Don’t Cook This Way… But It Works!

Title / Presenter

• Backyard Chef — Rick
• Video: “Don’t Cook This Way… But It Works!”
• Brands referenced: Mae Ploy (yellow curry paste), Aroy-D (coconut milk)
• Supermarkets mentioned: Sainsbury’s, Asda

Ingredients (as used / amounts suggested)

• Yellow curry paste (Mae Ploy recommended) — about 50 g (≈2 tablespoons)
• Coconut milk (Aroy‑D recommended) — 1 carton/can; use the cream first (do not shake), then add the remaining liquid
• Chicken breast — cubed to bite size (quantity not specified; video used large breasts)
• Potatoes — small, peeled and cubed (quantity to preference; Rick used a fair amount)
• Onion — 1 large or 2 small, chopped
• Oil — a couple tablespoons for the pan
• Sugar — about 1 tablespoon (coconut/palm sugar preferred; brown or white sugar OK)
• Fish sauce — optional; Rick suggests up to 1 tablespoon (adjust to taste; typical Thai recipes use ~2 tbsp)
• White pepper — optional
• Salt — optional; be cautious because curry paste can be salty

Equipment & Prep

• Knife and chopping board
• Large pan or skillet with lid
• Spoon for scooping paste and stirring
• Can/carton opener if needed
• Stove/cooker and a fork for doneness checking

Preparation steps:

1. Chop the onion.
2. Cube potatoes and chicken.
3. Do not shake the coconut milk; scoop the cream from the top first.

Method — Step-by-step

1. Start with a cold pan: add chopped onion, cubed potatoes and cubed chicken directly to the cold pan.
2. Clear a space and add a couple tablespoons of oil; put the pan on the flame.
3. Gently cook/soften ingredients for a couple of minutes, turning them so they start to lose surface water (you’re not aiming to brown heavily).
4. Add the curry paste (≈50 g / 2 tbsp). Stir to coat everything and fry briefly until some water cooks off and the aroma builds.
5. Scoop the coconut cream from the top of the carton/can into the pan first (don’t shake the can). Stir in and cook about a minute so cream mixes with paste/oil.
6. Add about 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste) and up to 1 tbsp fish sauce — stir and taste as you go.
7. Add the rest of the coconut milk (the watery part), ring out the carton/can to get any remaining cream and stir it in.
8. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Put the lid on and simmer gently for ~40 minutes (Rick simmered ~35 minutes in practice). Stir occasionally during this covered simmer.
9. Check potatoes with a fork — when tender, remove the lid and simmer uncovered about 5 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavors.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning (more fish sauce or sugar if desired). Serve with rice.

Timing Summary

• Initial softening / frying after adding paste: a few minutes
• Covered simmer: ~35–40 minutes (until potatoes are tender)
• Final uncovered simmer: ~5 minutes

Technique Cues & Tips

• Start in a cold pan with everything raw — an unorthodox one‑pan approach that saves steps.
• Scoop coconut cream first (do not shake the can) so the cream is used early and the watery milk added after.
• Fry the paste briefly in the oil/cream to release aroma before adding the remaining liquid.
• Be cautious with salt and fish sauce — curry pastes can already be salty; add gradually and taste.
• Use about 1 tbsp sugar if you prefer less sweetness; adjust to taste.
• White pepper is optional and a personal preference.
• If you don’t have coconut/palm sugar, brown or white sugar work as substitutes.

Purists would split the coconut milk and cook the paste in oil until the oils separate before adding the rest of the milk. Rick admits his method deviates from that but remains effective.

Common Mistakes / Notes

• Don’t shake the coconut milk can if you want to scoop the cream first.
• Overdoing fish sauce can overpower the curry — add gradually and taste as you go.
• Remember curry paste may already contain salt; taste before adding extra salt.

Serving / Plating

• Serve hot with rice.
• Potatoes should be soft with a little bite; chicken should be tender and cooked through.
• The finished curry is creamy — spoon it over rice and serve from the pan.

Variations & Substitutions

• Sugar: coconut/palm sugar preferred; brown or white sugar acceptable.
• Fish sauce: use less or omit if preferred; add to taste.
• Brands: Mae Ploy curry paste and Aroy‑D coconut milk are recommended but any similar products will work.

References / Credits

• Presenter/channel: Backyard Chef — Rick
• Brands mentioned: Mae Ploy (yellow curry paste), Aroy‑D (coconut milk)