Just had to share with you my recipe for Thai Red Curry – it is so simple to make, takes no time at all, and is better than I can get from my local takeaway – give it a go!

Don’t be put off by the long ingredients list: everything is readily available from the supermarket and it is very quick to make.  There’s enough here for 4 people but you can double up the quantities as it will keep in the fridge for up to a week and it’s fine to freeze too!

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil or sunflower oil
• 400g tin coconut milk
• either chicken, prawn, beef, fish and vegetables of choice (I use aubergines, red peppers, mushrooms and beans); cut into bite-sized pieces so it all cooks quickly)

Curry Paste

• 3 Shallots, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 long red chillies, de-seeded (but leave some in if you like it hot!)
• walnut-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1tbsp fish sauce (can be replaced with light soy sauce for vegetarians)
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
• lemongrass stalk, roughly chopped

To make the paste, put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz really well until you have a smooth paste.  Heat 1tbsp of oil in a large wok or frying pan, fry the paste for a few minutes until it becomes fragrant then add the coconut milk.  Bring to the boil, then add the meat and vegetables of your choice and simmer; chicken, beef or pork will take 5-8 minutes; prawns and fish about 2-3 minutes; vegetables such as courgettes, peppers, baby corn, green beans, aubergines or carrot will take about 5 minutes; and spring onions, mange tout or spinach will only need a minute.

Serve with either rice or noodles and a few prawn crackers – if you have time, a few sweetcorn fritters are also rather scrummy!!!