups chicken stock or water
10 bai makrut (kaffir lime leaves), shredded
prepare the curry paste by grinding everything to a paste. Pierce the coconuts and reserve the juice. Using a machete (or hammer & pick) chop off the top of each, just above the mid-point. Scoop out the coconut 'meat' with a spoon (or a melon baller). Mix about ½ cup coconut for every 2 cups of juice and refrigerate. Reserve ½ cup of coconut meat. Heat a wok over medium high heat, and then add a little oil and stir fry the curry paste until aromatic. Add the chicken, fry briefly and add the remaining ingredients, except the lime leaves and the chicken stock. Stir fry until the chicken begins to change colour. Add the stock, cover, and simmer until the chicken and the eggplant are cooked. You can serve in coconut shell bowls (Thai’s never do this!), garnished with the lime leaves.
The coconut juice can be served chilled as a chillie recovery tonic :)
peters comments regarding the substitution of fresh coconut;
the jungle curry (kaeng pa): i don't think that the coconut meat is so important for jungle curries but you could add a dash of coconut milk if you like. Jungle curries are not creamy, they are quite light. Dessicated coconut has a very different flavour and texture to fresh so i wouldn't replace the meat with dried coconut
