- 20 red dried chillies, seeds removed, halved, soaked for 30 minutes and then drained
- 50g/1¾oz coriander root (available online)
- 8 lime leaves, shredded
- 4 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
- 100g/3½oz galangal, peeled and sliced
- 2 tbsp lime zest, preferably kaffir limes
- 50g/1¾oz Thai shallots, peeled and sliced (available online),
- 50g/1¾oz garlic, sliced
- 2 tbsp shrimp paste
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- small piece of mace
- 5 white peppercorns
- 2-3 tbsp coconut cream
- 4 tbsp curry paste (see above)
- 1cm/½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
- 6 boneless chicken thighs, skinned and chopped
- 2 tbsp palm sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 sticks lemongrass, bashed
- 6 lime leaves, crushed
- 2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
- 100ml/3½fl oz chicken stock, heated until boiling
- handful fresh coriander, leaves picked
- handful Thai basil, leaves picked
- handful mint, leaves picked
- 2 long red chillies, seeds removed and cut into long thin strips
- 2 small shallots, sliced, fried until crisp
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced, fried until crisp
- 2 garlic cloves
- thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger
- 6 coriander roots or stalks
- 50ml/2fl oz vegetable oil
- 300g/10½oz rice noodles, soaked
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- handful fresh coriander
- 100g/3½oz beansprouts
- For the curry paste, put all of the ingredients except the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mace and peppercorns in a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed.
- Toast the coriander, cumin and mace in a frying pan until fragrant. Add the peppercorns. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Grind in a pestle and mortar and add to the paste.
- For the curry, heat the coconut cream. When the cream splits, add the curry paste and fry, stirring constantly over a medium heat. Add the chicken, palm sugar and the fish sauce. It should look like a sticky jam. Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, coconut milk and stock. Bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Keep warm over a very low heat while you make the noodles.
- For the noodles, put the garlic, ginger and coriander in a pestle and mortar and pound to a paste. Heat the oil in a wok and add the paste to the oil, fry at a very high heat for a minute until fragrant and starting to colour.
- Stir in the chillies and noodles. Add the sauces, mix and when hot put in a large bowl topped with the fresh coriander and beansprouts.
- Serve the curry with the noodles alongside. Top with the curry garnish, if using.