Curry Chicken with Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast or thigh, chopped into small chunks, OR whole chicken pieces
• 2-3 potatoes, chopped into chunks
• optional: 1-2 medium tomatoes, chopped into chunks
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander for garnish
• 2 Tbsp. Thai curry powder , OR 3 Tbsp. Madras curry powder or regular curry powder
• 1 bay leaf
• optional: 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
• 2 shallots OR 1/2 cup purple onion, diced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, grated
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1+1/2 Tbsp. ketchup OR sweet tomato puree
• 1 can thick coconut milk
• 2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• optional: 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp. vegetable oil for stir-frying
• 1-2 whole kaffir lime leaves OR 1 bay leaf

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if using oven method).
2. Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the curry powder, bay leaf, cinnamon stick (if using) and chili/cayenne. "Dry fry" these spices 1-2 minutes, until they are lightly toasted and fragrant.
3. Add 2 Tbsp. oil, plus the shallots, garlic, and galangal or ginger. Also add a few Tbsp. of the chicken stock - enough to keep ingredient frying nicely. Stir-fry 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken and potatoes, stir-frying 1 minute to coat with the spices.
5. Add remaining stock plus ketchup/tomato puree, stirring well to combine. Finally, add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, cinnamon stick and lime leaves or bay leaf.
6. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes until cooked. OR transfer curry to a large covered casserole dish and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Add tomatoes during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking (not before, or they will keep potatoes from becoming tender).
7. When chicken is cooked and tender, taste-test the curry for saltiness and flavor, adding more fish sauce as needed until desired flavor/salt level is achieved. Also add more cayenne, chili sauce, or fresh-cut chilies if you prefer it spicier. If too spicy, add more coconut milk or a little plain yogurt. Add a little more sugar if it's too sour for your taste.
8. Sprinkle over the fresh coriander, serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice