Quick Roast Chicken Red Curry

Spoon 1/4 cup thick coconut milk from tops of the cans into a large saucepan. Stir remaining coconut milk, and measure out 2 1/4 cups; set aside. (Reserve remaining coconut milk for another use.) Place pan over medium heat; when thick coconut milk is bubbly hot, add red curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture no longer smells raw, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add reserved 2 1/4 cups coconut milk in 3 additions, stirring and letting the sauce briskly simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to develop flavor in between each addition. (Remember to frequently stir and scrape the bottom to prevent scorching.) Adjust heat to maintain a brisk simmer and prevent the sauce from sputtering. As the coconut milk breaks and cracks, look for traces of orange-red bubbling oil at the edge or a slightly dark oily film on top. After adding all the coconut milk, if you want to further force cracking for deeper flavor, add up to 1/4 cup water, increase heat to high, and cook at a hard boil, stirring occasionally. (If oil appears in 2 to 3 minutes, success! If cracked coconut milk eludes you today, move on.)

Add chicken pieces and fish sauce to pot; bring to a boil over medium-high. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer; cook until chicken is softened and heated through and sauce is medium-thick and velvety, 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently fold in most of the fruit to add sweetness (save some wedges for garnish); cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. (Avoid overcooking and softening the fruit.) Remove from heat. Taste the sauce; it should be spicy and salty with a slight sweetness and acidity from the fruit. For more savoriness, add additional fish sauce or any residual juice from chicken. Add any fruit juices, if available, for tang.

Crumple lime leaves to release their aroma; drop into pot. Stir in basil, submerging leaves to prevent browning. Transfer to a bowl, garnish with additional basil, and serve immediately.