Family-friendly massaman chicken and vegetable curry with rice

Method

1. Rinse the rice well. Cook the rice in a rice cooker (if you have one) with the slices of ginger. Alternatively, put the rice in a medium saucepan with the ginger and 375 ml of water and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam, still covered, for a further 8 minutes. Do not lift the lid at any time during cooking.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any crusty bits. Add the remaining coconut milk to the pan. Pour 60 ml of water into the empty coconut milk tin and swirl it around briefly. Add the water to the pan and bring to the boil.
3. Add the chicken to the coconut milk and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes if using chicken thigh, or for 10 minutes for breast.
4. Add the carrot and corn to the pan and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, depending on how al dente you like your vegetables.
5. Squeeze the juice from the lime and stir 1 tablespoon of the juice into the curry with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce and the sugar. Taste the sauce and add a little extra lime juice, fish sauce or sugar according to your liking – no one of these flavours should dominate. Roughly chop any herbs you are using.
6. Serve the curry over the rice with the herbs scattered over, or serve the herbs on the side so everyone can scatter their own, if desired.