Vietnamese Pheasant Curry

 

This yellow curry stew is quintessential Vietnamese take-out food. Although my mother didn’t make it herself, my parents sometimes stopped by the local “to-go” – what we called our neighborhood Vietnamese delis in Orange County, California – and brought home “cà ri ga” for lunch or dinner. As a kid, I enjoyed its mildness. This curry is fragrant and flavorful, yet easy to eat because it’s not spicy. No need to search for a hard-to-find curry powder blend. Just use the nondescript “curry powder” that’s available at most American grocery stores. 

 

  

 Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

- 1 whole pheasant, quartered bone-in

- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra

- 2 tsp. Knorr chicken bouillon powder

- 1 tsp. sugar

- ¼ tsp. ground white pepper

- 1 tbsp. curry powder

- Cilantro, to taste

- Cooked white rice or crusty bread, optional

Broth

- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil

- 3 stalks of lemongrass

- 4 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 shallot, minced

- Half an onion

- 2 bay leaves

- 3 cups of water

- 1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk

- 1 tsp. ground turmeric

- 2 to 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

- 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (or similar), peeled and cut into medium-size chunks

- Fish sauce, to taste

- Grated zest of 2 limes

 

1. In a medium bowl, combine 1 tsp. kosher salt, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, white pepper and curry powder. Add pheasant pieces, including back and wings (if available) and coat well. Set aside to marinate while you chop and prep other ingredients.

 

2. Discard dry outer layers of lemongrass stalks. Mince the lower, tender parts of two lemongrass stalks, reserving the third stalk. In a medium-size pot, add vegetable oil, minced lemongrass, minced shallot and minced garlic. Turn heat to medium and stir aromatics until fragrant, but do not brown, about 1 minute. Then add the seasoned pheasant pieces to the pot along with half an onion and bay leaves. Stir for a couple minutes.

 

3. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, or longer, until pheasant becomes tender.

 

4. About 20 minutes before you think pheasant is cooked to your liking, stir in the coconut milk, turmeric, carrots and potato. Bend and smash the remaining stalk of lemongrass in several places to release its aroma and add it to the pot. Simmer curry the rest of the way until everything is tender.

 

5. Remove pheasant from bones and add meat back to the curry. Discard lemongrass stalk, bay leaves and onion. Season curry with a splash or two of fish sauce, salt and grated lime zest. Ladle curry over white rice, optional, or eat by itself as a stew with crusty bread. If serving with rice, season the broth slightly saltier than if you were to eat it on its own. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.