Gaeng Kari Tua (Thai Chickpea Curry)
This is my go-to recipe for potlucks (though I usually double it for those occasions). I also bring rice in a rice cooker, and I always get rave reviews. This is my adaptation of a dish in Thai Vegetarian Cooking by Vatcharin Bhumichitr. The original recipe calls for coriander roots, which are hard to find in the States, but if you have 4 roots by all means add them in.
This is my go-to recipe for potlucks (though I usually double it for those occasions). I also bring rice in a rice cooker, and I always get rave reviews. This is my adaptation of a dish in Thai Vegetarian Cooking by Vatcharin Bhumichitr. The original recipe calls for coriander roots, which are hard to find in the States, but if you have 4 roots by all means add them in.
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk + enough water to make 2 cups liquid
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 12 oz potatoes (about 2-3 med-small) peeled and chopped into 1-inch dice
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (drain and rinse if using canned beans)
- 8 oz tomatoes (about 4-5 campari tomatoes) chopped (peel if you don't like skins)
- 1 handful fresh basil sliced into thick ribbons
- 1/2 to 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- Carbohydrate 241.655700344421 g
- Cholesterol 232.200000471097 mg
- Fat 101.01493503009 g
- Fiber 51.1887739953997 g
- Protein 154.11202461701 g
- Saturated Fat 56.970605624988 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2155g)
- Sodium 58698.595770897 mg
- Sugar 190.466926349022 g
- Trans Fat 9.19641692589287 g
- Calories 2392 calories
Step-by-step
- Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and peppercorns to a paste. Set aside.
- Heat the oil. Add the paste and briefly fry (a few seconds). Add the coconut milk/water mixture and stir well. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked al dente.
Vibrant yellow curry oil separates at the surface of the simmering liquid, releasing the pungent aroma of toasted curry powder and freshly pounded black peppercorns. Making this dish successfully requires strict attention to the potato dice size; keeping cubes strictly at one inch ensures they reach an al dente bite within fifteen to twenty minutes of simmering without disintegrating into the coconut milk. Pounding garlic and whole black peppercorns together in a mortar and pestle breaks down the cell walls of the aromatics far more effectively than mincing, releasing volatile oils that hit the hot oil immediately without burning. When frying the aromatic paste, keep the heat moderate and limit contact with the pan to roughly ten seconds before pouring in the liquid to prevent acrid bitterness. Substituting canned tomatoes works reliably if fresh campari tomatoes are unavailable, though draining excess liquid from the canned variety prevents the curry from turning watery. Pair this starch-heavy curry with plain jasmine rice cooked in a dedicated rice cooker to absorb the rich, spiced coconut sauce effectively.
