Tantalising Thai green curry paste.

I'm not a fan of favouritism, but Thai is without a doubt my preferred cuisine when it comes to curries. Don’t get me wrong – I love an Indian curry as much as the next person, but when it comes to chillies I just can’t handle the spicy heat. Instead, I prefer a milder curry which has a tang but not an overpowering warmth.

The Thai green curry paste I prepared the other day was a great success. It was so fresh and vibrant, with green chillies contributing their clean flavour more than an intense heat. The combination of fresh ginger and lemongrass is sure to put a zing in your step; perfect for cold winter nights and summer days alike.

This particular recipe for green curry paste comes from ‘Wagamama: ways with noodles’. Wagamama is a fabulous chain of restaurants specialising in noodles (as you may have already guessed). Particularly well known for their ramen; stir fries, salads and curries are also on the menu. As they say, “slurping noodles is one of those simple pleasures. The sort that leaves you with a smile of satisfaction.” This place is definitely worth a visit if you haven’t already been. What they don’t know about noodles isn’t worth knowing!

Green curry paste

Ingredients

6 green chillies, roughly chopped

1 lemongrass stalk, outer leaves removed, thinly sliced

3 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced

1cm piece of ginger root, peeled and grated

Bunch of coriander stems finely chopped (leaves reserved for finished dish)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted in a hot, dry frying pan

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon shrimp paste (can be found in most good supermarkets)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor or pound in a pestle and mortar to a fine paste.

Once the ingredients have been thoroughly pulverised you will end up with a vivid green paste that can be used in any way you like. Be creative! You don’t always have to stick to rigid recipes; feel free to adapt them at your will. I made a vegetable Thai coconut curry with mine – perfect for vegetarians, but also delicious in its own right. With a dish like this, you won’t miss meat.

Start by heating some oil in a wok (or a large frying pan); add the vegetables that take slightly longer to cook (aubergine, courgette and butternut squash work well). After a few minutes, add 2 heaped tablespoons of your curry paste (these quantities will make enough for 4). Cook for a further minute or until it loses its raw flavour. Add a 400ml tin of coconut milk and some water to loosen the sauce. Put a lid on the wok and allow to simmer for a few minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through. Finally, add some mange tout and bean sprouts a few minutes before serving. Goes well with either sticky rice or noodles of your choice. Garnish with coriander leaves.

The leftover curry paste will keep indefinitely in the fridge; perfect for knocking up a quick curry when time is tight. If you don’t have the time to make a curry paste from scratch (it really doesn’t take that long), then you can always buy readymade paste. It’s not quite the same, but still makes a fine curry.