Chicken Panang Curry

One of my few recipes that uses no fresh ingredients yet is still restaurant quality

That’s a Ballast Point Mango Even Keel btw, and for any true foodie/beer snob, its pairs wonderfully with this dish.  I last made this one evening on a section hike in the Nantahalas, right in the middle of a NOBO thru-hiker bubble.  Everyone was cooking dinner at once, and even for thru-hikers they were whipping up some particularly pitiful meals.  Like, ramen was best thing I saw them cooking.  Once the scent of my panang curry wafted over everyone, it was like they all became junkies having withdrawals.  EVERYONE was doing their best to yogi even just one spoonful.  Of course, I shared generously.  One recipient fell to the ground in rapture.  It was that good.

You’ll need two pots.  In the smaller one, cook the rice and set it aside in a pot cozy before getting to work on the main meal.  This will satisfy two modest adult appetites, or one real hungry hiker.

Here’s another pic of my panang curry, this time from a trip to Zion National Park.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup jasmati rice (in snack-sized ziploc)

2-3 oz. chunk freeze-dried chicken (Redwick’s on eBay is my personal favorite) in snack-sized ziploc

1/2-1 oz. freeze-dried red pepper and 1 oz. freeze-dried zucchini in snack-sized ziploc.  Toss in a few dehydrated green beans if you have them too.

2 60g packets Chao Thai coconut cream  powder (available on Amazon, Packit Gourmet etc.)

1/2 packet of Taste of Thai Panang Curry paste

1/4 tsp. umami/mushroom powder (in mini ziploc)

1/2 tsp. palm sugar (in mini ziploc)

1/2 packet True Lime

OPTIONAL:

Mini ziploc containing a big pinch of dried thai basil and a small pinch each of lemongrass powder and kaffir lime powder.

1/2 tsp. of fish sauce in mini dropper bottle (use to season to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Cook rice in 1 cup of water, set aside with pot cozy to keep warm
2.  Rehydrate chicken and veggies for 5 minutes prior to cooking
3.  In second pot, add 1 1/2 cups water.  This will make for a thicker sauce (the Chao Thai directions would otherwise call for 2 cups of water).
4.  As it warms, mix in half of the curry paste packet and the coconut milk powder
5.  Then add chicken, veggies, extra spices (if used), mushroom powder and True Lime
6.  Simmer until thickened.  This could take 20-30 minutes.
7.  A couple of minutes before serving, add the palm sugar and fish sauce to taste
8.  Serve over rice
9.  Try to share a little with the sad faces that gaze longingly at your gourmet meal

Note:  You can use freeze-dried and dehydrated vegetables more or less interchangeably in my recipes unless otherwise specified.