Thai Red Curry Coconut Couscous

Method

1. Cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces, the carrot into 1 cm slices and the squash into 2 cm cubes. Cut the courgette into 1.5 cm half-moons and the pepper into thick strips, and trim the beans to 4 cm. Tear the central rib out of the lime leaves. Spoon the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk can into a separate cup.

2. Heat the oil in a 22 cm wide pot on medium heat and add the curry paste and the first portion of coconut milk (the thick cream). Stir for 2 min, until it smells strongly fragrant and red oil starts to separate out.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspThai red curry paste 1½ tbspCoconut milk (unshaken) 60 ml

   medium heat

3. Add the chicken and stir on medium heat for 3 min, until the outside turns white and every piece is coated in paste.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 200 g

   medium heat

4. Add the stock, the rest of the coconut milk, the fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, carrot and squash, and simmer gently on medium-low heat for 10 min. Don't let it boil hard or the coconut milk may split.

   Add in this stepChicken stock 280 mlCoconut milk (unshaken) 140 mlFish sauce 2 tspPalm sugar or light brown sugar 1 tspMakrut lime leaves 2Carrot 100 gButternut squash or pumpkin 160 g

   medium-low heat

5. Add the courgette, pepper, green beans and chickpeas and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 min more, until the vegetables are just tender but still have some bite. Cut the largest piece of chicken to check there is no pink inside, then taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce if needed.

   Add in this stepCourgette (zucchini) 120 gRed bell pepper 80 gGreen beans 60 gCooked chickpeas (canned, drained) 80 g

   medium-low heat

6. Put the couscous, salt and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water and cover straight away with a plate or cling film. Leave for 5 min, then fluff with a fork, scraping from the bottom, until light and separate.

   Add in this stepCouscous (dry) 140 gBoiling water 170 mlSalt 1 pinchCoconut oil (or butter) 1 tsp

7. Spoon the couscous into bowls and ladle the curry generously over it with plenty of sauce. Tear Thai basil leaves over the top, scatter with the chopped peanuts and serve with lime wedges to squeeze.

   Add in this stepThai basil 6 gRoasted peanuts, roughly chopped 20 gLime ½