Chicken Curry as a One-Dish Meal

The ease and convenience of a one-dish meal is a boon to cooks who find it hard or inconvenient to cook meat or fish plus rice or potatoes and a vegetable.

For this chicken curry, accompanied by a rice pilaf that contains carrots, green onions and cabbage, there is no need for side vegetables, and the resulting dish is relatively inexpensive, different, spicy and filling.

The most expensive ingredient is the fresh coconut, essential to a good curry because coconut milk, extracted from the white inner flesh of this tropical fruit, is the braising liquid used to give the dish an authentic taste.

Coconuts are the fruits of palm trees. They take about six months to mature and turn from green to brown when ripe. The shell-like outer husk conceals a lining of pliable white meat and a central cache of unusable clear coconut water that is drained through holes made in the shell before opening the fruit.

To Make Coconut Milk

The white coconut meal also contains a thin brown skin that must be pared away with a vegetable peeler or knife before using the meat to make coconut milk.

To extract the milky coconut liquid, the meat is cut into chunks that will fit in the processor food chute. The coconut meat is processed into shreds, then shreds are double-processed into a fine mince with the metal blade while boiling hot water is poured through the food chute. Coconut meat is so firm it does not become a soft puree no matter how long it is processed. But the smaller the pieces, the greater the amount of coconut milk extracted. Then the milk is strained from the solids.

One note about curry powder. This spice blend can contain as many as 20 different spices. The blends can vary from mild to hot, usually depending upon the amount of red pepper added. A good curry powder should have a strong, slightly bitter taste and should contain no salt or MSG. Commercial blends are available in supermarket spice sections, and specialty food stores often carry several varieties.

CHICKEN CURRY

1 (1-pound) fresh coconut

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 (1-inch) chunk fresh ginger root, peeled

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled

1 medium onion, peeled and cubed

1/2 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves, crushed

2 whole cloves

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt

Juice of 1/2 fresh lime

1 chicken, cut into 10 pieces with breast quartered

Pierce eyes of coconut with screwdriver or ice pick. Drain and discard interior liquid. Bake coconut at 450 degrees until shell cracks, about 20 minutes. While hot, pound with hammer to crack, then remove shell. Split in half with cleaver. When cool, peel off brown bark-like coating with vegetable peeler. Break coconut meat into pieces to fit in processor food chute.

Insert medium shredding disc. Shred coconut with firm push, then empty container into bowl. Change to metal blade. Return coconut to processor. With motor on, pour boiling water quickly through food chute. Insert pusher and let coconut stand in machine 15 minutes.

Set large fine strainer over bowl. Empty coconut into strainer and press to extract all coconut milk (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups). Set aside or cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Return metal blade to clean dry processor. Mince ginger and garlic by adding to machine with motor on. Add onion and chop with 1-second pulses. Transfer contents of container to 4-quart Dutch oven.

Add cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, curry powder, chili powder, cardamom, salt, lime juice, coconut milk and chicken to pot and turn to coat chicken with spices. Set cover slightly ajar, stirring well to remove spices from pan bottom, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

PILAF WITH CARROTS AND

CABBAGE

1 medium onion, peeled and cubed

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup long-grain rice, preferably basmati

2 cups chicken broth or water

Salt

1/4 pound carrots, peeled

3 whole green onions

2 (1/4-pound) wedges green cabbage

Freshly ground pepper

Insert metal blade in processor. Chop onion with half-second pulses and transfer to medium saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon butter and stir over low heat until soft. Add rice and stir until milky white, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and add dash salt. Cover and heat to simmering. Stir well, re-cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed by rice, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside, covered.

While rice cooks, change to medium shredding disc. Insert carrots sideways in food chute and shred with firm push. Transfer to medium skillet. Change to medium slicing disc. Cut green onions to fit upright in food chute and slice with gentle push. Slice cabbage across grain with gentle pressure.

Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to skillet. Cook carrots over low heat until tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Stir in green onions and cabbage. Toss until cabbage is tender-crisp, about 10 minutes longer. Stir vegetables into cooked rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with Chicken Curry. Makes 4 servings.