Fragrant Chicken Curry With Coconut Milk

A reader writes in to Detroit News (Eats and Drink Section) with the following question

How does one cook recipes that call for dairy-based ingredients when you are not to have dairy products

Lynne Rossetto Kasper answers the question

Don't make yourself crazy. Skip those recipes. With all the nondairy recipes out there, you don't have to struggle. I think out this kind of thing by looking at the parts of the world where the food that needs to be avoided (dairy in your case) is rarely used.

Then Lynne, as an example gives out the recipe of "Fragrant Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk" which is a dish from southern India which is based on a "milk" that's never seen a cow and can be made in about 15 minutes.

Here's the recipe:

Curry paste:

1 large onion, cut in half
5 large garlic cloves
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt and black pepper
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, or 3 to 4 canned tomatoes
Bottom 2 inches of a lemon grass stalk, trimmed of rough outer leaves (optional)
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed and seeded (or not, if you like it hot)
1/2 cup water

Chicken:

Cold-pressed vegetable oil
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (organic if possible)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup water
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tightly packed tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

In a food processor, puree together half the onion, all the garlic, the ginger, spices, salt, pepper, tomatoes, lemon grass (if using), jalapeno and the 1/2 cup water. Set aside.

Thinly slice the other onion half. Film the bottom of a straight-sided 12-inch saute pan with the oil. Heat over medium high, add the onion, and saute until it begins to color. Add the curry blend, reduce the heat to medium and saute 10 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spatula, until the oil separates from the curry. Don't rush this step; it sets up the foundation of the dish.

Stir in the chicken and 1 cup water. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Lift the chicken out of the pan with a slotted spoon into a serving bowl. Raise the heat until the sauce is boiling. Boil it down until once again it is so thick that the oil separates from the curry paste. Taste the sauce for seasoning, stir in the coconut milk and heat another 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle it with the mint and serve hot. Serves 4.

Per serving: 488 calories; 32 g fat (17 g saturated fat; 59 percent calories from fat); 14 g carbohydrates; 124 mg cholesterol; 437 mg sodium; 38 g protein; 4 g fiber.