Green Curry version 1 million...

Recently I made some Green Curry for a mate and her family. She dug it but wanted the recipe so I said I'd build one for her. I'm writing this also for my reference too as I keep making it and forgetting what I'd done before. 

Green Curry I am sure has rules and what not but it kind of is just a moosh of green things and a heap of aromatics. It is way better than jar sauce and worth the five minutes it takes to rough chop some veg and whiz it up in a food processor. What I will say though is a game changer is velveting your meat before hand. It is easy and it works heaps good. Or not, its up to you...

For the Paste:

1 bunch coriander, washed, roots removed, reserve some leaves for garnish

5 cloves garlic

1 thumb ginger

3 stalks lemon grass

3 limes

Chilli to whatever capacity you like (none is ok)

3 spring onions, some green bits reserved for finishing

1 tsp roasted shrimp paste

1 tbs sesame oil

2 tbs vegetable oil

Dinner itself:

500gms chicken breast or skinless thigh fillets

2tsp bicarbonate soda

1 tsp chicken stock powder

Salt, pepper and a good pinch of MSG if you can get it

400ml coconut milk

Greens of your choice, blanched

1 onion sliced

Soy Sauce

1 tbs brown sugar

2 limes

1 tbs fish sauce or so

Vegetable oil for shallow frying

Curry paste as above

Rice to serve

For the curry paste: 

Remove the outer layer of the lemon grass stalks and use a microplane to grate the white parts of the lemon grass down until you get to the woody bit. Zest one of the limes and juice 2 of the limes. Rough chop the veg and stick in a blender with with the oil, juice, zest and shrimp paste. Taste it and see if it needs salt - the shrimp paste is very salty though. Add more lime juice if it isn't zingy enough. If it is heaps dry, add more oil until it is a smooth paste.

Dinner though: 

Thin slice the chicken breast in bite size pieces. Place the sliced chicken into a bowl with the bi-carb, chicken stock powder, salt, pepper, MSG and two or three tablespoons of water. Mix and set aside for twenty minutes. This will make your chicken absorb the seasonings and the water - consequently giving you more browning and is more moist.

Brown the chicken in batches in a little oil and remove to keep warm. Fry the onion until it takes on some colour. Add the curry paste and fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Add in the coconut milk, bring to a light simmer, reduce the heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add in the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice and some soy sauce. Stir and check for balance adding more of what is missing. Unsure? Not sweet enough - add more sugar. Not enough zing, more lime juice. Not enough weird - add more fish sauce.

Bung in your greens to heat through and some spring onion slices. Dish up, garnish, eat. Peanuts and fried onions, coriander, more lime juice and fresh chilli are good to stick on top.