Rhubarb Curry

I've seen rhubarb in both farmer's market and grocery store but honestly, I wouldn't know what to do with this red, celery-lookalike vegetable. The first time I tasted it, it was at the rhubarb potluck Brook from Learn to Preserve invited me to (thanks, Brook!). While I'd had never cooked with rhubarb before, I offered to bring some pandan cake. They had this spread of all rhubarb goodies, and my favorite were the rhubarb ketchup and rhubarb jelly. Enjoying rhubarb with some of the nicest people in Seattle was a blast. I went as a rhubarb virgin and came home as a rhubarb lover.

Then out of nowhere, I started to imagine how good it would be to have strips of rhubarb in red curry, instead of bamboo shoots. Went home with one mission, to try this brilliant idea of mine (most ideas are brilliant until proven silly). Well, lucky for me, I liked it. The tartness of the rhubarb, spicy curry and cubed chicken complements each other so well.

Rhubarb Curry

6 tbsp red curry
3 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 stalks rhubarb, cut into strips then blanched for 2 minutes (just to soften it a little)
1 halve chicken breast, cubed

Stir fry the curry paste in a bit of oil until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and fish sauce. Once it's starting to boil, dump in the cubed chicken breast. Once the chicken breast is cooked, add the rhubarb strips.

While I realize my husband likes the rhubarb strips a bit softer, I like it with a bit of crunch. So it all depends on the eater. But I think it's a good rhubarb curry, if not delicious.