Thank you to Lauren who chosen Cambodia as our challenge for this week.
Lauren is also our new moderator for MKMW.



Curry Mouan
Recipe Adapted From: The Elephant Walk Cookbook
By: Longtein De Monteiro & Kathereine Neustadt

According to this book, Cambodian consider the look of the curry is very important! They like to see lots of small dark spot of oil - dark red from the chilli peppers pooled on the surface of the sauce.

Serve 8

Paste:
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup sliced lemongrass
3 dried New Mexico chillies, soaked, seeded, and deveined
5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
2 slices peeled galangal, about  1½" across & 1/8" thick
1½ cinnamon sticks, cracked
4 whole star anise
9 cardamom seeds
1 small asian nutmeg
16 peppercorns
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp turmeric
2½ tsp shrimp paste
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped cilantro

• Heat oil in a large skillet, fry all of the ingredients above, except water and the cilantro, to release their flavor about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender,  add the water and the chopped cilantro, process until smooth. Set aside while you are preparing the other ingredients.

The curry:
½ cup plus 1 - 2 tbs vegetable oil
3½ cups coconut milk
1½ - 2 pounds chicken pieces (2 - 3 whole legs, cut into 1½"pieces, and 2 wings, severed at the joint with a cleaver)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tbs fish sauce
4 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled, halve and cut into 1" thick-slices

• In a large heavy pot pan, heat the oil over medium heat, add 1 cup coconut milk and cook until the oil begin to separate from the milk. Add 1½ cup of the curry paste (freeze any extra for future use) cook and stirring bout 2 minutes until the flavor develop. If the surface of the sauce is not cover with dark spots, add another tablespoon of oil.


• Add the chicken, stirring well to coat, then add onion, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2½ cups coconut milk, and cook high simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 - 25 minutes.


• While the curry is cooking, heat the remaining ½ cup oil  over medium high heat, add the potatoes, and fry until golden brown.


• Add the fried potato into the chicken curry, and finish cooking until the chicken is done and the potatoes are tender.


• Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steam jasmine rice.

Note:
Since I used rock cornish hen for this recipe, I didn't really bother to cut them into smaller pieces. I also reduced the amount of the coconut milk to only about 1 cup. It was creamy enough to my standard, and I also didn't use potatoes as the recipe stated. Instead, I used winter squash, peeled and cut into chunk then added the curry. It was delicious!

Please visit other MKMW member to see what Cambodian dishes they come up with.