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This is my third successful installment of 3 Mondays of $5 Dinner Challenges.  This means, each Monday I’ve been cooking a meal for 2 adults and 2 children for around $5.  Here’s the real challenge, though:  I do it while maintaining my commitment to eat mostly local and organic vegetables and humanely raised meats.  For this final meal, I made Coconut Curry Chicken and Baked Brown Rice for $6.96.

This meal was really fun to do because we don’t often do curries in our house.  It is a super simple recipe for the new-to-curry crowd that will impress your family.  The sweet coconut milk is perfectly suited to these warm savory spices.  Baking the rice assures a perfect result every time that doesn’t stick to the pan and is done without a rice cooker.  I used leeks, but it would be even easier and just as tasty made with onions and you can throw them in with the rest of the vegetables instead of having to cook separately like I did with the leeks.  Here’s how made this fantastic meal for just under seven dollars:

Prices and Products

• 1 tbsp. expeller pressed canola oil: $0.10
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) organic coconut milk: $0.50
• 4 white mushrooms (0.15 lb.) : $0.47 (10% off)
• 1/2 of an organic leek (0.275 lb.): $0.44
• 1/2 of an organic carrot: $0.20 (10% off)
• handful of organic snow peas: $0.45 (10% off)
• small organic green bell pepper: $0.67 (10% off)
• 2 tbsp. curry powder: $0.50
• 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar: $0.01
• 14.74 oz. organic, sustainably raised chicken: $2.81 (10% off)
• 1 cup (uncooked) brown basmati:  $0.81
• 1/2 tsp. salt: negligible

How I got these great deals:

• The best deal of the day was the organic coconut milk which is normally more than two bucks a can.  Whole Foods was having a sale for $1.50 a can plus I had a dollar off coupon for any Thai Kitchen brand product (you can print this coupon from Yahoo Deals too – expires at the end of the year.)
• I used my monthly 10% off coupon at PCC for all the groceries marked as “10% off” above.  It really does add up to some savings.  I would have done better on the veggies to go to the farmer’s market though.  Unfortunately there’s not time for that every week.

Recipes

Coconut Curry Chicken and Vegetables

You will need:

• 1/2 can coconut milk (about 7 ounces)
• 1/3 cup water
• 3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken thigh meat (about 15 ounces before skinning and deboning), cut into large bite-size pieces 
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 of a leek (lengthwise half), sliced crosswise every 1/2 inch
• 2 1/2 cups bite-sized pieces of vegetables (ex. mushrooms, carrot, bell pepper, snow peas)
• 2 tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh Thair basil (optional), rough chopped

Put it together:

• Heat 1/2 tbsp. oil in wok (or large skillet) on medium heat.  When hot, add leeks and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Transfer leeks to bowl and set aside.
• Add 1/2 tbsp. oil to wok, still on medium heat.  When hot, add chicken and cook until no longer pink in the middle, stirring occasionally.  Transfer chicken to a bowl and set aside.
• Bring coconut milk and water to simmer in wok on medium heat
• Add brown sugar and curry powder and stir until well blended.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add in chicken and all vegetables except for the leeks.  Cook about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.  Toss in leeks and serve.  Optional:  garnish with Thai basil

Baked Coconut Rice (Serves 4). 

You will need:

• 2 T oil (e.g. Canola)
• 1/2 can coconut milk (about 7 ounces)
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup long grain brown rice (ex. basmati)

Put it together:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
• Wash rice. Lightly brown the rice in oil in a fry pan.  Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart ovenproof dish. 
• Pour coconut milk mixture over the rice, take caution because this can create a lot of hot steam.
• Bake covered for 50 to 60 minutes, until rice is tender and fluffy and moisture has been absorbed.