VEGETARIAN GREEN CURRY

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Green Curry Paste (see below)
• 400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 150g carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 100g (3½ oz) Thai (pea) aubergines, cut into quarters
• 150g (5oz) cooked bamboo shoots, cut into thin strips
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• handful of Thai basil leaves to garnish
• 2 red spur chillies, diagonally sliced
• Sprigs of Thai basil
• Steamed rice, to serve

Vegetarian Green Curry Paste (makes 150ml or ¼ pint)

• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 5 long green chillies, sliced
• 5 green spur chillies, sliced
• 3 tablespoons galangal, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons sliced lesser galangal
• 3 lemongrass stalks, sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
• 3 coriander roots, finely sliced
• 4 shallots, sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, roasted and ground
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and ground
• 5 black peppercorns, crushed