Thai-curried Game Hens

i love thai food and i love cornish hens. you must try this if you do too.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

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 (6ounce) 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)

Directions

1. 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.
2. 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.