Cauldron Curry

Upon deciding to have a Halloween luncheon, I scoured the Internet looking for an appropriate recipe, and this one popped out at me. I found this recipe for Cauldron Curry on the Martha Stewart website, and she has never steered me wrong.

Cauldron Curry

Ingredients
FOR THE CURRY PASTE

• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted
• 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, toasted
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3 serrano chiles, sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed and chopped (1/2 cup)
• 8 garlic cloves, minced (1/4 cup)
• 2 scallions, chopped (1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest (from 2 limes)

FOR THE STEW

• 2 ounces spinach (1 cup)
• 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened regular coconut milk
• 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick (21/4 cups)
• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh basil
• Serrano chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish
• Squeamish Squash with Rice
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Make the curry paste: Grind coriander, cumin, peppercorns, and salt with a mortar and pestle, or with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Add remaining ingredients, and grind until a paste forms. (Curry paste can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.)
2. Make the stew: Puree 5 tablespoons curry paste, the spinach, and 1 cup regular coconut milk in a blender until smooth. Reserve remaining curry paste for another use.
3. Bring remaining regular coconut milk and the light coconut milk to a boil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy stockpot. Reduce heat, stir in curry-spinach mixture, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add zucchini, and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until zucchini is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add basil, and garnish with serrano chiles. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

This dish took a lot of work, but the flavor was pretty good. The curry paste smelled wonderful, and according to the comments on the website, it should be made in advance for maximum flavor. I was confused when I realized there was no actual curry in the dish, but I'm a novice at cooking, so what do I know? It definitely benefited from the lime and chiles, which I love the flavor of.