Thai red squash and spinach curry

Method

1. For the red curry paste, put all the ingredients into a mini food processor with 1 tbsp water and blend to a smooth paste.
2. Peel the squash, scoop out the seeds and cut into 2cm thick, neat slices. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the curry paste and fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring now and then, until it starts to smell aromatic and the oil starts to separate from the paste. Add the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and kaffir lime leaves, if using, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
3. Stir in the squash and ½ tsp salt, cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Carefully stir in the sugar snap peas, taking care not to break up the squash pieces, and simmer for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the bamboo shoots and spinach leaves, then simmer for 1 minute. Add the basil leaves and adjust the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and seasoning if necessary. It should taste chilli-hot, salty, sour and sweet. Serve with steamed basmati rice.