Thai chicken curry. Our favourite takeaway. Its just as easy to make at home with a well stocked pantry. I make this so often my pantry staples include small cans of coconut cream, packets of Mae Ploy green curry paste, fish sauce and palm sugar. Just add chicken and some fresh vegetables. I like to freshen up commercial curry paste with fresh chilli, garlic, ginger and coriander. And finish the dish with a generous squeeze of lemon.

In the time it takes to order a takeaway and pick it up I can have bowls of green chicken curry and freshly steamed jasmine rice on the table. I know, I’ve timed it. And don’t get me started on home delivery. I can have dinner cooked and eaten, the kitchen tidied and me relaxing with a glass of wine before it arrives at the door. No wonder we refer to this as our takeaway at home.

Green Chicken Curry with Zucchini and Red Capsicum

Serves 4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small brown onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 thumb sized piece of ginger, about 3 cm long, peeled and grated
2 stems coriander, roots and stalks for curry finely chopped.
reserved coriander leaves for garnish
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
2 – 3 tablespoons or 50 g green curry paste
600 g chicken thigh fillets, sliced
1/2 cup coconut cream
250 g zucchini, sliced into thin rounds (or any other green vegetable)
1 red capsicum, quartered and sliced into thin strips
1/2  tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar, grated
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 small lemon, juiced

HEAT oil in a large wok and add onion. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or so.
ADD garlic, ginger, coriander and chilli. Stir for a minute until fragrant.
ADD curry paste. Stir for another minute or so to release its flavour.
ADD chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the strips are well coated with the curry paste mixture.
ADD zucchini. Stir for a minute or so to combine.
ADD the coconut cream and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is tender. The sauce should have thickened and reduced by this stage and should coat the chicken and zucchini nicely.
ADD the capsicum strips, stir well and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
ADD palm sugar, fish sauce and lemon juice. Stir through the curry and take the wok off the heat.
SERVE with steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with reserved coriander leaves.