Continuing with an Italian-inspired but Thai-flavored stuffed squid.

The goal here was to cook the chicken enough that we didn't have to worry
about under-done chicken stuffing.  Probably was not the best approach.  Try
not precooking the Chicken meat; put curry paste in poaching milk; maybe add
peanuts to filling -- turn mushy? as garnish? Next time, perhaps cook Chili
Paste in Chicken Fat, then add to uncooked Chicken, then grind.

2	Lb	Squid, frozen, 11/20, about 3" long bodies, 17/box
		(Asian Best, distrib Eastland Food Corp, Elephant logo, $5.50
		is pre-cleaned, pen/beak removed, with tentacles;
		thick-skinned bodies, toothsome but not chewy.)
1	Tbs	Fish Sauce
7	oz	Coconut Milk, canned
2	Tbs	Curry Paste, green, prepared, Maesri brand
7	oz	Chicken, dark meat, ground/processed medium
2	Tbs	Cilantro (culantro), chopped
1	Egg
27	oz	Coconut Milk (2 cans)

Clean squid if needed: keep fins for grinding, save tentacles for other use.
Heat Coconut Milk until bubbling.
Add Curry Paste, Fish Sauce.
Heat until oil separates a bit.
Add Chicken, Squid wings.
Cook, breaking up chicken, until nearly cooked through;
cook down a bit to boil off liquid; oil will separate.
Seive to drain, should get about 1-2 Tbs oil, milk: reserve this.
Process Fins, Chicken, Cilantro: should not a paste more than a liquid.
Add Egg and process to form smooth but tight paste, almost dough-like.
If too dry, add back the Oil/Milk and process [probably not needed].
Taste, adjust saltiness with Fish Sauce.

Test paste consistency by poaching a spoonful in Coconut milk.
If too thin, then what? Ours seemed too thin but poached inside squid fine.

Heat 27 oz Coconut milk in pan slowly.
Meanwhile, stuff Squid Bodies with paste using pastry bag;
close end with toothpick.
Add any excess filling to the poaching Milk.
Poach in Coconut Milk in large saute pan, flipping to cook evenly,
about 10 minutes: test doneness by biting through body.
Serve with Jasmine rice, pouring a ladle of the poaching Milk over Squid.


$Id: squid-stuffed-chicken.txt,v 1.1 2004/05/23 17:38:44 chris Exp $