[mifsit]

I have adapted this recipe from one by Nigella Lawson. It makes a fantastic curry.

For the red paste:
4 medium red chilli peppers
4 tablespoons of coriander seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
4 stems of lemon gr**** chopped
4 shalotts or spring onions
6 cloves of garlic
chopped ginger or galangal
zest and juice of 2 limes
2 level tablespoons of chilli powder (heat to your own taste)

Basically toast the seeds together in a hot dry pan until the aromas start to come out and then with the other ingredients crush them together in a pestle and mortar or food blender until they look like a paste.

For the curry:

1/2 pint of light coconut milk
1 pint of chicken or vegetable stock
1lb of diced chicken, turkey or firm fleshed fish (you could also use beef or pork but it will obviously be less healthy)
1lb of diced pumkin
kaffir lime leaves (just break them up in your fingers a bit)
A few green or red chillies depending on your taste
2 sticks of lemon grass chopped
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
fresh rice or noodles to serve
cooking time is approx 30-45 mins and should serve 4

In a pan heat through the coconut milk and add the paste, mix together well. Add the lime leaves, chilli, and lemon gr**** then poor in the stock. Once back to heat add the meat, stir through an cover well. allow 15-20 mins and check the meat is cooking through. Then add the pumpkin and cover once more (if using fish add the pumpkin at the same time instead of waiting). Once the pumpkin has cooked through and can be broken up stir it through to give an even consistancy of the sauce. Check the meat is thoroughly cooked. Serve with rice or noodles and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

You could use mixed vegetables in place of the meat, if you do this and it starts to look a little dry you can always add a little water. You can use store bought red curry paste but it will have oil in it. I guess you could use a green or yellow paste but I haven't done one of those yet and it may look strange with the colour of the pumpkin flesh.