Curry Paste (OR use the jarred paste below)


5-10 dried red chilies
10 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped galangal
1 tablespoon thinly sliced lemon grass
half teaspoon zest of "kaffir" lime (ordinary lime will do)
1 teaspoon chopped coriander (cilantro) root
5 black pepper corns
1 tablespoon roasted coriander seeds
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
a dash fish sauce
1-2 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (kapi)

mix in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Will keep about a month
in a fridge. You can buy commercial red curry paste (Mae Ploy brand is
quite good), but as far as I am aware all commercial pastes contain MSG
and preservatives.

The curry

6 ounces chicken (in smallish bite sized pieces)
half a cup of coconut milk
4 ounces Thai eggplant (these are small round eggplants)
2 kaffir lime leaves (or a little lime zest)
1 tablespoon sweet basil
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar

oil for cooking

1-3 tablespoons of the red curry paste (definitely err on the LOWER side!!)

Method

cut the chicken up, then briefly fry the curry paste until fragrant,
reduce the heat, add the coconut milk slowly, and continue to stir
whilst cooking until a thin film of oil appears on the surface.

add the chicken and other ingredients except the eggplant. Bring to a
boil and cook until the chicken begins to change colour. Adjust the
flavours to suit yourself. When it is at a boil again add the eggplant
and continue till the chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice, or in a serving bowl with other Thai dishes.