i received an email from a dear blog friend recently.
the usual words:
catching up
swooning
lamentations
a song
and she ended the note with colors:
Mint green, coral, raspberry describe my days…
how lovely
lately, my days have been burnt yellow:
bright
warm
promising
it’s been a mild spring,
some days venture below the 50s
i made this curry some weeks ago,
when summer was just a tease,
winter was still fresh
and i needed some
burnt yellow
what color would you describe your days right now?
Portuguese Chicken Curry with Chorizo + Olives
loosely adapted from Tasting Table’s Chef’s Recipe, which was adapted from Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, Chicago
1 lb package of chicken, breast or thighs, though i recommend thighs as it’s got more flavor
kosher salt/black pepper
3 TBL cornstarch
3 TBL olive oil, divided
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 1″ piece of ginger, finely minced
1 TBL curry powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cans coconut milk
handful of baby red potatoes, scrubbed cleaned. if you want, peel but i kept the skins on (be sure they’re organic)
handful or two of dried tomatoes (original recipe calls for fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced)
4 ounces chorizo, sliced
12 oil-cured kalamata olives, pitted (original recipe calls for black morroccan olives)
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
steamed white rice, for serving
on a plate or cutting board, season chicken pieces with salt/pepper. sprinkle with cornstarch on both side, coat evenly. in a large pot or dutch oven set over med-high heat, add in a bit of oil and brown chicken. do this in batches. once you place the chicken in the oil, try not to move it until it’s ready to be flipped. transfer pieces back to plate or cutting board.
in the same pot or dutch oven, add the rest of the oil, onion + ginger, sauteeing until onion is soft and translucent. add in the curry powder and cayenne pepper, stirring often. pour in the coconut milk, add the potatoes & browned chicken pieces. bring liquid to a simmer. reduce heat to low & cover. continue to cook until chicken and potatoes are cooked through, and the sauce has thickened, 45 min – 1 hour.
remove lid, throw in the dried tomatoes, chorizo and olives. cook until warmed through. garnish with chopped parsley, serve with steamed white rice.
morestomach 
My color description for today would have to be grey, I think. There is just too much incertainty around me.
On the other hand, this looks incredible! The olives, dried tomatoes and chorizo must be delicious in this curry, great combinations. I need to try it! I rarely stray from green or red Thai curry at home.. thnks for a fresh inspiration 🙂
oh sophie, i hope things brighten up for you!
i also enjoy green or red curries and what drew me to this recipe was that it was neither!
lan,
this bowl of curry looks very Asian, and it’s making me ache for my local Singaporean food.
my days these day have been tainted in blotches of occasionally LEMON YELLOW – when the sun peaks through the wintry clouds; PAVEMENT GREY – as nightfall descends upon us unwilling souls; and a RICH, INTENSE VELVET – the exact shade that greets me every evening when I step out of the office and see the dark of the night, made somehow darker when compared to the bright lights below it.
loved your post. have a good week with more burnt yellow!
Felicia,
oh all these colors you’re going through right now. it sounds wonderful and exhausting! 🙂
the dish certainly does have an asian-ness to it but i think the olives takes it to another level.
I love this. My days have been a spring green, steel blue grey, and a soft pink. Colors of spring, new life, new adventures, sudden storms, mystery and lighthearted whimsy.
i love seeing your days on instagram, you capture these colors wonderfully.
Staying in sunny CA, my color of the day is almost always yellow, but I like to at times blend with red and pink and blue and black. What can I say, I love colors 🙂
Glad to find your blog Lan. That curry looks so vibrant and sounds extremely flavorful!
hello Kankana and welcome, i was just in CA a few weeks ago and YES, the days there are certainly colorful, especially the blue of the sky there!
I’m going through some celery green days, definitely. Spring has sprung late, and I feel like it should be April instead of June. (I’m going to be in denial when August arrives.)
This chicken curry is beautiful! Your photos have always been stellar, but since you moved over to WP, they have been mind-blowingly fabulous!! (What’s your secret? I’m quickly losing my camera mojo…)
valerie, you are so kind, thank you.
when i started this new blog i promised myself that i would work on my photography, that i would not post anything if the pix weren’t up to par. pinterest really helps, as does instagram, there’s amazing talent out there that i am inspired by…