Venison jungle curry with green banana recipe

• 850 ml (29.9fl oz) chicken stock
• 4 tbsp oil (sunflower or similar)
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 pinch palm sugar or golden caster sugar
• 1 large green banana or plaintain
• 2 tbsp pea aubergines
• 2 Thai bird's eye chillies, bruised
• 2 Thai 'apple' aubergines, sliced into bite-sized wedges
• 1 handful Thai long beans or fine green beans
• 2 tbsp peeled grachai, sliced into thin long strips
• 1 handful Thai holy basil leaves, or Thai sweet basil leaves
• 6 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
• 4 stalks of fresh green peppercorns (optional)
• 25 g (0.9oz) long dried chillies (deseeded, cut into pieces and soaked in water for 15 minutes then drained)
• 10 dry bird's eye chillies (seeds left in, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained)
• 2 tbsp grachai root, peeled and chopped (optional)
• 3 tbsp sliced lemongrass
• 2 tbsp galangal, peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp sliced shallots
• 3 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 coriander roots (or a large handful of ground coriander stems)
• 1 tbsp gapi (Thai shrimp paste)
• 0.5 tsp kaffir lime zest (optional)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 0.5 tsp sea salt
• 600 g (21.2oz) lead venison haunch or loin meat, trimmed of sinew or gristle
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 pinch white sugar

1. To make the paste use a heavy pestle and mortar and add the sea salt, drained dried chillies and pound until smooth, now add the rest of the ingredients one by one, pounding until smooth before adding the next.
2. Once complete set aside for later (this stage can be done up to 2 days in advance).
3. Now grill the venison: rub the meat with the fish sauce and sugar and charcoal grill (or use a griddle pan) until nicely coloured and medium rare (about 4 - 6 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of your cut).
4. Allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice into bite sized pieces and set aside.
5. For the green banana, peel and slice into bite sized pieces and place in a pot of salted cold water.
6. Once the water begins to simmer, turn off the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
7. The bananas should be cooked but still with a slight bite.
8. Drain and set aside.
9. To make the curry: add the oil to a pan place on a medium heat and gently fry the curry paste for 5 minutes, stirring to avoid sticking.
10. Add the chicken stock, fish sauce and pinch of sugar then the pea aubergines and kaffir lime leaves, simmer for 3 minutes before adding the apple aubergines, boiled green banana, bruised bird's eye chillies and fresh green peppercorns (if using).
11. Simmer for 3-4 more minutes before adding the sliced venison, grachai and basil.
12. Turn off the heat, taste to check the seasoning (add a touch more fish sauce if needed) and serve.
13. Serve with jasmine rice and as part of a shared Thai meal.

chicken, oil, fish sauce, palm sugar, green banana, aubergines, aubergines, handful, grachai, handful, lime leaves, stalks of fresh green peppercorns, water, left, grachai root, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, garlic, coriander roots, gapi, lime zest, black peppercorns, salt, fish sauce, white sugar

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/47612/venison-jungle-curry-with-green-banana-recipe (may not work)