Creamy Chicken Curry

Recipe from an old family friend.

3 1/2 oz flaked, unsweetened coconut
2 c. boiling water
1/2 and 1/2

1 clove minced garlic
1 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. butter
4 tbs flour
2 tbs curry or to taste
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger powder

red pepper flakes to your liking 
2 1/2 c. cooked, and chopped chicken

Pour boiling water over the coconut and let stand 15 minutes.
Drain well, squeezing as much liquid out as you can.
Add enough half and half to make 2 1/2 c of liquid.
Cook onion and garlic in butter over medium high heat until tender.
Stir in flour, curry, salt, red pepper, and ginger and cook about 1-2 minutes.
Add in the coconut liquid and cook until thickened, stir in chicken.
Serve over rice and your choice of condiments (and this recipe is all about the condiments)
chopped hard boiled egg
green onions
chopped cooked bacon
coconut
raisins
mango chutney (RIP Major Grey)

Toddler review-
The first time around Thing 1 and Thing 2 loved it. Second time around everyone picked out the bacon and ate some of the rice. They weren't fans of the curry sauce. Oh well, we'll just try again.

2020 update-

We used canned coconut since we had been given some from a friend.  It ended up way too thick and I diluted with some chicken stock and half and half.  It was ok, the kids ate it and the leftovers the next day but it didn't have the same flavor.  We'll go back to making our own coconut milk.