Curry Monday - Thai Red Curry

I've always been interested in trying a Thai Red Curry. After a bit of searching on the internet I found a good recipe for curry paste. It was a great deal nicer than the bland looking photo would make out. The only change I would make next time would be to add some veg like mange tout. We'll certainly be making this again soon.

From this week Curry Monday is going to be every two weeks as I want to return to some of the curry recipes I've tried so far...and I'm running out of inspiration!

Thai Red Curry
serves 2

paste
1 red chilli, deseeded
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ginger, grated
1 stem of lemongrass
1 shallot, sliced
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp hot paprika

sauce
1 tbsp sunflower oil
200 ml coconut milk
splash of fish sauce
2 kaffir lime leaves

1) Blitz all of the paste ingredients together until you have a thick paste. You may need to add a small amount of water to help loosen up the paste.

2) Heat the sunflower oil in the pan then fry the paste for 1 min. Add the chicken, stir to ensure the paste covers the chicken and cook until chicken is browned.

3) Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and lime leaves. Simmer for 15min until chicken is cooked.

Thai Pie

A few weeks back on Something for the Weekend, Simon Rimmer made delicious looking Smoked Cheese and Leek Pies. This inspired me to get over my savory pastry fear and have a go at making my own individual pies without doing a Delia and resorting to ready-made pastry.

The fact I'm on Easter Hols has injected me with a bit of confidence and time to try new things. By using the Simon Rimmer pastry recipe Simon Rimmer and making a Thai curry filling using the left over chicken from Sunday, I present my Thai Pies!

The original intention was for the filling to be Thai Green Curry, but Hubby picked up Yellow Curry paste by mistake. This paste worked well as it produced a thicker curry, perfect for the pie. I was really pleased as to how the pastry worked out. It wasn't heavy and contained the filling well. I'll certainly be making the pies again, with different fillings. I did take photos of the pie open, but it looked like I had dropped the pie and it had exploded!

Thai Pies
Makes 2 individual pies with a bit of leftover pastry.

PASTRY
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
65g suet
65g unsalted butter
pinch salt
splash cold water
1 egg, beaten

THAI YELLOW CURRY FILLING
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1.5 tbsp yellow curry paste
1 tbsp soft dark sugar
leftover chicken
8 kaffir lime leaves, plus 2 more for decoration
300ml coconut milk
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
a few mange tout and baby corn, sliced
1 tbsp chopped coriander
juice of 1/2 lime


1) For the pastry rub together the flour, suet, butter and salt. Add a splash of water to help bring the dough together. Form into a ball. Place ball back in the bowl, cover in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 min.

2) While the pastry is chilling start on the curry. Heat oil, paste and sugar on a high heat for about a minute. Reduce heat then add chicken and leaves until coated in the paste. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and simmer for 20 min.

3) Stir in lime juice, mange tout, sweetcorn and coriander. Remove kaffir lime leaves (optional). Allow to cool.

4) Preheat oven to 200oc. Line baking tray with parchment. Roll out pastry until about 5mm thick. Cut 2 circles 15cm in diameter (about side-plate size) and 2 circles 8 cm in diameter.

5) To make the pies, place about half of the filling mixture in the middle of one of the larger circles (you may have some curry left). Place one of the smaller circles on top of the mixture, then bring the sides up and pinch around the top to help it stand. Place on the baking tray.

5) Brush pies with beaten egg, place kaffir leaf on the top of each pie. Bake for 20 min until golden.

Oven-Baked Thai Rice

We had a dusting of snow over night. Rather than it being the thick blanket I was secretly hoping for it was as if someone had got overexcited with the icing sugar! Yesterday in school we had a delivery of Living Eggs and they started to hatch today. I lost count how many of this kids today asked to go to the toilet when it was clear they were off to nosy at the chicks. Our dream is to own somewhere like River Cottage with our own brood of pigs and chickens.

For tonight I tried a recipe my sister gave me. It certainly had a spicy kick (I never learn with thai green curry paste!) and am very glad there is some leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The red pepper does look quite psychadelic compared to the rice. Next time I may try a green pepper.

Oven-Baked Thai Rice
Serves 2

1 tsp olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 chicken fillets
2 tsp thai green curry paste
125g basmati & wild rice, rinsed
1 small red pepper, sliced
zest and juice of 1/2 lime
200ml coconut milk
125ml boiling water
4 kafir lime leaves
dash of fish sauce

1) Preheat oven to 180oc. In oven-safe pan soften shallots for 5 min, then add chicken and curry paste. Cook for 3 min.

2) Stir in the remainding ingredients. Bring to the boil then bake in the oven, uncovered, for 15 min. Stir every 5 minutes.

Thai Green Curry

While we were at my parents for Christmas we popped to WH Lung, a Chinese supermarket, in Liverpool. I've never been in a Chinese supermarket before and I was like a child in a sweet shop! There were so many ingredients I struggle to find where I live, so I stocked up. My haul included kaffir lime leaves, creamed coconut, spring roll pastry, dried shittake mushrooms and sesame oil.

Tonight's meal was Thai Green Curry. I don't think I've had a proper Thai Green Curry, but have always like the sound of it so decided to give it a go. I know green curry is meant to be hot, but although it was beautifully flavoursome it blew my head off!

I had read a tip somewhere about adding sugar to reduce the heat, I did this and it did work to some degree, but my lips are still tingling. I should have known it would be hot as the main ingredient in the paste is green chillies. Next time I'll 1/2 maybe even 1/4 the paste amount or even make my own paste.

Thai Green Curry
Serves 2-3

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 tbsp green curry paste (half if you don't like it hot hot hot!)
1 tbsp soft dark sugar
2 chicken fillets, diced
8 kaffir lime leaves
400ml coconut milk
1 tsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp chopped coriander
juice of 1 lime

1) Heat oil, paste and sugar on a high heat for about a minute. Reduce heat then add chicken and leaves until coated in the paste. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and simmer for 25 min.

2) Stir in lime juice and coriander. Taste sauce. If it is too spicy add some more sugar. Remove kaffir lime leaves. Allow to sit for about 5 min before serving.

On the talk of chicken please sign the petition Chicken Out! This campaign is very much in the news at the moment plus I'm a big fan of Hugh's beliefs and ethics.