No Massaman

Last night I really wanted to make Massaman curry.  It's our favorite from our local Thai place, and I googled recipes and found a few that looked promising.  So off I went to the grocery.  I got the chicken, potatoes, coconut milk, but I couldn't find the Massaman curry paste that every recipe claimed existed.  So I found another one that called for Chinese Five Spice Powder.  Good to go!

Not so good to go.  It tasted like normal curry.  NOT MASSAMAN.  But I did learn some lessons about curry.  Since I have already made the easy curry and it was delicious, I noticed some trends between the two to get a tasty curry in a few pretty simple steps.  Just make sure you have a few spices in your pantry and you can whip some up whenever the taste arises.  We mainly use turmeric, cumin, curry powder, ginger, and cayenne pepper, about 1/2 t. of each and then add what you like.  It's pretty foolproof.  Last nights even had a dose of Chinese Five Spice powder, a good addition but not necessary.  And there is a basic process you can follow.  Start with sauteing onions/garlic/shallots, then add spices.  Add in chicken and cook briefly.  Add in apples or potatoes (both are excellent!) and about a can of coconut milk and some chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.  Let it cook for about 12-15 minutes and serve over rice!  And I always serve it with some peach chutney.''

And if anyone knows where I can find a Thai grocery store in Louisville and some of this so called Massaman curry paste, let me know!  I will not be defeated!

 

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