INGREDIENTS
800g chicken thigh fillets
3 cloves garlic
3 eschallots
3 small red chillies
1 stalk lemongrass
3cm ginger, peeled, roughly chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tbsp palm or brown sugar
1 tbsp peanut oil, plus extra, to shallow-fry
2 limes
1/3 cup (80ml) fish sauce
1 tbsp tamarind puree
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
270ml coconut cream
2 small or 1 large red capsicum, seeded and cut into 2cm strips
¼ pineapple, peeled, chopped in to 2cm pieces (approx. 1 cup)
2 tbsp whole Thai basil leaves
¼ cup fried shallots
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
METHOD
1. To make curry paste: peel garlic and eschallots, then roughly chop with chillies and white part of lemongrass and ginger. Add coriander, cumin and palm sugar and process into a paste. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over low–medium heat. Add paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sticky. Remove from heat and add zest and juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons (40ml) fish sauce, tamarind puree and 1 tablespoon water. Cool.
2. Coat chicken fillets with curry paste. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken thighs and cook for a couple of minutes on each side until browned. Add the chicken stock and coconut cream. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low. Add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes then add the pineapple and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Stir remaining lime juice and fish sauce through the curry and divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle with basil leaves and fried shallots. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Wine match: Chardonnay or Viognier