How to make Joe Wicks’ Thai Me Up, Baby

“If you ever find yourself craving a takeaway, give this recipe a go. It’s simple and delicious,” says The Body Coach, Joe Wicks. “Avoid the tinned coconut milks, which often contain gums and emulsifiers, and instead opt for the solid block of creamed coconut, which is 99.9% pure coconut. The great thing with curries like this is you can really throw in any of your favourite veg. So, if you don’t enjoy the texture of aubergine, you could use courgette, baby corn or mangetout. Whatever you go for, it’s guaranteed to taste incredible.”

Thai Me Up, Baby

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

100g creamed coconut block, roughly chopped
10g desiccated coconut
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or 8 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 800g), roughly chopped
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp garlic powder
2-3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 aubergine, cut into 1-2cm dice
170g green Thai curry paste
1x400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
280g uncooked basmati rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

1 red chilli, thinly sliced (deseeded if preferred)
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges or cheeks

Method:

Add 400 millilitres boiling-hot water to a heatproof jug and add the creamed coconut pieces. Leave to dissolve, whisking if necessary.

Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium high heat for three to four minutes until golden, stirring regularly (be careful: it can burn quickly). Set aside in a bowl.

Add the chopped chicken to a large bowl and sprinkle over the ginger and garlic. Toss well to evenly coat.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat. Fry the chicken in batches for four to five minutes per batch until golden brown all over, adding another tablespoon of oil for each batch. Transfer to a bowl, season and set aside.

Add more oil to the same pan over a medium-high heat, add the aubergine and stir-fry for three to four minutes until softened and starting to caramelise. Reduce the heat to medium and add the curry paste and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and let it cook for several minutes until the coconut milk reduces by more than half.

Reduce the heat to low, add the rinsed chickpeas and return the chicken pieces to the pan (along with any juices from the bowl). Leave to warm through until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions (usually in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes). Once cooked, drain the rice in a sieve and season with salt. Stir through half the toasted coconut.

Serve the chicken with the rice, scattering over the remaining coconut. Top the chicken with sliced chilli and coriander and serve with lime wedges or cheeks on the side to squeeze over.

Protein In 15 by Joe Wicks is published in hardback by LEAP, priced £22. Photography Mike English Photography. Available December 4