Experiment #1 Laboratory Chow: Penang Alla Vodka (Patreon)

Penang Alla Vodka

Here is the first Mad Fiction Laboratory Employee Lunch Definitely-Not-Last-Week’s-Lab Rats Delicacy!

I have every reason to believe this might be the only dish I have actually invented. It all happened because I am an Italian-American woman who fell in love with someone allergic to onions, garlic, and red wine. The struggle is so real. So whenever he’s away for a few days ALL I DO IS ONIONGARLIC OONTZ OONTZ ALL THE TIME DO THE ALIUM DANCE. I was all geared up to make penne alla vodka when I realized I didn’t have any chicken broth, and I live on an island in the Atlantic, so I couldn’t pop down to the shop for stock. I rummaged in my cupboards to find something I could add to give it that umami oomph, and what I had was a can of penang curry paste. YOU GOT CHOCOLATE IN MY PEANUT BUTTER!

So here is a Thai-Italian fusion dish from my very own brain and living circumstances. A vodka sauce doesn’t bear too much simmering, so this all whips up in about 45 minutes. Serves…many? I don’t know, let’s call it five to six, since we usually have leftovers for about a day afterward. Metric in parentheses DON’T SAY I NEVER DID NOTHIN FER YA.

Note: it’s VERY easy to over salt this dish given the parmesan and the curry paste. I would recommend not adding any salt in the cooking, and adding it to taste after.

Ingredients

Glug of olive oil

1/2 tblsp butter

4-5 chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces (500-500 grams)

4-5 cloves garlic (or more, garlic is my only friend)

1 whole onion, diced OR fennel which is what I use as an onion substitute around here

Zest of one small lime

1/2-3/4 can penang curry paste, depending on where you want to put the Thai-Italian slider

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp curry powder

Several vigorous grinds of black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne or more if you like it spicy. We like it very spicy, so I use it liberally

1 cup vodka (237 ml)

32 oz canned tomatoes, one can sauce, one can diced (411 grams per can)

1 cup water NOT broth, it’ll be way too chickeny (237 ml)

1/4 cup shredded parmesan (20 grams)

1/3 cup heavy cream (79 ml) 

1/8 cup coconut milk (optional, 30 ml)

1 package penne pasta (454 grams)

20-25 fresh basil leaves cut into thin slices

Directions

Add olive oil and butter to large saucepan. When melted and bubbling, add chicken and let brown, then remove. Fry onion or fennel in the same pan until translucent (fennel will take a little longer and should be fried at a lower heat, as they’re denser and can burn on the outside before they’ve become tender and the licorice taste has cooked away). Then add curry paste and spices and fry until aromatic, about one minute, stirring frequently. 

Pour vodka in a slow steady stream and simmer until the volume is reduced by about a third. Then add all the tomatoes, water, lime zest, parmesan, and the cooked chicken back in, bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it bubble, bubble, toil and trouble for about twenty minutes, give or take. The sweetness added by the reaction of the vodka and tomatoes can go away if you cook it for too long, so taste regularly and don’t over-simmer.

While the sauce is moving right along, make your pasta according to the package instructions. 

Finally, add heavy cream to the sauce, and coconut milk if you like a creamier, milder sauce, and once it’s bubbling again, turn off the heat. Add the basil, let sit for five minutes, then serve over pasta garnished with more basil, parmesan, a squeeze of lime juice, and a bit of shredded coconut or a swirl or Sriracha if you have any on hand. You can thank me later when all the washing up is done!