LAWRENCE MURPHY: A cure for takeaway temptations

If you don’t like picking through bones then neck fillets are the choice for you. They can be charred on a griddle pan and served pink, however I think they are better to eat after a long cooking process.

If you have started 2017 with a view to getting into better shape and you’re missing the takeaway curry, then this recipe could be a reward for all your hard work.

This can go in the oven before you go to the gym or pub; depends on how your week has been...

INGREDIENTS

750g lamb neck fillet cut into 2cm chunks

For the curry paste

4 red chillies

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

1 stick lemongrass, chopped

2 slices ginger, peeled and chopped

Zest of 1/2 lime

1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste

Pinch of cumin seed

1/2 teaspoon coriander seed

Tablespoon paprika

For the curry

1 tin coconut milk (stand for 2 hours)

Tablespoon fish sauce

Juice of 1 lime

3 kaffir lime leaves

Small bunch Thai basil

4 pak choi

METHOD

1. Put all the ingredients for the paste in a liquidiser for two minutes until you get a thick paste.

2. Heat some oil in a large casserole dish, put the paste into the dish and cook for two minutes.

3. Open the coconut milk and scoop off the cream into the pan. Cook for another two minutes.

4. Add the coconut water, fish sauce, lime juice and lime leaves.

5. Add the lamb and 150ml water

6. Put a lid on the pan and put in an oven at 150C/gas 4 for two hours.

7. Once the lamb is tender, add the pak choi and basil. Cook for another five minutes and serve with rice.

n Lawrence’s restaurant is Fat Olives in Emsworth (fatolives.co.uk). Call 01243 377 914.