Ingredients:
· (SERVES 4)
· 2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch-long pieces
(chicken thigh works too)
· 1 red bell pepper, OR 1 sweet red pepper
· 1/4 cup oil for pan-frying
· 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1/2 tsp. salt
· 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh coriander
· Optional: extra 1/2 to 1 mango, cut into chunks
(to finish the dish)
· Optional: 3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk OR water
· MANGO SAUCE:
· 2 fresh ripe mangos, fruit scooped out (or substitute
2 cups frozen or canned mango)
· 1 red chili, de-seeded and diced, OR 1/2 tsp.
dried crushed chili
· 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar (OR white or apple cider)
· 1+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
· 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
· Juice of 1/2 lime
· 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
· 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
· 3 cloves garlic
· 1/4 tsp. turmeric
· 2 lime leaves, snipped into slivers with scissors
(discard stem & central vein), OR zest of 1 lime
Preparation:
1. Place all 'Mango Sauce' ingredients in a food processor
or blender. Process well, until more or less smooth.
2. Taste-test the sauce. The goal is to reach a balance
of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. Add more sugar if you
find the sauce too sour (this will depend on the sweetness
of your mangoes). If not spicy enough, add more chili.
If not salty enough, add more fish sauce. If too salty
or too sweet, add more lime juice. Set aside.
3. Stir the flour and salt together and place in a mixing-type
bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn or gently shake
them to coat.
4. Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add
the oil, then begin frying the chicken pieces. Fry 3-5
minutes per side, or until light golden brown and cooked
through. Remove chicken from pan and set on paper towel.
5. Wash out the wok/frying pan, or use another (clean)
one. Set over medium-high heat and add the mango sauce
plus red pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to
a simmer (medium to low heat). If sauce becomes too thick,
add 3-4 Tbsp. water or coconut milk. Simmer 3-4 minutes,
or until pepper has softened slightly but still retains
some crispness. Youcan also add whole unsalted cashew
nuts, but this is optional.
6. Add the fried chicken pieces, gently stirring them
in to cover with sauce. If desired, add chunks of mango
(fruit of 1/2 to 1 ripe mango) too. Simmer briefly, just
until everything is hot.
7. You can also add whole unsalted cashew nuts, but this
is optional.
8. Do a final taste-test for salt (tasting the sauce together
with the chicken). Add a little more fish sauce or chili
if desired.
9. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh coriander
and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice. Or,
for an extra special treat, with coconut rice.
Coconut Rice Ingredients:
· SERVES 4
· 2 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice
· 2 cups good-quality coconut milk
· 1 3/4 cups water
· 2 Tbsp. dry shredded unsweetened coconut (baking
type)
· 1 1/2 tsp. salt
· 1/2 tsp. coconut oil, OR other vegetable oil
Preparation:
1. Rub oil over the bottom of a deep-sided pot. You will
also need a tight-fitting lid.
2. Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut,
and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat.
3. Stir until liquid comes to a gentle boil (stirring
will keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the
pot and burning).
4. Once the coconut-water has begun to gently bubble,
stop stirring and reduce heat to low (just above minimum).
Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer about 15 minutes,
or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice
(to check, pull rice aside with a fork to see down to
the bottom of the pot).
5. When the liquid is gone, turn off the heat, but leave
the covered pot on the burner to steam another 5-10 minutes,
or until you're ready to eat.
6. When ready to serve, remove the lid and fluff rice
with a fork or chopsticks. Taste-test the rice for salt,
adding a little more if needed.
