Ingredients:

For the green curry paste:
4–5 medium green chillies, deseeded for less heat
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb-sized piece galangal (or ginger), peeled and chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part only, finely sliced
1 tsp kaffir lime zest or 2 kaffir lime leaves (central vein removed)
Small bunch coriander stems (roots if you have them)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fish sauce (or ½ tsp salt)
½ tsp shrimp paste (optional)
Juice of ½ lime

For the curry:
1 tbsp coconut oil
2–3 tbsp green curry paste (homemade from above, or good-quality shop-bought)
400ml full-fat coconut milk
250ml chicken bone broth
500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into strips
1 small aubergine, cut into chunks
100g green beans, trimmed
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste
1 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
Zest of 1 lime

To serve:
Steamed jasmine rice
Fresh coriander
1 red chilli, finely sliced

Method

1. Make the curry paste by blending the chillies, shallot, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime, coriander stems, ground coriander, cumin, fish sauce, shrimp paste (if using), and lime juice in a small food processor. Add a splash of water or neutral oil if needed to loosen. Blend until smooth. You can make this ahead and freeze in portions.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add 2–3 tbsp of the curry paste (homemade or shop-bought) and fry for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. The paste should sizzle slightly and darken a little to build flavour.
3. Stir in the coconut milk and chicken bone broth. Bring to a gentle simmer. Avoid boiling too hard, as this can reduce the sauce too quickly.
4. Add the chicken strips and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until just cooked through. Don’t stir too often — let the gentle simmer do the work.
5. Add the aubergine first and simmer for around 8 minutes until starting to soften. Then add the green beans and red pepper, cooking for a final 3–4 minutes. This layering keeps the vegetables tender-crisp and colourful.
6. Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and lime zest. Taste and adjust — add more fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for roundness, or lime juice for acidity.
7. To serve, spoon the curry over fragrant jasmine rice. Finish with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli, and lime wedges on the side.