Hot and sour chicken curry

Serves 6

1 tbsp turmeric

1 dsp shrimp paste

8 candlenuts

1 thumb-sized piece galangal

5 red chillies

1 brown onion

6 garlic cloves

1/2 cup tamarind concentrate

2 tbsp palm sugar

6 stems lemongrass

6 chicken thighs, skin on

6 chicken legs, skin on

Vegetable oil, salt

Put the first nine ingredients (down to and including the palm sugar) into a food processor and blitz until a puree forms. Pour it into a large zip lock bag with the lemongrass and chicken and massage the bag until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Retrieve the chicken pieces from the marinade and brown in a pan in batches with a little vegetable oil. Add the paste and enough water to loosen and almost cover the chicken, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Taste for salt and serve with a big bowl of rice.