Add all of the paste ingredients into a blender/processor and blitz into a paste (doesn’t need to be smooth). If you don’t have a blender than a pestle/mortar will do the job). Place the paste onto a dish until needed.
1 tbsp olive oil, 4 large red chillies, 1 large Thai shallot, 2 stalks lemongrass, 2 inch ginger, 6 cloves garlic, ½ bunch coriander, 6 leaves kaffir lime leaves, 2 large limes
Place a large frying pan/wok over a medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
When the oil is hot add the chicken (in batches) to the oil and cook for about 5 minutes until the lovely and golden brown. Transfer the cooked chicken to a bowl and repeat until all of the chicken is partly cooked.
12 fillets chicken thigh
Once the chicken is done, wipe the frying pan with paper towel to remove any oil and return to the heat. Add the remaining oil and heat up.
Add the curry paste to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, until it has darkened slightly, and the amazing fragrance fills the room.
Return the chicken, including juices, to the pan and add the coconut sugar, lime juice and fish sauce and stir well.
1 tbsp coconut sugar, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 large limes
Bring the pan to a simmer and add the coconut milk breaking up any solidified lumps.
800 ml coconut milk
Reduce the heat to low and add the lid to the pan and leave for 10 minutes.
Add the sliced sugar snaps to the pan and cover again until the chicken is fully cooked( about 10 minutes).
100 g sugar snaps
When the chicken is cooked turn off the heat and leave for a few minutes as the curry will be piping hot.
Serve with fluffy rice and garnished with sliced chilli, kaffir leaves and coriander. Don’t forget the lime wedges.
1 large red chilli, 8 leaves kaffir lime leaves, ½ bunch coriander
Notes
Note 1) I use coconut sugar in this recipe instea of the more traditional palm sugar. Brown sugar can also be used.Note 2) I have used the zest of 2 limes in the paste and the juice of the same limes in the curry. No need to double up the number of limes.Note 3) As with the limes, I use the coriander stems in the paste and the leaves in the curry. Nothing is wasted.Note 4) A Thai shallot is a smaller version of a western shallot. Substitutes include scallions, spring onions, leeks an other mild onionish ingredients.Try adding broccoli, mange tout, carrots and more to the recipe. Its very flexible and can be easily tweaked.