Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken thighs skinless
• 2  lemon grass with the flat side of a knife cut into 3-inch pieces and bruised
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 3 tablespoons curry powder 
• 2  spring onion chopped
• 3  carrots peeled
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1 pound sweet potatoes and into peeled cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1.5 cups coconut milk unsweetened
• 0.5 teaspoon salt to taste
• 0.5 cup basil cut in half
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 8 sprigs cilantro leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1.5 cups chicken broth fresh low-sodium store-bought
• 1  onion yellow cut into wedges
• 1 inch ginger with the flat side of a knife peeled cut into 3 slices and bruised
• 2 teaspoons pepper dried to taste
• 1 tablespoon shallots chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• pot

Directions

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and the salt in a bowl.
2. Add the chicken and turn to coat the meat evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat.
4. Add the shallot, garlic, chili paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder, and stir until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
5. Add the chicken and cook until the edges of the pieces are golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, ginger and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
7. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Add the coconut milk, onion and sweet potato and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
9. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with Asian basil, cilantro and scallions, and serve.
10. Reprinted with permission from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham. © 2001 Harper
11. Collins Publishers, Inc.