Jim Coleman | C'mon, slurry down to a stone cool thickening

Q. I have a couple of questions for a curry dish that I make. I'm using a simple recipe with coconut milk and curry powder. I brown chicken pieces in oil then simmer in the coconut milk and curry powder. What should I use to thicken up the sauce? Also, what veggies can I use to round it out or to hearty it up? Regards.

- Nancy B.

A. Sounds like a dish that I should try personally.

Mondays are normally pretty good, so next week I'll be on your doorstep waiting for you to cook up a batch of "Curried Chicken in Coconut Milk."

After I eat three or four helpings we'll discuss how to thicken the sauce.

Nancy, now put the phone down and tell the nice policemen that I was just kidding and I'm not some kind of weird psycho stalking you.

Now that we've all calmed down, let's try to thicken your coconut-milk sauce - even though most Thai coconut milk curries usually have a pretty thin consistency. I know what you are going for, however, because just thickening it up a little will make it adhere to the starch (normally it's rice) much better and makes the whole dish seem richer.

There are all kinds of thickening agents, but for this recipe and 90 percent of home cooking, you're going to use either a roux or a slurry.

A roux is made with close to equal parts by weight of flour to fat (usually the proportion of fat is a little higher), and the fat is typically butter or oil. So if you use 1/4 pound of flour, you would add 1/4 pound or a little more of butter.

A roux is cooked over low heat for approximately five minutes or until the desired darkness, and is used in traditional gravies or cream soups.

The roux is also used to thicken the traditional "mother sauces" like béchamel, veloute, and espagnole.

Another thickening agent is called a slurry, and this is commonly used in Asian cooking when a clear shine is desired for the sauce.

Normally cornstarch or arrowroot is mixed with a clear liquid (cold water is most often used) in a ratio of one part cornstarch to two parts liquid by volume - one tablespoon cornstarch plus two tablespoons water, for example.

A slurry will have the consistency of heavy cream and it doesn't have to be pre-cooked before being whisked into a simmering sauce, which is instantly thickened.

This is the type of thickener you want to use for your curry, Nancy. Don't add too much at first, you can always add more if you desire.

As far as vegetables go, the sky is the limit. It may be best to work backwards (something I'm good at) and use veggies that you know your diners will like.

If it was me, I would use green beans, peas, carrots, tomatoes, spinach and maybe some squash.

Again, it sounds like I should perform a taste test, and as I told those officers, Mondays work best for me.

Q. Do you have any good whole-grain muffin recipes? You're not the only one trying to eat healthier. Thanks

- Johanne S.

A. Johanne, I do have some good whole-grain muffin recipes. Oh, sorry, I'm a little slow - so you want them.

I thought you were just concerned for me and thought I just might need some. I get it.

Here they are, and by the way you can get together with Nancy about scheduling a good tasting day. *