I

 am always so hugely disappointed when I click on the recipe link for a Thai Green Curry from a fellow blogger only to find the words….’add 2 tbsp of curry paste? Pastes vary from kitchen to kitchen and especially from supermarket to supermarket. Being a believer in ‘cooking from scratch’ not only does it taste more than a thousand times fresher but you actually know wants going into it. Who knows what goes into those jars in Waitrose….?

So with a free evening ahead and a hungry pair of stomaches to feed, I knocked out a fresh and fiery paste from scratch and devoured what I have hailed ‘The Best Thai Green Curry Recipe’. Courtesy and thanks to Bill Granger naturally with a few ‘forage in the pantry’ amendments. The entire recipe from start to end takes no more than 1 hour full round especially with a food processor so don’t be put off by the extra effort of making your own paste. It will be well worth it I guarantee.

NOTE: This paste recipe makes more than enough for the below curry. Perfect for popping the rest in a sealed tupperware in the freezer for a quick healthy meal when you have less time.

Serves 3

Curry Paste

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp light-flavoured oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• Handful of chopped coriander stems
• 3cm knob of ginger, chopped
• 4 green chillies, deseeded, chopped

Curry

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp green-curry paste
• 125ml chicken/vegetable stock
• 300ml coconut milk (full fat)
• 2-3 large kaffir lime leaves, torn, (or 3 strips lime peel)
• 3 chicken-breast fillets, cut into chunks
• 200g baby sweetcorn
• 100g green beans
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice,
• To serve: Steamed brown rice, torn basil, chopped spring onions, chopped coriander, lime wedges

1. Start by making the paste. Heat a dry frying pan until hot and toast the coriander and cumin seeds for a few minutes until fragrant. Crush in a pestle and mortar.
2. Add to the bowl of the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and blend to a coarse paste. Place in a tupperware container with a lid.
3. For the curry, heat the coconut oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan or wok and fry the 3 tbsp of curry paste for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, coconut milk and lime leaf and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
5. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 more minutes.
6. Finally add the corn and beans (or any vegetable of choice), the caster sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and simmer gently for another 5 minutes or so until cooked.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce or lime juice or sugar to sweeten.
8. Serve topped on some brown rice and scattered with some fragrant torn basil and sliced spring onions.