This post has been swimming around in my head for a long time, so I thought now would be a good time to get it out there. It’s really kind of funny, and won’t surprise anyone who knows me, that I don’t eat this meal. Yes, I’m sharing this recipe on my blog. And no, I don’t cook it or eat it myself. Crazy, right?!
This family favorite is Francena’s famous curried chicken. This is the meal that my husband’s mother loved to cook for him. This is also the first recipe of hers that he asked me to cook after she passed away…..and I couldn’t do it. I just don’t like the smell of curry!
READ MORE to find out how Rhonda solved her dilemma.
Rhonda Bramell is a blogger in Northwest Arkansas. She is the ringleader of a circus that includes her husband, three kids and a rambunctious Boston Terrier. Rhonda has been blogging at Bramell, Party of Five for eight years; her blog is a collection of stories about the real life joys and challenges of parenting.
I enjoy Indian curries with all kinds of lentils and veggies and I also like the fresher feel of Thai curries with citrus flavors and seafood.
These days you can buy your own curry pastes in the grocery store, but there is something sort of nourishing about crushing the garlic and mixing the flavors all together yourself. Making a curry from scratch is not hard, but it can involve a lot of ingredients.
This Thai curry is fairly simple and a lot of the ingredients you might already have on hand, like the spices. Consider tracking down lemongrass and fish sauce a kind of flavor treasure hunt. Both of these make this dish smell and taste divine.
I put together this recipe after ordering a similar dish in a fairly expensive Thai restaurant. It is way less expensive to make, of course, and my whole family enjoys it. (Always a win!)
This is a good curry for the warmer months of the year because it’s not as heavy as many other creamy rice dishes.
1 stem lemongrass, ends trimmed and sliced lengthways
1 jalepeno pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
For the curry
2 cups cooked shrimp
2 cups green vegetables (I used broccoli and sugar snap peas)
1 onion
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Cooked Basmati rice (to serve on the side)
Fresh cilantro (for serving)
Instructions
Make the paste by taking all ingredients and crushing them with a mortar and pestle, or you can use a food processor. I like the mortar and pestle method but you will end up with larger stems of lemongrass. You can leave them large and then pull them out just before serving.
Heat a large skillet.
Add paste and cook for about five minutes.
Add prawns (shrimp), then the coconut milk and fish sauce. Cook for about five minutes before adding green vegetables.
Simmer 5-10 minutes more. Serve with Riceland Long Grain White Rice and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Alison Chino is a born and bred Arkansan who lives in Scotland (soon to be Germany), where she is learning to walk everywhere and to live with tiny appliances. She loves hiking the Scottish Highlands with her husband and kids on the weekends. She’s blogs at the Chino House and she’s pretty much obsessed with Instagram.
Four years ago, in July of 2011, my husband and I served in Kenya on a short term mission trip. We had no idea how the Lord would use two weeks in East Africa to change the trajectory of our lives. It was in Kenya, where the Lord first called my husband to ministry. It was in Kenya, where the Lord solidified our call to adoption. It was in Kenya, He started teaching us to prioritize our lives to honor Him. The Lord tied our hearts to this country.
Most recently, I have joined the American staff of African Christian Outreach. I leave September 28 to spend 2 weeks in Kenya working along side our Kenyan staff to vision forecast, plan and pray for the next steps the Lord wants us to take in East Africa and beyond. Kenya is most commonly known for child slavery, orphans, poverty and most recently- terrorism. But Kenya is also a beautiful country, rich in color, love, and flavor.
I am certain your taste buds will love this authentic Kenyan dish as much as I do.
2 hot chili pepper, minced (add an extra pepper for more heat)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons ginger (I prefer fresh ginger)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup cilantro
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, mix together onion, chilies, garlic and ginger. Mix/blend/process until all the lumps are gone and the sauce is smooth.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add processed sauce, cumin and curry powder to the warm olive oil stirring frequently to heat thoroughly and prevent burning.
Mix in the tomato sauce and allow to simmer over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.
Finally add in the raw chicken and coconut milk. Keep cooking temperature on low, stir well and cover.
Cook until chicken is thoroughly done and tender anywhere from 30-60 minutes.
By Katie Clifton
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
My mouth is literally watering just thinking about all of the flavor in this chicken dish. I love spicy food, my husband not so much. I tell him often that he has a “baby mouth”. If you also have the spice capacity of an infant, then back off on the hot chili peppers. If you like to sweat while you eat, you will want to add all three.
Mix together rice, coconut milk, water and sea salt in a large pan.
Cook rice mixture over medium heat until it is boiling, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the rice is done, approximately 20-25 minutes.
Before serving rice, add in the additional 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and fluff with a fork.
Notes
Spoon the Coconut Rice onto a plate and top with a heaping spoonful of Kenyan Chicken Curry.
Serve and eat while warm.
By Katie Clifton
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
If you are quick in the kitchen, you should have about 15-20 minutes of down time while you wait for each dish to completely cook. This would be the perfect time for you to visit www.acokenya.org. (Yes, I know. Shameless plug.) You can learn more about our ministry in East Africa and learn how you can become a mission partner. If you would like to serve with us next summer, please contact me so that we can turn your hopes into a reality.
Enjoy the aroma and flavor of East African cuisine.
Getting to Know Your ARWB Foodies What food reminds you of childhood? Growing up I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. They gardened and my grandmother refused to buy anything she could grow herself. When I think of my favorite childhood foods I remember my taste buds falling in love with fried okra, corn bread, turnip greens, squash and eggplant. These aren’t typical foods that kids love but I have fond memories of sitting at the kitchen table with my grandparents and them being so proud of me for trying their vegetables. I have always wanted to cook like my grandmother. I think she is a big reason I enjoy cooking for my family now.
What is your favorite international cuisine?
My favorite international cuisine is sushi. Hands down. I love fish and seafood, but when I think of Japenese cuisine I also think of art. It is as satisfying for me to look at, as it is for me to eat.
What is always in your refrigerator at home? My refrigerator always has eggs, bacon, vegetables and apples. I can pretty much mix together a fast meal with these ingredients. Fast dinner ideas are a staple for our busy family.
What is your most used cookbook? My most used cookbook is the one my grandmother made for me. It is a purple 3 ring binder a spiral notebook and post it notes used as divider tabs. She added recipes for my most favorite foods and gave me space to add more o my favorite recipes. I cherish my cookbook.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget? Ha! My favorite kitchen gadget is my coffee pot. There are seasons in life where my coffee pot has by far been used more than anything else: colicky babies, my husband in seminary, a toddler with sleep disorders. A coffee maker is an absolute necessity.
Do you have a favorite food indulgence? I love having the opportunity to have a date night with my husband and visiting new restaurants. We do not do it often, but we both love visiting restaurants that are making a name for themselves locally by hiring top chefs and creating unique food and flavor combinations.
What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again? Garlic. Fresh or ground garlic is used almost daily in my kitchen.
What is your favorite food meal to cook at home? I love making large meals for my family. All of my kids are great chicken eaters so I enjoy finding new recipes for chicken, making green beans with bacon, creamed potatoes, and adding fresh fruits. This type of meal gets everyone in my family excited to eat since it consists of their favorites. What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks? If you can read you can cook. Do not be afraid to try spices and dishes. Find cookbooks and websites that offer meals you enjoy eating and begin there.
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes? I’m a mom to 4, a business owner and a missions advocate. My husband works full time and is also a bivocational church plant pastor. Our lives feel like a merry-go-round most of the time. So, I think taking time for myself is very important (although rare at times). My favorite hobby is running. It is therapy for me. It relieves stress, helps me feel better and encourages me to fuel my body better as well.
What else would you like us to know about you? I am thankful for the opportunity to share some of my favorite recipes with you.
ARWB member Katie Clifton is a native Arkansan. She serves as the Missions Advocate for African Christian Outreach and is a church planting pastor’s wife at Renew Church in Benton. Katie advocates for adoption and building bridges for interracial unity within her community. She is a Jesus lover, writer, speaker and lover of all things flea market. You can find Katie’s writing at Mire and Manna.
