Green Thai Curry, Coconut Rice & Cucumber Salad
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the curry paste:
Handful spinach, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
2cm piece ginger, grated
2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 lime, juice only
1 dried kaffir lime leaf
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp cumin seeds
For the curry:
100ml coconut cream
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
1 aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes
150g frozen garden peas
2 packs (165g each) M&S raw Honduran king prawns
20 leaves Thai basil
2 dried kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)
Pinch sugar
1 stick lemongrass
For the coconut rice:
60ml coconut cream
250g Thai jasmine rice
2-3 dried kaffir lime leaves
½ stick lemongrass
Handful coriander, chopped
For the Thai cucumber salad:
2 limes, juice only
1½ tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, deseeded and sliced crosswise ½cm thick
50g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
To serve:
2 limes, cut into wedges
METHOD:
1. For the curry paste, crush all the ingredients along with ½ tsp black pepper in a pestle and mortar, or alternatively, blitz in a food processor. Set aside.
2. To make the curry, heat the coconut cream in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in 2 tbsp of the curry paste (you can freeze any remaining paste). Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk.
3. Stir in the aubergine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, then season.
4. For the coconut rice, pour the coconut cream into a large pan with 450ml water and bring to the boil. Rinse the rice in a sieve and add this to the pan along with the lime leaves, the lemongrass and a good pinch of sea salt.
5. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave covered for a further 5 minutes. Remove and discard the lime leaves and lemongrass, then stir in the coriander.
6. For the salad, mix the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and garlic in a large bowl along with 2 tbsp vegetable oil to make a dressing. Toss through the remaining ingredients.
7. Divide the curry, coconut rice and salad between serving dishes and serve with the lime wedges.
