Beau Thai

For a long time, we had a can of coconut milk in the kitchen cabinet.  Long enough that it has lived in at least two different apartments (which means the Chief Taster might have been living with that coconut milk before she was living with me).  Every once in a while, I would move it aside to get to something else and be reminded that I needed to do something with it, even if that something was just to move it to the back of the cabinet, out of my way.

When the Chief Taster discovered I could make chicken pot pie, it became one of the dishes which excited her enough to clap a lot when I suggested it, but it wasn't something she ever remembers to request.  One time, I suggested it, and she was thrilled at the impending pastry, but while I made the grocery list, I looked at the other side of the page in the BC cookbook, and saw Thai-Style Coconut Chicken, which requires one can of coconut milk.  It also called for serrano chilies; thanks to Dad's garden, we had a sack full of them in the fridge, waiting for a good use.  For a month or two, I'd slip a couple mystery peppers into whatever I cooked, and never told her about it, but the food was always tasty.

1 T vegetable oil
1 lb bite-size boneless skinless chicken chunks (I like to use thighs)
1 t grated lime peel
1 t grated ginger root (don't use ground ginger--they're not the same thing.  Peel the root before grating, and save the rest in the freezer.  It'll keep.)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh serrano chilies or 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped (I used three serrano, but I think mine were a little on the mild side)
1/4 C finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (about 14 oz) coconut milk
1 t packed brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 T soy sauce
1 C sugar snap pea pods
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes (that's what the book says, but anyone with a little math knowledge and experience with a green pepper will tell you that's impossible. Point is, big chunks of pepper are ok)
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 C)
1 T chopped fresh basil
hot cooked jasmine rice

• Heat oil in wok or 12" skillet over high heat.  Add chicken and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink.  Add lime peel, ginger root, garlic, chilies, and cilantro.  Stir-fry 1 minute.

• Pour coconut milk over chicken (it will come out in a big glob unless you do as the can says and shake the bejeezus out of it before opening.  Then, it still might come out in a big glob, but the heat will soften it and you can stir it in).  Stir in brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, pea pods, and bell pepper.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are crisp-tender.  Eat a couple to make sure.  Nobody will know, I promise.  Stir in the tomato.

• Spoon into bowls of rice.  It will be almost like soup, but that's ok--a lot of Thai food is like that, and the broth is very tasty.  Top with basil.