Chicken Curry

Skinned boned meat from one whole poached fryer, picked and chopped
OR
4-6 skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced (easier while frozen)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 small russet potatoes, diced into 3/4" chunks, steamed until soft
3 carrots, peeled, chopped coarsely
small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (optional)
1 red pepper, seeded and diced into 1" squares
large handful mung bean sprouts
1 can chicken stock
1 recipe curry paste (see below)
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
6-8 fresh curry leaves
(optional) small chillies
(optional) 3-4 hardboiled eggs, whole
salt
pepper

Peel and steam the potatoes. While they are steaming, chop and saute the onion,
carrot, and red pepper. If you are using cauliflower, chop and steam that.

In a no. 8 Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds.
When they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and hot chillies if you are using
them, and toss until they brown. Add the curry paste and let it fry for a minute
or two, then add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and
then add the chicken, potatoes, sauteed vegetables and hardboiled eggs (if
using). Simmer until the chicken pieces are tender. Then add the bean sprouts
and let them heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice.

All of the following condiments are optional:

sri racha sauce (especially if curry is made without hot peppers)
roasted unsalted peanuts
sliced hardboiled eggs (redundant if curry made with hardboiled eggs)
crushed pineapple
shredded unsweetened coconut (very redundant with this recipe)
currants
sliced banana
homemade chutney
diced papaya
Tony Chachere Cajun seasoning (just because I use this on everything!)

Curry Paste

1 coconut, either young or old
1-2 tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon shredded fresh ginger
half a recipe of curry powder (see below)
cilantro (optional)
mint (optional, would go well with lamb)
hot chillies (optional)

Make the curry powder first.

Cut the top off the coconut. I do this by repeatedly chopping around the nut
with a heavy cleaver. Watch a youtube video or two. Once the top pops off, cut
out a small piece of the coconut meat and pour the water out into a measuring
cup 2 cups or larger. Then cut the coconut in half and use a heavy spoon to
remove the coconut meat (or a coconut meat knife if you have one) and use the
shredding blade in the Cuisinart to shred the coconut. Or use a coconut grinder
to directly grind the coconut meat out of each coconut half. (Again, watch
Youtube videos ..)

Strain the coconut water. Put a cup of it away for later use (not in this
recipe). Put half the shredded coconut into a baggie and freeze it for another
batch of curry paste.

Core the tomatoes and add to the Cuisinart bowl. Add the remaining ingredients
plus half a cup of coconut water to moisten and process the mixture until it is
a smooth paste.

Curry Powder

2-1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon each brown and black cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 piece of cinnamon, broken
6-8 whole cardamom pods
6-8 cloves
1/2 whole nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice seeds

2 tablespoons turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Get out your spice grinder and a heavy-bottom pan. Put the pan on medium
heat. Put the seeds, cinnamon, cardamom pods and cloves into the pan and
increase the heat to medium and roast the spices, stirring frequently. As soon
as they just begin to smoke, add the powders and continue to roast for just a
few seconds, then remove the pan from the heat and put the contents in a spice
grinder. Grind thoroughly.

This recipe makes enough for two large curried stews. Unused curry powder should
be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. But use it up within 2 months, as it
loses potency.