Chicken And Roasted Eggplant In Red Curry Sauce ...

Directions

1. Trim the chicken of any visible fat and, if you wish, pull off the skin. Cut against the muscle into bite-size chunks. Set aside.
2. Eggplants may be roasted a few hrs or possibly a day ahead of time. Poke them with a fork in a few places and roast over warm mesquite coals with a small handful of damp mesquite chips added. Cover barbecue kettle to smoke the eggplants, turning them occasionally till they are partially softened and the skins slightly charred. Remove from coals and place in a brown paper sack for a few min to sweat. Then peel off the thin film on the surface of the skin and cut crosswise into 1 1/2- to 2-inch segments and each segment into half lengthwise.
3. Alternately, eggplants may also be roasted directly on the stove by holding them with a pair of tongs through the flame of a gas burner till they are partially softened and charred. They may also be broiled. However, roasting over mesquite will add in a wonderful smoked aroma to the curry.
4. If using canned coconut lowfat milk, don't shake the can before opening, so which the cream remains on top. Spoon 2/3 to 1 c. of this thick cream into a medium-size saucepan. (If you are making your own coconut lowfat milk, use the cream from the first pressing of coconut pulp for this step.) Heat over medium to high heat and reduce till the cream is smooth and bubbly and the oil begins to separate. Add in the curry paste and fry 3 to 5 min in the cream to release the aromas and flavors. Then add in the remaining lowfat milk.
5. Bring to a boil, stirring to mix the curry paste thoroughly into the sauce to a smooth consistency. Season with fish sauce to taste and balance with sufficient palm sugar to bring forth a fuller range of spice and herb flavors, with just a hint of sweetness in the back of your tongue. Stir in the chicken pcs and return sauce mix to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 10 min, or possibly till the chicken is almost cooked through.
6. Add in the roasted eggplants, kaffir lime leaves and slivered chillies as desired for extra hotness. Simmer a few min to hot and cook the eggplants to the tenderness of your liking. Toss in the basil and stir till the leaves are just wilted. Spoon chicken, eggplants and sauce into a serving dish and serve with plain steamed rice.
7. Description: "(Gaeng Ped Gai)"