Fragrant curry

WINTER WARMER: Thai pork curry.

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I love a good curry. It's the way the meat soaks up every other flavour, and renders itself so tender and delicious.

Thai curries are very fragrant and this one is extremely simple to put together. The spinach gives the dish some much needed colour but it is the lime leaves that steal the show.

Once you have made the paste remember to freeze what you don't use. It freezes very well and I do this all the time; it saves a lot of time when you're working as well as cooking.

I have made many Thai curries over the years and hope that you get as much enjoyment from this dish as I do. Enjoy.

Red curry paste

3 shallots, sliced

8 cloves of garlic, crushed

10 dried red chillies, sliced

2cm knob grated ginger

2 Tbsp chopped coriander stalks

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp oil

Place some of the ingredients into your mortar and pestle. I like to add a few at a time as it seems to be easier to control and you get a finer paste. Continue to add your ingredients and pound, until everything is well combined and you have a thick paste. This will take around 10 minutes. Heat a small pan and add the oil. Fry the curry paste for around five minutes until fragrant. Store in an airtight jar or freeze for next time.

Pork Curry

3 cups coconut milk

3 Tbsp red curry paste

500g pork steaks cut into cubes

3 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp palm sugar

1/4 cup tamarind juice

8 whole kaffir lime leaves

3 cups of fresh baby spinach

Combine a third of the coconut milk with the red curry paste. Mix well. Add this mixture to a large pan and cook for around a minute or until the kitchen is filled with delicious aromas. Add the pork and continue to cook for around five minutes or until nicely coated in the curry paste. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium low heat. When pork is tender and cooked through, remove from heat and serve with sticky rice, of course.

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