Let There Be Joy

Two days ago, I prepared chicken curry for lunch. And by some strange reason, the aroma of the curry made me remember a conversation I had with my daughter when she was still in high school...... (flashback...with the hands of time doing a backward spin and the tingling of tiny bells)

"Mom," my daughter started, "what's that chicken recipe that has a sauce?"

After some probing, I gathered that she wanted to have the recipe for Chicken Curry. She was charged by her cooking group at school with coming up with the appropriate chicken recipe that would be easy to execute, tasty and best of all must impress the teacher. The cooking was to be done the next day at school.

I initially gave her a list of ingredients needed and instructions for her yaya to get them quickly at the supermarket. I assured her that we would discuss the procedure thoroughly when I get home from work.

Over dinner, my daughter took notes of the "what and the how much" of the recipe. To be sure that she would recall what I said, each note she took was followed by a crude, funny drawing. Imagine minute drawings of chicken pieces in coconut milk! Then there were the "what ifs.." that needed to be addressed as well.

In the end, I put an arm around her and said, "Cooking should not be a chore but should be a joy."

Back to present time..

I realize that it is not only in cooking that should be done with joy. Any gesture, big or small; any task, easy or complicated magically comes together when done with a joyful attitude. For does not joy ease up the pressure? Does not joy make it all worth while? And if for some reason we are confronted with failure, does not joy make starting over less frightening or tiresome?

So you ask, what about the Chicken Curry Recipe? Don't fret coz that's what follows:

My Chicken Curry (an adaptation from a N Daza recipe)



1 kilo chicken pieces (my preference: legs & thighs; less fattening: breast with skin removed)
3-4 tables of cooking oil
2 cloves sliced garlic
1 large sliced onion
1/2 c thick coconut milk*
1 1/2 c thin coconut milk*
2 small peeled potatoes, quartered
1-3 tsp curry powder
salt, pepper to taste
Optional:
1 chicken buillion cube
chili powder
sili espada
1/2-1 tablespoon crushed crackers or bread crumbs
apple wedges
diced green bell pepper
raisins
peanuts/casuy
mango chutney or papaya atchara

My picture shows carrots added. It's not really called for but I just added them coz I like carrots.

In a kawali or casserole, heat up the oil and suate the garlic; then the onion. Optional: Add the chicken buillion and break it up. Add the chicken pieces and move them around in the pot until lightly brown on each side. When you think the chicken pieces has had enough stirring around, pour in the thin coconut milk. When the mixture simmers, add the potatoes and the curry powder (Optional: add the chili powder) and again give the stew a stir. Bring up the fire.
Once the mixture hits the boiling point, lower the flame. After judging that the chicken and potatoes are cooked and tender enough, correct the seasoning-- salt, pepper, more curry powder maybe. If you want to have a thick sauce, add the crushed crackers or bread crumbs a little at a time-- just don't dump everything in at once so that you don't end up with no sauce at all. Then when you have attained perfection, kill the fire and add the 1/2 c thick coconut milk. Do not re-boil if you do not want the coconut oil to separate and give your masterpiece a very distinct coconut oil smell.

To Impress:
Transfer your masterpiece to a lovely dish ( the one you reserve for when a grand occasion should happen).

Arrange thin apple slices at the sides of the dish.

In small bowls surrounding your creation, put in the raisin, peanuts/casuy, mango chutney or atchara, diced green pepper, even some diced fried bananas.


*Milking a coconut
Thick
Put the shredded coconut in a bowl and add about 1/2 c warm matter and squeeze 1/2 c coconut milk out of it. Use a strainer to ensure you don't have coconut bits in the milk.

Thin
Add 1 1/2 c warm water and squeeze 1 1/2 c of thin coconut milk. Again use that strainer.

If you can't find fresh coconut milk, you could experiment with canned coconut milk/cream. Then again, quality is a hit and miss until you find the canned coconut milk/cream of your dream.