Gaeng phed kai - red chicken curry

The Thai name of this dish literally means "hot chicken curry". There is 
a very similar recipe for a green curry (Gaeng Khiao Wan Kai) which I 
shall also post. 

As always, the quantities are up to you.

Curry Paste
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5-10  dried red chillies 
10 cloves garlic, chopped 
1 teaspoon chopped galangal 
1 tablespoon thinly sliced lemon grass 
half teaspoon zest of "kaffir" lime (ordinary lime will do) 
1 teaspoon chopped coriander (cilantro) root 
5   black pepper corns 
1 tablespoon roasted coriander seeds 
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds 
a dash  fish sauce 
1-2 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (kapi) 

mix in a moratar and pestle or food processor. Will keep about a month 
in a fridge. You can buy commercial red curry paste (Mae Ploy brand is 
quite good), but as far as I am aware all commercial pastes contain MSG 
and preservatives.

The curry
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6 ounces chicken (in smallish bite sized pieces) 
half a cup of coconut milk 
4 ounces Thai eggplant (these are small round eggplants) 
2  kaffir lime leaves (or a little lime zest) 
1 tablespoon sweet basil 
2 tablespoon fish sauce 
1 tablespoon palm sugar 

oil for cooking 
1-3 tablespoons of the red curry paste

method
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cut the chicken up, then briefly fry the curry paste until fragrant, 
reduce the heat, add the coconut milk slowly, and continue to stir 
whilst cooking until a thin film of oil apppears on the surface. 

add the chicken and other ingredients except the eggplant. Bring to a 
boil and cook until the chicken begins to change colour. Adjust the 
flavors to suit yourself. When it is at a boil again add the eggplant 
and continue till the chicken is cooked through. 

Serve over rice, or in a serving bowl with other Thai dishes.