Thai Red Chicken Curry

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1 onion—finely chopped
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (or 3 teaspoons for a hotter curry)
2 cloves garlic—finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 zucchini (courgette)—sliced into thin rounds
1 red pepper (capsicum)—julienned
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup Jasmine rice
12 oz (360g) uncooked skinless chicken breast fillets—cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour) mixed to a paste with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large fresh basil leaves—finely sliced


DIRECTIONS:

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
ADD the curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute.
ADD the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar and salt, then bring to the boil.
ADD the red pepper,carrots and zucchini, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12 minutes.
WHILE the curry simmers, cook the rice.
ADD the chicken to the curry and simmer, covered, for a further 8 minutes.
ADD the cornstarch paste and stir continuously until the curry thickens, then stir in the lemon juice and basil.
SERVE on a bed of rice.