Vietnamese cooking is a "crazy animal all its own." This dish combines Chinese
stir-frying and Indian-style curry powder with such common Southeast Asian
ingredients as lemongrass and fish sauce.
This is real comfort food, Vietnamese-style.
In her acclaimed cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors, Andrea Nguyen says this recipe was inspired by a dish her mother makes, using whole skinless drumsticks, cooked first on the stovetop and then finished in the oven. Her own, quicker version begins with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. She writes:
“The ingredients of this intensely flavored chicken dish resemble those of a curry, but here they are stir-fried, rather than simmered together in a sauce to retain their individuality. You’ll taste the sweetness of coconut milk and shallots, the heat of the chiles (fresh and dried in the curry powder), and the citrus of lemongrass, plus the bell pepper adds color and softness.”
I found that the flavors of this cross-cultural dish (Indian-style curry powder, Chinese stir-frying) actually meld in the most delicious way, while retaining a degree of individuality. This is a perfect weeknight curry, easy to make, nourishing to body and spirit, with enough tantalizing tastes to keep it interesting.
A few pointers:
Indian-style Madras curry powder is used in a host of Vietnamese dishes. The most popular product among Vietnamese cooks—and the one I used-- is D & D Gold, which is widely available at Asian grocers and some supermarkets. Andrea and her mother favor Sun Brand’s “premium blend,” which comes in a metal canister and is sold at gourmet shops and specialty markets. As Andrea notes, D & D Gold is a bit heavy on the turmeric, while Sun Brand is more redolent of coriander.
To get 3 tablespoons of finely chopped lemongrass out of one stalk, you’ll have to use at least 8 inches of the tender stem. Chop off the tough 1/2-inch of the bottom portion and the woody tops of the stalk. Then remove the tough outer layers to reveal a smooth inner stem. Andrea suggests cutting the stem into 3- to 4-inch pieces, halving each, and then slicing them into “very thin half moons.”
As for the coconut milk, it is certainly easiest to use the canned variety. (Mae Ploy and Chaokoh are two good Thai brands.) But I can tell you that freshly extracted coconut milk makes a truly superb curry. To save time, I cheated by blending one cup frozen grated coconut, defrosted, with 2/3-cup hot water for 2 minutes, and then pressing the mixture through a strainer. This yields somewhat thin, but rich tasting coconut milk, infinitely superior to anything that comes out of a can. It takes less than 5 minutes to make it.
Or, if you prefer, you can follow Andrea’s directions for making the real thing: Pierce holes in 2 of the 3 “eyes” of a mature brown coconut and drain the water. Bake the coconut in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Crack it with a hammer and remove the coconut meat with a dinner knife. Shave off the brown “skin” with a vegetable peeler and coarsely chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Put one cup of coconut in a food processor, start the processor and pour 3/4 cup hot water through the feed tube. Run the processor for several minutes, until the coconut meat is “finely textured and resembles slushy snow.”
Place the contents of the processor in a clean non-terry dish towel or several layers of cheesecloth, and squeeze the liquid into a bowl. Repeat the procedure with the remaining 1 cup coconut.
I like to serve the curry with steamed rice and a green salad.
Chicken Stir-Fried with Lemongrass and Chile
(from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors)
Serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients:
1-1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, well trimmed and cut into
1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder (see above)
2-1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch squares
1/2 cup coconut milk, canned or freshly made (see above)
3 or 4 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped
Method:
1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, salt, sugar, curry power, and fish sauce and turn several times to coat the chicken evenly. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or for up to 1 hour.
2. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots, chiles, and lemongrass and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the chicken mixture and the bell pepper, quickly move them around to coat them with the aromatics, and then let the chicken cook, undisturbed for about 1 minute, or until nicely seared. Using a spatula, flip the chicken pieces over and cook, undisturbed for about 1 minute, or until nicely seared on the second side.
3. Add the coconut milk, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. As the coconut milk reduces, it will simmer vigorously. The chicken is done when the coconut milk is barely visible; it may even have even begun to render some of its oil.
[Note: The cooking time is also determined by the size of the chicken pieces. If you cut them into larger chunks—as I did—the curry will take a few minutes longer to cook. Test for doneness by cutting into a piece of chicken. You can add a little more coconut milk, but it probably won't be necessary.]
4. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve immediately.