Thai-Curried Game Hens - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 teaspoons about Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 (6 ounce) cans straw mushrooms, drained
3 kaffir lime leaves or 2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon packed golden brown sugar
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 1/2 lbs Cornish hens, halved lenthwise, backbones removed
4 -5 small fresh red chilies (optional)

Preparation

heat 1 T oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. add curry paste and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. add coconut milk, broth, mushrooms, kaffir limes leaves, fish sauce, and brown sugar; bring to simmer. remove from heat. add cherry tomatoes. season sauce with salt and pepper.
preheat oven to 350 degrees F. heat 2 T oil in large nonstick skiller over high heat. sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. add hens to skiller and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. transfer hens to 13x9 inch pyrex. pour sauce over. bake uncovered until hens are cooked through, about 35 minute transfer hens to shallow serving bowl; tent with foil. skim fat from sauce. pour sauce over hens. garnich with basil and chilies, if desired.