First Experience with Coconut Milk

I remember a few months ago my cousin Megan was back home on Long Island and so was I.  It was either for Thanksgiving or Christmas...but that doesn't matter.  I remember her talking about making a meal with coconut milk and red curry sauce and I was automatically intrigued.  I picked up a can of coconut milk months ago...but didn't know what to do with it.  So it sat in my counter until this week when I was  once again food shopping.  I found a jar of red curry paste and decided it was finally time to try out the meal my cousin was talking about over the holidays.  

I've never cooked with coconut milk before.  I opened the can without looking and reading all the wonderful words on the can.  I was very confused when I opened it to find a white paste that looks like Elmer's glue.  I poked at it, thinking that maybe the looks were deceiving.  I was wrong.  I shrugged and got a spoon.  This is what went into my pan.

I decided to read the can after pouring the weird paste and water mixture.  Turns out, coconut milk separates naturally.  Now, I'll forever read all boxes/cans/jars of foreign cooking ingredients I use in the future.  After stirring it, the liquid became a lot more milk-like.

I put a tablespoon of the red curry paste in with the 16 ounce can of coconut milk.  I let that combine on medium heat, then added two chicken thighs.  I decided not to add any extra herbs or spices to the mixture, just so I can take in the taste of the two alone.  I figured there was enough in the paste to add enough flavor to the meal.  

I let it cook until the chicken was done.  I made some white rice to go along with the meal (I prefer brown, but it can be pricey and the places I normally shop don't seem to like to keep it in stock).  I know it's lacking in the veggie department, but I didn't have anything that would have really gone well with the meal.  It doesn't look pretty, but it tasted alright. It was nice and creamy, but it was missing something in the taste department.  I'll definitely need to play with some spices and add a little more paste to the coconut milk the next time I make this meal.  I think I'll use a different part of the  chicken, or a completely different meat all together . 

I'll definitely make this again, but next time I'm adding a lot more to it, along with some additional colors to make it looks more appetizing.  I've only had Indian food a few times in my life, but I want to experiment with it a lot more.  Boring meals are no fun.