thai green chicken curry

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking temperature low and high

Cooking time 8¼–10¼hours

Serves 4

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste

2 teaspoons galangal paste

2 Thai green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

8 chicken thighs, about 1 kg (2 lb) in total, skinned, boned and cubed

400 ml (14 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk

150 ml (¼ pint) chicken stock

4 dried kaffir lime leaves

2 teaspoons light muscovado sugar

2 teaspoons fish sauce

100 g (3½ oz) sugar snap peas

100 g (3½ oz) green beans, cut in half

small bunch of coriander

Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s instructions. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the curry paste, galangal paste and green chillies and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the onion and chicken and cook, stirring, until the chicken is just beginning to turn golden. Pour in the coconut milk and stock, then add the lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to the boil, stirring.

Transfer the mixture into the slow cooker pot, cover with the lid and cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the chicken is tender.

Stir in the peas and beans and cook on high for 15 minutes or until they are just tender. Tear the coriander leaves over the top, then spoon into bowls and serve with rice.

For Thai red chicken curry, make up the curry as above but omit the green curry paste and green chillies and instead add 2 tablespoons red curry paste and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves. Cook for 8–10 hours as above but do not add the peas and beans, then spoon into bowls and sprinkle with some torn coriander leaves.