Thai green coconut curry with chicken and vegetables, from scratch

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Julian Pancer loves to cook almost as much as he loves to teach people to cook.

His family has owned and run a Jewish deli in Ontario, Canada, since 1957.

Pancer and his wife, Danielle, moved from Canada to the Tampa Bay area recently to be near family.  

Luckily, they were familiar with the St. Petersburg area after so many annual pilgrimages.

Pancer is building on his family’s long culinary tradition.

The duo brings their cooking classes.

Thai Green Coconut Curry with Chicken and Vegetables (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1½ cups mushrooms (shiitake or cremini), halved
1 cup sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons avocado oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Green Coconut Curry Base

2 tablespoons avocado oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner portion sliced
4–5 kaffir lime leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bird’s eye chili, finely sliced (adjust to taste)
1½ cups coconut cream
½ cup chicken stock

Herb Blend (Blended Curry Sauce)

1 bunch Thai basil
1 bunch scallions
1 bunch cilantro

To Finish

Fresh lime juice, to taste
Fish sauce, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Toss chicken thighs, red pepper, zucchini and mushrooms with avocado oil, salt and pepper.
Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet.
Roast for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway.
Add sugar snap peas during the final minute of roasting.
Remove from oven and reserve warm.
Heat avocado oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat.
Add garlic, shallots, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaves.
Cook gently until aromatic and softened, without browning.
Stir in ground cumin and bird’s eye chili.
Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
Deglaze with coconut cream and chicken stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by half, allowing flavors to concentrate.
Remove lemongrass.
Transfer the reduced coconut broth to a blender.
Add Thai basil, scallions and cilantro.
Blend until completely smooth and vibrant green.
Return sauce to the saucepan over low heat.
Adjust seasoning with fresh lime juice and fish sauce to taste.
Gently fold in the roasted chicken and vegetables.
Warm through without boiling.
Serve hot, spooning curry generously over rice or noodles if desired.

Optional Class Notes / Variations

Substitute shrimp or tofu for chicken using the same roasting method.
Add bamboo shoots or baby corn for extra texture.
Finish with fresh Thai basil leaves for garnish.

Thai Jasmine Rice (serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 cups jasmine rice
1 stalk lemon grass

Directions:

To begin making the Thai Lemongrass Rice recipe, remove the outer skin of lemongrass and cut the lemongrass into three pieces.
Wash the rice until water runs almost clear.
Add the rice and 3 1/2 cups cold water to a medium pot.
Add lemongrass and the lid.
On high heat, bring the rice to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cook for 13 minutes.
Then remove the pot from the heat and rest for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
Remove the lemongrass.