Ingredient List

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 x 410 ml tins coconut milk
• 2 -3 tablespoons red curry paste
• 8 chicken thighs, trimmed andcut in 3cm pieces
• 500ml – 750ml chicken stock (or water)
• 1.5kg butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut in chunks
• 150ml Thai fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• Salt
• 6 – 8 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut in 5cm lengths and smashed (white part only)
• 125g pea eggplant, stalk removed (optional)
• 3 medium green chillies, sliced on the diagonal (deseeeded)
• 1/2 bunch Thai sweet basil, leaves only

A popular and delicious curry.  For best results, use a good quality curry paste .

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan.  Add the top of the coconut milk (from both tins) and simmer for five minutes.  Add the red curry paste and simmer another five minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the remaining coconut milk to the pan, bring to simmering point, then add the chicken.  Let simmer 5 – 10 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and pumpkin and bring back to simmering point.  Add the Thai fish sauce, sugar, salt to taste, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, pea eggplants and chillies and leave to simmer very gently until chicken and pumpkin are cooked, about 20 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook. It should taste hot, sour and sweet.
Can be garnished with red chillies.  Excellent served with steamed jasmine rice.

Tip: for a spicier dish, don’t remove the seeds from the chillies.