French Country Curry

I think I first tasted curry in college, when my friend's French mother made us a deliciously rich and sweet and spicy gravy served over chicken and mashed potatoes. I loved the flavor from the moment it hit my tongue and soon after searched all my cookbooks (a very limited collection at the time) looking for something similar I could replicate. Finding nothing among my mostly Betty Crocker and Good Housekeeping recipes, I devised my own curry gravy of curry powder, chicken broth, cream, and honey. It was warming and comforting and tasted divine; my foray into a twenty year (and counting) love of curries. This recipe is a recent experiment inspired by that first curry fed to me by Mrs. O. and has quickly become our "new favorite" curry.

 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 pound paleo-friendly smoked sausage, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 Japanese eggplant, cut in half length-wise and thickly sliced
• 1 zucchini or yellow squash, cut in half length-wise and thickly sliced
• 1 cup green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2-4 T Thai yellow curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
• 1 cup sugar-free applesauce 
• 1-2 tsp fish sauce
• 2-4 tsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Fry the onion until it turns golden brown and begins to carmelize.
3. Add the chicken and sausage and fry until the chicken is done. Frying the meats together will impart a nice savory flavor on the chicken. Remove the meat and set aside, leaving any liquid in the pan.
4. Add curry paste to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes. The paste will become fragrant and may begin popping and sizzling.
5. Add about 1/3 can of coconut milk and mix well with the curry paste. Fry for 5-10 minutes or until an oil sheen appears and the coconut milk begins to separate.
6. Add the vegetables and fry 5 minutes, ensuring the veggies are covered with the curry paste and coconut milk mixture.
7. Stir the meat back into pan.
8. Add the remaining 2/3 can of coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
9. Add applesauce, fish sauce, and lime juice and mix well. Reduce the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until the veggies reach a desired consistency.
10. Serve immediately.