Choose an authentic, quality Thai curry paste for this dish and bake it slowly in the oven so the flavours in the curry paste have time to evolve.

Ingredients

• 1 kilogram lean casserole pork
• 2 large kumara, peeled
• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
• ¼-½ cup Thai red curry paste
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 400-mililitre can coconut cream or milk
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 250 grams green beans, fresh or frozen
• 1-2 juicy ripe tomatoes, quartered (optional)
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140ºC. Cut the pork, kumara and carrots into 3cm dice.
2. If you plan to brown the pork and onion, heat a dash of oil in a large, heavy based frying pan and brown the pork pieces over a high heat. Add the onion and brown lightly, adding a dash more oil if needed.
3. Into a casserole put the pork, onion, kumara, carrots, Thai curry paste, tomato paste, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk and stock. Stir to combine and cover. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 1½ hours or until the pork is tender.
4. If using fresh beans, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute and drain. Add beans, tomatoes (if using), basil and coriander to the casserole dish and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes to heat the vegetabes. Season with salt or fish sauce before serving.

Cooks Tips

Instead of Thai red curry paste, go wild and try one of the following: YELLOW CURRY PASTE, prepared with chillies, galangal, lemon grass, garlic and shrimp paste. PENANG CURRY PASTE, a heady paste with more spices than the green or red equivalent. CHIANG MAI CURRY PASTE, swwet and gutsy with turmeric and galangal. Use chicken drumsticks or beef in place of the pork. Vary the vegetables - use ptoatoes or pumpkin for a change.