Thai curry soup

This is a rather simple dish, by way of relying a little on some pre-concocted ingredients - notably Mae Ploy Green Thai Curry Paste, and Asian Home Gourmet paste for Tom Ka soup. They're simply spices and not-readily-available ingredients already mashed up for you - I did once even find candlenuts for making curry paste from scratch, but the ready-made was still better. I conceded a minor defeat. This is a simpler soup-like version of the usual curry, for which I'd use more coconut milk and additional ginger root, garlic, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf. (And better camera settings, sadly this was the most in-focus of the lot.)

1 tsp Thai green curry paste (Mae Ploy is my favourite)

1 tsp Tom Ka soup paste (optional, but adds extra piquancy)

1 tin coconut milk

1 chicken thigh, meat roughly cubed and bone retained

1 shallot

1/2 sweet potato, cubed

1/2 aubergine (large purple eggplant), cubed

1 green (bell) pepper, diced
2 - 3 leaves Chinese leaf, sliced (optional)

1/4 lime

Fish sauce

Palm sugar

Fresh coriander (cilantro)

Jasmine rice (scant 1/2 cup per person)

Rinse and drain jasmine rice, add water in a 1:1 ratio with the rice, and bring to a boil over a high heat in an open pan. Once bubbling remove it to the lowest heat setting you can manage, cover with pan lid, and leave to effectively cook and steam for 15 - 20 mins. Once cooked, fluff it up with a fork and leave it to stand for 5 - 10 mins off any heat, covered once more.

Heat the curry and soup pastes with an 1/8th of the tin of coconut milk in a pan on medium heat, stirring until it warms through and grows fragrant. Add in a half tin more of the milk, and let come to a simmer. (Note that I use very little curry paste as I find it quite hot, so adjust to taste here as desired.)

Add the chicken, shallot and sweet potato to the curry, and let cook for 5 - 10 mins.

Stir in the aubergine, and add some coconut milk or hot water if more liquid is needed to cover the meat and vegetables. Leave to simmer for another 5 - 10 mins.

It should be about cooked by now, so add in the green pepper and simmer for a few minutes until this is done to your liking. Stir in the Chinese leaf now, if using.

A few minutes before serving, squeeze in the lime juice, balance it with a 1 tsp or so of sugar, and add fish sauce to taste. (I tend to start with a teaspoon of it, then adjust until the sweet/sour/saltiness is to my liking.) Add remaining coconut milk for a thicker, richer soup.

Stir in plenty of fresh coriander, then serve over a small heap of steaming fragrant jasmine rice. If you have the seasonings just right, you'll proceed to somewhat helplessly devour it.