Thai red curry with chicken and prawns

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 ounce / 180 grams frozen raw prawns or shrimp (defrosted)
• 1 lb / 425 grams skinless, boneless chicken thighs (cut into pieces)
• 1 medium red pepper or capsicum (sliced)
• 1 cup chinese cabbage (shredded)
• 1 head pak choi (coarsely chopped)
• 1 cup beansprouts (washed)
• 1 cup green beans (chopped)
• 2 medium red chilli (finely sliced (optional))
• 3 tablespoons fresh coriander (finely chopped )
• 2 tablespoons cornflour or cornstarch (for coating the chicken)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil (for frying)
• 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste
• 1 chicken stock cube (dissolved in 1 cup boiling water)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening))

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Defrost the frozen prawns and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Coat the chicken in a mixture of 2 tablespoons cornflour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Leave to stand while you prepare the vegetables.

3. 3

   Remove the seeds and membranes from the red pepper and cut them into slices. Chop the pak choi into 2"-long pieces. Snip the ends off the green beans and cut into 2" pieces. Shred the Chinese cabbage. Remove the seeds and membranes from the red chilli and slice thinly. Rinse the beansprouts in cold water and drain.

4. 4

   Dissolve the stock cube in one cup of boiling water, then add the coconut milk, brown sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Mix well and set aside until required.

5. 5

   --- Thai red curry ---

6. 6

   Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry the chicken in batches until it starts to turn brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

7. 7

   Fry the prawns/shrimp in the same pan until they turn pink. Add to the chicken on the plate.

8. 8

   Place the red curry paste, ginger, garlic, chilli (if yusing) and lemongrass paste into the pan and fry gently for 2 minutes (add a splash more oil if needed).

9. 9

   Add all the vegetables (red pepper, pak choi, shredded cabbage, beans and beansprouts) to the pan and stir to coat with the red curry paste.

10. 10

    Add the prepared stock and the coconut milk and stir well.

11. 11

    Cover the wok or frying pan with a lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

12. 12

    Add the chicken and prawns to the vegetables in the wok and simmer uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through.

13. 13

    Taste for flavour and adjust if necessary.

14. 14

    Make a slurry with 2 teaspoons of cornflour and water and stir into the mixture. Stir until thickened.

15. 15

    Stir in ¾ of the chopped coriander, garnish with the remaining coriander and serve immediately with either a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice or thin Chinese noodles.