Curry paste a staple of Thai-style cooking

Associated Press

This Thai red curry chicken with potatoes is made with curry paste and finished with basil, mint and cilantro. Associated Press

Curry pastes, found in the cuisines of the Near and Far East, are combinations of spices processed together to form smooth pastes with varying degrees of spiciness.

Red curry paste is a staple of Thai cookery. It consists of dried red chili peppers, whole cloves of garlic, sea salt, fresh lemon grass, shrimp paste and fresh turmeric. Many variations of this paste exist, but they include these basic ingredients.

Curry pastes are used to marinate meats before cooking, as well as being added to meat or vegetable dishes while they cook. They play an important role in a wide range of soups, stews, sauces, salads and side dishes.

Because Thai red curry pastes vary in strength and intensity of flavor, it is best to begin by experimenting. Begin with one or two pastes and add them in increments to your dishes to determine a combination that meets your personal taste.

Ready-made paste — found in Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets — can be stored in the refrigerator, once opened, for up to six weeks. Curry paste can be conveniently frozen by spooning two to three tablespoons into plastic ice-cube trays. When cubes are firm, remove them from the tray and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap for use as needed. Frozen curry paste can be stored for up to three months.

"Many chefs prefer red curry paste because of its strong curry and chili flavor," says chef Fred Brash, lecturing instructor in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America.

Thai red curry chicken is among the 200 recipes in the new book "Cooking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America" (Wiley). "In this recipe, the red curry paste marries well with the more mellow chicken and potato textures. Finish the dish with basil, mint and cilantro to create an Asian-influenced perfume," Brash says.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon prepared Thai red curry paste
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (7 to 8 ounces each), cut into large cubes
• 6 small red potatoes, scrubbed, each cut into 6 pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh mint
• 4 cups steamed white rice
• 1/2 cup green onion, white and green parts, sliced on the bias
• 1/4 cup toasted shredded dried coconut

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the red curry paste, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir to coat the onions and garlic evenly with the curry paste. Add the chicken and potatoes to the pan and stir to coat evenly with the curry paste. Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a heated platter and cover to keep warm while completing the sauce. Add the coconut milk, brown sugar, and lemon zest to the pan, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Add the cornstarch gradually, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the basil and the mint. Add the chicken and the potatoes back to the pan and stir to coat them thoroughly with the sauce.

Serve the curry on heated plates over a bed of steamed rice. Garnish each plate with 2 tablespoons of green onion and 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut.

Makes 4 servings (about 3 cups each).

Nutrition information per serving: 636 cal., 22.5 g pro., 107 g carbo., 13 g fat, 40 mg chol., 423 mg sodium.

Recipe from "Cooking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America," Wiley, 2003, $40.

The book is a reference in the essentials of cooking, with basic information about equipment, ingredients and techniques. It is available at bookstores or at store.yahoo.com/ciaprochefstore/texandman.html.