Thai-Style Coconut Chicken and Squash Curry

Method

1. Cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces and sprinkle with salt. Slice the onion 1 cm thick. Scoop the seeds from the squash and cut it, skin on, into 3 cm chunks; cut the pepper into 2 cm squares. Tear the lime leaves to release their scent.

   Add in this stepChicken thigh (skin on) 240 gSalt 1 pinchOnion 150 gKabocha squash (or butternut squash) 150 gRed bell pepper ½Makrut lime leaves (or a little grated lime zest) 2

2. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pot and lay the chicken in skin side down. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 min, until the skin is golden and has released its fat, then turn and stir.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbsp

   medium-high heat

3. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook over medium heat for 4 min, until the onion is soft.

   Add in this stepMinced garlic 1 tspGrated fresh ginger 1 tsp

   medium heat

4. Add the stock, squash and lime leaves and bring to a boil over high heat, about 3 min. Skim, then turn down to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 min, until a chopstick slides easily into the squash.

   Add in this stepChicken stock (or stock cube in water) 350 ml

   high heat→medium-low heat

5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small 18 cm pan, add the flour and stir over low heat for 3 min, until sandy and pale beige. Turn off the heat and stir in the curry powder. It is cooked lighter than the basic version so the coconut flavour stays bright.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gAll-purpose flour 20 gCurry powder 1½ tbsp

   low heat

6. Turn off the heat under the pot, loosen the roux with a ladle of broth and stir it in. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar and bell pepper and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 6 min. Coconut milk splits if boiled hard, so keep it just bubbling at the edges.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk 200 mlFish sauce 1 tspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Turn off the heat, squeeze in the lime juice and tear the basil over the top. Taste: add fish sauce for salt or lime for sourness. Serve with jasmine rice.

   Add in this stepLime ½Thai basil (or regular basil) 5 gHot cooked jasmine rice 400 g