Thai Green Chicken Curry

It took me a long time to fall in love with Thai food, I put off trying it when I was younger because I couldn't stand the smell of lemongrass. My palette has changed considerably over the years and it is now one of my favourite types of food to eat. So mastering pastes and sauces at home is a big deal, as it saves me money and I can see everything that is going in to the mix. This Thai green curry is so delicious and we make it at least twice a month now.

I've put this in the category of '30 Minutes or less' because it is achievable as long as you are organised. I'd say that you need the full 30 minutes though, but at least the paste is simply whizzed together in a blender. The longer you leave it to simmer, the better your curry will taste though. You can use chicken from a rotisserie or a pre-cooked chicken to help speed up the process. This Thai green curry is of a medium heat, but if you like it hot, simply add another chilli into your paste. You could easily make this vegetarian, just replace your chicken with a yummy vegetable and if the fish sauce bothers you too, substitute it for soy or Worcestershire sauce.

Serves: 4Prep time: 5-8 minsCook time: 25-30 mins

Ingredients

For the curry paste:

• Bunch of coriander, half the leaves and all of the stalks.
• 2 green chilli
• 2 tblsp of fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 shallots
• Thumb size piece of fresh ginger
• 1 stick of lemongrass, woody outer removed
•  1 tsp of ground cumin
• 3 tsp of desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp of olive oil or groundnut oil
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Peel garlic cloves, shallots and ginger, roughly chop.
2. Chop stalks from the chillies, chop in half length ways.
3. Add to a blender with all other ingredients and blend until virtually smooth, it will never be completely smooth which is fine.

Ingredients

To build your curry:

• 3 chicken breasts or 5 boneless chicken thighs
• 400ml of coconut milk
• 200ml of water
• 1 green pepper
• 2 rounds of pac choi or half a broccoli, really any vegetables will work.
• Half the leaves left over from your bunch of coriander (to garnish)
• 1 red chilli (optional, to garnish)
• 2 packs of your chosen rice, I use Tilda microwavable brown and wild basmati.

Directions

1. Chop chicken in to pieces.
2. Grab a medium pan, fill 3/4 with water and pop in your chicken and set on a high heat to boil for 7 minutes.
3. Grab a second medium/large pan (I use a wok)
4. Add curry paste and stir in for a few minutes to release flavours, lower to the lowest heat until chicken is done.
5. Drain chicken and add to paste pan.
6. Add coconut milk and water, mix and simmer and reduce gently for 7 minutes until sauce has thickened.
7. Chop the thick ends of your pac choi, roughly chop and add to pan. Keep leaves until later.
8. After two minutes, thinly chop green pepper. and add to pan with pac choi leaves. Cook for 2 minutes.
9. Ping your rice in the microwave.
10. Plate up and garnish your curry with the rest of your coriander and chilli.