Thai Tamarind Chicken Recipes

THAI TAMARIND CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix soy sauce and flour together in a large bowl until blended. Add chicken and mix until coated.
• Mix water, fish sauce, brown sugar, and tamarind paste together in a bowl.
• Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chile pepper, and ginger and fry for 1 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken from the marinade and add to the wok; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 the tamarind sauce mixture to the wok and continue stir-frying until liquid dries up. Add remaining sauce and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside and sauce is thickened to desired consistency, 10 to 15 minutes more.

TAMARIND CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Put the wings in a large bowl, followed by honey, olive oil, salt, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Toss to combine, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Let rest 30 minutes, overnight, or up to several days in the refrigerator.
• Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer in a small saucepan, then add the asafoetida, ginger, cayenne, and garam masala. Meanwhile, toast cumin and fennel in a small skillet until they're fragrant and slightly smoky. Transfer to a small bowl to cool, then grind the seeds in a mortar and pestle until they're coarse and sandy. Add to water-and-spice mixture, followed by the sugar, and stir to combine. Add tamarind and continue cooking for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, check chutney for consistency-it should look like a chocolate sauce. Remove from heat to cool. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet and arrange the marinated chicken wings in a single layer. Bake 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer wings to a large bowl. Toss with the chutney, then replace wings on the rack and bake again, 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove chicken wings and serve.

COCONUT & TAMARIND CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a big mixing bowl, add the lime juice, pepper and turmeric, and mix well. (It's best to use gloves for this as the turmeric stains fingers.) Set aside for 1 hr.
• Make the sauce. Heat the oil in a big pan, toss in the mustard seeds followed by the fresh curry leaves (if you are using dried leaves, add them later with the tomatoes) and fry until it releases a warm, nutty aroma - about 30 secs.
• Add the onions, put on the lid, and cook over a low heat for 10-15 mins until meltingly soft, stirring now and then. Take the lid off, turn up the heat, add the garlic and ginger, and fry for 1 min until it gives off a toasty aroma. Stir in the paprika and continue cooking for another 30 secs.
• Add the tomatoes, stock and sugar (and dried curry leaves if using). Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 mins until the sauce has thickened and reduced by one-third.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Meanwhile, fry the chicken. Heat 6 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook in batches until golden. You may need a little extra oil. Keep warm.
• Pour any excess oil from the frying pan and add a ladleful of water - swirl it around and scrape up any juices with a spoon before adding to the tomato sauce.
• Put the chicken in a deep roasting tin or ovenproof casserole and pour over the sauce. Cover with foil and oven cook for 15 mins until the chicken is tender. Skim off any oil from the top of the sauce.
• Take the chicken pieces out of the tin and transfer to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tamarind pulp, coconut milk and half the coconut cream. Adjust the flavour by adding more sugar or tamarind. Ladle the sauce over the chicken, drizzle with the remaining coconut cream, and scatter with coriander before serving.

CLASSIC CHICKEN PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in a bowl of water for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add tofu. Cook chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and shrimp paste to the wok and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, then add fish sauce mixture and drained noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Push noodles to one side of the wok. Crack the eggs into the other side. Scramble until firm, about 3 minutes. Stir into the noodles. Serve with peanuts, bean sprouts, and lime wedges.