Recipe - Kaeng Kanun (Jackfruit Curry)

1 cup Jackfruit
1 cup Coconut shoots
1 cup "game" meat; cut into bite
sized pieces;
One half cup [blonde] sultanas
One half cup [dark] raisins
One half cup Coconut cream
3 tablespoon Red curry paste
3 tablespoon Prik chi fa daeng (red Thai
jalapenas); julienned
2 tablespoon Kratiem (garlic); finely
chopped.
2 tablespoon Fish sauce
2 tablespoon Bai kaprao (holy basil);
finely chopped
1 cup Nam sup (chicken stock)
2 Bai makrut (kaffir lime
leaves); shredded, or
One half teaspoon Lime zest

From: "Colonel I.F.K. Philpott" colonel@korat1.vukorat.ac.th

Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 11:18:58 0700
This took a bit of research, and violates a primary rule of mine: This
recipe was dictated over the phone by my wife's sister who lives in Lampang
in Northern Thailand. Unfortunately jackfruit is not in season at the
moment so I couldn't make it to try it, therefore please use this as a
guide.

According to my sisterinlaw, who has this on her menu when in season it is
a Karen (hilltribe) recipe. Like many Northern recipes it is generally
eaten fiendishly hot, but I have toned it down a little, mainly because the
high heat is to mask the strong taste of the local ingredients.

It is made with "game", to which the answer to the obvious question is
probably that it is best not to ask! However in western terms it should be
reasonable to make it with pheasant, venison, or wild boar. If you have
access to alligator meat then that is close to one of the local
ingredients!

The recipe calls for coconut shoots: these are softer, whiter, and a little
sweeter than the more usual bamboo shoots, but may well be unobtainable in
the west, in which case please substitute bamboo shoots.

The original recipe called for plumping the raisons and sultanas in a local
"white spirit" made from fermented rice this is not bottled commercially
and so I would suggest substituting Thai whiskey if available, or sake or
bourbon to taste.

As always bear in mind that you can add heat at the table, but can't remove
it. The sweet jackfruit and coconut shoots make this less hot than it might
seem, but I still advise caution if you are unsure of the heat.

If using tinned coconut milk, allow it to stand and seperate then decant
off a little of the thin 'milk' to leave the thicker 'cream'

method: The jackfruit is blanched for about a minute in boiling water, then
dropped into ice water to stop the cooking process, peeled and pitted, and
cut into bite sized pieces.

The sultanas and raisins are covered with liquor and left to plump for
about an hour.

The meat is sprinkled with fish sauce and freshly ground black pepper and
left to marinade for an hour.

The whiskey or sake is then discarded (in the best Keith Floyd "chigalug"
tradition I actually drink it, but to each their own...)

Heat a little oil in a wok, and saute the garlic, then remove it with a
slotted spoon and reserve. Saute the red curry paste until the aroma is
brought out, then add the coconut cream and stir to combine and warm until
the oil just separates. Skim off any excess oil, then add the meat and stir
fry until it just begins to change colour and cook, then stir in all the
other ingredients except the jack fruit, and cover and simmer for about 5
minutes. (Longer if the meat is unusally tough).

Remove the lid, stir in the fruit and stir until the fruit is heated
through, and the meat and coconut shoots are fully cooked. Serves 4.

Note : if jackfruit is not available this can be prepared with other fruit
such as lyches or rambutan.

CHILEHEADS DIGEST V3 #085

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