Ech Nau Ca-ri (Curried Frogs' Legs)

http://www.elook.org/recipes/asian/12548.html

Yield 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 Pairs of jumbo frog's legs
• 1 Stalk fresh lemon grass or
• 1 tb Dried lemon grass
• 2 Fresh red chilies seeded -and sliced
• 2 Shallots sliced
• 2 Garlic cloves crushed
• 1 1/2 ts Sugar
• 1 ts Curry paste
• 2 ts Curry powder
• 1/4 ts Salt
• 2 tb Nuoc mam (fish sauce)
• 2 oz Cellophane noodles
• 2 tb Vegetable oil
• 1 sm Onion chopped
• 1 c Chicken broth or water
• 1/2 c Coconut milk or heavy cream
• 1 ts Cornstarch

Instructions:

• Fresh ground black pepper Coriander sprigs for garnish.
• This delicious lemon grass and coconut-laced curry comes from southern Vietnam.
• If you prefer a very hot curry simply use more chile peppers.
• Cut the frogs' legs into bite-size pieces.
• Rinse with cold water to remove any chipped bones.
• Pat dry and refrigerate.
• If you are using fresh lemon grass discard the outer leaves and upper half of the stalk.
• Cut into thin slices and finely chop.
• If you are using dried lemon grass soak it in warm water for 1 hour.
• Drain and finely chop.
• In a blender combine the lemon grass with the chiles shallots garlic sugar curry paste curry powder salt and 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce.
• Process to a very fine paste. Rub the paste over the frogs' legs.
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile soak the cellophane noodles in warm water for 30 minutes.
• Drain.
• Cut into 2-inch sections.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over moderate heat.
• Add the onion and saute until translucent.
• Add the frogs' legs and brown well on all sides about 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Uncover the pan and add the coconut milk the cornstarch diluted in 1 tablespoon of cold water and the remaining 1 table- spoon fish sauce.
• Cook stirring until the sauce thickens about 15 minutes.
• Add the cellophane noodles and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Sprinkle with black pepper and garnish with coriander sprigs.
• Serve immediately with rice French bread or over rice noodles.

Note:

Instead of discarding the upper half of the lemon grass crush it and cook it with the frogs' legs for extra flavor. Remove the stalk before serving.