Red Curry with Chicken & Pineapple

Ingredients

(serves 6-8)

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
• 1 litre coconut milk
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2-4 tbsp palm sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
• 8 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemon grass stalks
• 2 long red chillies sliced
• 4-6 boiled or steamed eggs
• 1 punnet baby corn cut into chunks
• ¼ pineapple cut into thin slices
• 150-200g pumpkin cut into thin slices
• 1 pkt pea eggplant
• 1 pkt apple egg plant
• 8 snake beans cut into inch pieces
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch thai basil washed and picked

 For the Curry Paste

• 8 dried long red chillies soaked and drained
• 1 long red chilli
• Pinch salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh galangal
• 2 stems lemon grass finely chopped
• Zest 1 kaffir lime
• 8 coriander roots washed and scraped
• 2 shallots chopped
• 8 white peppercorns
• 2 tsp coriander seeds roasted and ground
• 1 tsp cumin seeds roasted and ground
• 5 cloves garlic chopped
  
  

Method

In a pot combine the coconut milk and the stock and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and cook until tender. Set aside. In another pan, heat a little oil and fry off 5-6 tblspns curry paste, add palm sugar and fish sauce. Add the chicken cooking liquid and then the chicken, eggplants and corn and cook a for a few minutes Add the lime leaves, chillies and pineapple then the pumpkin and eggs. Cook for a few minutes and season to taste. It should be hot, sweet and salty. Add basil leaves. Serve in a bowl with steamed rice and fresh lime. Top with a drizzle of coconut cream , shredded lime leaf and sliced red chilli. This recipe also works well with roast duck, so make the curry sauce and add the duck and vegetables. A quick and delicious meal! Another option is to omit the coconut milk and you will have a delicious curry that is not quite as rich. Just reduce the sugar slightly and it should be salty and hot, rather than sweet.

For the Curry Paste

Pound all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle to a paste or blend together in a blender.