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Thai Red Curry

A traditional Thai curry made with a subtle blend of hot, salty, sweet and sour flavors to get the taste buds tingling. You can make your own curry paste from scratch, however to save time we recommend you buy a good-quality pre-made Thai curry paste.

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1 onion—finely chopped
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (or 3 teaspoons for a hotter curry)
2 cloves garlic—finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 zucchini (courgette)—sliced into thin rounds
1 red pepper (capsicum)—julienned
1 cup Jasmine rice
12 oz (360g) uncooked skinless chicken breast fillets—cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour) mixed to a paste with
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large fresh basil leaves—finely sliced


HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. ADD the curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute. ADD the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar and salt, then bring to the boil. ADD the red pepper and zucchini, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12 minutes. WHILE the curry simmers, cook the rice. ADD the chicken to the curry and simmer, covered, for a further 8 minutes. ADD the cornstarch paste and stir continuously until the curry thickens, then stir in the lemon juice and basil. SERVE on a bed of rice.

Variations: This curry tastes equally delicious using any selection of seafood (such as shrimp, scallops or pieces of firm fish), or cubed firm tofu. You can also use a variety of different vegetables with this curry including shredded cabbage, thinly sliced carrot or green beans. Be flexible and adapt the recipe to make the most of seasonal produce.