Serves 4, 15 minutes Preparation, 20 minutes cooking

Thai Red Curry is traditionally a bit hotter than a Green curry but its flavoursome combination of spices and sweet and sour notes makes it a must have for any Thai dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 shallots, or 1 small onion
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3-4 tsp red Thai curry paste
• 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar, brown is best
• 4 freeze-dried kaffir lime leaves, or the zest of 1 – 1 ½ limes
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 20g pack fresh coriander

Method

1. Peel shallots or onion and cut in half from top to root. Lay the cut sides flat on a board and thinly slice. Very finely slice the lemongrass, starting at the thinner end, stopping towards the base when it gets tough (often described as ‘woody’ and white in the centre).
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan for a couple of minutes then add the shallots or onion. Fry for 3-5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring all the time.
3. Add the chicken pieces and stir until they are coated in the paste. Add the lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves/lime zest and coconut milk. Slowly bring the curry to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Stir the curry a few times while it cooks to stop it sticking.
4. While the chicken is cooking, strip the leaves from the coriander stalks, gather into a pile and chop very roughly. Taste the curry and add a little more curry paste and salt if you think it needs it.
5. When the curry is ready to serve stir half the coriander into the curry and sprinkle the rest over the top. Serve with our Sticky Thai Rice.