Green Curry

Method

1. Bone the chicken and cut into bite size chunks. Make a stock with the bones.
2. In a heavy pan, fry the chicken in the oil until sealed (about 5 minutes). You will need to do this in two or three batches.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and fry the onion until soft but not coloured.
4. In a pestle and mortar, pound the cinnamon stick and cloves to a powder. Add them to the pan, along with the cinnamon bark, onions seeds, lemon grass and ginger.
5. Pound the garlic and salt in the pestle and mortar, and add this paste to the pan. Fry for a further 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the pan and add the chilli, turmeric, garam masala, and sultanas. Pour in a 1/2 pint of the prepared stock.
7. Cook over a low heat for 30-40 minutes (until the chicken is cooked).
8. Add the remaining ingredients and thicken with cornflour if required. Cook for a further 2 minutes.

Notes

This curry is quite hot! If you don't like your food too spicy, then reduce the chilli. If you take too much out, though, the curry will no longer be green...

This recipe takes a while to make because boning the chicken and making the stock is a bit time consuming. If boned chicken and a stock cube were substituted, the cooking time would be well under an hour.

The stock I made was very simple, I just threw in a few pepper corns and a bay leaf with the bones and boiled furiously for twenty minutes. If you have time, it would be better to let the stock bubble for about an hour.

I bought the minced coriander and chilli from my local health food shop. They are made by Blue Dragon, and they have a very fresh taste and keep for ages in the fridge. Why dessert spoons? The tablespoon wouldn't fit in the jar!