Ingredients

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 -5 long red chilies, trimmed
• 2 lemongrass, stalks trimmed, outer leaves removed and sliced
• 5 cm piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and chopped
• 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 800 g chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 400 ml light coconut milk
• 100 ml chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 400 g green beans, trimmed
• salt and pepper
• coriander leaves, roughly torn

Instructions

1. To make the curry paste. Put the garlic, chillies, lemon grass, ginger and shallots in a food processor to form a paste. (Or you can use a pestle and mortar).

2. Next, heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Tip in the curry paste with 1 tsp ground turmeric and stir over a medium heat for a few minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.

3. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to the pan, stirring to coat in the paste. Add the lime leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, coconut milk, stock, sugar, soy and fish sauces and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for half an hour to an hour until the chicken is tender.

4. Skim off any excess oil on the surface of the curry. Taste add salt and pepper if you think its needs. Add the beans and cover for another few minutes until the beans are tender.

5. To serve, scatter the coriander leaves over the curry and serve with rice and roti.