Taste Buds: Thai Mango Red Curry w/ Grill Pineapple

The Lowdown:

Current scenario: thanks to Rock, Paper, Ingredient (RPI) there are about four thousand mangoes in my fridge at the moment and I have no idea what to do with them. The worst part is, I won RPI and chose mango as the ingredient. I don't even really like mango, nor have I ever used one for anything other than anger management while trying to peal and de-seed them. I'm used to winning; but unlike normal, I had to quickly think after winning RPI, rather than the usual celebration dance I normally do. I drew a blank, then blurted out mango in a desperate frenzy to fill the silence. Needless to say, the next time we play RPI, in which I'll likely win again, I'm going to have a game plan to avoid this less-than-desirable outcome.

I digressed. So as I was saying, mangoes in fridge equals a lot. I was craving the spicy zing of a curry. I had Thai red curry paste already made. Hold up! Why not combined them? Yup, and that's why I'm a genius.

The Playlist:

The Usual Suspects

1 Pineapple, quartered and sliced.

1 Mango, cubed.

1 Chicken breast (Optional).

1 Album Aerosmith, greatest hits.

3 +/- Chili Peppers, diced.

1/2 Stalk Lemongrass, fresh.

3 +/- Kaffir Lime Leaves.

1 1/2 +/- Cups Chicken Stock.

3 +/- Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste

Deep Terracotta Colour

1/2 +/- Coconut Milk (Optional).

The Skinny:

Turn on Aerosmith and rock out by yourself in the Kitchen to "Love in an Elevator."
On medium heat, put oil into a wok or large skillet and bring it to that special temperature.
Put, toss, throw, or drip using a titration set (I don't really care, just be careful) the curry paste into the warm oil and broth.
Allow the curry paste to release its fragrance, then add the chicken broth.
Add the lemongrass stock, chili peppers, and kaffir lime leaves.
Cover the wok and turn down the heat to medium-low.
Allow the curry paste to gently simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until it turns to a deep terracotta colour (I just made that up, but it does change colour).

If cooking rice, now would be the time to start that whole fiasco.
Remove lid, turn heat up to medium, and add mango.
Bring to a gentle boil and cook for five minutes (retain mango's shape, colour and texture).
Cook protein in a seperate pan if desired.
In a separate pan heat oil on medium-high and sear the pineapple on either side (one to two minutes per side).
Remove pineapple and curry from the heat.
Serve. Eat. Enjoy.
Thank me later.

If the curry is too thick for your liking add more chicken broth. If it is too spicy add more mango or coconut milk. If it is too thin add the coagulated portion of the coconut milk or remove lid and boil it off. If it isn't spicy enough add some white pepper and cayenne pepper. If you want to turn it into a noodle soup double the amount of curry paste and chicken broth. If you want other vegetables, add the other vegetables. If you want a stronger citrus flavour then add more lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and/or lemon juice.

Removing the lid during the final stages is an important part of this meal. Yes, it helps thicken the sauce. That of course, is secondary to the aroma that it releases. If everyone isn't already in the kitchen (we know how dinner parties go) then they sure will be after you unleash this scent explosion. I got carried away, but scent is an extremely important factor in Thai cooking. If you don't believe me, leave your house for 2-3 minutes and work off that bottle of beer you had while cooking. After you pretend to do that, return to your kitchen and see how much of an impact the aroma truly has.

I excluded coconut milk from the instructions because I didn't feel like putting it in this time. If you are going to use it, bring it to a gentle boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, then add it to your curry paste. Also, a curry paste recipe will be up shortly. I just happen to have some in my fridge that I had made previously.