Thai Green Curry with Clams

I am a total sucker for Thai food. If I'm not stopping in at Mercury Plaza for my fix on the way home from work I'll be whipping it up at home. Now to tell the truth, on a lazy weeknight after a long day I usually don't have the time or the energy to make the paste from scratch. Solution 1: make a big batch of curry paste on the weekend and refrigerate until needed. Solution 2: when that runs out buy a pre-made paste from the supermarket (from a PACKET you say?? Yes, I say- bite me).

In the interest of maintaining some dignity in the food blogger world, in this instance I will be making the paste from scratch. I've you've got a spare 15 minutes I recommend doing the same.

Green Curry Paste:

• 1 Lemongrass stem, roughly chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 Inch of fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 Shallots, peeled
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 Cup of coriander (leave some aside to garnish)
• 4 Fresh green chillis (less if you like it mild)
• 1 Teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 Teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Put all of the paste ingredients in a blender and whizz it up into a gorgeous greeny paste. At this point be brave and have a little tester to check how spicy it is- throw a few extra chillis in if you dare!

Now you've got your paste ready (see it wasn't too hard, was it?), you can choose your star of the dish. Usually I go with chicken or fish, but this time I branched out and chose clams, ohhah. 

The Rest:

• Chicken/Fish/Prawns/Clams or whatever you like
• Green beans, top 'n' tailed and cut in half
• Bamboo shoots (these cost about $1.50 in the international aisle at the supermarket)
• 1 Can coconut milk
• 1 Cup fish/chicken stock (or water)
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
• 1 Teaspoon brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 Kaffir lime leaves (if you can find some)

Heat up a wok and throw your lovely green paste in. Stir it for a few minutes until the smell fills the room. Add your coconut milk and stock in a cook for another few minutes until bubbling. 

Add your fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and whole kaffir lime leaves into the liquid. Have a taste and see what you think- more fish sauce? More lime?

If you are cooking chicken add it in now to the bubbling liquid and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans and bamboo shoots in and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes until everything is ready.

If you are using seafood, put everything in at the same time, and after a few minutes it should be ready. If you have fish or prawns they will be opaque once cooked, and clams will have opened.

Have one last taster for good luck, and pile it into a big dish with a scattering of coriander. Serve with fluffy white rice. She's a winner, I promise!