Southern Vietnamese Chicken Curry - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
vegetable oil (for frying)
8 shallots, finely chopped
4 stalks fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh red chilies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mild indian curry powder
450 g skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
300 ml coconut milk
600 ml chicken stock
fresh Thai basil (optional)

Preparation

Shallow-fry the potato pieces in hot oil until lightly browned.
Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
Heat a little oil in a pan and saute the shallots with the lemon grass, garlic and chillies until soft.
Add the curry powder and stir for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook, stirring until it is opaque.
Add the potatoes, salt, coconut milk and chicken stock.
Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes.
Garnish with Thai basil leaves, if using.