Metamorphosis

The other day a friend asked what inspired me to become more adventurous in the kitchen. Pondering the question over a bottle of Malbec, I realized there was no Eureka moment but rather a gradual transformation. For years my cooking repertoire consisted of broiled meat, fish, or chicken and vegetables - healthy and satisfying, but nothing to write home about. My husband's menu choices at restaurants, on the other hand, often led to long debates: they were consistently more interesting if not always better than mine. His "try anything once" approach to food opened my eyes to creative cooking and motivated me to venture beyond olive oil and herbes de provence. It started subtly: a lamb chop with mango chutney here, a chicken stir fry with freshly grated ginger there. Soon I was adding cumin, fennel seeds, chili, coriander, and red and pink salt to my pantry. And slowly I learned that in the best case, a good kitchen knife and a handful of ingredients can turn a dish from good to great in under 30 minutes. (In the worst case, you order take out.)


Thai green chicken curry

Photo: Bon Appetit

One of my first creative endeavors was a memorable Thai curry, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine. The recipe looked easy enough and the picture made my mouth water, so we set off to the grocery store feeling a bit like fourteenth century European explorers about to discover new land. For hours we poured over different brands of curry paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Once our bags were full and our appetites whetted we couldn't wait to get cooking. And we were not disappointed: on their own, the ingredients were pungent (and the smell of fish sauce almost offensive), but they came together beautifully in a fragrant, spicy sweetness that I had not tasted in all my years of eating Indian curries. It was so good that we ate the entire thing, and very nearly licked the pot.

Follow the recipe to a tee, serve with steamed basmati or jasmin rice on the side, and top off with a nice Riesling. For dessert serve something tropical and refreshing like pineapple ice cream.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings ... we never have leftovers)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 5 large)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips (shrimp work well, too) 
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus wedges for garnish

Preparation

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and curry paste; stir until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to boil. Add chicken and bell pepper; stir until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in chopped basil and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bliss

Divide curry among bowls. Garnish with basil sprigs and lime wedges. Take a deep whiff and marvel at your cooking skills!