Not really red chicken curry

I am an avid collector of cookbooks.  I have well over 150 of them, but I have cooked out of most of them and one of my goals is to go back through them and cook more things out of each of them.  Sometimes they just get a random recipe or two made from them.  Sometimes, I really find a lot of recipes to love in them and I want to make many so cook from it for some time.  I was never all that interested in Jamie Oliver's cookbooks until a friend of mine sent me two of them for my wedding.  I sat down with one of them and read it nearly cover to cover.  These are the cookbooks that I remember what is in them and come back to them frequently.  The other one is where is recipe is based off of - Meals in Minutes.

One thing I like about this cookbook is that is doesn't give you just one recipe at a time, but three to five so you can coordinate a whole meal during one time and don't have to think about what to do next as it is all integrated.  I don't think any of my other cookbooks are like this.  Sometimes I still pick and choose, though I don't think I have ever made all the things from one of the recipes either as it is a lot of food.

This recipe is titled Thai Red Curry, but there is not any curry in the recipe hence my name no really red curry.  Curries generally have turmeric in them in addition to a lot of other spices.  This recipe has the lots of other spices hence the name curry, but it does not have turmeric.   The blend is delicious, and I encourage you to try it out.

Thai Red Curry Chicken
2 lemongrass stalks (or 1 -2 tablespoons lemongrass powder)
1 fresh serrano chile, seeds removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
cilantro
2 roasted red peppers (I bought a jar and used the equivalent)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce (buy a good quality one)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
1 pound of chicken, cut into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces
about a handful sugar snap peas
5-6 stalks of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 can (14oz.) coconut milk
olive oil
salt
pepper
2 limes for serving, cut into wedges
Serve with rice (cook while making the sauce)

In a food processor blend together the chile, lemongrass powder (or stalks), garlic cloves, the bunch of cilantro, roasted red peppers, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger.  Mix until like a pate.  Put a frying pan over medium heat.   Add a few tablespoon olive oil and heat until shinny.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and fry over medium heat just until it is no longer pink.  Add 1 -2 tablespoons of the paste you just made.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add more oil to the pan and add the asparagus and sugar snap peas.  Cook just for a minute and then add the rest of the spice mixture to the pan.  Cook for an additional minute and then add the coconut milk.  Once incorporated, turn the heat to medium low and simmer.   Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer until heated throughout.  Season as needed.  Serve over rice and with the lime wedges.