Recipe courtesy Jeff Merrin, executive chef, Calgary Winter Club
Photo by Ingrid Kuenzel
Ingredients
4 tsp (20 mL) canola oil
4 onions, finely chopped
¼ cup (60mL) garlic, minced
50 g ginger, minced
3 stalks lemongrass, bruised, minced
2 Tbs (30 mL) fish sauce
3 Tbs (45 mL) dark soy sauce
2 Tbs (30 mL) Thai red curry paste
1 small bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced (use zest for rice)
1 tin coconut milk
1 large red onion, fine sliced
1 red pepper, julienned
1 green pepper, julienned
8 chicken thighs
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
½ tsp (3 mL) black pepper
Lime Cilantro Rice and Naan bread
¼ cup (60 mL) Sambal Oelek
¼ cup (60 mL) butter
¼ cup (60 mL) honey
1 Kg cashew nuts
1 cup (225 mL) Basmati rice
1 Tbs (15 mL) clarified butter
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice
2 cups (450 mL) water
To taste salt
1 lime, zested
½ cup (125 mL) cilantro, finely chopped
Preparation
- Add 2 tsp (10ml) canola oil to a cooking pot and sweat the white onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass to release the flavours.
- Deglaze pot with soy and fish sauces, add Thai curry paste, cilantro and lime juice. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk, cook for a further 15 minutes, then strain through a fine strainer.
- Heat a large frying pan and add remaining canola oil. Fry the chicken on both sides for 5 minutes. Add red onion and peppers. Add the sauce to the pan, reduce heat and cook chicken until tender.
- Serve with naan bread and lime cilantro rice.
- Sautee the cashews in the butter, add Sambal Oelek and honey. When the cashews are golden brown, remove from heat and place on a lined baking sheet to cool.
- Wash rice in running cold water until water runs clear. Cover and soak rice in water for 15 minutes.
- Drain the rice in a strainer and let it dry for 10 minutes. This step helps to firm up the rice.
- After 10 minutes, heat the butter in a thick bottom deep saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add rice and sauté for a minute.
- Add the lemon juice, water and salt; mix well. Bring the water to a boil, then cover it and reduce the heat to very low. Simmer for 17 minutes and turn the heat off. Let stand for 10 minutes. Use a fork to fluff up rice. Add the lime zest and chopped cilantro.
