Serves 4-6 2 fresh green chillies, sliced lengthways 1 tsp white sugar 1kg chicken breast fillet, cut across in half and thnly sliced lengthways, not across 5 cups chicken broth or water 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsps ready made red curry paste (preferably Thai brand) 10g kaffir lime peels (Pew Magrood, in Thai) to enhance curry paste 15g fresh peppercorns 2 tbsp fish sauce 4 baby Thai round aubergines (sectioned) or ordinary aubergines 20g aromatic ginger (Grachai, in Thai), finely sliced lengthways 1 cup sliced tinned bamboo shoots 30g green beans (cut into inch long pieces) or mangetout 2 fresh red chillies, sliced lengthways 15g sweet basil leaves 3 kaffir lime leaves to enhance curry paste
Enhancing the already made red curry paste: Put kaffir lime peels in a mortar, using a pestle, pound them then mix in the red curry paste. Heat up the oil in a wok or pot then add in the mixed red curry paste and stir fry the curry paste with the oil for 15 seconds on low heat. It is vital that you do not burn the curry paste. Tear in kaffir lime leaves and stir for another 10 seconds. Now you should have a strong and aromatic red curry paste. Add sliced chicken into the red curry pot and stir fry until half cooked then add broth water, then stir and simmer until chicken is cooked. Add sliced aromatic ginger, bamboo shoots, green beans, aubergines and fresh peppercorns and simmer for another 30 seconds on low heat. If using mangetout instead of green beans then add them in later just before transferring into a bowl as they take only a few seconds to cook. To serve: Before transferring into a bowl put in half of the sliced mixed chillies and half the sweet basil leaves, stir in and immediately transfer into a bowl. Garnish with the rest of the sweet basil leaves and mixed chillies. Supplied by: Mini C, chef and patron, Busabong, Chelsea