Monday, 15 May 2006

Lorraine Kelly's Thai Green Curry Paste

The Queen of breakfast television reveals her secret ingredients for a top curry

The green of this curry paste comes from the fresh coriander leaves. Like all plant materials, the natural chlorophyll (green colour) oxidises in air, fading rapidly on picking and cooking. Although this paste will last for up to a week in the refrigerator, it should be used within 2 days for maximum impact, colour and flavour. It's best for the clear, hot, sour/sweet curries much beloved by the Thais.

Ingredients

15 green chillies, chopped
4 spring onions or 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1tbsp oil
1tbsp chopped galangal or ginger
2tbsp fish sauce
1tbsp sugar
1tsp blachan (shrimp paste) or 2tsp dried shrimps
3 stalks lemon grass, crushed
1tsp ground coriander
4tbsp or 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
Chopped juice and grated rind of 2 limes
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional)

Method

Combine all the ingredients and liquidise or process to a smooth paste in a food processor.
This can be added to any ingredients you like, for example, lightly fried strips of breast of chicken or strips of beef, green and red peppers and onions, baby sweet corn or anything else that takes your fancy.
Serve with Thai fragrant rice.

Recipe from The You Are What You Are Cookbook (£7.99, Accent Press). All profits from this book go to support Beds Garden Carers – a charity for adults with learning disabilities. For more info, visit www.bedsgardencarers.org.uk or call 01234 32887.