cupboard sunday dinner – “thai” curry

I’m not an expert on Asian food and I don’t cook it very often … even if I like it. Now and then I can do fried rice with chicken … but it doesn’t happen very often. 

When I was visiting friends during the last week, they served a fabulous curry … one evening and it was done in less than 15 min. Just my cooking style. So I asked for the recipe.

Two ingredients I had to buy .. like this spice mix “Pineapple Thai”,  something a Swedish spice manufacturer has come up with. Reading from the bag it contains pineapple juice powder, salt, onion, garlic, lemon juice powder, kaffir lime leafs, ginger, lemongrass, chilli and turmeric.  Plus I had to purchase fresh baby spinach. 

I used frozen chicken breasts and I used Dole’s tinned pineapple pieces, something I had at home.

Thai Pineapple Red Curry with Egg Noodles, serves 4
400gr (14.10 oz) chicken breast (4 small breasts), cut in strips
15gr ( 0.5oz) of Pineapple Thai Organic spices, 1/2 bag
1 tbsp (topped) red curry paste
400ml (1.7 cups) coconut milk
1/2 fresh pineapple, cut into pieces (I used tinned)
100gr (3.5 oz) baby spinach
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (used frozen)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp fish sauce

1. I cut the chicken breast in thin slices as it was still a bit frozen to make it easier for myself and to get the slices the same thickness.
2. I mix the spice mix and curry paste with the coconut milk.
3. Drained the pineapple pieces well for about 15 min.
4. Used my wok pan and added some wok frying oil on high heat.
5. Put in the chicken strips, season with salt and black pepper – when the chicken started to take a golden colour I added the oyster sauce and fish sauce and fried for about 5 min in total.
6. Added the coconut milk and let it simmer away for about another 5 min and then I added the spinach and stirred until it was wilted. Finished off with the coriander. 

Regarding noodles, there are so many ways to cook or not cook them. I boil up water with salt and take the pot off the stove and put the noodle nests in and let them soak for about 8 min. Then I drain and rinse them under running cold water. Put them back in the pot on the warm burner .. drizzle a very small amount of sesame oil over and stir so the noodles get properly coated with the oil.

I’m sure this is not an authentic Thai curry, but a great flavour, not “landing in Tokyo the next day” hot and quick to make. The closest I ever come to a Thai curry. I suppose I should have served myself rice with the curry, but I’m not really a keen rice eater.

“Noodles are not only amusing but delicious …”
Julia Child